Difficult Verse #10
The Fire of Contention
by Pastor David Stogsdill
Luke 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Luke 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
The Gospel always brings contention because our own flesh is contrary to God’s Word. There is a dissension between good and evil and the trouble that follows the Gospel is authored by the Devil, himself. Christ uses this contention as a fire for good to put a burning within the souls of men. Fire is passion and sometimes it is violent, it is always consuming and it will grow, given a chance. The fuel that Christ uses for the fire He sends is that of a good profession of the godly. If we as Christians are already living the godly life, then when Christ begins to burden a lost soul in our midst, the fire is already kindled and the spark of the Gospel fire will ignite a flame that will burn the sin and light the spirit.
In order for any of this to happen though, Jesus would have to first suffer on the Cross. His reference to baptism here is one of an overwhelming of suffering upon the cruel Cross. Baptism by definition is a dipping, washing over or overwhelming flood, and so our Lord was facing not water baptism, or a flood of the Spirit upon Him. Those were already accomplished, but rather a final baptism of death. He was fixed upon it, He had a straight line to it and it would be accomplished. We ought to be ready to suffer the persecution that follows service to the Lord, and be straightened to it.
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Pastor David Stogsdill
Grace Bible Baptist Church
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