Continued from last week’¦ (part 1)
Luke 22:35-38
And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
Then He said to them,
“But now, he who has a money bag let him take it,
and likewise a knapsack;
and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
“For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Jesus just before the scripture of our text had the last supper with the twelve disciples. There He announced a New Covenant or New Testament. It was now His Body and His Blood’¦Jesus!
The Temple would soon be destroyed (about 40 years later). The Church would be established and the field would be the World. The focus was the entire world not the national Israel of that day and time. Now we are to worship not in a temple made with hands but in Spirit and Truth anywhere on earth.
John 4:19-24
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,
and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
Jesus said to her,
“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship,
for salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The Christ the Messiah had now come and things were different. Love was now revealed and the heart of the human being was exposed.
In Matthew the fifth chapter Jesus speaks of the sins of the heart. Murder is in the heart as well as in an action. Lust is adultery as well as it can be an action in the flesh. This was the new way of looking at sin and actions. What a difference it would make should the self-righteous could only believe what Jesus said about this. It would end finger pointing and judgment concerning ‘the fallen’ preachers, etc.
Matthew 5:38-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you,
and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?
Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Luke 6:27-38
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
“bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
“To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
“Give to everyone who asks of you.
And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
“And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
“And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same.
“And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.
For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
“Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.
For with the same measure that you use,
it will be measured back to you.”
These Words of Jesus stand in sharp contrast to the normal mindset of society and culture as well as much church teaching and practice.
I have tried to live out these words. It has cost me greatly in money, possessions, reputation and honor but I have no regrets. Jesus’ way is right and the best and I have been blessed and blessed more than my enemies. Glory.
The base nature of fallen humanity is to seek revenge, to lash out in violence, to kill and to defend ones self and possessions. Here Jesus is giving a new standard. It can only be lived with the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The carnal will not live the Words of Jesus. I ask you as you read the above scriptures, did you accept it totally or did you try to seek exceptions for what Jesus said?
The biggest threat to modern Christianity are the Words and Life of Jesus Himself.
My desire is not to make Jesus and His Words fit our culture both political and religious and patriotic but to let Jesus confront US.
Try as some may but these Words of Jesus are His and True and show the Way we are to live and what kind of heart we should have toward our enemies. I will not seek to even comment on them. You must deal with His Words. I have to face the same.
In response to the question of the sword or knife the followers said
So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.”
And He said to them, “It is enough.”
Of course two was enough for the needs at hand but not if Jesus intended them to fight the oncoming mob and soldiers. A fight was not at all what Jesus had in mind with His statement.
The disciples had time and again misunderstood many things Jesus had said, even about Jesus being crucified. Again they misunderstood.
When the mob approached in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus note what happened.
Matthew 26:51-54
And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
But Jesus said to him,
“Put your sword in its place,
for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
“Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
“How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Put the sword or knife in its place!
History is full of the confirmation of the Words of Jesus. Jesus was taken by the sword and in 70 AD those who took Him were killed by the sword. Every kingdom of history built on the sword has also perished by the sword.
Jesus was not short of Power. He could have called for 12 legions of angels. He did not need the eleven followers with two swords or knives to fight for Him. His mission was greater than a fight in the Garden it was the Cross and for the souls of humankind.