Thy Strong Word — Matthew 10:34-42. Unbelievable mercy to unbelievable sinners: But I love my mom and dad…

Rev. Kevin Parviz of Congregation Chai V’Shalom in St. Louis, Missouri joins host Rev. Brady Finnern to study Matthew 10:34-42.

Can you imagine a picture of Jesus with a sword? Jesus tells the disciples that to follow Him would bring a battle from the devil, the world, and even our own family members. The hard truth is that if our family is asking us to deny the Triune God to be with them we are called to follow Christ. Jesus taking up His cross shows us that He is not a God who leaves us alone, but is with us through every trial, temptation, and joy. We pray for the Holy Spirit to not only give us the right words in persecution, but to sustain us in Christ and His Church until He returns. “Lord God, as the battle continues, bring faith to our family members who do not believe, keep us steadfast in Your Word, help us to use Your Word as the sword of the Spirit so that we may endure in Christ until the end. In His name, Amen”

Thy Strong Word reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is hosted by Rev. Brady Finnern, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Sartell, MN, and graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation.

Matthew 10:34-42

Not Peace, but a Sword

³⁴“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. ³⁶And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Rewards

⁴⁰“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. ⁴¹The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴²And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

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Rev. Brady Finnern

Rev. Brady Finnern, host of Concord Matters, is an expert in all things Minnesota, including hiking the great mountains of the 5th flattest state in the Union and making his own maple syrup. Although chow mein, fried ice cream, and Peanut Persian donuts with maple frosting are at the top of his foodie list, his prized possessions include his gas station refillable fountain soda cup (which, he says, the savings will pay for college for his 4 kids). Pastor Finnern's Divine Call is as President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and in addition he also enjoys traveling, coaching track, and movie nights with his wife and kids that may or may not include Shawshank Redemption or any of the Thriller movies. When he's not singing his favorite hymns or listening to his favorite metal music, you might find him working out or taking naps. (Probably naps.)