A lesson by Pastor John Skaggs

Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

P.O. Box 1447, Claypool, Az. 85532

520-425-8345 or 520-402-9134

Web Page: www.oocities.org/heartland/plains/3364

Email: pastorjohn@gila.net

Date: 6-20-99

Sermon Number: 144

Text: Luke 22:35-46

Luke twenty-two is huge. It consists of seventy-one verses and is jam packed with wonderful truths and inspired records. First we find the celebration of the Passover meal in the upper room. The Passover meal commemorated a temporal deliverance from death by the blood of an animal lamb which event took place just prior to the exodus from Egypt. The entire event pointed toward and promised a permanent deliverance from God’s wrath by the blood of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. This Lamb was with His disciples in the upper room. In Him the imagery of the Passover was about to be fulfilled. It was His body that would die and His blood that would be shed for the entire family of God’s elect people. By this blood a new covenant would be inaugurated and the redemption of God’s lost sheep would be was accomplished. This would be an eternal redemption from the coming wrath of God. Following the Passover meal Jesus led the disciples in the first Lord’s Supper. Eat this bread and drink this wine in remembrance of my body and my blood that is given for your salvation. The Passover need never be celebrated again.

Following this solemn occasion the disciples began to argue about who might be the greatest among them. Jesus reminds them and us that the greatest in the kingdom of God is the servant of all the rest. We have the example of our Lord to follow. He did not come to be served but to serve and give Himself a ransom for many. Sacrificial service of the brethren is the love by which all Christian will be identified. The faithful lover of God’s people is great in the kingdom.

In verses thirty-one through thirty-four Luke speaks of Peter’s temptation by the Devil. What a wonderful thing it was to consider this text. For here we see that the evil one cannot touch us without the permission of God. Further, when God grants that permission it is for our good, God’s glory, and the good of others. For when we have experienced and survived the temptation we are to strengthen our brothers and sisters with what we have learned. Why have we survived temptations in the past? Why will we survive them in the future? Because Jesus prays for us in the midst of temptation so that our faith will not fail. Our Savior’s prayers on our behalf strengthen us and cause us to stand. Praise the Lord!

In our text for this morning Jesus continues preparing His disciples for His suffering and departure. When He is gone things will change dramatically. Follow with me as I read Luke 22:35-46 NASB. And He said to them, "When I sent you out without purse and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" And they said, "No, nothing." {36} And He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe 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} And they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."

When did Jesus send these men out without purse, bag, and sandals? The event is described in chapter nine. (Luke 9:1-10 NASB) "And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and to heal diseases. {2} And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing. {3} And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. {4} "And whatever house you enter, stay there, and take your leave from there. {5} "And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." {6} And departing, they began going about among the villages, preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere."

This was an evangelistic assignment for which Christ equipped his disciples with preaching and healing gifts. Even the demons were subject to them. These were great and victorious days during which Jesus saw to there every need. They took nothing but had everything. They had no food but were fed, no bed, but they slept, no weapons but they were safe. They were hedged about by the Spirit and cared for in a most miraculous way. They lacked nothing, nothing at all. However, Jesus is about to give Himself up to death on the cross. Things are about to change. Life for the disciples, the apostles, is about to become more difficult than they could imagine. God will not protect and provide for them like He did on their previous mission. This time and forever in the future they must seek their own provision and safety by the normal means of grace. {36} And He said to them, "But now, let him who has a purse take it along, likewise also a bag, and let him who has no sword sell his robe 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."

We can’t speak of verse thirty-six without taking into account verse thirty-seven. For Christ being "numbered among transgressors" is the very reason the disciples need to prepare to stand without the same kind of intervention they had enjoyed in the past. God and His Christ would still be their provision but not in the same way. The wrath of man and of the evil one himself is about to be poured out upon Christ. He is about to leave this world. While He was on earth the enemies of Jesus had focused their hatred on Him. But when He was gone to heaven who would the enemies of Christianity vent their hatred on? Yes, the disciples in every age. This should not surprise us, Jesus said it would be this way.

In light of this Jesus says you must prepare yourselves. You must be aware, you can’t just meander through life expecting miraculous provision and protection like you enjoyed on that previous mission. "You must now make use of the means of grace through which God provides for all his children."

In reference to that first trip Jesus said don’t take a staff, a bag, money, or extra clothes. Don’t worry about these things I will see that you have your needs met through the kindness of other people. Don’t worry about defending yourself, I’ll take care of everything. Now He says be careful to provide for yourself. On the physical side of the issue there will now be the need of gainful employment. You are going to need money to get on in life. Work with your hands doing that which is honorable and good so that you can meet your own needs. At the end of the day they would still have to give God praise for the money they earned. Why, because their gifts and skills had come from Him. God would continue to supply all their need but not by special miracle, they must work to make their way.

The most important thing Jesus says is that these men must acquire swords. "If you don’t have a sword sell your robe and buy one." They must have a sword! Why, because a change is on its way. Because Jesus is about to be numbered with transgressors. The way in which God by Christ has taken care of these men is about to change. What does all this mean?

Was Jesus saying that the disciples should arm themselves with weapons, real metal, soldier type, swords? Was He saying that these men were to fight the enemies of Christ in a physical way? There are those who think He was. It appears that the disciples believed this also. For they answered, "We have two swords." The Roman Catholic church used this text many years ago to justify their use of forced evangelism. With a cross in one hand and a sword in the other they killed all who would not convert to their version of Christianity. Is this what Jesus had in mind when He made this statement? It was not. It cannot be what He meant. The following texts prove that we cannot interpret the words of our text in literal way.

In the text we are about to read Judas, and the mob, have come to take Jesus captive. Peter just happens to have one of the two swords in the group and draws it to defend His Lord. Let’s remind ourselves of what happens next? (Matthew 26:51-54 NASB) And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. {52} Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; FOR ALL THOSE WHO TAKE UP THE SWORD SHALL PERISH BY THE SWORD. {53} "Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? {54} "How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?" If Jesus had meant to defend Himself and the cause of Christianity with physical force He would have called on the armies of heaven to take care of these rebels. But this was not His or the Father’s desire.

(John 18:36 NASB) Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; (But they are not fighting and they won’t because . . . ) . . . My kingdom is not of this realm."

How dull we often are when it comes to understanding spiritual things. We are not unlike the disciples, they did not understand that Jesus was speaking of spiritual weapons. Their reply to Him and His to them betrays this fact. (Luke 22:38 NASB) And they said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." The essence of Christ’s reply is "Let’s just drop the subject for now." They did not understand and He had said all He was going to say for the moment.

Sell your tunic or your robe and buy a sword. In other words make great sacrifices to provide for your own defense. We have shown that this has nothing to do with physical weapons. So, He must have used the figure to speak of spiritual weapons. He speaks of the word of God which is the sword of the spirit. Get this sword, Jesus says, make it a priority. Look with me at a passage that compares real weaponry with spiritual weaponry.

(Ephesians 6:10-18 NASB) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. {11} Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. {12} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. {13} Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. {14} Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, {15} and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; {16} in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. {17} And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD. {18} With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," These pieces of armor, and this sword, must be in the possession of the Christian if he or she hopes to stand against the schemes of the devil and the opposition of wicked humans.

Jesus was saying to His disciples take up this sword because I am about to be numbered with transgressors and things will get very hard for you. You must be prepared.

To be "numbered with transgressors is another way of describing the crucifixion. Jesus was about to be nailed to a cross between two evil men, transgressors. The language Jesus uses comes from Isaiah 53:3-12 NASB. {3} "He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. {4} Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. {5} But He was pierced through for OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. {6} All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. {7} He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. {8} By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living, For the TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE TO WHOM THE STROKE WAS DUE? {9} HIS GRAVE WAS ASSIGNED WITH WICKED MEN, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. {10} But the LORD (God) was pleased To crush Him, (Jesus) putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. {11} As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, MY SERVANT, WILL JUSTIFY THE MANY, AS HE WILL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES. {12} Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, AND WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS; YET HE HIMSELF BORE THE SIN OF MANY, AND INTERCEDED FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS."

What or who is a transgressor? Strong’s Concordance says that a transgressor is a rebel, one who has committed offences. The transgressor is one who abides in constant revolt against God. Jesus was crucified between two thieves, transgressors. When Christ was nailed between these two men the prophecy in Isaiah was fulfilled. He was numbered with transgressors. But the meaning of the statement goes beyond this explanation. For Isaiah declares that not only was Jesus numbered with transgressors He interceded for and bore the sin of many transgressors. What does that mean?

To intercede is to become a go-between. It is a term that might describe what an attorney does when he argues a case before a judge on behalf of one accused of a crime. The criminal is a transgressor of the law. So, when the text tells us that Jesus interceded for transgressors it means that He stood between them and God to secure their pardon. He argued their case with His life and blood. He won the day on behalf of transgressors, rebels against the law of God. Who were these people? They were the fallen, chosen, sheep of God. Not only was Christ crucified with sinners He died FOR sinners. He interceded FOR them that they might have life and that everlasting.

In the crucifixion of Jesus we see two things taking place. We have the wrath of man and of the devil being poured out upon Jesus with all the energy they can muster. Then we have God and His Son involved in the work of redeeming their people from sin. The evil one and the evil people involved thought they had killed Jesus, but did they. In a sense yes, but we must remember what Jesus said about His own death. (John 10:17-18 NASB) "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. {18} "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." No one took Christ’s life from Him! What then do we see happening on the cross? What we see is God crushing the willing Savior to death by the hands of wicked men." Or we could we say it like this? "God delivered the willing Lamb into the hands of transgressors for whom He interceded with His life and blood?" Jesus was crucified with and for transgressors. By His death and shed blood Jesus purchased eternal redemption for rebels like those who killed Him! Rebels like you and me. Isaiah says He was smitten by God and pierced through for our transgressions. Folks, a person who commits transgressions must accept the name. That word describes every man, every person. For all have transgressed the law of God. When one comes to understand that he is indeed a transgressor he must also understand that the wrath of God abides upon him even now. However, the prophet Isaiah gives transgressors hope. For, he says, Jesus stood in the place of transgressors. He interceded with God for them. Since that day, all sinners who come to Him by faith are saved from the wrath to come. They are pardoned, washed, forgiven, sanctified and, sealed for eternity. The wrath of God will not fall upon such as believe in Jesus Christ the Lord. But the wrath of man and of the devil will. So we must make use of all the means of grace so that we can stand in the evil day, whether that is today, or tomorrow, or both.

The lessons of the day are these. One, do not try to live the Christian life by the strength of the flesh meaning your reason, wits, or muscle. The weapons that we must use in our warfare with wickedness are spiritual weapons. I speak of faith, God’s word, and prayer.

Secondly, we must work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. There is something for us to do. God will not provide unless we work. He will not protect unless we put on the armor. God will not take us to heaven on a pillow while we sleep. The pilgrim must run the race and fight the fight by making use of all the means of grace at his disposal.

Third, this text reveals to us just who we really are. If we are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve we are transgressors against God and His law. We are rebels every one, the sentence of death hangs over our heads. But Jesus has died for transgressors. His death was an intercessory one. He died in my place. With His own righteousness, life, and blood, He argued before God and won the day for all who believe. Because of this I have been spared as will all who trust in Him for salvation.

Thank God, Jesus was numbered with transgressors like me.