Thick-Headed Disciples

Luke 9:43b-44
While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."

Why did Jesus beg them to listen carefully? Aren't the words pretty straight-forward? Well, Yes and No.

Yes, the meaning is obvious to us today. We know Jesus went on to die on a cross.

No, the meaning was not obvious to the disciples. And Jesus knew it, so he warned them to listen carefully. Not that it made a difference...

Luke 9:45
But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

The disciples didn't know a cross awaited Jesus. But it's more than that. At this point in the story, they didn't see how a cross even could await him. He was their long-awaited Messiah -- a conqueror. Their worldview didn't have room for a crucified Christ, so they were predisposed to ignore Jesus whenever he (regularly) tried to forewarn them of what lay ahead.

Luke 9:46
An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

Unbelievable. Jesus is warning his disciples that dark and evil days lie in his near future — and their response is to jostle for position in anticipation of the day he takes over the world.

We mock the disciples for not listening to Jesus. Silly men! He told them that a cross awaited him. Silly men.

But before we get too carried away with our derision, let's return once more to Jesus and see his response.

Luke 9:47-48
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all — he is the greatest."

Question. Have we listened to Jesus any better? Does our worldview have room for these words?

The fact is, in this and other passages Jesus clearly states that his followers will take up crosses of their own. We as Christians long ago made our peace with the cross of Christ. But have we made our peace with our crosses?

I know I haven't. Not really. Not entirely. I remember what Jesus said, but like the disciples what I do and say suggests that I never got the memo. Why is that?

Because, as was the case for the disciples, so it is for me. The truth of these words is still largely hidden from me. Not completely, to be sure, but enough so that it's hard to live as if I believe them.

But there's something else I share in common with those disciples. Along with them I am more than a little afraid to ask Jesus for clarification on the topic of crosses. I too am afraid of what he might say.

Thick-headed disciples.

Jesus had twelve of them 2,000 years ago.

And with me that makes thirteen.