And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:25-27
I played volleyball for one single season growing up. To the benefit of my team, I quit playing after that season. As much as I loved the game, I was not good at it. Some of my friends who played sports would often say, “How would you play the game if you knew you were going to win it?” Would you cut corners, or would you give it your all?
Jesus knew how the events would unfold, and he gave it his all.
Are you familiar with the phrase, “I wrote the book on this?” Jesus knew the extent to which he was going to suffer because he quite literally wrote the book on it. He knew what the road ahead of him looked like. He knew exactly what he was about to endure, and he knew what the prophecies foretold because he authored them himself.
The suffering of Christ was very real suffering. Sometimes we may find it hard to believe because he was fully God, but this passage also reminds us that he was fully human. Not only acquainted with our pain, but endured it himself. It had to be that way. Christ had to suffer so that we wouldn’t have to. The law demanded blood for the forgiveness of sins. Christ’s sacrifice guarantees that our blood is no longer required.
I love the way that the author of Hebrews articulates this:
“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” (Hebrews 2:10)
It is by his blood, his death, and his resurrection that we are restored as children of God.
We’re on the winning team.
How will you play?
Kassie Lowe
Young Adults Lead