Today’s passage is not a theological doozy. It’s not hard to understand—it is, however, impossible to do—apart from Christ. Today’s passage is the heart of the Gospel. It clearly states that for every follower of Jesus, there must be a cross before a crown. Today’s passage also teaches us that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Like most of their fellow Jews, the Twelve Disciples placed expectations on Jesus—just like we do today.

What are those false expectations, and what is the cure?