Closing out our week-long theme of “Unexpected,” and wrapping up Holy Week, there was nothing more unexpected than the resurrection. I’ve written before that the best evidence for the truth of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is that they exist. If there had been no resurrection, there wouldn’t have been anyone to write the story!

Here’s an example, the two on the Road to Emmaus. Jesus comes up to them and asks them why they are so down in the mouth:

Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?”

And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” (Luke 24.18 – 24, ESV)

One of the sad verses in the Bible: “We had hoped that he was the one…”

Yes, the death of Jesus was unexpected, as was his resurrection. But it shouldn’t have been according to Jesus:

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24.25 – 27, ESV)

Most of us wish we had the transcript of “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” That would have been quite a sermon! Why don’t we have a record of it? Maybe because God is saying, “You have the same scripture they had, translated into your language, look it up for yourself!”

I’ve written before how Isaiah 53 captures the gospel: “Christ died for our sins…” And last week, we would have read Isaiah 61 which Jesus used in the Nazareth synagogue to define his ministry:

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn… (Isaiah 61.1 – 2, ESV)

Luke tells the story, including Jesus’ leaving out the last part of verse 2 “…the day of vengeance of our God.” Jesus’ ministry was one of good news to the poor…the year of the LORD’s favor. Vengeance comes later.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4.16 – 21, ESV)

Anyway, it’s all there. No need for all these events to be “unexpected.” I wonder how much of what we expect is Biblical?