Read: Mark 10:32-34
And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise." (Mark 10:34 ESV)
Jesus knew what was to come. He spent three impactful years pouring into his disciples because of what was coming. He repeated the events to come to them multiple times, preparing their hearts and minds for the hardship. They were often confused when he spoke of his tribulations to come. They didn't comprehend the shifting that would take place when they would become the stewards of Christianity within the world.
Jesus did not hold back. He gave them the details of what was to be done to them. "They will mock," he said—and they did. They mocked him, and his disciples after him. Many today are still being mocked for being a disciple of Jesus. "They will spit," he said. Christianity has been the brunt of shameful displays of willful disrespect. "They will flog," he warned. Beatings have echoed across the centuries as people joined with their Savior in a willingness to endure beatings for the sake of the Gospel. "They will kill," he declared, and so they did, and so they have, and so they will. Wherever and whenever the uncompromised message of Jesus is spread people will die for it.
"He will rise," Jesus promised. Because men may kill one another, they may hate the message and end the messenger, they may reject the truth—they may even dare to kill God, but He will rise. That was the fulfilled promise of Christ. It was fulfilled for him, by him, and through him on the third day. It will be fulfilled in all who have laid down their lives in pursuit of him, they will rise after him.