Written ~ 07-09-2023
Luke 12:49
“I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning.”
I find this short statement from Jesus incredibly interesting.
Luke 12:51 says,
“Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!”
When I first read these verses, I was like “Whoa, this doesn’t sound like Jesus!”
But let’s think about this…
As believers, our hearts are to be on fire for Jesus!
God does not want lukewarm believers…
He even says so in Revelations 3:16,
“But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
The scriptures also talk about God as a consuming fire, a devouring fire!
In Deuteronomy 4:23-25 says,
“So be careful not to break the covenant the LORD your God has made with you. Do not make any shape or form, for the LORD your God has forbidden this. The LORD your God is a devouring fire, He is a jealous God.”
Isaiah 30:27-30 talks about how the words coming out of God’s mouth are a consuming fire. Because of sin, God’s wrath comes in like a fire destroying those who will not turn their hearts to Him. That’s why God sent His Son.
Jesus came to the earth for a specific reason… To die for those Sins.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says,
“For God made Christ who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
And by accepting Christ’s Sacrifice on the cross as a complete removing of our Sin… We find in Hebrews 12:28-29,
“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire.”
Go back to our verse for today (Luke 12:49),
“I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!”
The Message (MSG) says verses 49-51 in this way,
“I’ve come to start a fire on this earth – how I wish it were blazing right now! I’ve come to change everything, turn everything right side up – How I long for it to be finished! Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront!”
OK. So, now it’s time to look inward –
Is your heart, mind, soul on FIRE for Jesus? Have you placed all your worship and awe in Christ alone? We’ve learned that God is jealous of those things we place before Him – He wants our devotion to be on Him alone!
Here’s a thought…
In Revelations we are told God will spit out of His mouth the Lukewarm believer.
In Isaiah we learned that the words coming out of God’s mouth are like FIRE! And Jesus came to set the world on FIRE!
So, if we come to God lukewarm, kind of wishy-washy, that lukewarm heart would instantly be devoured by FIRE. But if we come to God on FIRE and it joins the FIRE of God, we have a blazing inferno! Unstoppable, unshakeable, nothing can quench it!
Whew!
So, what spark needs to be lit so your relationship with Jesus Christ would be set on FIRE! That of course would look different for everybody. But for me! Getting into the Scriptures every single day, asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom, guidance – to fill me with His presence, sets my heart on FIRE for SURE! I don’t know if it makes sense, but I feel the Word of God differently – it may be that the FIRE of God is now meeting the FIRE in my soul and producing a brighter, hotter flame!!
In verse 51 it says,
“… No, I have come to divide people against each other!”
In Luke 11:23 it says,
“Anyone who isn’t with Me opposes Me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against Me.”
This is how Jesus, by sacrificing Himself on the cross, divides us. There are either those who are completely ON FIRE for Him, or there are those who are not. There’s no middle ground. That’s why there can be division within a family, within a group of friends. If you have a person on FIRE
for the LORD, unless those teetering on the fence join the FIRE and enhance the BLAZE, the FIRE of that person could drive those away who don’t want any part of it or want to continue their lukewarm ways.
Jesus has come to set us on FIRE!
In Matthew 3:11… John the Baptist says,
“I baptize with water… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with FIRE!”
Acts 2:3 says,
“Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.”
Are You Ready for the FIRE!!
Settle it within yourself. You are either lukewarm or on FIRE for the LORD!
Which side of the FIRE do you want to be on? The side of the Blazing Inferno? Or the side of the consuming, devouring FIRE from a jealous God.
It may seem like an obvious choice. But to some, they just can’t seem to let go of themselves and the things of the world.
FOR ME? I AM A SOUL ON FIRE!!
Thank You Jesus!
AMEN!!!