The Surprise

The Surprise

Luke 9:22, NLT

“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

Setting the Scene

Jesus told his disciples “not to tell anyone” that he was the Messiah (Luke 9:21, NLT) because at that point they clearly hadn’t understood Peter’s confession of faith. So Jesus began to spell it out for them.

He started by saying he would have to suffer greatly at the hands of “the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law”—in effect, the Jewish supreme court—and that would lead to his death. Those plain statements must have shocked the disciples, especially the part about his dying. And evidently they didn’t comprehend the next part, the good news, that “on the third day,” he would “be raised from the dead.” If they had actually heard what Jesus said about coming back to life, they probably would have pressed him on that issue, saying something like, “Wait a minute! How is that possible?” Instead, Matthew and Mark report that Peter “began to reprimand him for saying such things” (Matthew 16:22; see Mark 8:32). Jesus predicted the Resurrection at least two more times (see Matthew 17:23; 20:19), yet the disciples were shocked when it actually occurred.

Getting Personal

Just as he predicted, Jesus did suffer and die. What difference does this suffering and death make in your life?

Just as he predicted, Jesus was raised from the dead. How does this resurrection make possible your resurrection?

We live on the other side of these predicted events and know the story of Jesus’ being rejected, accused, and convicted by the religious authorities and tortured and crucified by the Romans. We also know the truth of the Resurrection—that on “the third day” Jesus was “raised from the dead.” Centuries after those facts, people still have misconceptions about Jesus’ identity and they are still surprised that Jesus arose from the dead. The Good News is that instead of struggling under the weight of sin, guilt, and worldly issues and conflicts, we can live in the joy of the Resurrection. Because he rose, we know he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And because he lives, we too shall live.

Talking to God

Confess to the Lord the many times you have “tuned out” rather than listening with attention to the conviction of scriptural teaching. Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to overcome this human weakness and become sensitive to God’s guidance and teaching.