The Last Trip

They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, but those who followed Him were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, He began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.
"Listen! 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, and they will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him, and He will rise after three days. Mark 10:32-34

The disciples were afraid. Jesus had been telling them all along what would happen and although it did not fit with their vision of the Messiah, they quaked knowing something was coming.

It is so good to be with someone who has confidence and vision but to be with someone who is constantly talking of death and His destruction is scary. The disciples were right to be afraid. They knew they were tough and fearsome because of Him, not because of themselves.

Judas was to betray Him, what was He thinking?

We know what James and John were thinking, for in verses 35-41 they are having a conversation with Jesus about wanting to be on His left and right hand in glory. Peter was not in their frame, yet Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him when something important was happening.

I wonder how James and John are taking the amount of preaching we do about their carnality? In glory they will be: "Yeah we blew it! Ok! Let it go!"

We so want a rosey picture of the future but life is full of challenges. The disciples would go on to such a life. They have had three years filled with the most awesome experiences, walking with the Son of God. A new life was about to begin, a life where they would have to stand and believe against great odds but as they stood against the darkness, they would see many saved and come to know Jesus. Amen!

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