Matthew 10:34

Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

From Background Notes [BN] for December 22nd & 23rd written by Pastor Bob Brown:

Those words from the lips of Jesus might strike us as an odd vocational statement from the person we call “Prince of Peace.”

Certainly Jesus was not allergic to conflict, and often his words and deeds provoked others to react with force, anger, and even violence. His coming death by crucifixion epitomized the ruthless responses to his earthly ministry. Whatever Isaiah meant by “peace” in our chosen text for Advent, the intent must have been more than the mere absence of conflict. [BN, 1]

Join us this week in Study, Worship, Praise and Celebration at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene:

* Saturday 6:00pm
* Sunday 8:30am & 11:00am