Don't Despise the Divide. Part 2

In our last message, we talked about division and how it can be received badly but isn’t always a bad thing. More so Jesus and his controversial life. We discussed how often Jesus was a controversial figure in his time, not intentionally but in purpose. Our last lesson mentions the conflict and division that arise from Jesus’ groundbreaking teaching in John chapter ten. Even as you read throughout the chapter arriving at verse thirty-one 'the Jewish opponent' wanted to stone Jesus right there because they felt his words were blasphemy. He was so annoyingly controversial that people would desire to stone him. He identified with God so much they didn’t necessarily want to kill him, but instead the mindset or in other words the revelation that was released.

In John 10 they are furious with Jesus because he basically gives us ‘the justification’ grace. The Pharisees didn’t want to stone him because of the good deeds that made him popular but instead their reason was because his authority to do the miraculous was a result of HIS claims to be God or in other words - the Son of God. Similar to our personal claims to desire to “be like Jesus”. We want to be like Jesus, yet we fear controversy. From birth, Jesus life breeds controversy, division, and friction. “A Baby Born From A Virgin" is like a Gay Preacher. It's not the norm. It has never been seen or heard of before, therefore it was an issue. Yet there was justification for a baby born from a virgin… #GodDidIt. So all Jesus' life he had to deal with the dichotomy of his existence, which was controversial because truth be told he wasn’t suppose to be born. How can a lady who never had sex have a baby. That’s conflicting. Just like us. Truth be told, most of us weren’t suppose to be here or make it this far because of the dichotomy or conflict in our own life.

Jesus was so unintentionally controversial or conflicted, God prepared John to be a character witness for him before He arrived. God was sitting in heaven saying “this next move is about to be so unorthodox and mystical - that I need to send a forewarning.” John chapter number one in detail talks about the coming of the Son Of God. Yet in verse six it mentions how John was sent by God as a witness or as testimony to testify about the Light which is Jesus. God's intentions were that anyone who would listen to John would also listen to Jesus. John was the "unorthodox set up" that was to soften the blow which was Jesus. But verse 11 continues to tell us that when He came, "He came to his own and his own did not receive him” - which was another conflict - but anyone who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, He gave him the right to become the sons of God. (Adoption by Belief) The stories and life of Jesus itself, are racked with divisiveness, conflict, and controversial dichotomies, isolated from his teaching. Therefore, anyone attempting to be like Jesus can't escape the dichotomy associated with his teaching. For example: Luke 14:25 "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” This message is often times seen as conflicting and a dividing teaching. On one hand, it promotes selflessness to the disciples but on the other hand it looks selfish and promotes hate to the people in the crowd who aren't spiritually inclined. That what parables or prophetic messages do. It's divisiveness or hidden truth can cause friction and conflict to arise. Being like Jesus or even following His teaching will cause controversy and conflict in your life, it's inevitable.

Moral of the Story: Paul writes to the Corinthian church in the eleventh chapter to say "I praise God for all the progress made since the death of Jesus, especially how you guys built a church and started being activated in the gifts of the Spirit but your meeting sometimes do more harm than good. Because when you do meet, there is conflict. Now, of course, you all will have your difference and conflict. It's a must, because without it how can we prove the character of God's very own." Paul, in other words, says division must come to separate the real from the fake. If the fake has compromised the real, or is pretending to be real it takes a little shaking to determine if what it is- what it says it is. Even sugar looks like salt until it's tested. Division is a test process that validate your realness because it exposes the truth and confirms it.

#Divison #KingdomDivided #Leadership #Controversy