From the desk of Pastor Ben
The Plan of God: Phases 2-4
“. . .and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”         (Matthew 16:21b)

The remaining three phases of God’s redemptive plan were all clear, distinct, and essential. The 2nd phase was that His Son, Jesus Christ, would “suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes.” Those religious leaders consisted of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Their political power, joined to their rejection of Jesus, would cause Him much pain at their hands.
The 3rd phase in God’s plan was that Jesus “be killed.” In this context, the Greek word translated “killed” denotes murder; thus what happened to Jesus goes beyond a legal execution. He was not even legally found guilty of wrongdoing but rather sentenced to death on false and vindictive charges from the Jewish leaders. But this was all according to the Father’s sovereign plan (Acts 2:22-23).
The 4th and climactic phase was that Jesus would be “raised up on the third day.” It is likely, however, that because of their distress regarding the first 3 phases, the apostles didn’t really hear this final one at all. But this was the great truth of victory over sin and death that made the other phases bearable and conquered those seeming defeats (1 Corinthians 15: 13-14, 20-22, 26, 50-57). This was the final phase of triumph and glory that all believers should constantly remember and rejoice in.

Ask Yourself:
What was Jesus trying to communicate to His disciples by letting them in on the culmination of the Father’s plan, the reality of resurrection? How deeply are you encouraged by knowing that this final hope and joy is attached to every problem and difficulty you face?