“I can’t believe . . . !’ How many times has this phrase slipped out in conversation? And what do we mean when we say it? Are we saying that the ‘thing’ isn’t true? Or are we simply expressing surprise or shock or even dismay? I know for me it could be any one of those reasons; it could be great news or terrible news. It might be out of embarrassment because of my inattentiveness, a ‘squirrel’ moment, or my well-honed ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. In each of these cases, while I most likely know the truth, the prompt is my sluggishness in fully acknowledging that truth.
For his disciples, Jesus’ alive-again-ness, especially after the horrific events of the previous week, was a prompt for the expression, ‘I can’t believe it!’ For them, it was spoken with incredulity mixed with just the faintest glimmer of hope. His death had immediately plunged them into mourning their loss of a Messiah, deliverer, friend, hope for the future. His up-from-the-grave-ness pierced a huge hole in their sorrowing, simultaneously soliciting an open-armed, overjoyed, posture from them.
Each of the twelve-now-eleven needed to believe, fully, with faith, that Jesus was alive again. It was a great, stretching process. It called for a level of soul energy which, when the news was first announced, was at an all-time low. They were crushed. It hurt even to dare to believe. They were ill-prepared to be disappointed like that again. And then there were the dozens of others with them, all looking to them for direction, needing their encouragement to begin hoping again. The pressure was great. Mary and the other ladies, rich in their faith, were excitedly thrilling to this most wonderful development. Their bubbly chattering was annoying, grating against the men’s lack of faith. The guys were in a miserable spot that Sunday.
They were discovering that following Jesus demanded their all. It forced them to look inside themselves, at the areas not yet fully surrendered to his Lordship, at their willingness to lay down their pride, their ego, to become like little children. We, too, find this to be true twenty-one centuries later. The promised joy is found, and the promised freedom experienced, once we’ve adopted that posture. Looking forward to seeing all you submitted, joyful, and free-in-Jesus disciples tomorrow, 10 AM, 3 PM UK. PD
Don graduated from Regent University in 1988 and moved to France for seven years, coming back to the US briefly to marry Sue in 1990. The work in France included working in a Christian School and helping plant a church before returning in 1995. He’s been pastor of Peninsula Vineyard since 1999. He enjoys counseling, especially married couples, traveling back to France (with Sue), reading, doing Sudoku puzzles and sleuthing out good, dark chocolate. Don serves as the senior pastor of the Vineyard Church Peninsula, in Newport News, Virginia.