Bulletins - Inter-Community Church of God (Covina, CA) - Faithlife

- - Psalm 63:1–8HCSB
Trying to Make Sense of What Doesn’t Make Sense
For a few weeks we have been teaching from what Jesus taught between the upper room and the Garden of Gethsemane.
But before we get to the prayer of Jesus, I want to look at something that is a part of the teaching of Jesus that the Disciples were still struggling with even up to the point of Jesus’ arrest.
Jesus told his disciples at least three times that he would suffer and die. And the Apostles just didn’t get it.
Here’s how it plays out: Jesus tells them what he has to face in order to fulfill his mission. He would suffer and die. But them he would rise again.
How do you make sense out of something that doesn’t make sense?
In the book of Job, twice it says that when a man dies he goes to the grave and does not rise again.
What do you do with that kind of information?

Here’s A Bucket Full of Information: Soak in This:
Luke 9:44–45 CSB
44 “Let these words sink in: The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

Jesus was Clear; The Disciples don’t know
How to Think and What to Do
Mark 8:32 CSB
32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
Mark 9:32 CSB
32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him.
Luke 18:34 CSB
34 They understood none of these things. The meaning of the saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Kept Up The Teaching So The Apostles Would Get It
Matthew 16:21 CSB
21 From then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.

But Then There’s Peter:

Matthew 16:22–23 CSB
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

Salvation Comes at a High Price
Mark 8:31–32 CSB
31 Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

Jesus Knows He Can’t Escape His Role
Luke 9:22 CSB
22 saying, “It is necessary that the Son of Man suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.”

The Path to Glory Is Through The Pain of Betrayal
And it won’t be petty, it won’t be pretty.
Matthew 17:22–23 CSB
22 As they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were deeply distressed.

Mark 9:31–32 CSB
31 For he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask him.

The Mission is Made Clear

Mark 10:33–34 CSB
33 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 and they will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and kill him, and he will rise after three days.”

And in Matthew:
Matthew 20:17–19 CSB
17 While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, 18 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. 19 They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.”

Luke reads more gently:
The Prophets Have Foretold This
Luke 18:31–33 CSB
31 Then he took the Twelve aside and told them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked, insulted, spit on; 33 and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.”

And of course,
The Apostles Didn’t Get It
Luke 18:34 CSB
34 They understood none of these things. The meaning of the saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

After the raising of Lazarus, before they all got to the Upper Room for Jesus’ last supper,
Jesus Faced What Would Happen
John 12:23 CSB
23 Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

John 12:27–28 CSB
27 “Now my soul is troubled. What should I say—Father, save me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

We all must face death; some sooner and some later. But we can share this truth because of who Jesus is:
In Jesus We Can Know Life

John 11:25 CSB
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

Now let’s get back to the conversations with the disciple from the upper room to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is coming up to the end of his time on earth.
Jesus Faces the Grave with Hope
John 16:16 CSB
16 “In a little while, you will no longer see me; again in a little while, you will see me.”

The Disciples Didn’t Know How to Face Jesus About His Death

John 16:17–18 CSB
17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this he’s telling us: ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘In a little while’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”

Jesus Helps Them Face Their Fears
John 16:19 CSB
19 Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’?
The unknown brings confusion, and confusion sets us up for fear.

If You Only See the Tomb, You Only Know Sorrow
John 16:20 CSB
20 Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.

But look past the tomb; there is a time for sorrow, but Jesus brings us victory over the grave.
Jesus Gives Hope Back: Look Past the Grave
John 16:22 CSB
22 So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
- - Luke 9:44–45HCSB
- - Mark 8:32HCSB
- - Mark 9:32HCSB
- - Luke 18:34HCSB
- - Matthew 16:21HCSB
- - Matthew 16:22–23HCSB
- - Mark 8:31–32HCSB
- - Luke 9:22HCSB
- - Matthew 17:22–23HCSB
- - Mark 9:31–32HCSB
- - Mark 10:33–34HCSB
- - Matthew 20:17–19HCSB
- - Luke 18:31–33HCSB
- - Luke 18:34HCSB
- - John 12:23HCSB
- - John 12:27–28HCSB
- - John 11:25HCSB
- - John 16:16HCSB
- - John 16:17–18HCSB
- - John 16:19HCSB
- - John 16:20HCSB
- - John 16:22HCSB

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