Pastor Jon Enter                 SalemLutheran.org

Theme: I Must Surrender

Text: Luke 12:49-53

Hiroo Onoda was a Japanese soldier during World War II. In 1944, his platoon was sent by Japan to the small island of Lubang in the western Philippines. Months later, as Japanese soldiers withdrew or surrendered to the United States military as our soldiers overtook the island, Hiroo refused. He slipped deep into the jungle, lived off the land, and attacked US soldiers in guerilla warfare any chance he had. A year later in 1945, messages were sent to him that the war was over. He didn’t believe them and refused to surrender. Still wearing his tattered and torn military uniform, Hiroo finally handed over his sword to his former commanding officer in 1974.

Did you do the math? For thirty years, Hiroo hid in the jungle living in fear. For thirty years, he sacrificed experiencing peace because he didn’t trust the truth that the war was over.

How long have you been on the run? How long have you sacrificed peace in your life because, sometimes, too many times, Christians struggle to trust God’s plan. The war for your soul is over. Jesus won! Sometimes we forget that truth because life can get so painful.

Jesus warned us, “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) Life has brokenness. Life gets messy. It gets hard. Fortunately, this is not the end of what Jesus said. If it was, life would have no hope. But in Jesus, we do! In Jesus, our perspective on earth is changed. In Jesus, our location in eternity is changed as well. Jesus encourages you through the pains and problems of this world by fully saying, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

So which part of that passage do you focus on more? The life gets hard part or the Jesus overcomes the hardship part? Our text today focuses on the first part. It actually explains how life can get, at times, even harder. Jesus taught, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.” (Luke 12:51)

Maybe you heard that passage and instantly thought, “Um, doesn’t that contradict what the angels announced at the birth of Jesus? Didn’t they say, “On earth peace, good will towards men.” (Luke 2:14, KJV) If you’re reading the old King James Version of the Bible, yes. That’s what it has printed as the angels’ message. But the NIV translation matches the original Greek. “On earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” (Luke 2:14, NIV) The peace the angels announced at the birth of Jesus was a spiritual peace that is only given to those “on whom His favor rests”. In other words, Jesus brought spiritual peace to those who believe. But for those who don’t believe in Jesus, they don’t have peace. In fact, in their lack of peace causes division; it causes their divisiveness against Christians who love the Lord and His Law. So, when Jesus came to this earth, He didn’t bring in peace for all since so many reject His peace. Our text tells us the birth of Jesus actually brought further division.

Jesus felt that division. He experienced it. He felt it even from those closest to him. From Judas. From Peter. From all of the disciples. Do you remember when Judas betrayed Jesus? He did it with a kiss. It was the signal to the thugs with Judas to show them which person was Jesus. The Greek word used to describe the kiss Judas gave Jesus means to cover someone with kisses. That gives a bit more insight then into Jesus’ words in response when He said, “Do what you came for, friend.” (Matthew 26:50) Notice, Jesus didn’t resist. He surrendered. More on that later.

As Judas approached in darkness, he must’ve been terrified. This was the Jesus who told a raging storm to STOP and it stopped, who CURSED a figless fig tree and it died in a day, who commanded a legion of demons BE GONE and they fled before His power.

Jesus could’ve shouted STOP and the mob would’ve calmed their swords as did the waves. Jesus could’ve CURSED them with blindness or death and they wouldn’t have been able to stop Him. Jesus could’ve commanded the mob BE GONE and they would’ve scattered as did the demons. But He didn’t. He wouldn’t. Why not? The answer is one of our key points today. Surrender does not reveal weakness; it reveals God’s power. Jesus was unafraid to surrender. The God of creation was unafraid to surrender to His creation so Jesus’ trust in the power of God the Father could be clearly seen.

Peter only saw weakness in Jesus’ surrender. That’s how we often see the world: inaction equals weakness. So, Peter brashly pulled out his sword to fight division with more division. Jesus stopped him. “Put your sword back in its place… How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matt. 26:52, 54) Jesus surrendered trusting the Father’s plan; Peter made a rash, reactionary decision.

When we face adversity, we often fight division with more division like Peter. Here’s the reason why. We didn’t surrender. We didn’t surrender our fear, our insecurity, our worry to God. Not wanting to appear weak, Peter reacted and nearly messed up your soul’s salvation. A sword fight could’ve broken out and Jesus could’ve been killed by the sword. If He died in the garden from a sword wound, we all would’ve gone to hell. It was prophesied that Jesus would die being raised up in crucifixion. If He didn’t, His death would’ve have fulfilled that prophesy and He couldn’t have been our Savior. We all would’ve gone to hell.

Not wanting to appear weak in your life, you’ve reacted emotionally, destructively and messed up your life. Imagine if you had surrendered. Imagine if you had taken a breath and prayed rather than doing what you did. Imagine if you had surrendered to the power of God and trusted His plan. How differently things would’ve turned out.

Okay, maybe you surrendered for a bit. You waited. You prayed. You waited more but God didn’t act. So, like Peter, you brashly acted, “You’re welcome, God.” But when your action messed things up, you blamed God, “What gives God? Why didn’t You stop me?”

If you want peace in your life, there’s a powerful truth to know. When Jesus—who loves you, who promises to never leave you nor forsake you—appears inactive, it’s because He has a bigger plan in place. Jesus appeared inactive before Peter because Jesus had a bigger plan in place. Surrender isn’t weakness; it’s trusting God’s plan.

So, which one are you? When life is tough and you’re forced to deal with conflict, are you like Peter or Judas? Are you quick to overreact like Peter wielding your anger with sharp words or brash actions? Or are you like Judas? Do you suffer in silence, slowly seeking release or revenge gathering around yourself a mob of people who only take your side?

We’ve been trained by culture; we’ve been tricked by the devil; we’ve been told by our sinful nature that surrender is failure and weakness. It’s not! It’s strength! It’s strength when you let the almighty God be the almighty God in your life. Surrender isn’t giving up; it’s giving in. Surrender is the realization that you aren’t God. It’s giving in knowing His ways are not your ways… ‘cause they’re better. Surrender is giving in to the truth that spiritually when you try to fix your faults yourself, you tend to make things worse. Surrender is giving in to your loving Lord who repainted the landscape of your past with His forgiveness and love.

When Jesus surrendered to the plan and will of His Father in heaven, His death on the cross shouted STOP to the devil. When Jesus surrendered His last breath into death, He CURSED the one who curses us with sin. When Jesus surrendered, His resurrection on Easter morn demanded the devil BE GONE. The devil is chained up, defeated. He has no power over your eternity as your soul can rest securely in His grace.

You are free because Jesus surrendered. You are free because Jesus cried out, “It is finished.” Repentance is surrendering not only the truth of your sins to God; it’s surrendering the guilt of your sins to Him. It’s confessing and surrendering not only the sin that you said or did something awful when you were ticked off mad at someone; it’s also surrendering the guilt. You are forgiven! That sin, all your sins, have been removed forever! Surrender your heart to know and live the truth of this passage. “Their sins and lawless acts will remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:17)

The devil loves, he absolutely loves, to pull up the memory of your past failures to cause guilt in your life. “I’m such a _______ (fill in the blank) because I did that.” Don’t listen! Don’t let him. Don’t listen to that lie. Listen to the truth of God’s Word, “On earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” (Luke 2:14) God’s favor rests on you because the Holy Spirit has worked faith in your heart. That means on earth you can have peace. Peace with your past (no more guilt) and peace with your present (despite the division and brokenness that surrounds you).

Let’s go back to one of the first questions I asked you. How long have you been on the run? How long have you sacrificed peace in your life because, sometimes, too many times, Christians struggle to trust God’s plan for our lives. The war for your soul is over. Jesus won!

Where are you struggling to surrender, to trust God’s goodness? Surrendering to God doesn’t immediately end difficulty. Surrender doesn’t remove a problem; it removes your fear to fix it yourself. It’s freeing, so freeing, to surrender and say, “God, I can’t but You can.”

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Surrendering focuses on the second half of that verse. That’s where you find peace that surpasses understanding.

What part of your life do you still need to surrender? Amen.