Gospel

For the Third Time

by Roland Crim
05/01/17
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Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:31-34 NIV

The message of Christ, here, seems quite explicit. He spells out for the disciples what is going to happen to Him. Yet, they did not understand. Based on what these men had seen Jesus do over the past three years, and the words He had shared with them from the Father, it seems reasonable that they would have doubts about the message of His death. It just did not seem to fit in with all that had occurred during the prior three years.

The meaning of the message was hidden from them. Why? Just as all of the miracles Christ performed were “impossible” for man, Jesus wanted the miracle of His resurrection after His death to be looked upon with utter awe. If the disciples had understood all of the warnings which Jesus had given them about His death and resurrection, the impact to them on its occurrence quite probably would have been lessened. Since these men were to be Christ’s witnesses to the world, the full impact of the death and resurrection of the Lord needed to be in their hearts. This was the fulfillment of part of the Father’s perfect plan. The Father knew exactly what He was doing in keeping the meaning of Christ’s message here veiled to the disciples.

There are parts of the perfect plan that still have not occurred. The second coming of Christ and our eternal living are not yet upon us. Some of what will occur is not known by us who believe in Him, in terms of specifics. We must trust in Christ. All that is good will be given to us in due time. Trust in the Lord, and rest in the promises of the Father and the Son!