Jesus did not come to bring us peace? Wait . . . What?

TUE 7/4 Some devotional thoughts

It's the 4th of July. On Sunday we were joined in worship by our daughter Sarah & grand-daughters Brianna & Hadley. Last week we spent w/family in MN, including our nephews Kyle & Kory, who are both in the Navy. We have many other members of both sides of the family who have served and/or continue to serve in the military. Family was heavy on my mind during church, & our liturgy & hymns also left me pondering themes of patriotism & peace.

Truth from Scripture

[Jesus said:] "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword . . . " Matt. 10:34

More devotional thoughts

Even given both actual & threatened terrorist attacks, I think most of us think of our country being at peace, not war. And when we think of & pray for Jesus to bring peace, we think of peace in terms of the absence of conflict, the absence of war . . . so these words from Jesus are baffling. He didn't come to bring peace? He came to bring a sword?

Our Opening Hymn:  "God Bless Our Native Land" *

(St. 1) "God bless our native land; Firm may she ever stand
Through storm and night.
When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave,
Do Thou our Country save By Thy great might."
* Source:  LSB #965

MY COMMENT:  What are we praying for when we ask the Lord to save our country?

The Gloria in Excelsius *

(St. 1) "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth;
Good-will from God in heaven Proclaimed at Jesus' birth!
We praise and bless You, Father, Your holy name, we sing--
Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav'nly King."
* Source:  LSB, p.204

MY COMMENT:  I'm beginning to get the feeling that peace between God & humankind, made possible by His Son Jesus, is a treasure that far surpasses any earthly peace.

Prayer of Thanksgiving *

"Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of all creation, for You have had mercy on us and given Your only-begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life . . . We give You thanks for the redemption You have prepared for us through Jesus Christ . . . "
* Prayed before Holy Communion

MY COMMENT:  
Conflict with God is deadly. Conflict with God leads to eternal death. Peace with God leads to eternal life, and this is made possible only through the redemption prepared for us through Jesus Christ.

Closing Hymn:  "Today Your Mercy Calls Us" *

(St. 1) "Today Your mercy calls us To wash away our sin.
However great our trespass, Whatever we have been,
However long from mercy Our hearts have turned away,
Your precious blood can wash us And make us clean today."
* Source:  LSB #915

Some final devotional thoughts

This hymn stanza brings closure to today's devotion. I've been reading Red Dawn at Lexington, by Louis Birnbaum (Houghton Mifflin, 1986). I just finished the chapter about Bunker Hill & learned things that I didn't know, namely, the bloodshed that both sides suffered. The colonials experienced many casualties, many men, both the very young & old--those killed & those grievously wounded--fighting for the cause of freedom & liberty. How can this NOT resonate on the 4th of July?

Yet what really, truly resonates with me is the death of Jesus Christ our Lord & Savior. While the death of the men on Bunker & Breed's Hills was a sacrifice not to be discounted in the birth of our nation, ultimately bringing peace between our American colonies & Great Britain, it pales in comparison to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Jesus' death on the cross brought peace between God & humankind, rescuing untold numbers of men, women, & children from the sure oppression of sin, death, & Satan . . . oppression that leads to everlasting subjection in hell. This is a fate far worse than "taxation without representation."

• I will be forever grateful for the men & woman who gave their lives to win our independence & the freedoms we enjoy.
• I will be forever grateful for the veterans--including many members of our family--who risked much to serve our country in the military.
• I will be forever grateful for the men & woman who continue to guard our freedoms by their service in the military.
• I will be forever grateful to our Lord & Savior who won our freedom from the chains of Hell & brought us true peace with our Father in heaven.