Were You Not Listening?
Read Luke 24.
I confess: I get frustrated when I have to repeat myself. When someone asks (for the third time) for details I've already given out, or for information that is readily available, I find myself frustrated. Weren't you listening? I know I said that a lot with my kids in regards to something I had told them either to do or not to do. Weren't you listening when I told you...? (A question I asked even though I knew the answer!)
So I'm always impressed with how patient Jesus is with us, and in these stories, with his disciples in particular. It's Resurrection Day. It's the big event, the thing that kicked off the Christian faith. It's also the thing Jesus has been talking about with his disciples for at least the last year (maybe longer). He's told them: I'm going to be killed, but on the third day I will rise. And what they heard was: blah blah blah. So when it happens, they find themselves unprepared. They're surprised when he is arrested. They're surprised when he is crucified. And they are really surprised when he is raised. No one expected resurrection. Were you not listening? (24:44)
I'm sure they heard the words, but what interfered with their understanding was their prior assumptions. They had no idea what Jesus was talking about because it wasn't what they expected of the Messiah. It was alien to their already-determined worldview. Death and resurrection? No, Jesus, that's not the plan. Conquering and triumph—that's the plan. That's the goal. Getting rid of the Romans—that's what we're about. And Jesus shakes his head and says, "Were you not listening?" Have you not listened to all that has come before now? Moses? The Prophets? The Psalms? Have you not listened to a word I said? Were you not listening?
But, honestly, do we do any better? We get all sorts of ideas and expectations about what our faith and what Jesus should "do" for us. I think sometimes Jesus shakes his head at us and says, "Were you not listening?" The faith is not about you or me; it's about Jesus and his resurrection. It's about new life out of death and hope out of despair. Our faith is a reminder that the worst thing is never the last thing. It's not about my comfort, my expectations or my desires. It's about him. Were you not listening?
Were you? Were we?
I confess: I get frustrated when I have to repeat myself. When someone asks (for the third time) for details I've already given out, or for information that is readily available, I find myself frustrated. Weren't you listening? I know I said that a lot with my kids in regards to something I had told them either to do or not to do. Weren't you listening when I told you...? (A question I asked even though I knew the answer!)
So I'm always impressed with how patient Jesus is with us, and in these stories, with his disciples in particular. It's Resurrection Day. It's the big event, the thing that kicked off the Christian faith. It's also the thing Jesus has been talking about with his disciples for at least the last year (maybe longer). He's told them: I'm going to be killed, but on the third day I will rise. And what they heard was: blah blah blah. So when it happens, they find themselves unprepared. They're surprised when he is arrested. They're surprised when he is crucified. And they are really surprised when he is raised. No one expected resurrection. Were you not listening? (24:44)I'm sure they heard the words, but what interfered with their understanding was their prior assumptions. They had no idea what Jesus was talking about because it wasn't what they expected of the Messiah. It was alien to their already-determined worldview. Death and resurrection? No, Jesus, that's not the plan. Conquering and triumph—that's the plan. That's the goal. Getting rid of the Romans—that's what we're about. And Jesus shakes his head and says, "Were you not listening?" Have you not listened to all that has come before now? Moses? The Prophets? The Psalms? Have you not listened to a word I said? Were you not listening?
But, honestly, do we do any better? We get all sorts of ideas and expectations about what our faith and what Jesus should "do" for us. I think sometimes Jesus shakes his head at us and says, "Were you not listening?" The faith is not about you or me; it's about Jesus and his resurrection. It's about new life out of death and hope out of despair. Our faith is a reminder that the worst thing is never the last thing. It's not about my comfort, my expectations or my desires. It's about him. Were you not listening?
Were you? Were we?
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