Welcome to Gospel in Life.

Jesus was a great teacher, but he had a lot of things to say that were challenging or difficult to understand.

In the Bible, we see a number of places where his disciples say, Jesus, this is a hard saying.

Today Tim Keller is preaching through one of the hard sayings of Jesus

and how we can rest in the fact that while Jesus' teachings aren't always comfortable, he is always good.

And Jesus said, I have come to bring fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled,

but I have a baptism to undergo and how distressed I am until it is completed.

Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.

From now on, there will be five and one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.

They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother in law against daughter in law and daughter in law against mother in law.

And this is God's word.

There is not anything gentle about this text, but there is a lot in it that is so wonderful.

Sometimes when you read some of Jesus' teaching like this, you feel like you have gotten on a horse that is much too big and much too fast for your little hands and feet.

And yet, off it goes, galloping away with you. When you read what Jesus says here, you have nothing but lightning and blood.

But in the center of this teaching is the most wonderful thing that a human heart can hear.

He is not safe, but he is good.

Two things we learn about Jesus from this text. Now, mention them now and then we'll elaborate.

First of all, we learn the divisiveness of Jesus.

And secondly, we learn about the agony of Jesus. And you don't know the real Jesus unless you know about both of them.

We learn about the divisiveness of Jesus caused by his self-centered teaching.

And we also learn about the agony of Jesus caused by his self-denying love.

And you don't know the real Jesus until you know about these two things.

...