skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I think that all would agree that times are becoming more and more dangerous. Some call guns evil and wish to remove them and others acquire them for protection. It is not evil to protect people and yourself from a crazed assassin. It is with this thinking that I attempt to understand this passage of scripture where Jesus just before he was to go to the cross gives instructions to his disciples.
Luk 22:35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
Luk 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
Luk 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.
Luk 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
I was taught that the two swords mentioned were not literal swords, but were spiritually speaking; the sword of the word of God and the Spirit of God. These are powerful, but the reading in context refers to actual objects to use on a journey. They were to take a purse, a money pouch, also his scrip, a leather pouch for food and if they had no sword they were to buy one by selling his garment or cloak. That would be eleven swords for the eleven disciples, but they had two swords and Jesus said it was enough. I see the swords as protection in a time of hostility. Before they were to take nothing, now they were to supply themselves with money, food and a sword.
Not too long after saying this Jesus was betrayed by Judas with a kiss and a multitude was with him to take Jesus under arrest to the high priests house. Peter with a sword cut the ear off of one of the servants and Jesus touched the ear and healed it. It was not meant that Jesus be protected or prevented from fulfilling his purpose as our sacrifice for sins. We remember what he spoke to Peter.
"Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
Jesus has chosen to die for our sins, it was why he came to us. However, in perilous times it is wise to be prepared and armed in self defense. One may look to the tiny country of Israel as an example of the need for weapons for defense. They are surrounded by enemy nations. The LORD protects Israel and Israel does their part by weaponizing for self defense. Unfortunately churches and synagogues are being attacked by devil driven people. A shepherd of a flock should guard his sheep against these intruders. Our church has watchmen who guard over the congregation. Some have concealed weapons only to be used as a deterrent to violence. Our strongest weapons are the word of God, the Holy Spirit and prayers. Unfortunately there is also a need for watchmen to be aware both in prayer and as guards.
Luk 19:45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
Luk 19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Joh 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
Luk 19:47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
Luk 19:48 And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
There are plenty of merchants and thieves in the temple today. So many on the radio and on TV are selling books and pamphlets and seeking money to continue their ministries. Pray to help if you can those ministries that do good and turn away from those with little spiritual value. Jesus taught openly and never requested money. He gave to all who came to him from the abundance of the Father.
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
We are to be disciples of Jesus, not of those preaching messages of worldly wealth and pleasures appealing to our fleshly nature.
I had a dream again about a wedding that I was to photograph. I had been a wedding photographer for over thirty years and even though I am retired, often photography is in my dreams. In the dream I was at a wedding at some distant place and realized that I had forgot to bring my camera flash. I have had variations of this dream, forgetting batteries or film or not searching where the reception was to be at. In reality I had always used a check list before going out to a wedding to be sure that I had not forgotten something. I also prayed that all would go well. The Lord never let me down in all those years of weddings. If I realized something was not right at a wedding, I would tell the wedding couple and redo what needed to be done. It is better to correct something that went wrong while you can instead of pretending it did not happen and then to face the consequences later. We ought always to pray and it is a good idea when praying for others to make a prayer list.
Luk 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luk 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
Luk 18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Luk 18:5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
The Lord said that we ought to pray, and not to faint. Be diligent, do not give up, for God hears our prayers and he will be there with the answers for you and for others. Listen, if we do not pray, do not read the Bible, soon our faith becomes weak. Your prayers and your persistence keep the devil, our adversary under control. When churches quit teaching from the Bible and there are no longer prayer meetings, will the Lord find faith on the earth when he returns? We each are to pray always.
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Luk 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luk 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Luk 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Luk 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Luk 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Luk 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
We come to Jesus by faith and receive salvation and eternal life. We should want to grow in him to be more like him instead of holding on to our old habits and behavior. To be a disciple of Jesus is to be a learner of him. In the parable of the tower we are to sit down and determine if we will be able to finish the tower, or will we be able to finish our walk together with him?
The second parable has a war between two kings. I see this as God, King Jesus and the powers of the devil. We must determine to fight the fight by not giving in to the devil. This requires dedication, remembering that He that is in us is the overcomer. ( 1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ) I receive peace from him no matter what battle I may face.
Jesus finishes saying " Luk 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. " We should definitely give this our thoughts and meditation. Are we willing to give all to Jesus? What does he require of us? What does his word say? Is it our finances? Is it moral purity he is seeking? Is it our utmost for his service? What is the Holy Spirit saying to you? Are we willing to be his disciple? What will we do now? Learning is a change of behavior.
When we believe that Jesus has paid the price for our sins, we confess him and repent of sins and follow him in Baptism. Baptism in water is symbolic, identifying us with Jesus our savior.
Luk 12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
John the Baptist spoke of the Baptism of Jesus with fire.
Mat 3:11 I 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:
Mat 3:12 Whose 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.
Jesus was soon to go to the cross where his blood would be shed for our sins. He would be buried three days and be risen from the grave in new eternal life. This is what he accomplished for us and something surely he wanted to get done with. We receive salvation freely, but he paid the price in great suffering.
There was a sign that pointed to this Baptism.
Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The Bible has signs and symbols of real happenings. We are now Baptized in water as a sign of the New Covenant.
Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
There is more. Ask the Father to fill you with the Holy Spirit. This is the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the power to serve him and to receive his spiritual fruit and gifts.
Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Jesus often spoke in parables A parable is a story that is understood by all and to those of God the deeper meaning is understood. Jesus had spoken of the seed falling on different ground. The seed is the word of God and the ground are hearts, some hard and some ready to receive.
Luk 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
The people of God have been given the light of God's truth to share.
Luk 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Luk 8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
Jesus spoke to his disciples to take heed how they hear. If you have eyes and ears that understand the words of God, then you will be given more and more, but to those with no spiritual understanding, they may think they understand, but they do not really understand. Often those who are not given spiritual understanding will gather together to mock or to threaten a person of God. They have a different spirit.
Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Jesus knew who were his followers. Those who are his disciples want more and more truth.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
Let us dig deeper into the word of God and do what he says. Lord help us to not be lazy or complacent concerning your word. Give us understanding and may Jesus Christ be glorified through our lives.
Some of the larger churches do not teach Jesus and the need to repent of sins. Sin and hell go together and are not mentioned. Jesus came to give his life to save us from hell; he took our place dying for our sins and we live with him by faith, a new spiritual eternal life. If we do not know that we are sinners, then we do not repent and ask Jesus to forgive our sins. From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus taught the repentance for sins. To repent is to give up the old way of living and to turn towards God, seeking forgiveness.
Luk 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Coming to Jesus without repenting probably would not be real, for if there is no change then their is no new life in Jesus. Billy Graham had commented that many who came forward at his crusades were inquiring about Jesus, but were not yet repenting of sins and sorry for their wrong ways. We can know about Jesus and not truly be a new born again person of his spirit. Only through Jesus can we be forgiven of our sins and adopted into the family of God.
Rom 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Pray with me:
Lord Jesus I repent of my sins. Remove all that is ungodly and create in me a new heart of service to God. I believe that you died for my sins and are forever alive. Receive me into eternal life and fill me with your spirit. Thank you Jesus, I ask by your word to be a child of God, amen
Some people are called of God from the womb; Jeremiah is one example and also John the Baptist who was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother Elizabeth's womb. Even in the womb when Mary, the birth mother of Jesus came to visit her cousin Elizabeth, the baby John lept in the womb at the presence of the fetus of Jesus in the womb. John was conceived six month before Mary's pregnancy by the Holy Spirit of God. Both had a calling that would be realized when they reached the age of thirty, according to the age under the law for a ministering priest.
John was called.
Luk 3:2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
Luk 3:3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;
John by the revelation knowledge of the Holy Spirit the word of God came to him. He begin his ministry of baptism for the remission of sins. The confirmation of the calling was a prophecy.
Luk 3:4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight.
Luk 3:5 Every valley shall be filled, And every mountain and hill shall be brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways smooth;
Luk 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Do you hear the calling of God on your life? Can it be supported by a witness of God's word? The ministry of John was to prepare the way for the one who was coming; the Messiah Jesus. The father of Jesus is God in heaven. Jesus is the Son of God who came as the Lamb of God. His death to remove our sins and his resurrection from the grave is our way of eternal life. Jesus saves us from hell and he gives us eternal life. He also is the image of the Father in heaven.
Joh 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.
When the Jewish rulers questioned the ministry of Jesus, he referred back to the ministry of John the Baptist as being called of God.
Mat 21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
Mat 21:24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
Mat 21:25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why then did ye not believe him?
Mat 21:26 But if we shall say, From men; we fear the multitude; for all hold John as a prophet.
Mat 21:27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We know not. He also said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
If anyone questions your calling, let them examine the works and the scriptures. Do not forsake your calling because of people or circumstances. Pray and follow the Lord. Just because John was killed does not mean that he was not in God's will. Suffering and even death while ministering will not be without rewards when you are with Jesus. Keep going and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.
