Why do we forget the truth that we read in the Bible?
Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
He is not here; he has risen!
What a glorious thing to hear! Our king, slain for our sins, has not remained trapped by death. He defeated death and is alive!
Despite this, I still get an overarching vibe of doubt from the people in this passage. In Matthew, there are 3 different times where Jesus tells the disciples of his death and how he will be raised to life after 3 days.
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Matthew 16:21)
“When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.’ And the disciples were filled with grief.” (Matthew 17:22-23)
“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:18-19)
Later on, in Luke chapter 24 when Jesus appears to the disciples he says, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” (Luke 24:38,39) And further more in verse 44 he says, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Jesus told them this would happen. It was part of the plan. Coming back to life is pretty crazy. But even after all the miraculous things that Jesus had done and said before his death they still doubted that he would be capable of anything. In the midst of their grief they forgot the truth. We have the privilege of reading the bible as a bigger picture, and sometimes as I read these stories I wonder how the disciples could be so blind. But in reality, I know that I would not be any different.
I can see in my own life how in times of struggle I forget the truth. The truth about who God is, what he has done and who I am because of it. My heart is so quick to turn away from God when things start to get even just a little sketchy. But I do know the truth. The truth that despite all the evil in this world and my own heart, I am still held in his immeasurable grace. We must keep coming back to this truth, because without it we will be overcome by the world.
Head: Do you often forget the promises God has made?
Heart: Make a conscious effort to remember and be thankful for what God has promised.
Hands: Be an encouragement to those around you. How can you support others to stand firm in the truth?
Prayer: Lord, thank you so much that you sent your son. That you sent Him to die for my failure. But more so that he did not remain in death! I am sorry for the times I forget your truth like the disciples. Give me the strength to remain in the truth in the midst of grief. May my struggles and trials be a means of connecting with you rather than driving a wedge between us. Thank you that you have overcome death and the death that I deserve. Amen.
A song to listen to: Resurrecting
Celina Facey
This Grow Daily was originally posted as part of the Bible in 10 series in 2017. During the School Holidays we take the opportunity to look back at the best of Grow Dailys over the years.
