BE PREPARED ... Luke 22:35-38 ...Table Talk #5

There are times when it is especially important to be prepared. For example, transition times, like when your child is leaving home to go out into the cold, hard world on his own, or when a soldier is going into war. These are times when it pays to be as prepared as possible.

At the Last Supper, Jesus knew that when his disciples left the comfortable confines of the upper room that they would face a severe test. The soldiers would come, he would be arrested and killed, and beyond that, after the resurrection, he would leave them in a hostile world to fulfill his mission. For them, it was like leaving home to work in a hard world, or even like going off to war.

Jesus wanted them to be prepared. The last thing he said to them, according to Luke, before leaving and going to Gethsemane and the cross was about being prepared, "Earlier," he said, "I sent you out on mission without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, ... but now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." The disciples still did not understand that the kingdom Jesus was bringing was not a political-military one and so they misunderstood his words about the sword. They took him literally and someone said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." He replied, I think with some sarcasm, "That's enough!" Or as some commentaries say, "Enough of such talk!"

We know that from other things Jesus said that he did not mean they should literally use the sword to fulfill his mission. But he knew that they would be engaged in spiritual warfare and they must be ready for it. This is why Paul, in Ephesians 6, urged us to put on "the whole armor of God ... and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

When we leave the comfortable confines of this room, the warmth of Christian fellowship, and go out into the world we too will face challenges of many kinds. Will we be ready? Will we be prepared? In a sense, everything we do here helps us get ready. Our songs express scripture and the Christian faith, our minister preaches the Word of God, we pray for each other, and we meet with our Lord at this table. In these ways we put on the whole armor of God and take up the sword of the Spirit. And with this preparation we go out confidently to live and serve Him in this world.