A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
17 While Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves and said to them on the way, 18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; 19 then they will hand him over to the gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised” Matthew 20:17-19.
This leaves me speechless because as I get older and closer to my death I think of my death every day. No one this side of the grave has any idea what our own death will be like. So Jesus was doing the same, wondering about His death and fearing His death. For He knew how horrible a death He would choose to endure on our behalf, to forgive us, and to pay off the eternal penalty of death in hell for our sins. Notice that Jesus says at the end that “He will be raised” from the dead by His Father in heaven, showing us that he is putting His life totally in the hands of God, our Father in heaven. He is entrusting His life to God in heaven. He will not raise Himself from the dead, but leave His entire life and death and resurrection to God, His Father in heaven.
So dear friends, let us pray for each other. pray for faithful living and God’s mercy for our sins.
Stay in the Word and keep praying.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy win me a sinner.
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