Put Your Sword Away

This morning we are picking back up in our study of the Gospel of Mark.

If you’re new to our church, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called Expository Preaching, which means we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what they mean in our lives today.

With that said, we are currently doing that through the Gospel of Mark. A gospel written to tell us who Jesus is, what He came to do, and what it means for you and I to follow Him.

Today as we come back to Mark’s gospel, we come back to chapter 14 where we are just moments away from the arrest of Jesus. A moment that will soon lead to his trial, execution, and resurrection.

But before we get into our text this morning, I want to begin by setting the stage and giving us a framework for what we are about to read. So, to do that, I want to begin by asking you what might seem like an odd question. Maybe even a question you’ve never considered.

So here goes:

Question: To what extent would you go to defend yourself as a Christian? (repeat 2x)

In other words, if somebody persecuted you, verbally assaulted you, threatened you bodily harm, or even threatened your life because of your faith in Jesus, what would your response be?

Let me give you a couple of examples of what I’m talking about:

Example #1 - How would you respond if an LGBT advocate came up to you and accused you of being a bigot. What would you do if they got up in your face and ridiculed you for your stance against sexual immorality?

Would you stand there and take it?

Would you just walk away?

Or, would you let them verbally have it?

Example #2 -What would you do if somebody came up to you and said, “Because you’re a Christian, I’m going to beat the tar out of you.” And then proceeded to attack you, what would you do?

Would you run for your life?

Would you defend yourself against their blows?

Would you throw punches back?

Or would you turn the other cheek and let them beat you up?

Example #3 - Let’s say you have a conceal & carry license and somebody walked into our church this morning, pulled out a firearm, and threatened bodily harm to you or to others?

Would you pull out your gun and threaten them back?

If they attempted to act on their threat would you fire a warning shot?

Or, would you shoot to kill? What would you do?

Example #4 - Let’s say at some point, being a Christian isn’t just frowned upon in America, it’s illegal. In other words, to be a Christian would be a violation of the law. And let’s just say that word got out that you’re a Christian, and the authorities were on their way to your home to arrest you and your family. What would you do?

Would you go on the run?

Would you get your AR-15 out and put up a fight?

Or would you wait and surrender when they came for you?

What would you do?

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor that’s a really odd question. Why in the world would you ask us to consider such a question?”

I ask you to consider this question for three reasons:

First, the idea of somebody threatening you because of your faith or your stand for Jesus isn’t as far fetched as you might think. While there have been few cases in the US where Christians have been physically beaten or imprisoned for their faith, there are a multitude of cases where Christians have been threatened, sued, and even received death threats for their Christian stance. Leaving us to question, “How do we respond?” Do we threaten back? Do we counter sue? Do we do nothing? What should our response be when we are persecuted?

Second, unfortunately we live in a world where churches aren’t exempt from gun violence. In 2017 alone there were 118 violent deaths within the walls of churches in the United States. The most recent being a church massacre that took place at a rural church in Sutherland Springs, TX where 26 people were killed during a Sunday morning worship service. The incident sent shock waves across the church world causing many churches to take seriously the need for church security and a plan for dealing with such threats.

And finally I ask this question, because as we come out our passage today, we come to such a situation. A situation where the faith of a group of believers is being threatened. A situation where weapons will be carried and drawn in an offensive and defensive manner. An incident where the followers of Christ are put in a situation where they must respond to personal threats and persecution.

Listen to how the Gospel writer Mark describes this intense situation. Beginning in verse 43 he writes:

Mark 14:43–52 ESV

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” And they all left him and fled. And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Mark 14:43-

Mark 14:43–52 ESV

43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” 50 And they all left him and fled. 51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Mark 14:

Mark tells us, as Jesus finishes up his time of prayer in the garden, a group of people with ill intention are approaching. A group of people who mean Jesus harm. A group of people who have come armed. A group of people on a mission to take Jesus and his disciples out.

So, how do Jesus and the disciples respond? Well, Mark tells us they all responded differently.

Apparently one disciple responds offensively as he pulls out a sword and attacks.

Another disciple responds defensively as he physically overcomes his captors and escapes.

And the rest of the disciples seem to respond cowardly as they turn tail and run.

And finally Jesus responds by allowing himself to be taken into custody.

It goes without saying this would have been a moment of chaos and confusion.

So, what’s going on here? Why is Mark telling us about this situation and how does this apply to our lives.

Let’s get started by answering the question, “What’s going on here?”

Let’s start with what’s going on here:

First, what’s going on here is exactly what Jesus predicted would happen. You may recall, on three occasions throughout this gospel, Jesus has warned his disciples that this day would come. That one day soon he would be arrested and killed. We saw Him mention it in , , and . And now, in , the predicted day has come.

Second, in this passage we see the various responses that come when persecution comes. And in this one passage we saw three responses. We saw fight, as a sword is drawn. We saw flee, as some ran for their lives, and we saw surrender, as Jesus gives himself up. So, that’s what’s going on here.

Next question, “How does this apply to us and why should you pay attention this morning?”

To be honest, it applies in much the same way.

First, in the same way Jesus was persecuted, mistreated, and eventually killed, as Christ followers, you and I at some point will experience varying degrees of the same treatment. In fact, Jesus promises such treatment. In Jesus tells his disciples when it comes to following Him, “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake.” (ESV)

Jesus says there is a price for following him. That because of your faith in him, people will hate you. And the truth is, we live in a country and a culture where the hatred of Christian faith is on the rise.

Second, it applies in the sense that when persecution comes, when our faith is threatened, there will be varying degrees of response. Some Christians will fight, some will flee, and some will surrender.

As a result, we are left with an important question, “When persecution comes, what should we do? When our lives are threatened, how should we respond? What is the proper response for the Christian when promised persecution comes our way?”

So, to help us answer that question, here’s what I want to do this morning. For the next few moments I want to walk through this passage verse by verse and give you three observations concerning persecution and the Christian’s response. Three observations that I believe are important for us to understand if we are serious about following Jesus and leading others to him.

And my hope is, after looking at and applying these observations, that you and I will be better equipped to deal with persecution when it comes our way.

Now, let me say this before we get started. There may be some things I say this morning that you won’t agree with. Certain perspectives on scripture I’m going to have and as a result certain convictions I’m going to hold to. And the reason you may not agree with me on some aspects of the message today, isn’t because what I’m about to say isn’t Biblical. The reason you may not agree is because some of what I’m going to say may not sound American.

So, let me just say up front, concerning some of the subject matter this morning, it’s ok if we agree to disagree. What we’re going to talk about shouldn’t be anything that divides us.

However, I will says this, what I’m going to share is based on scripture and Biblical thinking. So, here’s what I would challenge you to do. For the next few moments I would encourage you to set aside any preconceived ideas. To set aside American thinking. And for the next few moments be open to what the Bible says and some new perspectives on how to deal with and respond to persecution.

Everybody with me?

Ok, let’s get started. Based on what we just read, here’s the first observation:

Observation #1 - Persecution will come from those you love and those who hate you.

Mark says as Jesus and his disciples were in the garden, “Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” 45 And when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 46 And they laid hands on him and seized him.” (ESV)

Couple things I want you to notice about this scene:

First, notice how Mark goes out of his way to identify Judas as the betrayer. He says, “Judas, one of the twelve...” He then goes on to say, “Now the betrayed had given them a sign...” which we are told is a kiss.

Mark is intentionally drawing attention to Judas. Why? Because he wants us all to understand that somebody close to Jesus, somebody Jesus loved is the one leading the charge to arrest Jesus.

And we know Jesus and Judas have a close relationship because Judas identifies Jesus with a kiss of friendship. A greeting only extended to close friends.

Can you imagine the shock the disciples must have experienced when they saw Judas walking up with that crowd. The looks of surprise and bewilderment on their faces as Judas, a fellow disciple, shows up to betray Jesus. It had to be a shocking moment as anger, fear, and confusion filled their hearts and minds. The person they least expected has not only betrayed Jesus, he’s betrayed them as well.

So, what should we take from this? How does this apply to our journey of faith? I would say it’s simply a reminder that the people you love the most may be the ones that persecute the most.

And again, this shouldn’t surprise us because Jesus did say, “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death...”

Jesus says, some of the persecution you receive will come from those closest to you. People you love.

In fact Jesus says this in Matthew’s Gospel, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.” (ESV)

Jesus says faith in Him will most definitely cause family strife and division. In fact, it could bring such division that family members begin to see you as an enemy.

Unfortunately, I see this happen quite a bit as people new to our church or new to faith in Jesus receive ridicule from those closest to them.

As family members verbally jab them for attending the church out by Taco Bell.

As negative comments are made about their faith in Jesus.

As they are chastised for walking away from the religious tradition they were raised in. Unfortunately I’ve seen it threaten to divide and destroy family relationships.

First, when it comes to family and friends, it’s always personal. The truth is, those we are closest to are the ones who often take the greatest offense when we say or do something they don’t like.

First, when it comes to family and friends, your faith in Jesus is taken personal. In other words, they see your decision to follow Jesus as a decision against them.

For example, if you grew up in a family with a faith based on religious association and tradition, your decision to embrace a Biblical relationship with Jesus maybe come as a slap in the face to your parents. It’s as if you’re saying how they raised you was wrong.

In addition to that, your new faith in Jesus is brining into question their own beliefs. It’s as if you’re saying, “What you believe is wrong.” It’s personal.

I can tell you right now, this is a reality for many who attend MCF. The fact is, we are a church made up of former religious traditions. Former Presbyterians, former Lutherans, former Episcopalians, former Methodist, former Catholics, and the list goes on. So, as a result, many who attend MCF have a former religious past they grew up in.

And please hear me, I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the way your grew up or your former religious tradition. Your former tradition and your religious roots have brought you to this point. It was part of your journey to Biblical faith. But the truth is, since you’ve come to MCF, since you’ve opened your heart and mind to God’s Word, you’ve learned that God isn’t looking for for us to have a religious association or be attached to a certain denomination. What He’s looking for is for us to have a relationship. A relationship with Him, that can only come through faith in Jesus.

Jesus himself said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (ESV)

In other words, as great as the heritage is, being Presbyterian, doesn’t get you to God. Being Lutheran, doesn’t get you to God. Being Catholic doesn’t get you to God. And even being Assembly of God, which is the denomination MCF is associated with, doesn’t get you to God. The only thing that gets you to God and makes you right with God is a relationship with Jesus.

And the fact of the matter is, when you embrace this Biblical fact, it brings offense to those who are more committed to religious association and tradition rather than a relationship with Jesus. You are not only questioning how you were raised you are questioning their faith.

We’ve talked a lot about this in the past, so I won’t go into great detail, but the fact of the matter is, when you put your faith in Jesus, it often brings persecution from the ones you love the most.

That’s why family often gets bent out of shape when it comes to Jesus. That’s why Jesus so often divides a house against itself.

Second, when it comes to family and friends, your faith in Jesus is often convicting. In other words, your new faith in Jesus has made you new. In fact, the Bible calls it begin born again. In , concerning this Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (ESV)

As a result, you have a new behavior. You have new habits. You have a new worldview. You are no longer the same person. The old you is gone and the new has come.

And in the midst of your transformation, it often brings conviction to those closest to us. Conviction as you no longer go out and get drunk with friends and family. Conviction as you now abstain from sexual immorality. A conviction that makes them feel like they’re doing something wrong. A conviction that leads them to believe that you think you’re better than them.

And as a result, it brings division and strife as the new you begins to shine light in the darkness of others lives. Jesus puts it like this in John chapter 3, “19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” (ESV)

Jesus says, “When my light shines through you, it exposes the darkness around you.” And when that happens, it causes people to then feel convicted. And that’s why when you become a Christian, some of your friends abandon you. That’s why those you thought cared doubt you persecute you. Your transformation through faith has exposed their need for Jesus. The bottom line is this. Persecution for your faith will often come from the people you least expect.

The bottom line is this. Persecution for your faith will often come from the people you least expect.

But it will also come from the ones who hate you. Mark writes, “Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.” (ESV)

Mark says as Judas approaches, he has a crowd with him. Notice the details Mark gives us concerning this crowd.

A Young Man Flees

First, he says they are carrying swords and clubs. Meaning, this isn’t just a crowd, this is an armed mob, and they mean business.

Second, he says its a group of people that have been sent by the enemies of Jesus. Mark identifies them as the chief priests, scribes, and elders. Who are these people? They are the ones who hate Jesus the most. The ones who at every turn have tried to discredit him. Who at ever turn have tried to silence him. And who now, in the darkness of night, have found a way to eliminate him. Their actions and hatred of Jesus come as no surprise. This was expected.

And what was true then is true now. The fact is, the world hates Jesus and is armed and ready to destroy any associated with Him. And unfortunately that’s become more and more true for American Christians as we now live in a country and culture that is constantly and continually looking for ways to minimize or eliminate our Christian faith.

We’ve seen it in the public arena as displays of the “Ten Commandments” have been challenged by groups like the “Freedom From Religion Foundation” or the ACLU. And in many cases have been removed from government buildings and school grounds.

We’ve seen it in Hollywood as popular shows promoting Christian values have been ridiculed or canceled. As Hollywood actors and comedians refer to people who follow Jesus as having a mental illness.

We’ve seen it in Hollywood as popular shows promoting Christian values have been ridiculed or canceled.

We’ve seen it in the school arena as Christian teachers and students are punished for their faith. As school boards and districts prohibit prayer, Bibles, and any references to Christian holidays.

We’ve seen it in the school arena as Christian teachers and students are ridiculed and punished for their faith. As school boards and districts prohibit prayer, Bibles, and any references to Christian holidays.

We’ve seen it in the business arena as business’s are sued and forced out of business for standing up for their faith.

We’ve seen it in the business arena as business’s are begin sued and forced out of business for standing up for their faith.

Craig Richter, a principal in the Goleta Union School District in Santa Barbara, California, participated in a video made to promote a community prayer breakfast that honored teachers. The school district fired the principal on the grounds that his participation in the video implied that the school supported Christian values as well.

The fact of the matter is, we live in a culture that is hostile to Jesus and those who follow Him.

And to be honest, I don’t think I need to spend a lot of time convincing you of that. To some degree we’ve all experienced in our journey of faith.

However, what I do think we need to spend some time on is this question, “How should we respond to such hostility?” In other words, as tensions rise, as persecution grows, what’s the Biblical response to threats of physical violence, verbal assault, and other forms of persecution? How is the Christian to respond when persecution comes our way?

And this is where some of us may or may not agree. Because as we just saw in this passage, there were differing responses among the disciples. But I think if we look at the responses in context, and understand why each responded in the way they did, I believe we can come to a biblical conclusion on how a Christian should respond in the midst of persecution. And what we’re going to discover, is in many cases, it’s situational.

So, based on what Mark has told us, here’s the second observation I’d like to make:

Observation #2 - When it comes to physical threats of violence, in certain situations, it’s ok for a Christian to legally defend themselves.

Listen again to what Mark tells us happened next:

Mark 14:46

Mark 14:46–47 ESV

And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

Mark 14:46-

Mark 14:46–52 ESV

And they laid hands on him and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” And they all left him and fled. And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Now, let me begin by saying I’m not condoning the actions of this disciple that pulled out a sword. In fact, we’ll get to what he did with his sword in a moment.

Following the shooting, Columbine High School hosted a tile-painting project so students could express themselves following the school’s tragedy. Some students expressed themselves with religious symbols, including a victim’s sister who incorporated a small yellow cross in her tile design. After the tiles were posted, the school officials eradicated the religious symbols from the tile display. A lawsuit was filed to prevent the school officials from censoring the religious expression of the students. Unfortunately, the court chose not to uphold the students’ expression rights, and instead validated the school’s censorship.

But what I do want to point out is that he was carrying a sword.

Now, the truth is, when we read the gospels, we don’t often think of the disciples as being armed. I mean they’re with Jesus, the Son of God, how much more protection do you need.

But the fact is, at least a couple of these guys probably had a conceal and carry permit. In fact, Jesus actually encouraged this at one point. Listen to what Jesus says to his disciples in :

Luke 22:35–38 ESV

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.”

In this passage Jesus is referring back to a time earlier in his ministry when he sent the disciples out to witness. And at that time he sent them out with the bare minimum. Really, only the clothes on their back.

But now, as he looks to the future, to a time when he will no longer be with them, he encourages them to travel with more preparation. In fact, he tells them to carry something to defend themselves with, specifically a sword.

Now, the truth is, among scholars, there is disagreement as to what Jesus means here. Some say it would be difficult to imagine Jesus, somebody who promotes peace, to also promote violence or the need for armed assault in order to present the gospel. So, for some, they believe Jesus is referring to a metaphorical sword, and what Jesus is saying is they need to be spiritually armed for future events where they may encounter resistance, persecution, or physical threat.

And there is some truth to that. The disciples will need the power of the spirit to do what Jesus has called them to do, and so do we. And that power will come through the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts after Jesus has ascends into heaven.

But in the context of , believe it’s a stretch to say Jesus is talking about a metaphorical sword. I think the reality is, the disciples lived in dangerous times. Traveling alone or even in pairs could be dangerous. Bandits often waited for the lonely traveler in order to rob, beat, or kill them.

In fact, the parable of the good Samaritan tells the story of a man who was robbed, beaten, and left for dead on the side of the road. It was a common danger in those days.

So, the fact is, after Jesus ascends into heaven, and the disciples venture out into a dangerous world, they need to be prepared to defend themselves, if necessary.

Now, somebody might say, “Well pastor, shouldn't’ we trust God to protect us? Isn’t God our defender? I can’t imagine God would want us to resort to a weapon for defense.” Yes God is our defender, and I get what you’re saying. But that would be like you getting in a car and saying, “I really don’t need to wear a seatbelt. I mean if a drunk driver runs into me, I believe God will protect me.” Honestly, that wouldn’t be smart. Along with trusting God, wearing your seatbelt is a good idea and an added protection to your safety.

Here’s what I believe. While God wants us to trust Him, and we should, God also expects us to be practical. And by being practical avoid consequences that could have been prevented.

All that to say, the fact that this disciple was carrying a sword shouldn't bother us. And apparently he wasn’t the only one carrying one, because from we know there were at least two swords in the group.

So, what’s this saying to us? Simply this:

When it comes to physical threats of violence, I believe it’s ok for a Christian to be prepared to legally defend himself/herself if necessary. The truth is, we live in a dangerous world and you never know what’s going to happen.

Example - Two Sunday’s ago, on Father’s Day, Pastor David George who pastors an Assembly of God Church in Oakville, WA, had just finished preaching his Sunday morning Father’s Day message. On his way home he and his family decided to stop at their local Walmart and grab a few things. What they didn’t know is there was an active shooter in the store who had already shot a parking attendant in the parking lot and gone in the store. As Pastor David entered the store, he saw the man, got his family to safety, and then pulled out his concealed firearm. He told the man to drop the gun and put his hands up, but the man refused and kept firing. So Pastor David shot and killed the man.

After the shooting, here is what Pastor David has to say, “I acted on Sunday to protect my family and others from the gunman and his display of deadly intent,” George told reporters from the door of his church on Wednesday. “This is in accordance with both my training as an emergency responder and calling as a pastor, husband, father, and grandfather.”

Now, some of you might be thinking, “Pastor are you advocating that everybody carry a gun?” No, that’s not what I’m saying. But I bet the people in that Walmart store were glad Pastor David did that day. Because the fact of the matter is, we live in a world where anything can happen, so not only do we need to be prayed up, but there may be situations where we need to be prepared to defend ourselves or others.

That being said, and just to calm any rumors that some may be spreading about MCF, over the next few months we are putting a security plan in place for our church. In fact, this month we have a church security expert coming to do a security assessment of our building so in the event of some sort of tragedy, whether it be fire, natural disaster, or heaven forbid an armed gunman, we are prepared. The truth is, as your pastor I feel we have a responsibility to provide the safest environment as possible for you and your family to worship in.

Now, some might say, “Pastor, isn’t that going just a little bit overboard? I mean the odds of a shooter walking into our church with a gun are slim to none.” Here’s what I would say to that. First, that’s what every church has said prior to somebody walking into their church to do harm. And second, the odds of you getting in a car accident today are probably slim to none, but you’ll still put that seat belt on. It’s not going overboard, it’s simply a practical precaution. Nothing more, nothing less.

Observation #3 - While it’s ok to legally defend yourself, it’s not ok to attack and take heads off.

Mark writes, “47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.” (ESV)

Couple of things I want to point out now about this disciple and his actions.

First, let’s identify who this disciple is. I mean who would be so radical? Thankfully, the Apostle John tells us. Listen to what he says in , “10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)” (ESV)

John says Peter is the one who pulled the sword. Again, shouldn’t surprise us that it was Peter. Mr. Radical himself.

Second, let’s determine what Peter was trying to do? Because it’s one of two things. Either Peter is showing his skill as a master swordsman as he skillfully slices this guys ear off. Or, Peter has no idea how to use a sword, and he’s swinging for this guys head, and he misses and gets his ear instead.

I’m going to say it’s the latter. I’m going to say Peter, who didn’t really know how to use the sword, swung at this guys head and got his ear instead.

So, what happened next? Mark says Jesus responded. “So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (ESV)

Jesus says, “Peter, that’s not the answer for this situation. No active shooter here. Put your sword away.” And then Jesus does something that probably blew everybody away. Listen to what the gospel writer Luke tells us, “But Jesus said, ‘No more of this!’ And he touched his ear and healed him.” (ESV)

Example #2 -

o cials eradicated the religious symbols from the tile display. A lawsuit was filed to prevent the school o cials from censoring the religious expression of the students. Unfortunately, the court chose not to uphold the students’ expression rights, and instead validated the school’s censorship.

Luke says, in this moment of tension and chaos, Jesus tells Peter to knock it off, leans down, picks up the severed ear, and miraculously puts it back on the guys head. Wow. Now that would have been something to see.

So, what’s going on here? What’s going on is while Peter had good intentions, taking people’s heads off isn’t God’s plan for salvation. God has a different plan for Jesus. A plan that will lead to the salvation of mankind. A plan that involves Jesus’s surrender and death. And that’s why Jesus says to Peter, “Put your sword in its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

In other words, “Peter, God has a different plan.” In fact, even if Jesus wanted to use force to protect himself, he doesn’t need Peter’s help to do it. In , Matthew adds to what Jesus says to Peter in this moment. Matthew writes, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (ESV)

Jesus says, “Peter, really? If I wanted to I could have called 10,000 angels to my aid. Put your little sword away. That’s not how I’m going to win this battle.”

You see, Jesus knows, the only way to accomplish God’s plan is through the cross. A plan that will involve Him laying down his life for others. A plan of love that will open the door of salvation for all who would call on the name of Jesus. A plan of surrender and sacrifice. So, Jesus says, “Peter, put your sword away.”

And then Jesus turns his attention to the crowd and says, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” (ESV)

Jesus says to this crowd, “You don’t need your swords and clubs. When have I ever been a threat to you. But do what you’re here to do. Arrest me. Let the scriptures be fulfilled.”

In this moment, Jesus surrenders himself. How do the disciples respond? Mark concludes, “And they all left him and fled. 51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.” (ESV)

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Mark says at this point all buy one disciple flees, but then after being spotted and almost captured, he runs to escaping by the skin of his teeth, or clothes I guess we should say, as he runs off butt naked into the night.

Quite a story, isn’t it? So, what’s this saying to us?

In closing, I believe these three observations give us a great guideline on how we respond to threats of violence and persecution.

Guideline - If they’re not trying to kill you, put the sword away.

51 And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, 52 but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

What I want you to notice is nobody is trying to kill Jesus at this point. Yes, his accusers have weapons, but they’re not there to kill Jesus. We don’t even know if they’ve drawn their swords. They’re there to arrest him, that’s it. More than likely their weapons are precautionary because they wrongly assume Jesus is going to resist them. What we do know though is, Peter has his sword drawn and he’s trying to take a head off.

In addition to that, while not right, this is a legal arrest. In other words, those apprehending Jesus have legal authority to do so. This group is made up of Temple police and Roman soldiers. The law of the day. As a result, that’s what makes Peter’s actions even more inappropriate. Because not only is he the only one swinging a sword, he’s doing it against officials of the Temple and State.

So, this isn’t Peter responding to an active shooter. This is Peter reacting offensively to non lethal persecution and breaking the law while he does it.

Here’s where I’m going with this, in the event that Christianity were deemed illegal in our lifetime, and Christians were arrested for their faith, I believe it would be inappropriate for us to respond with lethal force.

Why? Because sometimes, in order to lead somebody to Jesus, you have to put the sword away and surrender.

Guideline #2 - If you want to lead somebody to Jesus, sometimes you have to surrender.

You see what we have to remember is the only way God’s plan works is if Jesus surrenders. If Jesus doesn’t surrender himself to his accusers, if Jesus uses angelic force to protect himself or allows Peter to keep swinging his sword, then nobody gets saved and more people get hurt.

And what was true for Jesus is true for us. The fact of the matter is, there are going to be times when surrendering our sword is the best option for leading people to Jesus. Let me tell you a story to illustrate what I’m saying:

Illustration - On February 23, 155, Polycarp, one of the disciples of the Apostle John, was dragged into a Roman Colosseum. Days before his arrest instead of fleeing for his life, he allowed Roman bounty hunters to find him.

As they arrested him, he made one last request. He asked if he could have one hour of prayer before he was taken. Surprisingly they granted it to him, and they sat and listened as Polycarp cried out to God. It’s said many of the bounty hunters who heard him praying actually repented of their sin on the spot. But because they were bound to duty, they delivered Polycarp over to the Roman proconsul.

Upon coming to Rome and being brought before the proconsul, the Proconsul demanded Polycarp recant his allegiance to Jesus and swear his allegiance to Caesar as his god. He was told if he would do this, he’d be released. Here is Polycarp’s response to their request:

“Eighty and six years have I served Him. And He has done me no wrong! How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

Polycarp was then taken to the Colosseum where 3x he was given an opportunity to change his stance. But he would not. It was at that point the people started shouting, “death by beast, death by beast, death by beast.” But instead the proconsul decided to burn him alive at the stake.

As the executioners came to nail him to the stake, Polycarp stopped them and said, “He who gives me strength to endure the fire will enable me to do so without the help of your nails.”

As the fire was lit, Polycarp prayed one last prayer. He prayed, “I bless you because you have thought me worthy of this day and this hour to be numbered among your martyrs in the cup of your Christ.”

As the flames engulfed him, but much to the surprise of the soldiers and crowd, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Polycarp’s flesh would not burn, and instead of the smell of burning flesh, the smell of frankincense filled the coliseum air. Perplexed, the executioner was ordered to stab Polycarp with a spear through the flames, and Polycarp bled out.

Now, let me ask you something, “What kind of impact do you think that had on those watching? Do you think more people came to faith in Jesus because of Polycarp’s willingness to surrender?” I’m going to say they did.

Here’s my point. While we may have the right to defend ourselves, sometimes the best witness for our faith comes in our willingness to surrender. In other words, when we lay down the sword, we allow Jesus to do something only he could do.

Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, I’m not sure I like the idea of being a Polycarp. Isn’t running away an option? Why didn’t he run?” Sure running or hiding is an option. For example, the Apostle Paul ran, hid, and evaded arrest on many occasions.

In when Paul was in Damascus, he caught word that the Jews were going to kill him. So during the night his disciples helped him escape by lowering him down the outer wall in a basket.

On another occasion in , while Paul was awaiting a prison transfer, he learned that 40 Jews had taken an oath to kill him during the transfer. So he had his nephew tell the authorities, and so they changed the time of the prison transfer to protect Paul.

In fact, Jesus encourages the disciples to run at times. In Jesus says, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next ...” (ESV)

So, there’s nothing wrong with running when people are trying to kill you for your faith. All I’m saying is, there may be a day when running is no longer an option, and the only option is to surrender.

Paul finally reached that moment. In as Paul made his way back to Jerusalem, he was warned by a prophet named Agabus that if he continued to Jersualem, imprisonment and death awaited him. Listen to what Agabus says, “And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” (ESV)

So, how did Paul respond? Did he change his plans? No, he went anyway. Luke writes, “And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.” (ESV)

And that’s exactly what happened. As Paul entered Jerusalem, he was arrested, and eventually shipped to Rome where he would stand before Caesar and eventually be executed for his faith.

For Paul, The Holy Spirit said, it’s time to stop running and surrender. And from the time he surrendered to his death, Paul would have the opportunity to witness to hundreds, encourage the faith of other believers, and become one of the greatest Apostles that ever lived.

Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor. That’s all very interesting about Polycarp and Paul. But let’s just be honest. It’s not illegal to be a Christian. Nobody is threatening to arrest me for my faith. I don’t have a sword. I’m just not sure how this applies to me.”

You’re right. It’s not illegal to be a Christian, yet. While Christians are being sued, nobody is being arrested, yet. But I would disagree with you about the sword. Because the truth is, a lot of you have swords, and you swing them often when you feel your faith is threatened.

The sword I’m referring to is tucked away neatly in your mouth. Listen to what the Apostle James says about this sword, “Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (ESV)

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

James says of all weapons we yield, the tongue is the most damaging. Solomon puts it like this, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (ESV)

So, no, we’re not swinging actual swords, but we are using words. Words that often work against us. Words that cut deep and push people further away from Jesus. Words that take heads off. So eager to get our two cents in, so eager to defend and attack, so eager to justify ourselves and prove our point. That we don’t even consider that maybe we’re doing more harm than good. Let me give you a couple examples of what I’m talking about:

For some of you, your sword of choice is called Facebook. It’s the sword you use to attack. It’s the sword you use to defend your beliefs and attack those who disagree with you.

For some of you, your sword is called Facebook. It’s the sword you use to attack. It’s the sword you use to defend at times in inappropriate ways.

Somebody whose not a Christian posts something you don’t like, so you pull out your sword. You comment or post back and say, “Oh, yeah, well take this as you swing for their head.”

For some Christians, their sword is they’re American rights, as they boldly proclaim, “Oh yeah. You think you can take away my rights away as a Christian! Think you can keep me from bringing a Bible to school. Think you can get rid of the Ten Commandments. Think you can force me to bake a cake. Think you can force me to acknowledge your immoral relationship. We’ll see about that because I’m taking you to court. I’m going to publically annihilate you for your attack on me! I’m going to take your head off!”

Pastor are you saying we shouldn’t defend ourselves? Are you saying we should just let people walk all over us. Are you saying we shouldn’t defend our rights? Are you saying we should bake the cake? Are you saying we should be ok with abortion? Are you saying we should just lay down and surrender.

No, I’m not saying you shouldn’t defend yourself or stand up for what you know is true. What I’m saying though is you quit using a sword to do it. What I’m saying is, surrender the sword. Listen to what the Apostle Peter says about defending our faith. Listen to what the one who once swung a sword says about how a person should deal with persecution. He writes:

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.” (ESV)

Peter says, “If you’re in a situation where your being persecuted. Don’t freak out. Don’t pull out your sword. Instead, be prepared to honor the Lord as you defend yourself with gentleness and respect.”

You know what Peter’s saying. Instead of defending yourself with a sword, defend yourself with love. Show your enemy kindness. Show your enemy respect. Why? So that when they slander you, when they revile you, they will be put to shame. In other words, they’ll be the ones who look bad, not you.

And please hear me, that doesn’t mean you can’t stand your ground. That doesn’t mean you can’t have an opinion. That doesn’t mean you have to bake the cake. But what it does mean is you don’t attack. What it does mean is that you respond in a way that brings Jesus honor. That you surrender your right to get even. That you surrender your right to make that post. That you surrender your right to get the last word. that you surrender your right to sue back. That you quit taking heads off and start showing people what Jesus looks like.

And the hope would be, that through your actions of love, the person who hates you most, the person who wants to kill you, the person who wants to sue you, would come to faith in Jesus.

Peter goes on to writes, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...” (ESV)

Peter says, “That’s what Jesus did for us. Instead of using a sword to kill us, He used love to save us.”

The Gospel writer Matthew tells us following his death, as he hung on the cross, the affects of Jesus’s actions started to take place. Listen to what Matthew tells us. “When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (ESV)

In that moment, the soldier who had driven the nails through Jesus’s hands felt the shame of what he’d done.

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All I’m suggesting to you, is that maybe the answer to persecution isn’t the typical American response. That maybe it isn’t, “Oh yeah. You hit me, so I’m going to hit you harder.” But maybe the answer to persecution is, “I know you hate me, but I’m going to overcome your hate with love. I’m not going to sue you back. I’m not going to publically defame you. Instead, I’m going to show you exactly what Jesus looks like. I’m going to surrender my sword and show you his love.”

I know a few weeks ago I referenced the case in Oregon where a lesbian couple sued a bakery owned by Mellisa Klein because she wouldn’t bake a custom cake for their same sex wedding. And to be honest, I stand with Mellisa. There’s nothing wrong with her standing for her faith like she did. I think she did the right thing.

Church, it’s hard to know what to do sometimes. Should we fight? Should we flee? Should we surrender?

What I don’t stand with though is the response of many Christians to this lesbian couple. Because unfortunately, in response to the lawsuit and that attack on the Kleins, many Christians have opted to pull out their swords.

Because as the story broke about what happened, and as the lawsuit was filed, the lesbian couple started getting the hate mail. One Christian wrote to the couple, "I am buying up my ammo right now you filthy, ugly, disgusting, fat, stupid, cruel, anti-Christian piece of liberal scum. I am getting ready for the war so I hope you have a good hiding place, you sick, disgusting, miserable, piece of degenerate lesbian scum."

Another wrote, “Filthy dirt bag. You are ruining this country, and we will not let you do it."

Let me ask you something, based on responses like that, what do you think the likelihood of that lesbian couple coming to faith in Jesus is? I’m going to say not very good. I’m going to say slim to none.

As we close this morning, I have to admit it’s hard to know what to do sometimes. Do we fight? Do we flee? Do we surrender?

I think often it’s going to depend on the situation we find ourselves in. But no matter what the situation, I think we have to consider that maybe the sword isn’t always the best option. That maybe we need to change our view of persecution. That persecution isn’t something to fear or fight, but something to take advantage of as we lovingly present the Gospel through our actions, words, and deeds. That instead of taking heads off, we show them the love of Jesus.

Let’s Pray