We are at the beginning of Passion Week. It is where the church stops and celebrates all the incredible acts that Christ accomplished during Passover. Today we are going to look at Jesus’ prediction of his resurrection on the third day. It’s pretty impressive if you predict something that you are going to do in the future and then go and do it. Babe Ruth pointed to the place he was going to hit a home run and then did it. Jesus told his disciples he was going to be crucified and then resurrected on the third day and it happened.
Matthew 17:23
When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.
Fulfilled What He Said
All of this came true. Judas betrayed Jesus and led the mob to arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Jewish leaders incited the very same mob to yell “Crucify him!” when Pontius Pilate wanted to release him. Jesus hung on the cross after enduring unbelievable torture at the hands of the Romans. On the third day, the women went to the tomb and found it empty. It was empty because he had been resurrected. The disciples were back in the Upper Room filled with grief once again and didn’t believe the women. It wasn’t until they ran to the tomb and found it empty did they start to change their minds.
His Word is Trustworthy
Why did Jesus feel it was necessary to predict his death and resurrection? Why did God speak through the prophets hundreds of years earlier to prophesy about the Messiah? It wasn’t too impress us; it was to show us that God is a God of his Word. His Word can be trusted. Jesus’ resurrection shows us that we can have victory over death and sin if we will put our faith and trust in him. When we read the Bible, we know that it is true and has power behind it.