Luke 22:35-38 Enough is Enough
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: December 5 & 6, 2018 Luke 22:35-38
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
And He said to them, When I sent you without purse and wallet and sandals, did you lack anything? And they said, Nothing. And He said to them, But now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his wallet. And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must yet be accomplished in Me, “And he was reckoned among the transgressors”; for the things concerning Me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said to them, It is enough.
(Understanding the Text) Jesus was telling His disciples that while He was with them, they had needed nothing, and He had taken care of everything, but now He was going to be gone from them and could not protect them. They would be on their own and needed their money and weapons. I’m not sure what the swords were for, except as symbols to protect themselves. I need to think about that more. The SDA commentary says that Jesus is speaking figuratively here to His disciples based on all Jesus’ other sayings and actions, including His rebuke of Peter just a little later in the garden, and based on the accounts in Acts where the disciples never defended themselves with swords. Jesus was warning His disciples that they were about to go from being rock stars who the people flocked around to being hunted criminals who would not be provided for by the majority of the people. Their status was about to change, just as Jesus’ status was about to change. The SDA commentary says “They could not expect the gracious and generous hospitality they had formerly enjoyed. Persecution would often prove to be their lot.”
(Revelation of God) Jesus was telling the disciples that the suffering servant prophesies were about to be fulfilled. He was about to be made sin. He was telling them of the most important, tragic, and essential event in the history of not just the whole world, but the whole universe. . . and the disciples missed it. All they caught from the message was that they might not have enough swords. They were still clueless. We blame the disciples for being so slow, but are we any less clueless today? Events of epic proportions happen all around us. We are part of the greatest battle in history fighting on the winning side, but being wounded in battle. We are actually heroes in this war, and all we can see is the every day drudgery we face and focus on whether we have enough swords (non-essentials).
(Understanding the Text) The SDA commentary suggest that while “And He said to them, It is enough” might refer to the two swords, it is more likely that it was Jesus’ way of closing the subject. It’s like saying “enough is enough” or the idea that it was not worth trying to get the disciples to understand His point when they focused on the trivial. There were other more important words and actions that had to happen now. Guzik’s commentary agrees. “It is enough means enough of this kind of talk (Jesus’ firm way of ending the conversation), not two swords will be enough. How could two swords ever be enough against all those who came to arrest Jesus?”
(Application / Prayer) My application to myself is that I need to stop worrying about the parts of my service to God which really won’t make a difference in the long run, just as having an extra sword wouldn’t make much of a difference if a group of Roman soldiers came to capture the disciples. I need to focus in on the truly important parts of service: Jesus Himself. It is too easy to lose sight of Him and focus in on all the other details. Teach me to always look to You and not be distracted by the unimportant details of life.