People aren’t always what they seem. Take Superman for example. You see a hero, a guy who can leap tall buildings in a single bound, a guy who flies in the clouds, a pretty face running next to a train. But when you dig a little bit deeper, you find a totally different guy, a guy conflicted about being a hero, a guy who longed for his home planet, a guy who never got paid for stopping Solomon Grundy, a guy who had to change clothes in a dirty phone booth. Maybe Superman doesn’t have it so great after all. Maybe life’s not so easy for him.

Do you know a Superman? Not literally, of course, but do you know someone who seems to have it all together? Do you know someone who never seems to have a chink in their armor? Have you ever thought there may be another side to that person? Maybe things aren’t what they seem.

With that in mind, think about our culture’s picture of Jesus? Is it the kind-hearted friend who always cheers up his buddies? Is it the gentle man who invites the children to sit on his lap? Do you get the image that Jesus was the Mr. Rogers of Palestine? Certainly Jesus is the friend of children, the one who helps us and cheers us, and is our beloved teacher. But today we see a different side to Jesus. It provides us with a real portrait of a man who was conflicted. The Son of God loved his Heavenly Father and he loved us so much he was willing to do anything to save the world. But on the other hand, he knew it would come at a great price, his very life. Jesus’ message here reminds us that Life Is Not Easy – there will be fire, baptism, and division.

Jesus begins by saying that he came to bring fire on the earth and he wished it was already kindled. Could this really be the gentle-hearted Jesus who carries lambs on his shoulders? That’s the picture that people want to see, not the picture of the fire-bringer. Fire is destructive and it can cause great suffering.

That is what Jesus was talking about here. After he paid for the sins of the world and rose from the dead, he sent the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ disciples believed and spread the gospel from town to town, from nation to nation. But as they spread the good news about the Savior, the fire of persecution was against them. People hated Jesus and so they also hated his disciples. They endured great suffering and some lost their lives for their faith.

Jesus knew, however, that he would suffer his own fire. Enduring the scorn of men, he was nailed to the cross like the worst of criminals. He bore the guilt and sin of all mankind. He died to save the world. Yes, Jesus knew this suffering was coming soon and that is why he wished that the fire had already been kindled. When his suffering was complete, sin would be forgiven and man would be justified.

Jesus called this suffering his baptism. Don’t confuse this with his baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. That was a different baptism. That baptism showed people that he was the chosen one of God. This baptism was his baptism into death. He underwent this baptism to complete the work that was started at the Jordan River. Jesus lived a holy, blameless life was the perfect sacrifice that was pleasing to God the Father. He is the Lamb of God that was offered on the altar of Calvary. His blood was spilled on that hill with the full weight of the world’s sin pushing down on him.

This baptism was a baptism into death for us. Our sins put Jesus on that altar to be sacrificed. It was our greed. It was our idolatries. It was our grumbling and complaining against God. We did it. We should have suffered. We should have died. We should have gone to hell. But Jesus took it all away and saved us. Our sins are forgiven and eternal life in heaven is ours. Jesus baptism into death did this all for us.

Our own baptisms assure us of this fact. Romans 6:3 says, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” When we were baptized, our old sinful natures were put to death and we were given a new life – a new life to praise God, to serve him, and to love one another. Jesus’ sufferings and our own baptisms changed our lives forever. We can have a supreme confidence knowing that if Jesus is for us, who can be against us.

But that does not mean life is always going to be easy. Jesus was greatly distressed about his own sufferings and sometimes our sufferings here on earth can distress us too. Our Savior was not eager to suffer but he understood that it was necessary for his work of salvation. We are not eager to suffer either, but it is sometimes necessary for the work of the Lord to be accomplished.

Jesus gives us a clear example of that today. He said that he did not come to bring peace, but division. Does that sound like Jesus? We want to hold onto the Prince of Peace who the angels sang about to the shepherds about on the first Christmas. We want to latch onto the Jesus of Easter who said, “Peace be to you.” That’s the portrait of Jesus we like to paint in our hearts and minds. But this Savior of division - what is that about?

Jesus did bring peace between the sinner and God. But sometimes the peace-filled heart of the believer does not mesh with the heart of the unbeliever. Believers hold dearly to things like grace and sins forgiven.. We can be very vocal about these things. Unbelievers hold strong convictions about how good they are, about earning heaven on their own, and about living as they please. These two opposing viewpoints clash and cause divisions.

Just think about how hard it must have been during the American Civil War. Almost a million people lost their lives fighting in a brutal war. Families were ripped apart between the North and the South. Brother fought against brother. There was an astounding division in our country.

Jesus said that the division he brings is just as devastating. Listen to how he describes it: “From now on there will be five in 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.” But why? It’s because the believer must stand up for the truth of God’s Word. That is what the Apostles did. Did they suffer? Yes. Was it difficult? Yes. Is it what God wanted them to do? Yes.

We, likewise, don’t always have it easy in this life. Families don’t believe as a group. Each person has to believe for himself and divisions in our families regarding faith are common. Sometimes unbelievers in a family can make it really difficult on believers. So thank God if everyone in your family is a believer. Encourage our young people to marry Christians who believe as they do. Reach out with the saving message of the gospel to those who don’t believe. And endure your suffering with confidence in Jesus Christ, your Savior.

People are not always who we think they are. Sometimes when you pull back the curtain, we are surprised when we see a different side to people. This picture of Jesus bringing fire, speaking of the baptism of suffering, and causing divisions is one that surprises a lot of people. But all this was part of a divine plan for the salvation of the world, your salvation and mine. Thank the Lord that he brought peace to your heart through the Word of truth and brought you into his family through baptism. Praise be to Jesus! Amen.