According to Matthew’s gospel, Jesus began telling his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die at the hands of the religious leaders (Matt 16:21).
The same Gospel shows that the Lord predicted his death several more times in the days to come (Matt 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 20:28; 26:2). One text even says that when they heard Jesus say this, “they were exceedingly sorrowful” (17:23).
At other times, however, it seems like the Lord might as well have been speaking another language when he made these predictions.
So why didn’t they get it?
Is the only answer that makes sense that God must have withheld the truth from their understanding so that they couldn’t see? Or is there something about human nature that says we won’t believe in something that seems to be contrary to the natural securities of life as we know it?
I’d be interested to hear from any of you who can remember what you thought before accepting and trusting the fact that Christ died for you, in your place, for the worst of your sins?
Does anyone still remember the difference in your thinking, before and after?
Or if it has been too long ago to remember, but you have friends who have accepted Christ in later years, wish you would either ask them to explain how their view of reality changed after saying “yes” to Christ. If they’d even be willing to sign in and tell some of their story that would be really great.