CONNECTING POINT: Repeat After Me

When was the last time you heard the phrase, “Repeat after me,” or spoken it? Somehow, we all find ourselves on one side of this scenario: repeating some direction or question with the phrase. Other times, we’re on the receiving end of the phrase, either catching or missing the point. Frustration can surely add to the dilemma when communication breaks down.

Jesus often found Himself communicating some direction or teaching with His disciples only to be frustrated with their lack of clarity or even disobedience. It’s important to note that Jesus, in every situation, had a pure or sinless motivation associated with this emotion; His “righteous anger” (Matthew 21:12) was justified. Such righteous anger involves grief over sin when encountering an offense against God or His Word. To be candid, our anger often is probably far less righteous.

David Powlison, a well-known counselor, once wrote, “Your anger is both brilliant and appalling. The shifting line between good and evil plays out when it comes to your anger. Your anger is Godlike to the degree you treasure justice and are alert to falsehood. Your anger is devil-like to the degree you play God and are petty, merciless, whiny, argumentative, willful, and unfair.”

In Luke chapter nine, we see a rather interesting scenario unfolding as Jesus, on two separate occasions about ten days apart, explained to His disciples first, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life,” (vs. 22). The second conversation is sandwiched between Peter, James, and John unique experience of hearing God’s voice along with seeing Jesus in a glorious state followed by the young boy being freed from demonic possession, “And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. 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 delivered into the hands of men.’ 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” (vs. 43-45).

It’s almost as if Jesus could have said, “Repeat after me, guys, I’m giving up my life! Say it with me, I’m giving up my life.” Luke expresses some of the sentiments at the time; apprehension, fear, or lack of understanding. Here’s a principle to remember: God’s plans and man’s plans don’t always match, but our response reveals whether the character of Christ is shaping us.

While Jesus was revealing important Kingdom principles, like denying self or the challenge not to be ashamed of Him, He noticed the response of His disciples. They got into a heated argument about who is the greatest among them. Wow! Again, their ears and hearts seemed closed off to almost everything Jesus had been saying. They were also sidetracked by another man “outside” their circle who was casting demons out in Jesus’ name, with some sense of jealousy. Jesus wisely responds, “Do not stop him,” … “for whoever is not against you is for you” (vs. 50). The disciples had a problem; they were acting in a manner that was diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus. Their plans were not in alignment with God’s plans.

As a disciple of Jesus today, do you ever find yourself frustrated with God’s plan as it unfolds? Have you ever been bogged down by your own unrealistic expectations of others? We, too, have much to learn. Like the early disciples, some matters are hidden from our view.