And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 

Luke 9:21-24

Oh sweet friends, what a blessing is the gift of hindsight!

This week as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the free gift of salvation offered through His death on the cross for our sins, I can’t help but reflect on the fact that – though we know how the story ends – Jesus’ original disciples and followers did not.

We call today “Good Friday” because we know that it is the day that Christ opened our access to the Good News of God’s redemption plan. We can be both somber in reflection of Christ’s sacrifice for us and also joyful in the hope that we have because we know He took back His life, just as He said, on the following Sunday and that His victory over death is also our victory over death (John 10:17-18).

But on that dark day, with their hope of salvation, their Lord, Master, Teacher, and Friend, beaten and mocked and nailed to a cross, Jesus’ disciples must have felt such hopelessness, such helplessness. When our Lord said, “It is finished” and died and was taken away to be buried, how finite His words must have seemed to His friends and followers. So far as they knew, Christ was dead and gone; they were leaderless and lost.

God’s Word tells us that after Jesus’ arrest and death, the disciples and His other followers scattered, hid, denied they knew Christ at all (Mark 14: 50; John 20:19; Matthew 26:69-75).

Despite the fact that Jesus had told them He would be killed and be raised again (Luke 9:21-24), their eyes told them He was dead and their feelings told them that hope of salvation had died with Him.

It assuredly did not feel like a “good” Friday to them.

You see, on that not-good-to-them-at-all Friday, Jesus’ disciples and followers were more focused on His suffering and their loss than on the promises He had made to them all throughout His ministry; He told them Resurrection Sunday was coming, but their feelings didn’t allow them to look ahead, only at their present pain.

Dear heart, isn’t that the thing about feelings?

They’re so short-sighted, so in-the-moment.

It’s easy to stand on this side of history and judge them for their doubt and fear, but Brothers and Sisters, even with the benefit of hindsight, are we really so different from Christ’s followers of old?

When we read that Christ tells us to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily and follow Him, do we not meet His commandment with the same focus on our suffering and loss that our Brothers and Sisters experienced over 2,000 years ago?

Do we not focus more on our own feelings in the moment, on what He is asking us to give up, than we do on the promises God has made to us?

Do we not so often live our lives as if we don’t know Sunday is coming?

Beloved, I know I’m guilty of forgetting how Luke 9:24 ends:

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Our Lord and Savior laid down His life for us, suffered and died for you and for me, but oh my friend, He also took His life back – not for Himself – but for you and for me – that we might have victory over death!

Is there any cross too great to bear in service to our Lord and Savior who bore our sin on His cross?

Is there any earthly thing so significant that it is worth losing the eternal promises that Christ has secured for us?

Will you allow the gift of hindsight to inform your walk today?

Will you remember that whatever suffering one day brings, our resurrection day is coming?

Beloved, let us walk forward in victory over every dark day knowing that God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, knowing that whatever pain or suffering or loss we experience, our Sunday is coming!