this story that we're reading about tonight. Simon Peter has just been with James and his brother John in the garden in the Gethsemane while the Lord Jesus has been praying and he has had the cup of wrath, the wrath of God has been poured out upon him. He has prayed to the point that his sweat is turning to blood or did turn to blood and he went back after an hour, told them to watch him pray and found them what? found him asleep. And after he found him asleep the first time he said, he said, I know your spirit's willing but the flesh is weak. He said, I'm going to go away again, watch and pray with me. He comes back the second time and finds him what? So he goes back the third time and comes back and says what? I mean, can you believe it? Three times now that they could not give him an hour. Now, this ain't the message. I've already preached this message a couple of weeks ago, but isn't it amazing that the same three who could not pray a total of three hours could fish all night? Help me somebody. It's the problem's priorities, and we're not going to re-preach that, but that is the thought there. They had it in them. to pray three hours if they can fish all night, surely, but nonetheless they didn't and the Lord told them, said, all right, sleep on now, take your rest, the hour's come. I'm fixing to be betrayed into the hand of sinners and right as soon as that conversation's over, here comes Judas and he's with a multitude of men. They've got their swords and their staves and that's where we're at. So look in verse number 47 of Matthew chapter 26. Matthew chapter 26 and verse 47. If you're there, say amen. The Bible said, And while he yet spake lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same as he, hold him fast. For with he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And behold, one of them which were with Jesus, this is Simon Peter, You'll find it, I believe it's John's Gospel, chapter 18. One of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place. FOR ALL THEY THAT TAKE THE SWORD SHALL PERISH WITH THE SWORD. THINKEST THOU THAT I CANNOT NOW PRAY TO MY FATHER AND HE SHALL PRESENTLY GIVE ME MORE THAN TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS? BUT HOW THEN SHALL THE SCRIPTURES BE FULFILLED THAT THUS IT MUST BE? That's all we'll read for sake of time tonight. Again we're looking at this thought on Peter drawing his sword and smiting off the ear of a man named Malchus. And I want to talk to you again tonight and hopefully we'll close her out and be done. But I'd like to preach on this thought for another service if the Lord will help us on when the right sword is in the wrong hand. when the right sword is in the wrong hand. Let's pray together. Father, we love you tonight, and we do thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to be here. And God, we thank you, Lord, for those that's made it out tonight. Good to see some others come in just a few minutes ago. Lord, I needed that tonight, so thank you for sending them our way. and encouraging me, Lord, when we've got so many out sick and working and different things. God, I thank you for sending them tonight. I pray, oh God, that you'd use me in spite of me, Lord, to be a blessing to somebody. God, I pray that you'd open our eyes and open our ears to the truth of God's precious word. Lord, do something in our hearts that'll not just make a difference tonight or tomorrow, this year, this, over the next decade, but for the rest of our lives, God, that we could Be more like you and less like ourselves. Lord, do a work in our hearts. We'll thank you for it. Give me power and unction, please, in Jesus' name and for His sake. And all the Lord's people said, Amen and Amen. You can be seated tonight. Again, I'm going to do my very best not to re-preach everything that I've already said. But we did look at last week or last service on Sunday night how this story is filled by the shall be full of types and pictures and images of what I would assume or what I would call, refer to as modern day Christianity. How many of y'all know we live in an hour, my friend, where everything seems to be in disarray. You've got one crowd that does not take a stand for nothing. Help me somebody. I mean just anything goes. There's no preaching on sin. Don't matter what version Bible you use. Don't matter how you look. Don't matter where you go. Nothing matters. Then you got another crowd up there right and they know it. Can I get a witness? And so we don't want to be either tonight. We don't want to be too far to the left because there's a ditch over there. And we don't want to go too far to the right because there's a ditch over there. But there is a straight and a narrow way, and there is a path that you and I must take. And my friend, if you're not careful, as a born-again, Bible-believing Christian in Laodicean Church age, if you're not careful, you will get so hurt, you will get so frustrated, you will get so mad and bitter and let down that you'll take the most precious gift that God has given us outside of his own son. Somebody ought to help me tonight in the precious word of God, and you'll use it as a weapon. I've seen it my whole life, and I know you have too. Some of y'all are victims of somebody taking a King James Bible. It's the right sword, but doing harm and doing hurt to you. Can I say it makes no difference if it's the right sword? If it gets in the wrong hand, it'll hurt somebody. every single time. It still is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. It still does pierce even through dividing the sundry soul and the spirit, the joints and marrow. And it is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. In other words, it is nothing for you and I to just pick up and swing on our own. May I say tonight, I never want to be guilty of taking what God has used for our defense against the devil and his angels and be charged guilty of hurting one of his own sheep, my friend. I don't want to have that laid to my account. There's been times that I've been guilty. Amen, and there's times I'm sure you've been guilty, but may we examine this text and realize what God has laid out for us in Matthew's gospel shows us, my friend, how to avoid taking the right sword and putting it in the wrong hand. I said some comments, I'll just make a few of them and we'll move to the points. First of all, I just wanna remind you that you can speak the sword and it will pierce the heart. God didn't call you to go around cutting everybody's heads off with the Bible. Am I going to get a little help on a Wednesday night? It is not my job to fuss with everybody on Facebook. And I've been guilty of doing that a time or two, ain't you? Don't you look at me cross-eyed, you're lying. It ain't my job to go to work and it ain't your job to go to work. It ain't my job to go to Walmart for that matter and lying everybody out and go to cutting people's heads off. Listen, we're supposed to be a Christian. We're supposed to be like, we're supposed to live the word of God, supposed to dwell richly in our hearts. It's supposed to change our walk and it's supposed to change our direction. It's supposed to make a difference when you get saved. And so you can speak the word and it will do the piercing in their heart. But if you swing the sword, if you Swing the word, if you will. It can do piercing, but it'll do it to their hand. Can I say we're not trying to reach the heads of men, we're trying to reach the hearts of men. Can I say, my friend, I don't want to bring forth hurt, I want to bring forth help. Can I say this, it makes no difference how much Bible you throw at somebody and get it in their hand. Did you know every problem, I need help tonight. Every problem is a heart problem. Ain't nobody got mental problems. They got spiritual problems. Every mental problem stems from a spiritual problem. You say, you can't say that. Oh, I sure enough can. I'm qualified to say I've fought mental battles just like everybody else. I've had mental and emotional struggles out of this world. Nobody would believe me if I told you, and come to find out, the medicine and the remedy I've always found comes from this precious word, and the comfort, hallelujah, and the comfort of the sweet Holy Ghost. It'll do more for you in one moment than a doctor can do in a lifetime. I'm telling you, every problem is a heart problem. The Bible said from it flow all the issues of life. And so we ain't trying to reach people's heads. We're not trying to put the Bible and fill our minds with the Word of God. It's got to go to the heart tonight. And so nobody's going to be able to hear if you end up swinging the sword instead of speaking the sword. What gets damaged in this story? He cuts his ear off. And I talked about how I know we get mad, and boy, we fixing to kill this problem. We're going to squash this right now. And so you're aiming for the head of the situation, but you know what you end up doing? You end up taking the ears of the people involved. and they won't hear. If you cut them up with this precious book, do not be upset, do not be surprised when they don't want to hear nothing you say, they don't want to hear nothing your preacher says, they don't want to hear nothing nobody that says they're a Christian says. It ain't because they're always just full of sin and rebellion and there's a case for that. But sometimes it's just that they've been wounded and hurt and cut on so much that they're tired of it. Can I get a witness tonight? I mean, has anybody ever just got tired of the religious crowd beating you over the head with something that God intended to help you and light your path and guide your steps? I do not want to ever hurt somebody's ability to hear the voice of God. But you can do it if you're not careful. And so the goal is repentance and restoration for the brother. And the goal is repentance unto redemption for the sinner. And so that's where I'm just going to pick up tonight. And if you've not heard the rest of it, there's a thousand other things I have said, but I cannot possibly say them all again and get any further. So tonight I want to go to the point number one. I want to go back now. You can just put your ribbon there in Matthew 26. If we get to point three, I think we'll go back. But for now, let's go to Luke's Gospel 22. And I want to begin reading in verse 31 tonight. I'm going to give you these three points if God will give us grace and help us get through it. Luke chapter 22 and verse number 31. If you're there, say amen. Same story, just a different writer. It's Luke's account. The Bible said, and the Lord said in verse 31, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee. What a thought that is. The one who couldn't pray with him. I went back three times and he's asleep. And the Lord said, Simon, the devil wants you and he's gonna try every way in the world to sift you as wheat. And I love what he said. He said, but I have prayed for thee that thy faith, notice that, thy faith He said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison and to death. Again, same man who cannot pray three hours in the garden. I'm ready to die, Lord. No, you can't even pray. I found him in the Lord, that's what I had to say. Verse number 34, and he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me. And he said unto them, when I sent you without purse and script and shoes like to anything, and they said nothing. Then said he unto them, but now, Now notice this, He said, when I called you away from your nets to follow Me and to be My disciples, He said, I told you to leave everything, ain't that right? And they said, yeah. He said, did you like for nothing? They said, nothing. He said, but now, He's fixing to tell them, go get your purse, go get your script, go get everything I told you to leave because things that are different are. I'm fixing to go away. I'm fixing to die on a cross. I'm not going to be here to make a little old lad's lunch, feed me, y'all, and everybody else. Things are changing. You're fixing to endure some suffering. It's all been great. You've been experiencing the miracles, but now you're fixing to lose your master to the cross of Calvary. Notice verse 36. He said, But now he that hath the purse, let him take it. and likewise his script and he that hath no sword notice this let him sell his garment and buy one for I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me and he was reckoned among the transgressors for the things concerning me have it in and they said Lord Behold, notice this, here are two swords, and he said unto them, notice this, it is enough Can I say just again, just for context sake real quick, this is all the same story, Luke 22 Just a few verses later, down around verse 40s and the 50s, is where you find Peter takes that sword and cuts off the ear. It's all right here where Jesus has been in the garden. And here Jesus tells them, He says, boys, I'm fixing to go away. The things that they've desired of me are fixing to come to pass. I'm fixing to walk up a bloody hill called Calvary. And I know I've met all your needs before. He said, but now go get those things that I told you to leave behind. Help me somebody, listen to me now. That brother Shelby proposed a question, it was a valid question just a couple weeks ago. He said, what about where Jesus, we was talking about missions. He said, what about where Jesus told him to leave all that stuff? And he supplied their need. I said, oh yeah, he absolutely did. But my friend, we're on this side of Calvary. He ain't walking hand in hand with his disciples and they need some help now. Somebody help me. They need their purse. They need their script. That's their Bible. They need their sword. Are you listening to me tonight? And so they said, all right. And Jesus goes as far to say what we just read. He said, let every man sell his garment and buy a sword. Well, what'd they tell him? They said in verse number Look again, they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, what? It is enough. So you're telling me that two swords is enough for 12 men. Now look here, I ain't no Bible scholar. I ain't no rocket scientist. I barely got through high school. Somebody help me. But I got enough sense to know if there's a multitude rises up against these twelve men and there's only two swords, somebody has got a problem on their hands. Why would God tell them when He just told every man to get his own sword that two swords would be enough? I'll tell you why. Because, again, it's a picture of the Word of God. These two swords were designed, my friend, to build their faith. Jesus did not want them all being armed with a sword to swing their swords out of fear. Therefore, he told him two would be enough. You know what they had to have? They had to have faith that Jesus said the sword would be enough. It may not seem like it was enough. They may seem outnumbered. They may seem like the underdog. They may seem like there's no way that it would be enough. But Jesus said, two is enough. Just take the two. So what's the purpose of the sword tonight? The purpose of the sword, of the word of God is to build our faith tonight. You know what happens? They take the purpose of the sword. They forget about the purpose of the sword being to build and for them to live and walk and believe God's Word. He told them it's enough. They forgot about the purpose is to build their faith. And when Peter got fearful, which is the opposite of faith, help me somebody, then he takes the very thing he was supposed to have been occupying and carrying by faith, and uses it out of fear, and instead of helping somebody, he hurts them. You know what I believe we're seeing, number one, in case you missed that and all that, number one, we're looking at the purpose of the sword. The purpose of the sword. Up to this point, Jesus has called his disciples. He's provided for them. He's protected them. He's empowered them to serve him in his earthly ministry. But now change has came and Jesus makes it very clear. He's going away. My friend, they need to take some defense. But how many of y'all know that Peter was not supposed to draw his sword on this day? Or Jesus wasn't going to rebuke him. They asked permission. He asked permission, we've already read it, but you can read it again in Luke's gospel. They said, Lord, look at all these men, they're armed and dangerous. You want us to draw our sword? And Jesus never replies. There's a pause for about two seconds, and next thing you know, here old Simon Peter comes out of fear and not out of faith. And I say there's a lot of preachers that are fearful that they're losing their grip. So they draw their sword. There's a lot of churches that are fearful of all their people leaving and going to the funny church down the road. Look here, I've done purpose in my heart. If this won't keep you here, I can't neither. If you don't love the book enough, I'll never, I'll never be enough to make anybody wanna serve God. Hey, I got news for ya. Whether I preach it gently and in truth and in love, and I'm gonna stand hard. Behind me all know I can preach hard and you know I love you. Versus hateful. Hey man, hateful hard. There's a difference in loving hard preaching and hateful hard preaching. I got news for ya. It makes no difference how it's presented. Those that want the truth will stay around. And those that don't will flee and will fail. There's nothing we can do. But I don't want to ever be guilty of even wounding the ones who will leave to never give them an opportunity to come home. Been a lot of preachers cut somebody's head off because they got fearful. They've lost their power. They've lost their prominence. They've lost their grip. They've lost their persuasion. They've lost their influence. And they turned the very thing God's given them to build that person's faith and used it out of fear. And you know what'll happen? Them people will go away and never want to hear what God has to say again. What was once not needed is now needed. Jesus tells them it's needed. But then he says that two is enough. So was it the will of God for the two swords to be there? Absolutely. Now stay with me, I'm preaching fast, but we've got to get through this. It was 100% the will of God for Simon Peter to have one of the two swords. There's nothing wrong with having the sword, but you've got to know when and how to use it. The sword was meant to stay in its sheath until there arose a war. Hey, there was no war in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus told them they're coming up the hillside, boys. I mean, I imagine he's standing with his arms up or on his knees. He's already surrendered by the time they get there. Why? Because he's, help me, somebody help me. He saw you and he saw me in the garden of Gethsemane. He's seen the world. that he was willing to die for the world. There was no war zone. This had to happen for Jesus to make his way to Calvary. And Peter should have listened. Can I say this? Let this be a little principle to you. When you're asking God for something and he won't answer, don't do nothing. He didn't say no according to the text, but he didn't say yes. Let that be a principle for you to live on. Well, He ain't told me no about it, but has He told you yes about it? If He's leaving you in the air, if He's leaving you waiting, it's because, my friend, there's something else that He's got in mind. God does not intend for you to do anything or say anything or make a move or what have you without a yes from our Master. So what is the purpose of the sword? Well, it's to build their faith. I think it's to teach them the sword is not to be used out of fear, but carried in faith. The fact they only had two means they had to have some faith that two would be enough. You know the first thing the devil attacked when humanity sold their feet on this earth? Yea, hath God said. You know what he's still doing? Well, You reckon what that preacher read and said is really so... Help me somebody. What are you saying? I'm trying to tell you this thing is to build your faith. It's the purpose. I want you to look in verse 32 of Luke 22, verse 32. Notice what Jesus said to Peter. He said, But I have prayed for thee that thy what? Hey Peter, Satan's desired to have you. He wants to sift you as wheat. But I prayed for you. He should have went into full-blown repentance right there. I ain't even felt like this till tonight, but buddy, that's grabbed me. Peter could not pray with God, let alone for the Son of God, but yet he was willing to pray for him. Verse 32, he said, I prayed that your faith fell not. Again, we ain't gonna throw rocks at Peter. Look at the multitude. There's 12, 13 counting Judas and Jesus being there if they were all there. But we don't know for sure. All we know is Peter, James, and John's there with Jesus and Judas. So five tops as far as we just can read. And they started telling how many of them, and they look like the armory's been unleashed. Here they come, and no doubt, guess what Peter starts doing? Starts fearing. Does anybody look around this dark world and feel like we're surrounded? I mean, buddy, this is big in my heart. Some of y'all is yawning. I can't help y'all, I guess. But it's been awful big in my heart. I'll be honest. I walk in churches that I know is dropping the labels and dropping the standards and I see it online and I go places and I'm thinking, God, I'm trying to hold the line. For what, 40? Counting everybody and those in the womb and our cousins that's Y'all with me on Wednesday night? They can bring the rock and roll band in. All the women and the men get up and they've got their ball caps on and there's no reverence, there's no respect. It don't matter what version Bible you use and none of the music sounds no different from Cotton Eye Joe or the City Saloon downtown and everybody's slimy and everybody's sinful. Hey, y'all maybe not look at it like that, but I do. And I think, my God, it's taken over. I mean, I'm the only one. I'm gonna drown, I'm gonna die. And you know what God's called, hallelujah, I feel a little preach coming on. You know what God's called me to do? Nothing more than to take my sword, hold it deep and close to my heart, and one foot in front of the other, by faith believe. I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. It's not hard to worry about the future of your church when you look out and every seat's full. But you know what you gotta do when it ain't? You gotta walk by faith. It's not hard when everybody in the church seems to be just living for God and right and tight and on fire. But I've been preaching to some of them for several years now, and they ain't made a move of one. And I felt like there ain't no hope for them. If they ain't gonna get it by now, they ain't gonna get it. You know what God's called me to do? Walk by faith. That's the purpose of this, Brother Brian. You know when people go getting hurt, when they take this instrument that's supposed to be used out of faith, instead of speaking it by faith. That's what I'm doing. That's what I'm doing. I'm just hoping to God, by faith, one day somebody's going to hear and do what the Bible says to do. But instead of speaking it by faith, they're swinging it out of fear. Some of y'all don't want to lose your kids, so you beat them in the head with this book. You're swinging out of fear. Glory to God. All they need to hear is a tender, loving, kind word from His Word out of faith and belief that what God has said, God will do. Hey, you can mark her down, honey, he ain't never lied. He said if you'll raise them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, if you'll train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old, he'll not depart from it. He did not say they wouldn't go out and try sin. He did not say they would not go to the far country. He never even made a promise they'd all come home. But what he did say was, they'll die and go to the grave, honey. They'll die and go to the grave with the living word of God. on the inside of that soul. You have succeeded if you'll sow the seed. You give them more hope than this darkened world has. Even if they never respond to it, you give them a glimmer of hope. That's all you can do. But here's what we're seeing in this hour. We look around, Brother Seth, and we're fearful. I get intimidated. Oh, I know everybody looks at Brother Joshua, he ain't scared. He'll just preach them every one of them. No, I'm about the biggest scaredy cat I know. God ain't give me the spirit of fear. See, you know what I'm doing? I'm confessing my faults one to another. You know what it is when I get afraid? It's my flesh, it's sin. I stay afraid. I look at this fall fellowship commitment list every week. You know what it does? It scares me. There's only about four check marks on it, and we're just a few days away. I'm scared. God ain't yet to let one go by he didn't pay for. But for some reason I think this is gonna be the first year. Sorry. And you know what I know? Somebody that lives in this book, and I ain't just telling you that to put myself on a pedestal, I live in it. If I'm living in it, and you glance at it about three or four times a week, and I live in fear, where you living at? Well, you ain't got no Bible for that. So then faith cometh by and hearing by. You know why I gotta speak this book and not swing this book? It's not just to build my faith, honey. It's to build yours. And when I swing it out of fear, you know what I'm gonna create? Fear mongers. I ain't gonna get through it, I done tell. This is a big thing God's given me right here, I'm just telling you. It's rich and deep. I won't use kids as an example, just in case anybody's here that's been abused, and I don't want to bring nothing up to make you relive that. I will use an animal, though. Any of y'all ever see a little dog run up to you at the park, and all you want to do is pet it, give it a cookie or something? You start to go near it, and it nearly hits the ground. You know what's happened to that dog? It's been beat on. You're trying your best. You might even have the room to take it home, and in your mind, that's what you're going to do, or at least get it to somebody. Get it to a shelter, do something. You just want to help the poor old dog. You try to go out. Hey, buddy, it's all right. Come here. Come here. And it'll take two or three steps, because it knows, man they might can help me, but I've been hurt so much. And then when you move too quick, it thinks you're going to hit them, and it runs off. And you might have to go to that same park multiple times, and leave it a snack, and let it eat and run off, and leave it a snack, let it eat and run off. And then finally, maybe, some will never come around, but some might, maybe, they'll let you take it in. That's just an example. You know what I've seen pastoring? Hello, it's good to have you. I know it looks funny, but it's the truth. God loves you! Why? Somebody was more prominent in their fear than they were the faith. And they beat them to death. And it's hard for them to even hear. Because somebody misused their sword, they forgot the purpose. Faith cometh by, and hearing by. Jesus said, Peter, I'm praying for you that you're failed not. He's seen him drawing the sword out of fear before Peter's seen him drawing the sword out of fear. I believe in these last days we're seeing many take their sword out of the sheath and swing it in fear instead of carrying it by faith. Fear should never be the motive behind swinging the sword. If you pull the sword, it ought to be for nothing but faith. Iron sharpeneth iron. I sent that today. Iron sharpeneth iron. It should be to build your faith and to build your brother's faith. People are fearful of losing what's precious to them. So they go to swinging the sword out of fear. You're afraid your kid is never coming home. And so instead of just being a Christian and kind and giving them an encouraging word every now and then, you'll take that Bible, you know over in the book of. You're cutting their ears off. You're cutting their ears off. And some of you have been done that way by friends and family and former pastors. Hey, bless God, you know. You can't argue with, you might not argue with me, you won't argue with this. That ain't what God intended this for. You know, you can say the same thing a totally different way and they'll cry. I can approach you, and I've been guilty of both. So I know. I can say, Brother Shelby, it says right here in Hebrews 10, 25, and not forsaken the assembly and of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. So much the more as you see the day approaching. If I don't have another verse Shelbo, that's why you ought to be here. You shouldn't miss church to go ride your motorcycle. Help me somebody. Or I could kick and throw stuff and have a temper tantrum and holler at a verse and tell him how big of a hypocrite he is and phony and a fake and I can't stand him. Guess who he ain't going to listen to? Guess who he ain't going to listen to preach to on Sunday? Maybe he's here, but he ain't going to listen. It's hurting. Then the preacher, how do you know all this? Been doing it too long. Been guilty of all of it. Then the preacher would get up and try to put a band-aid on the wound with the next message. I ain't saying it can't get fixed, but it ain't just going to get fixed in one service. Why? Well, I made him hard of hearing. Well, ain't we having a good time? I'm just trying to help you. What is the purpose of this? It's to build your faith. People are fearful of losing what's precious to them. You know, I can see them getting fearful because they're fixing to take Jesus away and that's precious. You know, people's losing their minds because they think old time religion is going somewhere. Look here, until Jesus comes back, it ain't going nowhere. I mean, it may decrease and churches are closed, I get all that, but God's got a remnant. He's always had a remnant. Why are we sat back thinking, hey, if everybody I know goes crazy, don't mean I've got to. We can be a remnant. But they're fearful of losing things that's precious to them. They're not only fearful of losing what's precious to them, they're fearful of losing to what's prominent or popular. In other words, they were outnumbered. I've already made a comment about that, so I won't. Then I want you to think about this. I believe they were fearful by losing what was possessed by them. How many swords did they have? Every one of them guys had one. They were afraid if that thing went south, not only were they getting killed, but they were going to lose their weapon in the warfare. Hey, y'all, can I give you an encouraging word? They ain't taking our sword. God made a promise to preserve His word to all generations. They've tried taking it for years and years. There's been blood and battlefields filled full of blood over that book and it's still here. God's always going to have his word around. But, can't you see why they got fearful? What I'm trying to tell you is we ain't going to, even though that is wrong, Simon Peter was wrong, we can't just hurl a bunch of rocks at him. I get it. So how guilty are we of doing the same thing? Can I say, just because you possess the sword does not give you permission to draw the sword. The purpose is not to swing it out of fear. The purpose was to sheath it and wear it and live it by faith. Let's move on. I've got a bunch more here, but I'm not going to talk about it. Number two, I don't want you to just see the purpose of the sword. I want you to look at the possessor of the sword. Let's look at Simon Peter just for a moment. Look at verse 39 with me. The Bible said, and he came out and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives. We're in Luke 22, 39. As he was wont to the Mount of Olives, and his disciple also followed him. When he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. He's withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, be willing to remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. There appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When he rose up from prayer, and was calm to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, While asleep ye rise, and pray lest ye enter into temptation. Number two, I want to look at the possessor of the sword. Can I say, the purpose of the sword was faith. But I want you to see that the possessor of the sword was not focused. This man, Simon Peter, he's a follower of Christ. Would you agree with me? He's God's man. And this joker preaches at Pentecost and thousands get saved. I mean, we're talking about the one who's passed by in the shadows healed people. Are you understanding where I'm going with this? So we're not just throwing rocks, but I want you to see as the possessor of the sword, that's you and that's I tonight. If you're saved, it's more than just a book to you, it's bread to you. Help me, somebody. It's a book to me. It's bread to me. It's brought to me. It's special and precious. It's beloved to me. It's the Bible. Not a Bible, it's the Bible. But what about the possessor? Simon Peter, the possessor of the sword, was a follower of Christ. But here's the problem. He wasn't focused. Now we understand that he's prayed and came back. And this happens three times. We've read it in Matthew's Gospel. We'll not go back there. But in Matthew 26, we read the account that he went away the third time saying the same words. Came to him, found him asleep, said unto him, Sleep on now, take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand. Son of man has betrayed sinners. All that. So just like Simon Peter, here's what I want you to see. Some people swing the sword not just because they are fearful, but some feel like they can just take the sword out and swing it because they are followers. I'm a follower of Christ. Surely that enables me and entitles me to defend Him. By the way, let's back it up. He don't need defending. He needs nobody to defend him. I mean, that's why he told Simon Peter, don't you know I could have winked and 12 legions of angels, 72,000 angels would have showed up here and that's enough angel power to obliterate over 13 billion. That's more than the entire world. But this possessor of the sword now feels entitled to swing the sword simply because he's a follower. But here's the problem with followers. Followers are really not very beneficial if they're not focused. How do we know he wasn't focused? He keeps hitting snooze on the alarm clock. You'd have thought after the Lord came back and found him asleep, and they looked upon his bloody brow, that would have been enough motivation. Does everybody see how you apply this stuff to your life? You'd think after five years of preaching to somebody, that'd be enough for them to Five years of preaching to somebody ain't nothing like seeing the bloody brow of Jesus with your own eyes and then going back to sleep. It's just sad where people get. It's sad where you can end up being a possessor of the sword and lose focus. You know what happens when you lose focus? You hurt somebody. First of all, I've got three or four of these I want you to see. Simon Peter, the follower of Jesus, the possessor of the sword. Number one, I want you to see this. He missed out on the submissiveness of Christ because he was not focused. Look in verse 39. Who's in the garden of Gethsemane? Peter, James, and John, and who? Jesus is praying until his sweat turns to what? And they were only as stones cast away. So they could see all this. Okay, look at verse 39. And he came out when, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives. His disciple also followed him. And when he was at the place, that's Jesus, he said unto them, Preach ye not of temptation? He was withdrawn from them by the stones cast, kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, notice this, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but what? Thine be done. You know what? Because Peter was not focused. You know what he missed out on? He missed out on witnessing the Son of God. submit to the Father. What do you reckon would have allowed him to keep that sword sheathed when they asked him? Can we get it? Can we draw it? Do you need us to fight? And Jesus didn't answer them. You reckon maybe if he would have been awake when he heard Jesus say, Lord, is there any other way? Can this cup pass from me? Nevertheless not while I will but thine. I don't know why people hurt people and draw the sword too quick and operate out of fear and they boast in being a follower but they're not focused. I'll tell you why. It's been a while since they've really took on the nature and the characteristics of Christ. If he'd have been focused, he would have had a mindset to submit. Why? Because Jesus submitted. You want to know why I can't get people in line? I can tell them the word of God and I can try to operate the church and we can try to have everything smooth and run in order and the way it's supposed to be, but some will never heed. You want to know why? They won't listen to Him either. And they ain't been around Him in so long that submissive spirit that's on our lovely Savior has crawled off them. Do you remember when you first got saved, how easy it was to serve, how easy it was to say no to sin, how easy it was to say yes to serve? Where'd all that go? He ain't focused. Been a while since you've been with him. I ain't gonna get to sign no Bibles tonight, but... Are y'all listening to me? I'm trying to get you to see he missed out on some things when he went to bed. He was a follower. And boy, ain't that where we're living. People are worshiping their following more than they're worshiping their Father. They worship this. This ain't nothing. Under this is a body that needs a shower again today. For the second time already. Under this is stink. Under this is sin. Under this is rotten. Under this is nothing but mortal man. I'm tired of Christians thinking they're something. The only thing good about any of us is that precious blood that has been poured out on our account. There is no good in me. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There's none that do with good. No, not one. But if you boast in being a follower, don't be surprised when you mess up and hurt somebody because you've not been focused. Notice verse number, it's amazing how much time I spend on these notes and don't get to use them. Notice verse number 46. Excuse me, I'm sorry, verse number 43. Verse number 42, sorry. Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me, nevertheless not my will but thine be done. You know what he could have seen Christ be there? Submissive. He missed out because he wasn't focused. We're talking about the possessor. He missed out on the submissiveness of Christ in verse 42. But notice verse number 43. And there appeared an angel unto him, that's Jesus, from heaven, what? Guess what else you missed out on? The strengthening of Christ. You know a hit or none if he'd have been awake? Oh, these boys is fixing to get it. I just watched an angel come down just a minute ago when I was sleeping, but God let me wake up. Are you listening? Or if he'd have been awake, I was awake and praying. He told me to watch and pray. And I was praying and his sweat started turning to blood and I got all messed up and thought, oh God, he's going to die in the garden. But he told me to watch and to pray. And when I was watching, there's an angel come down from heaven and strengthened him. Y'all fix it. Get y'all back whipped. You see how different that could have went? But he missed it. You ever wonder maybe your faith is so weak and your fear is so strong simply because you're not focused? And you're missing out on the strengthening moments. I don't always have a heart of faith. Can I get a witness? But you all know when I do, Oh, I come in here like Macho the Baptist. We fixin' to take over Ferriston. Hold on, 40's gettin' saved. I just had a strengthening moment that week, sorry. And then you see me come in. Well, I'm leavin', I'm about to kill myself. Can't take it no more. Love y'all, meet you in the morning. And then you say, hmm, what happened? I ain't focused. Don't hold that against me, because I see y'all not focused all the time. Shouting, singing, and sleeping, and preaching makes me want to drop kick, I'm saying. I'm just being honest with you. Oh, that's the best singing we ever heard. No crying, booing, running out. And I get up and announce the tag. I want to swing the sword. I'm being honest with you. Y'all see what he's missing out on? What if he had just been focused? He would have seen Christ submit to the Father. He would have seen the strength of Christ. Are you seeing these things? I'm trying to show them to you. He missed out on the submissiveness of Christ. He missed out on the strengthening of Christ. But then thirdly, I want you to see this. Look at verse 47. And while he yet spake, behold, a multitude that he was And he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. And Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? And they were which about him saw what would follow. They said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? Now do you all see an answer? There's no answer. And one of the high priests, that Simon Peter, the servant of the high priest, cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and said, Suffer this far, Touched his ear and healed him. Now, here's where I want to, can I read you three verses from Matthew's account? When Judas shows up, we've just read it. Matthew writes it like this, Matthew 27, 26, 48. Now, he that betrayed him gave them a sign, that's Judas saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss the same as he, hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him. You know what else Peter's missed out on because he's not focused? He missed out on the submissiveness of Christ. He missed out on the strengthening of Christ. Now he's missed out on the suffering of Christ. Can you all just take a time out and see this scene? Here comes Judas. Right? Walks up to a bloody lip of the Lord Jesus Christ. Or excuse me, walks up and kisses the Lord Jesus Christ and walks away with bloody lips. And Jesus says in front of Peter, James and John and the multitude, Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? Have you come and kissed me to betray me? Then he says, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Where does Simon Peter's attention go? Does it go to... By the way, they don't know. Y'all remember when they're sitting at the table? And they're all talking about who's going to be the greatest. And the Lord says, one is going to betray me, it's going to be the one that dips the sop. Y'all remember all that? This is just a few chapters ago, a few verses ago. And they're all asking, is it I? They don't know Judas is a devil. In the mind of Simon Peter, he's as much a brother as anybody else. And here Jesus has just made the proclamation that He's a betrayer. And instead of Peter feeling the suffering, the heartbreak and the heartache of one of his own brothers betraying their Savior, isn't this just like most modern day Bible swinging, sword swinging? He focuses on the one, the sinner who does what? Sinners do what? It's what they do. Why is he focused on the sin of the sinner and not the sin of the brother? Why is he not hurting that Judas has just betrayed their Lord? I'll tell you why. He ain't very focused. You know what we're seeing? I'm seeing a bunch of preachers get up and I'm against preaching on the side of mites. Y'all okay? Hello? I'm for preaching against sodomites. I said that wrong, that's why you didn't amen me. I'll give you a round of applause, thank you. That's two serfs of the royal said something wrong. I'm for preaching against sodomites, amen? I'm for preaching against drinking. I'm for preaching against fornication. I'm for preaching against murder and thieving and all the sins. Go on a camp meet and start preaching on all that and everybody in there will run you out of the building saying Amen and run laps. Because you know what they like? Well go in and talk about those little secret sins we all have that hurt our Lord. They want to get up and go eat lunch. How's the worst sermon of the meeting? You want to know why they're not very focused? Hey, stupid, sin or sin? Can I get a witness? I'm not saying don't preach against it, we do! That's all we want to talk about. We've lost focus somewhere because we're doing a whole lot more. Isn't it amazing that Jesus tells Peter, I'm going to pray for you, Satan's desiring you, he's going to sift you as wheat, I'm going to pray that your faith fail not. And none of that comes back to his mind when all this is going on. The only thing he's focused on is a man named Malchus who has done nothing but be religious and speak against his Lord ever since the ministry started. He's probably got some hard feelings towards that crowd. He's probably fed up with them. He's mad. He's aggravated. And I get it. I'm going to keep saying that. Don't y'all get it? But what about the man who's fixing to crawl on the cross? who was just betrayed by one of his, what he thought was his closest brothers. Why didn't he try to kill Judas? I ain't saying that'd have been right either. I'm proposing a question. Why did that not bother him? Because he was not worried about how Jesus' heart felt. Wasn't focused. Well, I don't know. You know, I'm probably going to pull this out and preach it about every camp meet for the next two years and don't be surprised when they quit asking me to come. That's what I've been doing for about two or three years. I can't hardly go in and preach one where we all shout and run. Every now and then, but it ain't much no more. Last year I preached on hell in a camp meeting. I can't help what God does. And I done told Brother Mike about this because he's where this whole thing originated, that one little comment. And he's requested it for Lake City, so y'all pray for me. To about 500. The focus is the problem. But can I say it like this? Too many people are swinging the sword trying to kill the sinner for sinning when they ought to be looking at the sufferings of the Savior as He's died for those same sinners. And I hope I'm not boring you and I hope I'm not too lengthy. I'll wrap it up right here. Just a little recap and we'll close her down. When you focus ain't right, you'll miss out on seeing the submissiveness of the Savior, the strengthening of the Savior, the sufferings of the Savior. And you know what you'll do when you swing that sword and hurt somebody? You'll bring shame to the Savior. He looked like a fool. You'll bring shame to Him. Because I'm telling y'all, the very ones you want to kill, He's interested in healing them. The ones you hate, He wants to help. I hate to burst your bubble, but He kneels down and touches Macca's ear. You might not love Him, but He does. You'll bring shame to Him. God help us to never take the right sword and put it in the wrong hand. You're supposed to have it, but you only must use it by faith and with focus. Thirdly, I'm closing, I'm done. Now I want to see the purpose of the sword, the possessor of the sword. Lastly, I want you to look at the place of the sword. Go back with me. I told you we'd go back. Go back with me to Matthew's Gospel 26 and we'll be done. By the way, you say, I can't take this 51 minutes right here preaching. I'm trying to increase your faith. You don't mind 51 minutes of your favorite show, so I don't want to hear it. I'm about tired of having an hour of singing and a preacher gets a 20 minute segment. We need help. Matthew 26, look at verse 51. I'm about done. The Bible said, Behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, drew his sword, struck a servant of the high priest's ear, or a high priest that smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his, what? He refers to the sword as his. into his place. For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Now say, after Simon Peter swings the sword and cuts off Mount Cazir, Jesus rebukes him and tells him, put the sword into his place. That's an interesting statement. I made mention of it in the first message. And I said I got ahead of myself, but I'll give you some verses maybe and I didn't get too far ahead of myself. What would the place have been? Well in this instance it would have been a sheath of some kind, a holding place. But where is the sword supposed to, this sword? supposed to dwell. Where is the place? Well, the Bible says all throughout the Bible that the sword or the Word is Him. He is the Word and the Word was with God. John 1 in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God. Psalm 119, 11, Thy Word. David said, Have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Romans 10, 8, But what saith it, Thy word is not of thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart? That is the word of faith which we preach. So can I say this tonight in closing, when we remove the sword from our hearts, that's where it goes when you get saved. Ain't nobody got to talk you into it, it just goes there. How many of y'all know over time you get fearful? Over time you lose focus. Over time you just, you let the situation, you let all these things that we talked about pile up in you. Use the same thing that once hit in your heart, you'll let it leave your heart because you're content that it's still being held in your hand. And it's out of place. I'm all for trying to memorize the Bible. We give memorization, we give memory verses and all that. But if all you're doing is storing a bunch of Bible in your head and it ain't getting in your heart, you're dangerous. Knowledge puffeth up. But if you let this thing get deep in your heart, it won't puff you up, it'll put you down. It'll put you out. What I mean, it'll humble you. A man that knows the book will strut around. But a man that hides the book, oh, he'll submit. He'll pile up and die to self. Where's the place at? It's supposed to be in your heart. You know where you'll mess up? is when you let the truth, the riches, the beauty, the preciousness of God's Word to leave your heart and get content that it's still in your head and in your hand. Y'all remember what I said a minute ago? All problems are heart problems. You can have the right sword, but it's in the wrong hand if it's not in your heart. Now can I say this? The reason Simon Peter, who failed in the purpose of the sword, who operated out of fear, not by faith, who had forsaken and removed the sword out of his place, and who had lost focus, done it for one reason. He took it out of its place. You know, you won't swing this thing. You will not swing the sword. You will not swing the sword if it's in your heart. You will speak it. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth, But if it's not in your heart, you will not speak it. If it's only in your head or in your hand, you will swing it. And when you swing the sword, you will always hurt. And what are you hurting? You're hurting people's ability and desire and want to hear. Therefore, their faith can never increase, because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Everybody understand how this puzzle fits together? When the sword is placed in the heart, it can come out of the mouth and be a help, not a hurt. But for those that carry it around their head or their hand, has no place in their heart, listen, please be advised, hurt is on the way. As a preacher, I'm called to bear the sword and proclaim it. I want you to read one more little passage of scripture with me and we'll be done for time's sake. Romans 13, let's look there quickly. Romans 13, we're going to read 7 verses and I'll be about done. Go home and read Ephesians 6. You know it, but read it anyways. Ephesians 6, 10-23. Talking about that sword. But let's read this real quick. Romans 13, look at verse 1. This is my job. This is what God's called me to do. I have to give an account for this. But I can turn into a monster. if this book gets out of my heart and just stays in my head and in my hand. Romans 13, look at verse 1. The Bible said, Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. That's a little comfort right there for you. Verse number 2, Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid. Now, why would the Bible say that? Notice what it says. For he that beareth not the what? In vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath. upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay you tribute also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to fear, honor to whom honor, owner, man, anything, so on and so forth. I've read this to you to let you know it is my job to tell you what this book says. And you're supposed to listen. But God helped me to never fall under the category in verse number 4 where it says, He's the minister of God to thee for good. That ought to always be for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid. Notice this, for he beareth not the sword in vain. He didn't talk about swinging it. Notice what it said? For he, the minister of God, beareth not the sword in vain. I'm bearing the sword. When you bear it, you'll bury it. When it's in my heart, it'll come out of my mouth, and it can help you. But if it ever gets out of its place, I'll kill the whole church. There's churches that are dead as away as today, and they got a man of God who once had the touch, and God was moving and using, but it got out of his heart. He's content with it being in his head. He's content with it being in his hand. He's not focused. He's very fearful. You know, insecurity can do a lot of damage. I've had preachers, and I've had them talk like this. I probably revealed too much. Y'all would never know about it. Preachers try to make you feel intimidated. And they want you to fear them. Let me tell y'all something. I'm supposed to fear one person. The Bible said the fear of man brings about a snare. When you start fearing me, I hate to be so honest, I'm just telling y'all how it works. And I get to liking it, you become my little puppet. and I'll hold you around, I'll hold you, I'll watch over you, I'll tell you what's good, what's bad, you can, you can't. I'll stay in your business and I'll become a Lord over you. And the whole time you'll think, well I'm doing right because He's given me Bible. But I'm just a sword swinger. And there's a bunch out there today They're toting the big man of God card on their name. And all they're doing is deafening people's ears to the voice of God. If you ever get to where you can't hear God's voice without hearing mine, something's wrong. Please, write this stuff down. Memorize this. Hold on to this. Because we don't know what the devil is going to try to do in this church over the next 10, 20, 30 years to mess this thing up. But he ain't done. He's tried before, but he ain't done. Don't think we're on vacation. He'll mess with your mind and become a men pleaser. And you'll know, well, preacher ain't gonna give me nothing but Bible, but if I get to taking your men's service on the wrong way and I become one of them, guess what leaves my heart? And I'm still gonna walk in Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday, it's gonna be in my head and in my hand, but I'm not gonna do nothing but hurt. You know how many churches right now are in that shape? I'm calling it out, I'm warning you. I don't want that here. Some men feed on that, Brother Brian, we both know them. They feed on that. I've got the church under my thumb. You better be very careful, sir. Because somewhere or another, that sword's got out of its place. When it gets out of its place, you can't fulfill the purpose. And buddy, you turn out to be a rotten possessor. Let's stand. Father, we love you. I've done my best to give all this to the church as clear as I know how and the way you give it to me. Please bless it and honor it and use it for thy glory. Challenge our people, challenge me Lord for these truths. We'll thank you for it in Jesus' name. I advise you to come tonight and do some praying. Maybe somebody's hurt you with that book. Maybe you've hurt somebody. Maybe you got some preacher religion. The reason you come is because you know if you don't, You're gonna let me down. We're not trying to build a church on all that. This ain't about me. It ain't about you. It ain't about us. It's all about Him. Maybe you hear you've never been saved. I don't know your condition. Tonight would be a good night to come to know Him. These are coming. How about you? If you're here and you're hurt tonight, there's help for you. Somebody's hurt you. Somebody fought a lot of us. Took that power and used it and abused it.