PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 17:22-23
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” (Matthew 17:23)
When Jesus explains what will happen to him, including rising, the disciples are sad.
When Jesus rose again, the disciples were filled with joy, understandably.
Didn’t they hear the part about rising, or could they only hear the suffering part?
We as Christians also do not want a path of suffering for following the Messiah.
Even though we know we will rise again, we still grieve about going through suffering.
We do not choose to follow Jesus for the suffering, but for the joy he brings.
Yet suffering is an unfortunate companion of faith in this current sin-messed world.
The Jesus Way goes against the grain of society, but also of our own heart.
To be humbled, to love enemies, to bless those who curse us… this is a hard path.
Even if we know we will rise again, we still struggle to walk that path.
Jesus knew that suffering was part of this path, yet he embraced it anyway.
He knew he would get through it, and that God would meet him on the other side.
The cost of hardship for loving others will one day be worth it, when we see the result!
It is OK to grieve the suffering, but be sure to say, “we will be raised to life!”
PRAYER
Lord, I will get through this, and you are there at the end, waiting for me. Grace and love will triumph, and so like you I choose to push through the suffering with hope.
“And the disciples were filled with grief.” If the disciples had any hope that their master – that Jesus was going to be a ‘king’ in their sense – their hopes are dashed. That may also have contributed to their grief. Jesus told him about his death – which they could see happening because of the hostile nature of the Jewish religious leaders against Jesus – seeking to capture him. They were back in Galilee – far from Jerusalem – but Jesus would go back to Jerusalem (the city of peace) and go to the cross. I am sure that mankind’s disobedience grieved God – scripture says that God grieved that he had made man on the earth (Gen. 6:6) – the disciples grieving now and on the first Good Friday for the death of Jesus is the price that our sin caused and yet God came through in Jesus and rescued us! Jesus told them he would win – that he would be raised! But did that sink in? No – not until after when the victory was sure would they remember his words! So we too need to remember – even if we suffer for a little while – there will be victory in the end through Jesus!
The reaction of the disciples was different this time. The revelation was not as shocking as the previous time. They are growing in their discipleship, in their journey of learning with Jesus. Discipleship is tough and I too need to grow serving Him. And He is always present as I live for Him giving the strength needed in serving Him. May I continue to be His instrument of peace knowing full well that He is with me always.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
And all for thy mercy’s sake.
O divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as o console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving hat we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.