What was this all about?

“And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him,  saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles.  And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”

Jesus walked ahead of them.

The disciples were amazed.

The followers were terrified.

Jesus wasn’t exactly welcome by this time when he went to Jerusalem. It should have been the city to fear. To avoid. Or at least be cautious about.

Jesus almost seemed eager to get there. He was ahead of them. Leading the way.

And if it could get any more perplexing and confusing, Jesus talked to them plainly and confirmed their fears.

Yep. I’m going there and they are going to kill me. BUT, I will rise from the dead.

What?

Jesus wasn’t taking it casually. We know in the garden of Gethsemane how much he was suffering in agony. But he never lost sight of doing the will of his father. Even when it cost him everything.

That was the message he just finished teaching the rich young ruller.

Following the will of God will cost you everything.

It started with Jesus himself.

And it left us a model to follow.