Temple Baptist Church - 9-11-2024
John 18:10-11
Introduction:
A. My title for this message may be offensive to some but I believe it to be biblical. The National Rifle’s Association has adopted the slogan “God, Guns, and Guts Made America Free.” This saying has made all the free nations free!
B. I have never heard a message preached on the subject of swords or guns in our day, so I believe that it needs to be addressed because the Bible addressed it.
1. A good “rule of thumb:” If the world says it is right, it is probably wrong and if the world says it is wrong, it is probably right as good has become bad and bad has become good!
2. The world teaches pacifism and gun free while the Bible teaches a time for war, a time to kill, and everyone needs to be armed!
3. This may even alarm some of you tonight, therefore, I want you to see what God says on the subject and GOD IS ALWAYS RIGHT! Right?
C. In our text, good old Peter took it upon himself to pull out his sword and attack, cutting off an ear of poor old Malchus in verse 10. This act brought about an instant rebuke from our Lord in verse 11.
1. The other disciples agreed with Peter, but asked a question of the Lord instead of just drawing one as Peter did.
Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
2. People who do not believe in the freedom to bear arms reproach those who do because of our Lord’s answer and reaction which they do not properly understand. Yes, the Lord rebuked Peter and healed Malchus.
3. The Lord’s rebuke was not that Peter, and the other disciples had swords. His rebuke was that it was not the time and place to use them. Jesus Christ was doing the will of the Father by dying a vicarious death on the cross of the sins of the world.
4. The Lord knew that His disciples were armed with weapons of war and self-protection because He had ordered their armament.
Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
5. Later in this same chapter, our Lord clarified His actions by saying in another scenario, swords would have been used with His divine approval.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
D. The words “sword” and “swords” are mentioned in the Bible 448 times (therefore I will not reference them all) with the vast majority of these mention being actual physical swords. In the Bible, we find two types of swords: physical swords and spiritual swords with all used in a proper way to be guided by God.
E. Notice in my sermon title that “God” must come first when “drawing our sword from its sheath.”
Swords and now Guns! Verse 10: “Then Simon Peter having a sword”
F. The First Mention of a sword is found in Genesis, chapter 3. A Gode Made Sword before there was a man-made one.
Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
- This was a physical sword because gives record of angels with swords destroying.
Numbers 22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand:
1 Chronicles 21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem.
2. It was a physical sword used to carry out the will of God!
3. Thus, the First Mention sets our precedent.
4. The Lord carried a sword in Joshua 5:13-14, drawn from its sheath and ready to use.
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? (14) And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?”
5. Joshua bore a sword.
Exodus 17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
6. Gideon bore a sword.
Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
7. David bore Goliath’s sword.
1 Samuel 21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give it me.
8. The list could go on, but I know that you get the message. Right?
G. Physical swords, guns in our case, are weapons ordained of God for war, killing, and defense of self-family-property. According to Ecclesiastes, chapter 3.
Ecclesiastes 3:3 A time to kill …
Ecclesiastes 3:8 … a time of war, and a time of peace.
1. As a child, I was taught the right use of a gun. When I was about 10, our next door neighbor named me Bear Hunter because he saw me so often with a shotgun in my hands coming back from squirrel hunting. I was and still am good at it. I am still OK with hunters and hunting! And that takes a lot of target practice.
2. As a man, I was taught the right use of a weapon of war and I learned to use it well as I fired expert with both the M-14 and M-16. I was not trained to go out and kill. I was trained to use these as weapons of war. I was OK with that, and I remain OK with it. Good with it takes a lot of practice. God bless our military and law enforcement!
H. There are also Spiritual Swords. These are also God ordained but to be used properly.
1. The Sword of the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
2. The Sword of the Spirit as part of the Armor of God.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
3. The Sword of Spiritual Warfare. These weapons are used for spiritual warfare and, yes, we are in a war!
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (4) (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Courage or Guts! Verse 10: “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear.”
J. It is one thing to own a sword, but it is another thing to have the courage to use one!
1. The world desires to disarm us in a dangerous time. A time when there is danger all around. I find no place in the Bible where God’s people were pacifists. They were men of war!
2. There are some religious groups who will not bear arms or fight in wars. God made men to be Men!
Joshua 1:7, 9 Only be thou strong and very courageous … (9) Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
2 Timothy 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
God! Verse 11: Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
K. The Bible puts forth both right and wrong times for using the sword. Peter should have asked the same question that the other disciples asked:
Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
1. The right order is God FIRST, then Courage or Guts to fight, then Swords or Guns or weapons that God has ordained for both war and killing. There is a time for both.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
2. Physical Weapons can be used in a wrong and ungodly manner, and we have seen many such instances nowadays. Swords and guns are amoral as they are instruments to be used. I love guns and knives! I have owned them for most of my life and I have never hurt anyone with one. They only have the morality that is given to them.
3. Spiritual Weapons can also be used in a wrong and ungodly manner as we often find it done in pulpits and pews by preachers and Pharisees. The Word of God is sharp and cuts to the dividing asunder. It does not need our help by hammering the people of God! The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle.
4. Therefore, God must come first, as in the title of the message, because both physical and spiritual swords must be used in a godly manner to fulfill the will of God.
5. Swords were weapons of war and self-protection, and our Lord commanded His disciples to purchase and bear them.
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