When they came to
arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, 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.
(John 18: 10, 11)
Jesus healed the wounded servant, and prohibited the
disciples from using violence in His defense.
Without His sword, Peter sat silent outside the trial of Jesus
before the Sanhedrin. Peter didn’t offer
himself as a witness. He didn’t throw himself
before the judges and say, “If you kill Jesus, then you have to kill me, too.”
No. Peter acted like
he didn’t even know no Jesus.
Then he began to curse
and swear, saying, “I do not
know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster
crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the
rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
(Matthew 26: 69-72)
In our country today, some Christians go on and on about the
shift in the culture, about the rising antagonism toward Biblical Christianity,
about the seeds of persecution----- and they’re right.
Many of those same brothers and sisters are stockpiling guns
and ammo, preparing to fight in the name of Jesus.
Is that ALL you’re prepared to do?
Are you also prepared NOT to fight?
Are you prepared to listen to what Jesus wants you to do?
And if He wants you to put away your sword, are you prepared
to do that?
Are you brave enough to stand up for Jesus ---- unarmed?
Are you brave enough to witness for him in the midst of
servants to the culture and power structure----- if you have to do so unarmed?
Or, are you such a butt-hole without your guns that your
words and actions effectively deny the very Jesus you’re so anxious to “defend”
with violence?
Jesus said you can own your weapons.
So the disciples said,
“Lord, look, here are two swords.” And Jesus said to them, “It is enough.” (Luke 22:38)
But as a Christian, the weapons aren’t supposed to dictate your response; Jesus is
supposed to dictate your response.
And Jesus has been known to command His disciples NOT to
fight with physical arms. Jesus has been
known to tell His soldiers to wage witness and not to wage war.
But Jesus said to him,
“Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the
sword. (Matthew 26: 52)
Are you brave enough to do that?
For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience
when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10: 4-6)
---Anderson T. Graves II is a writer, community organizer and
consultant for education, ministry, and rural leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T.
Graves II is pastor of
Hall Memorial CME Church in Montgomery, Alabama, executive director of
the Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization
(SAYNO) and director of rural leadership
development for the National Institute for Human Development (
NIHD).
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
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Hall Memorial CME
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541 Seibles Road
Montgomery, AL 36116
