A Sword: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 We’re going to talk about the sword this morning and I have a guy with a gun up there it’s kind of the same thing even though he’s not carrying a sword it’s about uh warfare and battle and I want to ask some questions this morning that are pertinent to our world. Today so the first question is did Jesus call his disciples to kill. Unbelievers and a lot of you guys are already going through the scriptures and the verses and saying no no no no did any of the disciples kill anyone very important did any did Jesus kill unbelievers himself for not believing or because of sin and what did Jesus call his disciples to do when he sent them so the first two are real simple to answer we already know in the scriptures there’s no recorded instance where Jesus called his disciples to kill anyone and his disciples did not kill anyone the apostles did not going around go around killing anybody so the first two are easy answers you can already say no uh but we want to look in the scriptures and the illustrations that God gives us to understand the answers to these questions now what I’m going to be talking about has nothing or there’s a balance to this in Romans 13 we already know that the government is there to praise the good doer and punish the evildoer and that’s not what we’re talking about here we’re talking about the

▶ 1:31 the message of the gospel is the message of the gospel to go out and force people to believe a certain way I want to bring this out because it’s so important to look at the way Jesus did things what he spoke and how much more advanced how much more uh superior Christ’s teachings and what he said is it’s really superior it’s powerful it’s amazing so we’re going to go to John 8. 8:4 uh as you know the woman was taken in adultery the Pharisees or the sadu whoever it was they went and grabb this lady who was having sex outside of marriage he said she’s caught in adultery and in the very act so they brought her before Jesus and they said in Moses’s law in the law of Moses it commands us that such should be stoned what do you say John 8:7 he answers it without a beat this is what he said he said he that is without sin among you let him cast the first stone at her and of course they were convicted in their hearts it says being convicted in their own conscience they went out one by one nobody stoned her and here you have somebody who sinned and Jesus is not condemning them to death but we need to understand something.

▶ 3:00 And Jesus said in 8:1 neither do I condemn. You now did Jesus have the right to condemn her yes why because he was without. Sin and that’s exactly what he said in verse 7 he who is without sin among you let him cast the first stone he was the one without sin and he said neither do I condemn you I have the right to condemn you I have the right to kill you for that sin but I’m not going to and he makes a judgment he says go continue your life and sin no more don’t do that and that’s exactly the what what we should be doing the church we should be saying don’t do that it’s very biblical to.

▶ 3:52 Suppress and say that that is wrong and the world doesn’t want to hear that and the world wants to promote sin and say that it’s okay and that’s completely against what Jesus said to do but also this is an example here we have in the Old Testament law where you are to be stoned if you’re committing sexual morality but Jesus is saying I have pardoned you just like when you die and you stand before me when you have gone and sin no more you turn from that sin you don’t continue to do it you take.

▶ 4:29 You believe on the cross the blood the death, burial resurrection he pardoned her and that’s the powerful message here he pardoned this woman he had mercy on her and that’s important to understand you know he’s doing all of this he’s showing us how to judge and how to how to act now the accuser the people that came and accuse this woman they were the rel religious people that wanted her to die and the the accuser that’s going to stand there on judgment day is the Devil he’s going to be saying this person did this this person did this he’s going to be accusing us you guys already know all this I’m just reminding you he’s going to bring charges against us but Jesus will be there to pardon us because we chose to turn from our sin and follow righteousness Bible says that we’re going to be judged according to our works what did we do when he said repent did we repent did we turn and when we do that Christ is going to be standing there defending us fighting for our side and there’s nothing the Devil can do so the stipulation is go and sin no more now we have another illustration another story in the Bible Matthew.

▶ 5:49 Matthew 26:50 then came they and laid hands on Jesus and took took him they c they came to take Jesus away they came to take him to be crucified in verse 51 one of them drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priests and cut off his ear so this is very interesting because in a few scriptures before this Jesus tells them to go and buy a sword like buy an actual sword and here Peter or one of the disciples they use it and he says put put your your sword away what are you thinking and Peter’s like what he just told me to go get a sword for all that they all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword do you think that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels so Jesus the whole time all these people that are in opposition to him he could have taken him out with his angels but he didn’t do it cuz Christ is after the person he’s after them repenting turning giving them an opportunity to respond to his word and as you know the Israelites in that time they were looking for a m messiah to restore the kingdom the natural kingdom of Israel

▶ 7:20 and that’s not what Jesus came to do so when he says put your sword up when he told him not to make him king they’re all. Confused they’re all ready to fight physically fight for Jesus and you see they’re all saying they’re like. What you’re you’re the messiah I believe in you you you are the messiah you’re going to be king he’s like yeah I’m going to be king why can’t I fight for. You because that’s not the fight that he’s talking about now does this mean we cannot fight and defend no in Luke. 22:36 he told them to buy a sword he said I sent I sent you out before without anything without uh and we’ll go over that but this time I want you to buy a sword why should you buy a sword so that you can defend yourself when the raiders are out there and you’re walking from city to city and somebody comes tries to take something from you you know we don’t have we don’t have swords we have guns right he says go get get something to defend yourself cuz people want to take things from you and last example here is in Luke 9 chapter chapter 9 verse 20 uh.

▶ 8:42 Luke 9:52 but the people there did not welcome him now Jesus is going to. Jerusalem to preach and to teach and the Samaritans it says they were they were Samaritans if you read the story and they would not let him come into their city because he was going to Jerusalem and the Samaritans hated the Jews so he knew he was going to a Jewish city and they didn’t welcome him cuz he was heading for Jerusalem when the disciples James and John saw this they asked Lord do you want us to call down fire from heaven and destroy these guys not letting you come into their city not believing in you not submitting to your authority should we just kill him wipe him. Off good question see these are the these are his disciples and they have this.

▶ 9:42 Mindset but Jesus turned and rebuked them and he said you know not what manner of spirit you are. Of you know you have the wrong spirit in you and he goes on to say I came not to destroy the world but to save save people and see that’s God’s purpose he’s here to turn people to give them an opportunity to turn from sin so in these three examples here it’s very important to stop and realize that Christ’s teachings what he did how he behaved were way are way above anybody else’s teachings he’s not sending you you out to go and kill people to force them to believe it’s completely wrong according to the script scriptures and he uses a different tool Matthew 10 when he sent them out we want to see what he did when he sent out the disciples here he is Jesus the leader of christianity is sending out the disciples to spread his message how does he do it what does he use does he send him out with swords and say kill everybody make him believe say you believe or you die that’s the question.

▶ 10:57 He says go first to the children of Israel so they’re only supposed to go to Israel not to the Gentiles of course we know that they went to the Gentiles after he died preach the kingdom of God heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out. Demons and take no money no bag of clothes no shoes no extra clothing no two coats says and no food so here they are just walking out with the clothes they have on the shoes they have on the coat they have on and God is going to provide everything for them he’s going to bring people he he said go to a house and eat anything they set before you you know Christ provided everything for them and not only that but he backed them up with miracles and there ised to preach the message the kingdom of God and at this time the disciples didn’t know very much and yet they still had a great impact on Israel Matthew 10:16 be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves isn’t that interesting harmless as doves that’s powerful the disciples aren’t supposed to be

▶ 12:29 physically hurting people they don’t need to because the authority is behind them they have the power to heal they have the power to cast out demons God is going to provide every need of theirs they don’t need to lash out or anything like that and that’s the way Christ is that’s how he spreads his message because he has the power he has the authority to do it he could have sent out angels to go and and scare everybody and be like uh you know believe in Jesus but sent people he uses. Us and he does miracles through his people so in Luke 22 it’s the same thing only this is he sent them out twice and both times it was uh he sent them out don’t take any money uh don’t take any money no food no bag no uh no extra clothes but now in Luke 22 before they came to take him before they came to crucify him he tells them take money.

▶ 13:29 Next time the next time you go out take money take clothes and get a sword to defend. Yourself so things changed here when you preach the gospel now you’re going to have to provide for yourself work for yourself and but still get it done and you got to be able to defend yourself and I’m just bringing that up to balance out that you know you can’t just go out and God’s going to provide everything for you hamburgers from heaven that’s not going to happen so what is the sword in 10:34 think not that I come to send peace on the earth I come not to send peace but a sword and I love as a kid I love this movie about the king being born Jesus being born and the angels would appear to the uh the the shepherds and they would all sing glory to God in the highest peace on earth and good will toward men and I just loved that as a kid you know it was wonderful and here he you know he’s saying to the shepherds peace on earth but now he’s saying I come not to send peace what is that what is this I don’t understand.

▶ 14:38 God you know you’re you’re confusing me in Luke 12:51 it says I come not to send peace but division and it says division instead of a sword Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12 we know this scripture it’s very powerful the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and join a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart you see the word of God where is the the Bible right there the book when you read it when you speak it it’s powerful when you read and speak the word of other religions and other things there’s nothing backing that up but when you speak God God’s word Jesus’s words Jesus Christ is backing his word up he goes into the heart he does something he separates the difference between right and wrong his word is powerful it has authority so what is this.

▶ 15:46 Peace you know he says I come to send peace and then he says I I didn’t come to send peace it’s peace if you accept his message it’s it’s good will if you accept what he’s trying to do for you but if you reject the message and you’re with people that reject the message but you’ve accepted the message there’s going to be a conflict between what’s right and wrong between how you raise your family. Between you know your son or your your kids wanting to do what’s right or wrong there is going to be conflict that’s what he’s talking. About and he who who endures to the end is going to be. Rewarded so that is what the sword is in second Corinthians 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal or physical they’re not weapons of flesh and blood they’re not physical weapons they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds so we don’t go around killing people with swords spears.

▶ 16:59 To further our message why because our weapons are not physical the word of God when it is spoken is is powerful and it doesn’t hurt physically anyone it’s supposed to hurt your flesh the spirit and the flesh war with each other Ephesians chapter 6:2 we wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities and powers of darkness against the rulers of the darkness of the world against spiritual wickedness in high places so our war we have a war us Christians we’re waging a war and we need to fight in our war but we’ve got to use spiritual weapons in our war because it’s a spiritual war you can’t go around killing people you go around you preach truth you preach this the word of God and you use the spiritual weapons that God has given us can I hear an amen amen.

▶ 18:00 The word of God is our sword and we don’t need to go you know when you kill somebody just like Jesus said how am I supposed to change him Jesus says how how are they going to get an opportunity to turn and follow me we no we want to go and kill the kingdom of darkness that has convinced them that sin is good is convinced them to follow what’s right what’s wrong. They’re captives in their mind and Jesus has come to set the captives free and like I said earlier in Romans 13 rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil no we have government there to suppress evil and to praise good even though they’re not doing it they should be.

▶ 18:55 Uh for they are ministers of God. Now as you know I’m directing this towards uh Islam and some Muslims that are waging war against unbelievers to further their kingdom they are not followers of Jesus and they’re not doing the works that Jesus did they are followers of muhammad because they’re doing the works that muhammad did these are the things he did Jesus Christ didn’t do those things and if we follow him if we follow what he says to do if we follow his word word we’re not going to behave like that we are in a restoration season we are in a season in the history of the world and the grand scheme of things in God’s calendar a restoration season I don’t know if you guys remember that we’ve got to start taking up the word of God the word of God says is is bread it gives us life we’ve got to read it we’ve got to eat we’ve got to partake but it is also like what Noah was doing he was preaching a message.

▶ 20:02 Of righteousness and we’ve got to preach a message of repentance and of righteousness people need to hear the word of God that separates that. Cuts and makes a distinction and says what’s right and wrong and we all when when you look at an army all of them are armed with. Weapons it’s not just the leader the captain it’s not just the general it’s everyone so we all have a responsibility here we all need to take up spiritual arms and that is the word of God and that is the message of righteousness.