Is our vision of Jesus justified? How often we envision Jesus as this weak and peaceful soul who could never judge a soul to hell. Yet, Jesus was strong enough to be beaten, mocked, spit upon, be nailed to cross, and bear the sins of all mankind at Calvary. Jesus by his own admission said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Matt 10:34 The Hebrew writer tells us that the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword and is able to divide asunder the soul and spirit, the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4:12 1 Jn 1:15,16 Jesus uses this sword of the Spirit, the Word of God to divide us from the world and all that is contained therein. As John taught, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
Love of Family vs Jesus
Jesus drew his Sword when it comes to our love of family. Jesus said, “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” Matt 10:35-37 Just in case someone might say that the Lord hadn’t included everyone in Matthew’s gospel, Luke added a few more to that list when he said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Lk 14:26
So, is Jesus asking us to forsake our loved ones? Certainly not, but he is asking us to love Him more than any human here on earth, including ourselves. Jesus is asking us to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him. If we refuse to do this, we can’t be his disciple or a Christian. Lk 14:27 f; Acts 11:26 This means that if our parents, our siblings, our spouse or children oppose us from obeying the gospel of Christ, we must choose Christ above them all. As Jesus told one disciple who asked to bury a loved one before following Christ, “Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” Lk 9:60
Love of Money vs Jesus
One of the hardest things to do in this life is to choose Christ over wealth. The cares of this world is very alluring, and it’s easy to forget that we are commanded to lose this world in order to gain eternal life. That’s right, we must lose this world, and that goes contrary to every denomination in the world and many in the Lord’s church. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt 16:24-26 Now, this doesn’t mean we are not to provide for our families, but it does mean we are not to be greedy for money. Paul made this clear when he said, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Tim 5:8
We are not to be devote all of our time above our needs as to go in search for the luxuries of this world. I know of few who call themselves a Christian who work from sun up to sun down in order to have a new house, new cars, new clothes, and have all the finer things of life. When we do this we have no time for our family and especially to do the work of the Lord. Paul warned preachers of the Word as well as each of us when he said, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 1 Tim 6:10 Jesus made it abundantly clear brethren, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Matt 6:24
Conclusion: Yes, Jesus came to bring a sword between the World and Himself. We have to make a choice who we want to serve, God or the cares of this world. As Joshua said, “If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…”Josh 24:15 No one should love their family more than Christ. Yes, a child is to obey their parents, but only in the Lord. Eph 6:1 This means that they must disobey their parents when it conflicts with God’s Word. No one should love their spouse more than Christ. Yes, a woman must obey their husband, but not above the commandments of the Lord. Eph 5:22-25 If a husband prohibits their wife from obeying the gospel or obeying the Word, she is compelled to disobey her husband and obey Christ. Yes, we are to obey the laws of the land, but when the laws conflict with the Word of God we must choose God rather than men. Rom 13 f; Acts 5:29 We must provide for our family, but not above preaching and teaching and studying God’s Word. If we refuse the cross of Christ above all these, we can’t be a Christian, and therefore we can’t obtain eternal life. Lk 14:26,27
Biblical Proof 
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