"Family Matters" **A sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost, 8/17/25**
Really, Jesus? “I bring not peace, but division”? “Whoever does not hate father or mother cannot follow me’?” What happened to love God, love neighbor? What happened to being a kind and caring neighbor from the other week? Does Jesus really call us to hate our families and to actively seek division? This just not sound like the Jesus we are used to. Not at all. Scholars consider our text today among the difficult sayings of Jesus. I once had a college philosophy professor who liked to cite such passages as proof against Christianity. The professor said Jesus sets such high standards that no one could possibly hope to meet. Plus, there are the conflicting teachings of Jesus like here in Luke. Thus, no rational being should or could be a Christian. ...