My children’s message for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost (June 21, 2026).
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I’m so glad you are here today and I want to talk a little bit about something we’re going to hear Jesus say. It’s a bit confusing because Jesus seems to be saying two things – one that is loving and one that is a bit mean that is hard to put next to each other. But to do that – I brought a couple of props with me. And the first one is this, bring out a wig. It’s no surprise that I don’t have a whole lot of hair on my head. I started losing it when I was barely out of high school and I shave the little bits that grow twice a week. If I want to act like I have hair, I have to wear a wig – which I’ve done a few times for costumes on Halloween. And if I’m going to wear a wig, it should be a big wig with long, flowing strands that are incredibly tangled.
Now each strand looks similar to each other but each one is a bit different. Some have slightly different colors or shine to them while others are different lengths. And these strands, there’s a lot of them, so many that it would be really difficult to count. It would be a pretty long – and boring worship – if everyone just watched us count each strand in this wig one by one. I know I don’t have the attention span to count all these strands. But if we could – and if we also paid attention to each strand and noticed how different and unique each one was – it would feel as if we really know – and understand this wig. We would know every tangle; every one that is loose; every one that shines brightest; and each one that might need a little help. And it would be pretty awesome to know something that deeply.
So Jesus – today – is going to make a promise to us. He’s going to say that the creator of the universe – the One who created the stars and the sky and the planets; the One who set everything in motion; the One who keeps tab on wind and rain and the orbit of the stars around the galaxy – that One knows you, cares about you, and cherishes you. The One who knows all the big things – also cares about every single hair on your head. Just like if we took the time to count the strands on this wig, God knows our gifts, our struggles, our mistakes, and what we get right. God knows you’re not perfect yet God values you and that promises never goes away.
I find that to be a very comforting thing to hear especially during moments when I’m feeling a bit mixed up – wondering if I said the right thing, made the right decision, or find myself in a situation that’s just hard. Knowing God cares makes a difference.
But then, Jesus, a few moments later is going to talk about this – a sword. And he’s going to say that he wasn’t here only to bring comfort, care, and healing. He also came to bring a sword – which feels very violent and angry. He’s going to talk about division and splitting families up to the point where parents and children don’t get along with each other. Jesus is going to seem to be encouraging the things we are sometimes too good at – harming one another – and then acting as if it’s okay because God says so.
So what do we do with these two things that Jesus says right next to each other?
When I’m reading the Bible and something hard like this comes up, I don’t ignore it. I don’t pretend something isn’t in here. I also don’t try to act as if Jesus didn’t say what we did nor act as if my feeling confused or upset or scared or even angry about it isn’t something I’m really feeling. It’s okay to not get it; to not understand; to ask questions; and even to pray about what Jesus said. I also wonder what those who Jesus first talked to – how they would understand what he said as well as wonder those who wrote these words down – how they understood His words. And then I try to take all of Jesus’ story – his words, his life, his journey to the cross, his death, resurrection, and ascension – and how that might reveal a little bit of what Jesus meant for us. Then, after all that work – and it takes work, energy, effort, and time to listen to Jesus – I, with the help of the Spirit, make a prayerful, faithful, and reverent best guest around what Jesus said. And Jesus, I think, invites us to do the same. It’s important for us to not only take one verse or one word or one story and assume that’s the entirety of Jesus’ story. Jesus also doesn’t want to pretend we’re not doing that when we really are. So when I hear Jesus talk about swords, I don’t hear him encouraging us to harm or divide or fight each other. He’s not encouraging us to use His words or His name as an excuse to not care. Rather, there’s something about showing up for others, for getting to know each other, for caring and supporting one another that cuts through all the ways we choose to not be there for each other. A Jesus willing to, on the Cross, have his arms open to all – is a Jesus who reminds us how love really is a sword that cuts through all kinds of hate and hurt. Loving others isn’t easy; it’s often complicated and requires us to change our own thoughts, experiences, and points of view. Yet a God who knows all about you is a God who also knows how powerful, gracious, and meaningful life is when we choose to be in that same kind of relationship with others too.