Refiner's Fire

Christ Brings Division

(Matt. 10:34–39 )

Luke 12v49-51

49¶“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

50“But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!

51“Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

For many in our day, this statement would almost be strange and out of character for Jesus.

After all, Jesus had come to redeem mankind, to seek and save that which was lost, heal the sick and cast out demons.

Of course He did all these things. He healed the sick, liberated and delivered those who were bound by demonic power, raised the dead and preached the gospel to the poor. He was loved by the ordinary, common people but hated and despised by the religious leaders.

But here in Luke (also in Matthew 10) Jesus categorically and unambiguously states that His mission and ministry will send fire on the earth and instead of peace His ministry and work will bring division.

Fire and division, imagine that and how it fits into our cosy religious mindsets about the Man of Calvary.

Fire burns and destroys everything in it's wake.

It is uncontrollable.

It cleanses and burns up that which gets in it's way or path.

It exposes that which is not fire resistant e.g. Wood, hay, stubble and also reveals that which can endure the fire e.g. Gold, silver and precious stones. See 1 Corinthians 3v11-15

Jesus' mission was ultimately to do His Father's will and finish the mission He had been sent to accomplish.

But this mission was not just about blessing, healing, releasing and delivering people.

Jesus exposed the self righteous, religious hypocrites, anything or anyone that was pretentious and fake with the FIRE OF TRUTH.

When the Apostle John receives the revelation of Jesus Christ the first person He sees in Chapter 1 is "one like unto the Son of Man" Jesus Christ resurrected and glorified walking in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks (the 7 churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

John describes Christ including His appearance and clothing. v13-20.

One of the distinguishing features is that Jesus' eyes are as a flame of fire and His feet like fine brass burning in a furnace.

Remember we are told in Hebrews 12v29 that "our God is a consuming fire".

John the Baptist declared that Jesus was the One who would baptise with the Holy Ghost and fire.

In Matthew 10v34 Jesus says

"Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth, I came not to send peace but a sword"

A cutting, piercing and dividing sword.

The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6v17).

And yet so often, that dividing sword is rejected because it cuts us, it challenges us, it corrects us.

But the same sword that cuts, cures.

It's a 2 edged sword. Hebrews 4v12 and to reject it's cutting and dividing side is to reject the side that cures, renews and aligns us with God's thoughts and ways.

Jesus' ministry and the baptism He was baptised with (i.e. His death) has caused division down through the centuries since He walked as the only perfect and sinless man on this earth.

Men and women have been burned alive for daring to believe in Jesus and stand for the Truth.

Families have been divided and in many cases those who come into saving faith rejected, disowned and even killed by their own family members.

Jesus didn't come to give us a dead religious system or formula but to give us life, true abundant and eternal life.

Who He is and what He gives is so radical, so transformative and so far removed from every other belief system that it exposes and reveals every work for what it truly is.

Every religion, whether it be Catholicism, Islam, Hindu and dare I say it, even dead and lifeless Protestantism, is exposed by the fire and sword of Truth and is reserved for the fire of judgement.

Jesus said He that is not with me is against me.

There are no grey or shaded areas.

There is no ambiguity.

Fire is fire and that which stands in its way will be consumed.

Matthew 3v11&12

11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

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The Lord Comes Suddenly to His Temple

We read a very sobering passage in Malachi 3. The prophet foretells the coming of the forerunner or messenger that prepares the way of the Lord.

This was partially fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist who was that very messenger at Christ's first coming.

However, I believe that the full fulfilment is yet to come at Christ's second coming.

Malachi tells us that "the Lord whom you seek shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom you delight in, behold He shall come". v1

And yes, Jesus did go to the physical temple in Jerusalem at His first coming and overturned the tables of the money changers and those who sold doves.

But when we read the next few verses, we see that this sudden coming to His temple was not fulfilled by his cleansing of the temple.

v2 asks the sobering question

But who shall abide the day of His coming? Who will be able to stand when He appears?

Why will it be so difficult to stand in that day?

The reason - He is coming as refiner's fire and fuller's soap for a specific purpose.

That purpose is:

To purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver, so that they might offer unto the Lord a righteous offering (an offering that is pure and acceptable and pleases Him).

Here we have it again - the fire of judgement, refining, purging and purifying the priesthood.

You see the Bible tells us that we are a royal priesthood and a kingdom of priests and as such we have a 2 fold purpose

• Firstly to minister unto the Lord and offer sacrifices which are acceptable to Him. (1 Peter 2v5&9). This is the inner court ministry of the Priesthood of Believers. Offering our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12v1), the sacrifices of a broken spirit (Psalm 51v17) and the sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13v15)

• To minister to others. This is the outer court ministry. Peter describes this as showing forth the praises or virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. 1 Peter 2v9

We are also the holy temple or spiritual house/edifice. A temple that is build upon the foundation of Christ and the apostles, with Jesus being the chief cornerstone and that is made up of living stones. Ephesians 2v20-22

Jesus, who is the messenger of the covenant, will come suddenly to His temple, according to Malachi and I believe we are told who will stand and be able to abide His coming as refiner's fire.

It is those who seek Him and are looking for Him and those who delight in Him. Malachi 3v1

When He performs and completes His refining work then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing unto the Lord. v4

Oh what a day that will be, when everything that is offered, will be in spirit and truth and therefore acceptable and pleasant in God's eyes. Purity of worship, a pure, precious, unpretentious offering, that ascends to the throneroom of heaven, as a sweet smelling savour to the Lord.

Isn't that what we want?

Not the form, not the pretence but the righteous offering that pleases our King.

V5 tells us what will judged when the Lord comes with the fire of judgement:

• The sorcerers

• The adulterers

• The false swearers

• Those who oppress and take advantage of the poor and needy including the widow, the orphans and the stranger

I'm reminded of the following passage in Revelation 22v12-15

12¶And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14¶Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (the New Jerusalem that has descended from heaven (Revelation 21)

15For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

Sorcery speaks of those who practice magic or witchcraft.

Remember what Samuel said to Saul in 1 Samuel 15v23

23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,

And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

He also has rejected you from being king.”

Samuel clearly states that rebellion - the rejection of the Word of the Lord - is as the sin of witchcraft. Witchcraft at it's very heart is rebelliousness in the form of rejecting what God tells us to do.

Additionally, there is that which is spiritually adulterous in God's eyes. Anything that is not Christ focused is adultery and will be judged by God. The people of Israel continually committed spiritual adultery in forsaking God's ways and following after other gods. The same can be said of much of that which calls itself Christianity in this day. Jesus has been replaced by a pseudo Christ, a seeker friendly and out of balance Christ who turns a blind eye to sin and rebellion and who is just someone we kid around with!

Really!

When He comes as refiner's fire that which is not grounded and rooted in truth will be exposed and burned up and we will see that He is not to be kidded with or lightly esteemed.

The Lord will have a bride, a pure, chaste, unadulterated bride without spot or wrinkle that has been cleansed by the washing of the water of the Word. Ephesians 5.

A Word Bride - that loves the Truth, abides in the Truth and because she does she will come forth as pure gold.

The song goes:

Refiner's fire

My heart's one desire

Is to be holy

Set apart for you Lord

I choose to be holy

Set apart for you my Master

Ready to do your will

Who will be able to stand when Jesus comes, as the messenger of the covenant, to refine and purify the priesthood?

When He comes as refiner's fire to thoroughly purge the threshing floor and separates the wheat from the chaff.

Those who are looking for Him.

Those who delight in Him.

Those who love Him.

To love Him is to love the Truth, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. John 14v6.