 | Pastor Dave grew up in northern New Jersey in a very diverse cultural area. He attended Central College in Pella, Iowa received a BA in sociology and psychology. He was an offensive guard for their NCAA Div III National Championship team in 1974. In speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, he sensed a call to full time ministry. Meeting is future wife Sandy at Central, went to Michigan to finish her college while Dave started Western Seminary in Holland, Michigan. Dave married Sandy in 77 and completed his Masters of Divinity degree in 78. Pastor Dave’s first church was in Fort Lee, New Jersey, home of the George Washington Bridge. Their three children were born there and he also served as a Police and Fire Chaplain for the city. In February 1991, they came to Wichita to start Harvest Community Church. In 2006, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological (Presbyterian) Seminary in St Louis. During that year he gained a daughter-in-law with now 2 grandsons of 3 years and 6 months old. Besides Pastoring at HCC for the past 20 years, he has been Director of the SCSD & WPD Police Chaplains for 11.
|
Religion
2010-08-01 13:01:00
Why did Jesus say to buy a sword?
Answer: It is true that these words of Jesus are only recorded by Luke, but he is purposeful in including them in the gospel at the beginning of Christian persecution. To some it seems as if it is a contradiction to what Jesus has said earlier. Some also have wrongly used this passage as a proof text to use weapons and violence. There are other places in scripture, where their justification can be found, but not in this passage.
In the context of our passage, Jesus is in the upper room with His disciples having the last supper. (Luke 22:14-38) As they are having the supper, Jesus tells them His time of suffering is about to begin. (14-16) He shares Passover with them in verses 16-20 and of His betrayal of which they begin to look at each other. (21-23) It is here that an argument erupts between the disciples’ over who is the greatest among them. Jesus takes the time to teach them about true greatness (24-27). He also encourages them all by telling them of their reward for hanging in there with Him (28-30). Jesus gets personal with Peter informing him that Satan was going to be allowed to “play with” or “sift” Peter for a while and Peter would deny the Lord 3 times (31-24).
At this point, Jesus contrasted their ministry together up until this point. There was no need to take provisions because the generosity of the people they ministered too met their needs (Luke 10:4-7). But now the momentum was about to change and Jesus was trying to prepare them. People would now be reluctant to show them hospitality and might even suffer persecution if they helped the disciples. The major shift comes in verse 36 when Jesus says, “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your clothes and buy one!” The reason they will treat the disciples’ like Him, as a “transgressor” or a “condemned criminal” (37) in fulfillment of the scriptures.
Now, Luke records the disciple’s response as understanding the Lord literally when they say, “Lord, were good. We have two swords!” (38) How ridiculous their assumption was that two swords could fight off a group of Roman soldiers. Second, they didn’t get Jesus’ point that they were heading into very difficult and ruthless persecution. (21:16-17) Luke records Jesus frustration with the disciples, “Enough of this!” It is like the parent who explains certain results to their child of a certain action but they just don’t get it. The child would have to learn in the school of hard knocks. That they do. William Barclay, compiled from history and church tradition, each one of the disciples’ difficulties, trials and deaths in a book entitled, “The Master’s Men.”
It was not about taking up physical arms, but Jesus was alluding to the courage and stamina it takes in the battle to hang in there by persevering against all odds no matter how bad it looks. This would be their lot. Courageous battling for the souls of men and women when they shared the gospel to the world. Jesus hinted at it earlier. “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning!” (10:18) We get a better understanding of what Jesus meant when Judas comes with the soldiers to arrest Him. Here is where the use of those upper room swords could be handy. Look what happens; “When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, ‘Stop! No more of this.’ And He touched his ear and healed him.” (49-51) They didn’t get it.
Each one of us has battles we face all through life. Some are every day. Others have been long range battles. I see it in my ministry when people give up in the midst of the battle because their tired, worn down and depleted of motivation and drive. Sometimes they list outside circumstances or things, “If I only I had..” more money, a different spouse, a better job, etc. But are they the problem or is it the battle within (2 Corinthinians 10:5), of our minds (Colossians 3:1), or of our hearts (James 4:8). Maybe our perspective is all wrong (Luke 12:23) and we are seeking the wrong things (Matthew 6:33)? Are the present crisis just stepping stones to handle greater crisis (Romans 5:3-11)? Are they Spiritual (Ephesians 6:10-17) and we are trying to win the battle in our own strength and power. Then we wonder why we feel defeated and are ready to give up. We’re thinking we have enough with our measly 2 little swords, and we’re battling a whole army. We should not be surprised when the battles come but found ready, trusting Christ and dressed in the full armor of God. (Ephesians 6:11) In the thick of the battle and assured of the final victory, (2 Cor 4:1)
Pastor Dave Henion grew up for the first 18 years of his life in the diverse atmosphere of the NY metropolitan area, and Dave learned a lot about living the life of faith with convictions in a very diverse world. Being part of a religious and cultural minority, Mr. Henion learned the essence of tolerance and tactfulness with a loving witness. He moved to Pella, Iowa where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology at Central University of Iowa. There, he also played on the offensive line with the team that won the NCAA National Championship in 1974, and met a freshman cheerleader his senior year who became his wife, Sandy. They moved to Michigan where she finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 3 years, and they married while Dave finished his Masters of Divinity Degree at Western Seminary in Holland. Reverend Henion took a call to a small church along the Hudson River in Fort Lee NJ, home of the George Washington Bridge. There his early training diversity in his 12 years of ministry paid off dearly. He was blessed with 3 children. In 1991, the family took a call from the Reformed Church in America denomination, to plant a church in Wichita. The church started at Kensler Elementary School, moved to the Zoo and now is located at 8340 W. 21st N. He also became Dr. Dave in 2006, having received his Doctorate from Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, became a father-in-law two years ago and a proud grandfather 10 months ago. He also ministers as Director of the Police Chaplains for the Wichita Police and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Departments. He can be reached at, 316-7299736.
