Embracing Division: The Call to Greatness in Faith

As the new school year begins, I was struck by the creativity and anticipation of our junior high students, especially the one counting down the days until summer. This sense of waiting and expectation connects us to the prophets of the Old Testament, particularly Jeremiah, whose life foreshadowed the life of Christ in many ways. Both Jeremiah and Jesus were chosen from the womb, lived celibate lives, faced betrayal, and predicted the destruction of the temple. Their stories are intertwined, with Jeremiah’s suffering and rescue prefiguring Christ’s own passion and ultimate victory over death.

Jeremiah’s experience of being thrown into a pit and later rescued mirrors Jesus’ descent into suffering and his resurrection. However, while Jeremiah was saved by a court official, Jesus, in his death and resurrection, becomes the one who rescues all of us from the pit of sin and despair. The letter to the Hebrews reminds us that Christ endured opposition so that we would not lose heart, assuring us that he understands our struggles and stands with us in our trials.

The Gospel reading challenges us with Jesus’ words about bringing not peace, but division. This seems at odds with his title as the Prince of Peace, but it reveals a deeper truth: following Christ often leads to conflict, even within our closest relationships. When we align our lives with God’s will, we may face misunderstanding or rejection from those around us. Jesus quotes the prophet Micah, highlighting that even family bonds can be strained by faith, yet the call remains to trust in God above all.

I shared a personal story about the division in my own family when I chose to follow God’s call to the priesthood, despite my father’s hopes for a different path. This kind of division is not just external; it also exists within our own hearts. We are torn between the comforts of the world and the deeper longing for union with God. True fulfillment is not found in comfort or ease, but in striving for the greatness to which we are called.

As we approach the altar, we are invited to follow the example of Jeremiah and Christ, resisting the pull of sin and comfort, and trusting that God will give us the strength to persevere. Christ’s sacrifice shows us that he will stop at nothing to bring us home to the kingdom of heaven.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The lives of Jeremiah and Jesus are deeply connected, with Jeremiah’s suffering and rescue serving as a foreshadowing of Christ’s passion and resurrection. This parallel reminds us that God’s plan is woven through history, and that our own struggles can be part of a greater story of redemption. [02:49]
• 2. Christ’s descent into suffering is not just a historical event, but a personal assurance that he knows our pain and stands with us in our darkest moments. His willingness to endure opposition and even death is meant to strengthen us when we feel overwhelmed or alone. [05:11]
• 3. Jesus’ words about bringing division challenge us to recognize that following him may lead to conflict, even with those we love most. True peace is found not in avoiding conflict, but in remaining faithful to God’s call, even when it costs us comfort or approval. [05:50]
• 4. The division that Christ speaks of is not only external, but also internal. Each of us experiences a battle within our own hearts between the desire for comfort and the call to holiness. Recognizing this inner struggle is the first step toward surrendering more fully to God’s will. [08:45]
• 5. We are not made for comfort, but for greatness—a greatness defined by trust in God and a willingness to resist sin, even at great personal cost. The examples of Jeremiah, the martyrs, and above all Christ, inspire us to persevere in faith, knowing that God’s love will ultimately bring us home. [09:27]
  ** [09:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:39] - School Year Reflections and Locker Stories
• [01:43] - Jeremiah as a Foreshadowing of Christ
• [02:49] - Parallels Between Jeremiah and Jesus
• [03:55] - Christ’s Rescue Mission
• [05:11] - Christ’s Suffering and Our Struggles
• [05:50] - Jesus Brings Division, Not Just Peace
• [06:42] - Jesus Quotes Micah: Family and Division
• [07:49] - Personal Story: Division in My Family
• [08:45] - The Battle Within: Internal Division
• [09:27] - Made for Greatness, Not Comfort
• [10:46] - Closing and Call to Perseverance

Bible Reading

Jeremiah 38:6-13 (ESV) — > So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud. When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern—he was sitting in the king’s house—Ebed-melech went from the king’s house and said to the king, “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.” Then the king commanded Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian, “Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.” Jeremiah did so. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

2. Hebrews 12:2-3 (ESV)
> Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

3. Luke 12:49-53 (ESV)
> “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Observation Questions

1. What are some of the specific ways that Jeremiah’s life foreshadowed the life of Jesus, according to the sermon? [01:43]
2. In the story of Jeremiah, who rescued him from the pit, and how does this compare to what happened to Jesus? [03:55]
3. According to the Gospel reading, what kind of division does Jesus say he brings, and how does he describe it? [05:50]
4. What Old Testament prophet does Jesus quote when talking about division within families, and what is the main point of that quote? [06:42]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the sermon draws such strong parallels between Jeremiah’s suffering and Jesus’ passion? What is the significance of these connections for us today? [02:49]
2. The sermon says that Jesus’ suffering is not just a historical event, but a personal assurance that he knows our pain. How might this change the way someone views their own struggles? [05:11]
3. When Jesus says he brings “not peace, but division,” what does the sermon suggest this means for people who want to follow him? How might this challenge our expectations of what it means to be a Christian? [05:50]
4. The preacher shared a personal story about division in his own family because of his calling. How does this illustrate the kind of division Jesus talks about, and what does it say about trusting God’s call over family expectations? [07:49]

Application Questions

1. The sermon mentions that both Jeremiah and Jesus were misunderstood and even betrayed by those close to them. Have you ever felt misunderstood or rejected because of your faith or convictions? How did you respond, and what would you do differently now? [01:43]
2. Jesus’ words about bringing division can be uncomfortable. Is there a relationship in your life where following Jesus has caused tension or misunderstanding? How have you handled it, and what might it look like to remain faithful to God’s call in that situation? [05:50]
3. The preacher described an internal battle between the desire for comfort and the call to holiness. Where do you see this battle in your own life? What is one area where you feel pulled toward comfort instead of God’s calling? [08:45]
4. The sermon says, “We are not made for comfort, but for greatness.” What does “greatness” look like for you right now? Is there a step of faith or obedience you sense God is asking you to take, even if it’s uncomfortable? [09:27]
5. The letter to the Hebrews encourages us not to lose heart because Jesus endured opposition. When you feel overwhelmed or alone, what helps you remember that Christ stands with you? Is there a practical way you can remind yourself of this truth this week? [05:11]
6. The preacher shared about division in his family when he followed God’s call. Is there a decision you’re facing where you feel torn between pleasing others and following God? What would it look like to trust God above all in that situation? [07:49]
7. As we approach the altar (or as you come to God in prayer), what is one “pit” or struggle you want to trust God to rescue you from? How can your small group support you in this? [03:55]