City Life Starter

Written by Efe Abbe

The Word

³⁵ Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money, a traveler’s bag, or an extra pair of sandals, did you need anything?”

“No,” they replied.

³⁶ “But now,” he said, “take your money and a traveler’s bag. And if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one! ³⁷ For the time has come for this prophecy about me to be fulfilled: ‘He was counted among the rebels.’^{[Isa. 53:12]} Yes, everything written about me by the prophets will come true.”

³⁸ “Look, Lord,” they replied, “we have two swords among us.”

“That’s enough,” he said.

Luke 22: 35-38 NLT

Reflection

The Lord Jesus’ time on earth was drawing to an end, and as Scripture had foretold, that end would be violent (Isaiah 53:7-12).

The disciples had learned trustworthy wisdom for their ministry as they walked with Jesus. Here, Jesus reminded them of that trustworthiness in how their needs were met when He instructed them to go preaching and simply trusting Him. Now, He is instructed them from His demonstrated trustworthiness that a seismic shift was about to occur, and they needed to prepare.

The prophecy “He was counted among the rebels” meant that Jesus was about to be treated like a violent criminal even though He was innocent, because it was time for the power of darkness to reign (Luke 22:53). So, in His love, the Lord instructed His friends to be physically prepared (He would also talk about spiritual preparation in vs. 39-46).

Application

God has always purposed for us to learn wisdom by being in relationship with Him. God is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-holy, and all-loving. He will reveal His purposes to His children, if we listen in trust, to obey.

Sometimes, obedient trust means walking in faith fully confident that He will supply all we need; at other times, it is humbling ourselves to prepare physically and spiritually for hard seasons. In either case, it is only by staying connected to His voice in His word, and in prayer, that we will discern when He says “but now…the time has come…”

Prayer

Dear Father God, thank You for revealing Your plans and purposes to Your people. Please help me to humbly keep relating to You, listening with trust in order to obey. In Jesus’ name, amen.