Please read Matthew 16:21
"From that time on Jesus began to explain. . ."
Not just once. Jesus didn't just mention in passing "by the way. . .this is how the salvation of the world is going to play out." He didn't sit down for an in-depth heart-to-heart about what was coming and then move on. Jesus took time to tell the disciples, over and over, in many different ways, just what was coming? Why?
Like the disciples said in John 6. . ."this is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" God being born as a baby - that's hard enough. But then, instead of coming to be crowned king as he deserves, he's coming to be killed and then raised again? That's going to take the disciples some getting used to.
And it takes us. . .takes me. . .some getting used to, too. Let's use this journey through Lent to pause. To wonder. To maybe even forget that we already know the end of the story, and be confused and amazed all over again by the kind of God who would come to die on a cross so that we could have life.
~Meg Henderson
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I prefer a neat package that I can clearly understand....'confused' leaves me feeling very insecure. But how could I be 'amazed' if my faith was in a God whose scope is easily grasped by my puny imagination? Looking forward to pondering with you!
ReplyDeleteI don't think they really did "get" this hard teaching right away, maybe not even until Jesus revealed his post resurrection wounds to Thomas. I am pretty sure that I would not have either.
ReplyDeleteMeg, I will momentarily forget that I know the end of the story. I am prepared to be amazed.