v. 31 "told them." This was not the first time! I'm so encouraged when I read about how many times Jesus reminded the disciples of the future. I'm not so encouraged to see they never got it! Have you ever felt God is going to give up on you. Remember even though they didn't understand the death Jesus predicted was his death for the world - Jesus came after the resurrection and gave them even another chance. He doesn't quit on us. Just because we don't have the kind of love that would pursue one as far as God pursues us - we can't project that on him. God is not done with you - even if he as told you 100 times - and you turned a deaf ear each time. He loves you too much. He will pursue you because you are worth pursuing!
The father's heart is not logical. We shouldn't try to understand it too much!
"everything...will be fulfilled." Driving to Missouri on Saturday I saw a rainbow and the Lord reminded me he will fulfill everything he has promised. The first rainbow was a sign of a covenant that God made with Noah. It was a promise that God is faithful no matter what. Here Jesus is simply saying God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). He will finish what he started.
v. 32 "handed over." Jesus will tell Pilate in John 19 that it is only by his own will that he dies. We must keep at the forefront of our mind that Jesus' death was a sacrificial CHOICE!
"Mock, insult, spit, flog and kill" WOW that's not what we would call glamours ministry. Many times the things the world considers success are not success in the eyes of God and many times the sacrifices God ask us to make don't make sense to the world.
v. 34 "hidden from them." We don't like this verse. We try to explain it away to simplify what it might mean but the reality is - it means what it says, "God hid it from them!" Why would a father hide something from his children. Perhaps to protect them. Imagine a father about to go off to war where most soldiers are not expected to return. What would he tell them? Jesus gives the disciples information to help them cope once they're in the midst of the last hours of his life. But as I Corinthians 13 says, "love always protects." He guards there hearts and minds from the tragedy.
questions
1) have you ever felt God is done with you - about to give up? When is a time you know He gave you a 2nd chance (other than salvation)?
2) How does the phrase "you are worth pursing" change your perspective about your relationship with God?
3) what sacrifice is God asking you to make right now that doesn't make sense to the world?
4) what might have the disciples done if they had fully understood that Jesus was going to suffer and die?
No comments:
Post a Comment