The main point of this sermon was that Jesus calls for a division in humanity between those who accept Jesus and those who reject Jesus. That does not mean that those who accept Jesus should shun or avoid those who reject Jesus. Rather, that repentance and acceptance of Jesus marks the dividing line between those who will be accepted by God and those who will be rejected.
The Jews of Jesus’ day were accustomed to a dividing line between Jews and Gentiles, and between clean and unclean. Because of this, a Jew might have been living a life of the worst sin and still imagine that he was good with God because he was a Jew and because he brought the sacrifice at the right time.
Jesus sent the disciples out, and those that rejected his message of repentance through them were rejected through the sign act of the disciples shaking off the dust that was under their feet. It is possible that this sign act is an intentional pointer to Malachi 4. If this is the case, Jesus is intentionally fulfilling the Scriptures by sending his disciples on this mission.
- Do you see false divisions in humanity today where those on one side are encouraged to see themselves as accepted by God regardless of the life that they are living?
- What about in the church? Have you ever found your own heart feeling justified before God because of your religious activity without regard to repentance?
- The dividing message the the disciples brought on Jesus’ behalf was a message of repentance. How does the gospel promise free forgiveness but still require repentance? How might someone be tempted to consider themselves forgiven without any thought given to repentance?
- How does the possible connection with Malachi 4 help you see what Jesus is doing by sending the disciples on this mission?