Luke 18 - Confused

"'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 handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.'

The disciples did not understand any of this."

How could they not understand this? How could Jesus have been any clearer? He flat out said exactly what was going to happen and they still didn't get it. Sometimes I think that the disciples had this huge surprise when Jesus was captured and crucified - but they had advanced notice. Jesus told them explicitly what was going to happen.

Why didn't they believe? Was it because they didn't want to? They had an idea of what Jesus' mission would be. They saw military victories and a physical kingdom (that they would be in charge of as his closest followers). This was an idea that they loved and wouldn't let go of. Even after Jesus died and came back, they still asked, "Lord, are you then at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

So, what are the ideas that I won't let go of? What are the things that I want so strongly that I refuse to see the truth? Where am I blocking my own view of God?

Luke 13 - Blatant Disregard

The Pharisees come to Jesus and warn him that Herod is out to kill
him. Jesus simply shrugs off the threat and says he has work to do.
When I read this and see the boldness and certainty it fills me with
courage that slowly turns to doubt.

It emboldens me in my current choices and situation. But over time my
selfishness and greedy desires start to creep in. I think about the
things I have given up and wish for them back. My boldness fades and
the seeds of doubt creep in.

That's why I also need to read about Jesus' time of struggle in the
garden. I'm not alone in my struggle. Jesus has been here too.

Luke 8 - Doubt (again)

First J the B, then the disciples in the boat.

"Master, Master, we're going to drown."

Everyone has times of doubt.

Luke 7 - Doubt

John the baptist spent his entire free life proclaiming two things: repentance and Jesus. (Really, you could say he preached Jesus and the correct response was repentance.) Yet, here we find him in prison and he has a single question to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" It was not too long ago that John was out in the desert preaching that this man was the promised savior. It was not too long ago that John baptized Jesus, saw heaven open and the Holy Spirit descend on him like a dove. Now, in prison, John has doubts.

It is possible that this was not the way he thought things would play out. Why should bad things happen to God's servant, anyway? He had played his role, he lived a radical life of separation from all human comforts, he maintained his part of the deal and it would be easy to think that God had let him down. Are we any different?