Scripture to Read: Luke 22:35–38
Jesus continued talking with His disciples and sought to prepare them for what they would face in the coming days. God had Luke record this in Luke 22:35–38, 35 And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” 36 And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” 38 They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.” Jesus had just warned them of Satan’s desire to test them, and then, Jesus tells them that up to that point in their lives things had gone pretty well but that a dramatic change was coming. Satan planned to wage war against them (Ephesians 6:12) and stir up enemies against them. In their earlier ministries with Jesus, people had been hospitable, but now they would be hostile, so they needed to be ready. The hardest part of this passage to understand is Jesus’ instruction to buy a sword. Most theologians believe Jesus was preparing them for hardship and self-sacrifice. Even Jesus’s words, “It is enough,” express His frustration that the disciples still didn’t understand. Jesus wanted them prepared and determined to serve Him no matter what they faced.
Challenge & Application
What can we expect as we follow Christ according to Ephesians 6:12 and Luke 22:35–38?
How do we prepare for the battlefield each day (Ephesians 6:10–18), and how do we serve our Lord wholeheartedly?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!