Amen, I say to you, among those born of women, no one has been greater than John the Baptist, and yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and the violent are taking it by force.For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until the arrival of John.. ––Matthew 11:11-13, NCB
He instructed them to take nothing for their journey except a walking staff—no bread, no sack, no money in their purses. They were to wear sandals but not to take along a second tunic.
He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, you are to stay there until you leave the area. And if any will not welcome you and refuse to listen to you, leave them immediately and shake off the dust that is on your feet in testimony against them.”
Instructions for the Time of Crisis. Then Jesus said to them, “When I sent you forth without a money bag or sack or sandals, were you ever in need of anything?” They answered, “No, not a thing.” He then remarked, “But now, the one who has a money bag should take it with him, as well as a sack. And if you do not have a sword, sell your cloak and purchase one.
“For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘He was numbered with the wicked.’ Indeed, everything written about me is being fulfilled.”
We aren’t always called to retreat. We are also called to kick some proverbial butt. To advance. When Jesus was nearing the end of His time before the crucifixion, His tone with the disciples changed. Previously, He had sent them out two-by-two and gave them instructions:
But then, later on, when Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, there was a shift:
Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.” ––Luke 22:35-37
What changed? Was Jesus calling His followers to a violent holy war? No. Here’s a big clue: He tells them that He has been “numbered with the transgressors,” which is a quote from Isaiah 53, the 700-year-old prophecy predicting the coming of the Messiah. Jesus places Himself in our position—He takes on our sins and sacrifices Himself on our behalf. He also knows that things are about to get very real for His followers—there will be persecution and spiritual warfare. All the disciples but John will die as martyrs.
In Luke 22, Jesus is saying that it’s no longer business as usual. He is telling His disciples to prepare themselves because they will be ridiculed and persecuted for Him, just as He is about to be persecuted for them and all of humanity.
For God’s man, we advance against the enemy each day and take the kingdom by force through sacrifice, clean living, keeping short accounts when we are offended or abused, and loving others into the kingdom. Does it mean we are soft? No way! We use the sword of the spirit against the REAL enemy—the kingdom of darkness. (Hint: fallen man is not the enemy; he’s the mission.)
