Change

"Change is inevitable, but it's not the end!" 

~ Michelle Kirkbride

 

Scripture:  Matthew 17:14–18:14

 

²² As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them,

“The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men,

²³ and they will kill him,

and he will be raised on the third day.”

And they were greatly distressed.

Matthew 17:22-23

 

Observation:  In Matthew 17 Jesus again tells about his death and resurrection.  A couple of things I observe in this passage is (1) Jesus tells them a change is coming!  I don’t think I’ve ever met a person that likes change.  Yeshua’s disciples were no different.  It says they were “greatly distressed” (exceedingly sorry) when they heard His message.  This word exceedingly is the same word used to describe their joy when the wise men saw the star when He was born (Matthew 2:10).  A change was coming then too!  Some change brings great joy and some great sadness!  But there can be joy even in the sadness – look at observation #2.

 

(2) The second thing I observe when looking at this passage is that God had a plan.  Yes it involved death, but it also involved resurrection.  When a change comes it doesn’t mean everything has to die; there can be a newness or new life in the “death” or change of one thing.  God is in control and His plans don’t always look the way we think they will, but He has a plan!  Jesus said He came that we might have abundant life.  Life comes when something dies.  A seed dies and is planted and becomes a flower.  Jesus died and was resurrected to bring us eternal life.

 

Application:  When change comes (and it will come – nothing in life is certain, but change) to look for the new life within the change.  Change can bring sadness.  I’m not saying not to feel sad, that’s human nature, but don’t stay there.  Three days later Jesus was resurrected.  Yes feel the sadness for what you are losing, but then look for the newness – the new life – that He wants to bring into that situation.  Keep your eyes on the heavenly things – His plan – and follow Him through the plan – through the process and see what He raises up in the midst of that change.  In the first few verses of our passage Jesus rebukes or challenges them because they are “faithless”.  Change can bring about a feeling of hopelessness, like all is lost, or you might feel “faithless”, and I hope that in studying this passage you can see that it doesn’t have to be that way.

 

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, how grateful we are for some of the changes that you bring about in our life, but sometimes change is really, really hard!  Jesus had to die and this was a change the disciples did not look forward to.  When He shared the sad news with his disciples they were really, really sad!  They may have cried or mourned the loss of their shepherd, their leader, but Jesus knew that in order for new life to come and for Your plan, Father God, to be fulfilled that He had to die.  Change had to come.  So God as we face the ever changing nature of our own lives help us to remember that sometimes one thing has to “die” for new life to come and to remember that You ALWAYS have a plan in place and we just need to trust the process.  It’s not easy and we will experience sadness, but don’t let us stay there too long, but to look for what You are up to and to follow You come what may!  Thank you Lord that You will never leave us, nor forsake us and that we can trust in You.  Through Christ I pray.  Amen & Amen.