Wondrous deeds, unimaginable sacrifice, all from our marvelous God!
By Dean Collins
When were you last astonished at the majesty of God? I am looking out the window as the morning light is slowly overtaking the darkness. The silhouette of the trees against the light gray background reveals God’s glory each morning just as the amazing colors of the evening sunset does each evening. God’s majesty is apparent in the beauty of his creation in every moment when we slow our minds long enough to notice.
God’s majesty is noticeable not just in the flight of an eagle or the beauty of the stars in the night sky. His majesty is visible in the daily transformations of life all around us. The birth of a baby, the recovery of someone who has been battling an illness. The joy on the face of anyone in a desperate situation when someone shows up to help. All of these reflect God’s majesty as he uses us and others to bring hope and help to those in need.
And what of the stories we’ve heard or shared about moments when all was lost, when there was not enough money in the checking account to pay the next bill, and suddenly there is a check in the mail or an envelope on the doorstep? God’s majesty is revealed in big and small ways daily. And when we notice his majesty, we marvel at God’s love for us.
Astonishing—and rude?
Luke tells us of a day when everyone who was near Jesus was astonished at the majesty of God. In this case, Jesus rebuked an evil spirit that caused a boy to convulse uncontrollably. This had been a recurring experience that brought suffering to his family and the community, with this boy desperate for help but none could be found. Then one day Jesus showed up. Jesus rebuked the spirit and instantly the boy was healed. The crowd was astonished, and they were marveling at all of the wonderful things Jesus was doing.
And then Jesus did what we would likely consider rude: He interrupted the celebration and joy with a stark and scary comment, adding, “Let these words sink into your ears.” The message that would follow was not what anyone expected or wanted to hear. Jesus could have just joined in the celebration and talked about the goodness and faithfulness of God. He could have reused a few lines from his previous sermons, “you are the light of the world” or “ let your light so shine that people see your good deeds and give glory to God.” But instead, Jesus said, “the Son of Man is about to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of men.”
To say such a thing is like bringing up death right after you finish singing happy birthday to your child and they blow out the candles. Why would Jesus use this moment to bring his betrayal to the minds of his disciples?
Unclear—or unwanted?
Maybe it was to bring home a point he had made earlier in the day when he told these same disciples that if they wanted to follow him they would have to take up a cross. Maybe it had to do with the idea that losing our life is the only way to save our life. Maybe Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that the gifts of God come with sacrifice.
The disciples did not understand this statement or its timing, but not because it was particularly hard to understand. Their difficulty had to do with not wanting to understand and with their false expectations of what the Messiah would do. They wanted a “winning” Messiah, the kind that would overcome all the oppressive ways of the Roman government. They wanted the good life but did not want to consider that the good life comes through suffering.
And the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus about the saying. My guess is that, just like us, they anticipated what Jesus might say and they would rather not be forced to consider what that might mean to them and to their lifestyle.
His sacrifice—and ours?
It is Passion Week. Our tendency is to rush past the Garden of Gethsemane, the brutal beatings, and the horror of the cross and get to Easter morning where we experience the resurrection. But maybe in the next few days, we might make ourselves stop and try to let the words of Jesus sink in. Maybe we need to do what the disciples were afraid to do and ask Jesus to help us understand his sacrifice for our sins. And maybe we need to ask him what he wants from us. There is no question we cannot ask. And there is no answer Jesus might give without also being willing to go with us through whatever is required or expected.
There is much astonishing in the majesty of God. Maybe the most astonishing fact is that the Creator of the universe sent his only Son to die a brutal death just so we could be forgiven. How marvelous, how wonderful is his love for us!
Your time with God’s Word
Luke 9:43-45 ESV
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
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