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3 kids.
3 different personalities.
3 mouths.
3 attitudes.
My niece and nephews were all staying at my house for the weekend. Since they live in different cities, we try to do it at least once a year around Christmas or the summer.
We had been having the best time, but as it normally goes, things started to get a little rocky. They were tired, cranky and argumentative with one another. We were all playing a game upstairs and I told them I needed to go get a little laundry done but I would be back. As I was folding clothes, one came to find me and tell me that one of the others was being mean and not playing fair.
I said, “Go and tell them I‘ll be there in 5 minutes to straighten things out”.
He left, I finished my task and then headed up the stairs. When I found them, they looked shocked!
“Weren’t you expecting me? Didn’t he tell you I was coming? Didn’t I say I would be back? Why do you look so surprised?”
These are the same types of questions and rebukes Jesus gave to His disciples.
“Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” (Mark 16:14)
Upbraided – rebuked or reprimanded. In southern terms, Jesus “got onto them”. He told them He would return. In fact, after He rose from the grave, He appeared to Mary and then the two on the road, and yet the disciples still didn’t believe. When they saw Jesus, they were in shock.
In other gospel accounts, this is where Thomas spoke up and said he would only believe it was Jesus if he could put his hands where the nails and spear had pierced Him.
Why would Jesus rebuke them?
He was about to give them their mission. They had been chosen by God to be His witnesses, but so far, they were choosing their old way of thinking instead of remembering what they knew to be true of what Jesus had taught them.
Jesus is coming soon.
He has told us this would happen and we must be ready for His return. Don’t be shocked when it happens; He said it would!
Do you believe? Will you trust His word and be ready?
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