Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?’”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, April 2, 2022
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
We’re not gonna win this one by force, Peter. And when Jesus told you to go out and buy a sword earlier in the gospels, I’m pretty sure he was talking in the spiritual sense. But Peter did have a habit of being overenthusiastic without completely understanding what was going on. Maybe he did buy an actual sword. But…wouldn’t Jesus have said something when he noticed his most avid disciple sporting a deadly weapon on his belt?
Okay, enough pointing out the ridiculousness of Peter having a sword. That’s not what this is about. The point is that Jesus’ victory is not of a military nature. It’s not going to be won with weapons. It is going to be won through the total self-emptying sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Like, the opposite of warfare.
And what can we learn from this? Even now, God calls us to fight our battles with active nonviolence. That’s what gets results that are healing for all involved. We need to sheath our swords and let God be in charge.
Where has my desire to fight actually gotten in the way of my cause?
