He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. Luke 22:36 NIV
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It has been obvious up to this point that everything the Lord did had a purpose and was part of His Father's plan. Just prior to entering the Garden of Gethsemane for prayer, He gave the apostles specific instruction to sell their cloaks and buy a sword. They must have thought they were preparing to fight for the Kingdom. But Jesus had a plan they never could have guessed. They said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." (22:38)
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After a night of prayer in the garden; a contingency of soldiers and religious leaders came to arrest Jesus. When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them (Peter) struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. (22:49-50) What happened next would show everyone that Jesus laid down his life for us; it wasn't taken from Him.
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Lord, I am unable to comprehend the love that motivated You to give Your only begotten Son to make such a sacrifice. Jesus said, "No more of this!" And He touched the man's ear and healed him. (22:51)
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Jesus said to him ... "Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?" Matthew 26:53-54 NIV
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