Get Excited About Following Jesus, then Do It
“Peter said to him, ”Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.“ Jesus said, ”I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.””
I’m so thankful for Peter.
Every Sunday night I get all kinds of aspirations about how I’m going to do this week differently. I’m going to get up earlier, I’m going to eat healthier. Every first of the month I get all hyped with what a great month I’m going to make it. I’m going to accomplish so many things!
And if the first of the month falls on a Sunday, look out!
But by Wednesday I’m back to the good old, semi-motivated me. My bed is so warm. I stayed up too late watching fail videos and laughing at Star Wars memes. And then the rooster crows.
The thing is, Jesus knows all about our easy talk about how motivated we are AND He knows about the reality of our laziness. He knew how much youth sports and Netflix would contribute to the destruction of Christian community, and He loves us through it. (Intentionally inflammatory remark there. I’m joking! Not really.)
This whole exchange is full of Jesus working with us in the ebb and tide of our zeal. He reminds the disciples that they always had everything they needed. Remember your mission trips? Remember how God took care of you every step of the way? Remember the miracles and the show of God’s power?
If you’ve ever been on a mission trip, you know what I mean. You come back and for a couple of weeks you really really want to live with the power and closeness of the Lord that you felt on that trip. But normal Tri-State life can be so lame. And then the rooster crows.
Jesus says this very strange thing about having a sword and the disciples keep in step. “You want us to have a sword, Jesus? We’ve got 2!” Shing Shing
I think Jesus sensed their excitement and manic devotion and cooled it with the sword talk. I think that’s why we get this Old Testament quote and then little to no more explanation.
Rather than figure out what we’re supposed to do with our swords, check out that verse in context. It might just be that the sword is a status symbol to fit in, because Jesus is talking more about what He is about to do than giving instructions on how to chop people up.
“So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels.””
Isaiah 53:12 NET
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