Jesus. He's tougher than you may think.
In this last section of Luke 12, we find Jesus again being very frank and urgent about some very serious truths. At first glance, some of it can be startling, especially if your picture of Jesus is of the '60s rambling peacenik variety.
An image of Jesus bearing a sword is not typical in most minds, but this is Jesus as he is (see Revelation 19, for example). He is loving, compassionate, and kind, yes. But, he is also loyal, strong, and willing to speak truth to power, stand in the face of the oppressor, and tell true evil to pound sand.
This morning we'll see how Jesus has called us to be willing to follow him even into those harder situations--times when we will have to stand up to evil, stand with the powerless, and learn to make peace.
