When Jesus Disappoints You (And It’s a Good Thing)

Perhaps you have been disappointed by Jesus in your life. You thought you were doing well, living a good life, honoring him, and suddenly you lose your job, fail to get pregnant after months (years) of trying, or someone you love gets cancer. Life wasn’t supposed to be this way. Maybe you feel that Jesus didn’t come through for you.

I have lived long enough to witness the truth of Scripture when it talks about how God can use trials in our lives for our good and His glory (see Romans 5:1-5 and James 1:2-4). I have heard countless testimonies of those who have said that in their deepest, darkest valley that God did His greatest work in them. Perhaps you have experienced this as well.

In Matthew 16:13-25, we have a story of raised expectations, followed by gut wrenching disappointment. Peter has given his great confession that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” and Jesus has affirmed this declaration and states that God has supernaturally revealed this truth to Peter.

Messianic expectations in first century Palestine were often accompanied by visions of throwing off the yoke of political tyranny. Was this the time to have the people arise in revolution and defeat the occupying Romans? Jesus, however, has a much different vision of what the Messiah is called to do.

At this moment of clarification about his identity, Jesus begins talking about the need to go to Jerusalem, suffer at the hands of the leaders there, and then die. Peter didn’t like what he was hearing at all; so he speaks up and actually rebukes Jesus!

Before we are too hard on Peter, let’s think of this from his perspective. To Peter, this was probably like a general rallying his troops to conquer the hill, and just at the moment of giving the climax to his motivational speech he says that he will fall into the enemy’s hands and they will kill him. Not exactly the way to inspire confidence in those who are following you, huh?

Peter challenges Jesus. “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” Surely Jesus misread the script. That’s not the way things are supposed to turn out. Not only does Jesus rebuke Peter for his rebuke (“Get behind me, Satan!), but turns up the heat by saying that all those who follows him must deny themselves and take up their cross. Not necessarily the best marketing strategy to attract followers.

So . . . Jesus disappoints. He does not inspire the masses to revolt. He does not become the earthly leader that provides power and perks to his inner circle. But if that was all Jesus came to do, he would be a footnote in history. Instead, he does something much greater, something that no one could really grasp at the time. His death becomes the substitutionary sacrifice for the world. His resurrection demonstrates his power over death and promises hope beyond the grave. Kingdoms will rise and fall and every political revolution or armed rebellion is somewhat short-lived in the long view of history. But Jesus came to establish an eternal kingdom.

Jesus may disappoint you. Then again, that may be the best thing that ever happens to you. He is still in the business of turning disillusionments into hope, darkness into light, and out of death he brings life.