My God, My Priority

Luke 12:49-59

Overview

It appears that starting from verse 13 the message of the LORD has
been about priority. In verses 13-21 he talks about prioritizing
HEAVENLY INVESTMENTS over earthly investments, in verses 22-34 he
talks about prioritizing our PURSUIT OF GOD’S CONCERNS over our
earthly concerns, and in verses 35-48 he talks about prioritizing
one’s READINESS TO SERVE GOD over comfort and indolence. And here
in verses 49-59 the Lord’s message is about prioritizing our
relationship with him over our other human relationships.

This prioritizing of our relationship with God demands three things:

an individual DECISION (49-53), RECOGNITION of God’s program (54-
56) and immediate RECONCILIATION (57-59).

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 PRIORITIZING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DEMANDS AN INDIVIDUAL
DECISION (V.49-53).
Read v49-53.

Our Lord specifically says that he came, not to bring peace, but fire.
This fire will bring heat on our earthly relationships. But this fire
was not intended to purify those relationships. Rather, this fire that
the Lord was talking about will separate those who are kindled and
are glowing hot from those who remain cold. In Matthew 10:32-40
the image is changed to sword. Both are images, not of peace but of
war, of division and not of unity.

Was Jesus calling us to be war-like, divisive or disrespectful? Was

he telling us not to care for our relationships? No.

Jesus is calling for an individual decision to make our relationship

with him supreme. Because it is supreme it must become the
priority, the only priority. This decision must be done even without
family consensus. It must be done even if friends and colleagues
disagree. It must be done even if one’s partner disagrees with it.
This is an individual decision. You must choose to make your
relationship with God supreme over every relationship that you
have.

How I hope we could escape the implications of these words from

our Lord, but we couldn’t.

Because when you prioritize your relationship with Christ, you will
have to de-prioritize others. And when you de-prioritize others, the
fire that Jesus brings will do its second work. It will heat up your
other relationships and if the people in those relationships are not
equally making the same decision, it will create space. Division will
be inevitable.

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Peter testified, “They think it strange that you do not plunge with
them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on
you” (1Pet 4:4). Paul also testified, “[Do not be] frightened in any
way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will
be destroyed, but that you will be saved-- and that by God. For it has
been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for him” (Phil 1:28-30).

Jesus himself experienced this kind of persecution. We see his own

brothers calling him a lunatic (Mk 3:21) and Jesus publicly
disowned them for not believing in him (Mt 12:47-50). We will also
see that Jesus was almost killed by his own relatives because he
told them the truth (Lk 4:29). Jesus spoke woes upon the towns that
remained unresponsive and hostile to his ministry (Lk 10:13-15).
He then taught his disciples (and us by extension) that if they hated
him (our Master), they would surely hate us (the Master’s servants)
as well (John 15:18).

Those who did not burn with the fire will hate those who do; those
who are not affected by Jesus will hate those who have committed
themselves to Jesus.

PRIORITIZING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DEMANDS THAT WE

RECOGNIZE GOD’S PROGRAM (V.54-56).
Read v.54-56.

Our Lord here acknowledged the familiarity of his own people in

discerning weather conditions. However, while they are quick in
predicting weather, they were blind, undiscerning and fuzzy when
it comes to discerning the program of God.

A quick look at the nation’s history will show us that Israel was
notorious in not keeping-in-step with God’s program. In 2Chro
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36:15-16 we will find that before the Babylonian exile the Lord had
been wooing them to repent of their spiritual adultery and return to
him. But they insisted on what they were doing until time ran out.
In Haggai 1:3-6 we will also find that after they returned from
captivity they did not prosper because they neglected the house of
God. But they thought that it was just a natural phenomenon. They
didn’t see that it was God’s doing. Why was God doing it? It was
because they thought that it was time for them to build paneled
houses for themselves while the house of God was in ruins. Jesus
himself testified in Luke 7:31-34,

"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation?

What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the
marketplace and calling out to each other: "'We played the flute
for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not
cry.' 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor
drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' 34 The Son of Man
came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a
drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'

And here in our text Jesus was alluding to the temporary rejection
of Israel (Dan 9:26; Rom 11:15, 25, 31) and yet these people were
not discerning it. They were so engrossed with their traditions,
ceremonies and their own programs that they were no longer
sensitive to what God was doing during their time.

But walking-in-step with God is not only a problem for Israelites,

isn’t it. We too must reckon with it.

Are we participating in what God is doing in the world right now?

How could we join? What could we contribute?

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Prioritizing our relationship with God demands that we recognize
how the program of God progresses in the present and live in-step
with it.

PRIORITIZING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD DEMANDS THAT WE SEEK

IMMEDIATE RECONCILIATION (V.57-59).
Read v.57-59.

It is obvious that the Lord was addressing the unbelieving Jews at

this point. He was instructing them to seek reconciliation with God
before the deadline comes.

But there is a secondary application here for us who are already

believers and are no longer objects of God’s impending judgment.
What application am I referring to? It is the eminent disciplinary
action from God unless we shape up. Yes, my brethren, though we
are safe from judgment, we are not exempt from God’s fatherly
discipline. Hebrews 12:5 tells us,

And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that

addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's
discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because
the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he
accepts as a son."
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Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For
what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not
disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are
illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all
had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for
it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits
and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they
thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may
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 share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time,
but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
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Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13
"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be
disabled, but rather healed.

We must examine our lives. The psalmist says,

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will
counsel you and watch over you. 9Do not be like the horse or the
mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit
and bridle or they will not come to you.

Let us not wait for the discipline to be put in effect. Let us follow the
advice of Paul when he said, “But if we judged ourselves, we would
not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are
being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world”
(1Cor 11:31-32). Let us refocus our hearts and minds and establish
him again as our priority.