“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.”  Luke 23:44

It can be one the most dreaded phrases that we use with each other.  You have had a disagreement with someone.  You might have even argued; AND, initially it seemed you won.  They other person, acquiesced, they gave in or they gave up and said “you win”.  Here’s the thing, they didn’t end up agreeing.  Secretly or maybe not so secretly they let you know that they don’t think your way is going to work.  Then a truly terrible thing happens.  They were RIGHT!!!!!!!  Whatever horrible outcome happened that they predicted would happen if your plan was followed; actually happened.  Or the outcome you predicted was going to happen failed miserably, again, just as they predicted.  So you’re hoping against hope that you’re not going to see them for a little while.  You hope that they have gone to live in a cave and are not aware that the outcome they thought would happen has actually happened.  BUT NO!  There they are.  Standing there smug with a sly grin on their faces.   They draw in a deep breath and you hear those four stinging words come out of their mouth that you can’t refute because they are true:  “I told you so!”  And all you can do is stand there and take it.  (Do you get the sense this has happened to me before?)

Is the meaning behind the phrase just a simple reminder that they had predicted the inevitable outcome?  Hardly.  There are several aspects to this.  First not only was your argument wrong, but you were wrong to make that argument in the first place.  Second, you weren’t listening well enough.  If you had you would have seen the correctness in their argument and would have gone along with it.  And Finally, in the future you should not argue against the other person and should gladly go along with their viewpoint because they are going to be correct in the future and if you don’t go along, they will have ample opportunity to say: “I told you so again!” (Please believe me this is just not a post about not liking that phrase!)

Jesus uses a phrase close to “I told you so”…..” in the phrase:  “These are words that I spoke to you while I was with you…..” but His purpose behind the phrase is vastly different then the purpose we use the phrase for.  In this part of Luke, Jesus has just appeared to His Disciples who were gathered behind locked doors, for the first time.  They marvel and are scared to see him.  They know who He is but are not sure what He is.  In other words, they think He might be a spirit or some other kind of unearthly manifestation.  He invites them to touch Him and He eats with them to show that He is a very physical, living, risen person.  He then explains how he had told them that He would be arrested and treated horribly; that He would be killed and most importantly, He would rise again from the dead, as a living, breathing person.  He is not chiding them or trying to make them feel bad.  He did not have to try and show them His superiority.  His very presence was easily enough to show that.  No, this was the other side of the phrase that He used very often:  “I tell you this before it happens so that when it happens you may believe……..”

Jesus Christ is saying to them and saying to us:  “See, remember that I told you this was going to happen and it did happen just as I said and My Father had said through others,that it was going to happen.  So believe!  Believe not only in this but, because you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears the truth of which I speak, then believe all that I have said and promised to you!”

Jesus Christ said and promised many things:  “Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest”  “I am the way the truth and the life”  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish..”  Those are only a few of the promises that He gave.  Our Heavenly Father, both through the prophets of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ, Himself, told us of the wonderful salvation that God has planned for us and the eternal life, He wants for us through Jesus Christ.  Oh, by the Grace of God, may it be that we believe in Jesus Christ and come into His presence where we will hear Him say:  “See I told You So!  I told you I and My Father Love you and want You to be here with Us, in Love, Forever.

Our Most Gracious and Heavenly Father, we praise You and thank You for your boundless Mercy and Love for us.  That you would take the time to give to us words spoken through Your Prophets and Your Son, Jesus Christ about Your Love for us and how we are to love one another.  Thank You, most Holy Father, for telling us ahead of time, of mercies and love you have in store, so that when they happen, it may strengthen our faith and belief in You.  Please forgive us, Dear Father, when we doubt the message You have most graciously supplied to us and Pour Out Your Spirit that we may be restored.  That knowing that You have told us in advance of the glory to come, we might live a life of Praise to Your Most Holy Name.  We pray this in the name of the one who told us so many great and marvelous things; Jesus Christ.  Amen