August 17 | Pentecost 10, Year C
Isa. 5:1-7 or Jer. 23:23-29
Ps. 80:1-2, 8-19 or Ps. 82
Heb. 11:29-12:2
Luke 12:49-56
According to Christian theology, there is a Great Divide in the history of the world. It is clear, at least for much of the world, that Jesus is the One who divides time into before and after and in that way is the Great Divide, whether one uses B.C and A.D. or B.C.E. and C.E.
Jesus is a historical figure who lived at a particular time and in a particular place. His location in time and space is recorded even by non-Christian historians like the Romans Tacitus and Suetonius, as well as Josephus, who was writing in the same century as Jesus. Both Jews and Muslims acknowledge that Jesus of Nazareth lived, even though they deny him divine status. In addition, beyond the calendar, this Jesus had a profound effect on the world as we know it. His immediate effect was to transform the entire Roman Empire within 300 years. Since then, his effect has continued even to today. His teaching forms the basis of the legal and educational systems under which we live. Furthermore, people of all cultures report their experience of the risen Christ through events, dreams, and visions.
The division Jesus brings demands an action—a choice of substance and consequence. In every life Jesus is the line in the sand. If you stand on one side of the line, you are with Jesus. If you stand on the other side, you are against Jesus. His line is so thin that we do not have the option of remaining on the line. Jesus draws this line vanishingly thin by making claims about himself. In the religions of the world, their leaders point to a god or gods. Only Jesus points to himself. He calls people to “Come to me,” “Follow me,” “Receive me,” “See me,” and “Love me.” Jesus also speaks of God’s kingdom as “My kingdom.” In addition, Jesus made direct claims of divinity. At the Feast of the Dedication, Jesus told the Jews that “The Father and I are one.” His meaning was not lost on his Jewish audience, who immediately took up stones to kill him. By claiming to be God, Jesus removes the middle ground. He only leaves us with the options of Yes or No.
Not only has Jesus taken away the option of believing that he is a great moral teacher or prophet, but he has also removed the option of ignoring him. Again, Jesus is. His line in the sand is visible even to those who do not know him.
Jesus reveals the nature of God in a fuller way than the created order, but those who have not heard of Jesus can still know of him by the witness of everything that he has created. So, if those who have never heard of Jesus are without excuse, what hope is there for those who have heard but have chosen not to believe in him? Like the clouds rising in the west and the south wind blowing, the truth about Jesus is there for all to see and to experience. We answer Yes or No with our lives.
If we believe Jesus is our Lord and God, then we follow him. Our Yes is our life of obedience and dependence on Jesus. We follow him, and when we follow him, we are on the path to a reconciled relationship with God and eternal life. Any other choice but to follow Jesus is to refuse to be reconciled to God. Jesus divides us into those who will live with God and those who will not. When there is a choice there is always division. The object of our choice is Jesus, but the manifestation of our choice is giving him control of our lives as our Lord.
Look It Up:Â Hebrews 12:1-2
Think About It:Â Faith is the choice to trust Jesus.
The Rev. Dr. Chuck Alley, former rector of St. Matthew’s Church in Richmond, Virginia, teaches anatomy at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School.
