May the mumbling commence!
How do we react when people are persecuted for their faith in God? I find it enlightening to read the accounts of Jesus on the cross. Today, we will read from Matthew’s account – from chapter twenty-seven.
Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-- which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" (Verses 38-54)
Are we plagued by a myopic view of God’s actions in the world around us? Most of the people who reacted to Jesus’ crucifixion were myopic and grossly nearsighted. “If you are the Son of God… If you are the King of Israel…” Didn’t they know how their words echoed the torture of the Romans and temptations of Satan? Do we so easily allow Satan to work through us?
And myopic nearsightedness reigned through many types of people – those just passing by, the chief priests and teachers of the Law and elders, convicted criminals… They could not see the actions of God.
They were blind and belligerent. “Let Elijah come to save him.” “Let God come and save him.” Could they not see? Can we see when God’s Spirit moves in our midst? Do we recognize Jesus for who he is..?
God acts in this passage. From about noon to three, the world is darkened. Jesus senses the absence of God, while the people continue to misunderstand and think Jesus called upon Elijah to save him.
The Temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. We can see the divine action in the passive nature of the statement. Who else could have torn the heavy curtain from top to bottom?
Righteous people returned from the grave and appeared to many people. Did their return change anything? Likely not much and only for a short time… Remember the story of Lazarus the beggar? We have the Scriptures. If we do not respond to them and see the world through them and act upon them, we have no hope.
Who, in this passage, recognizes Jesus for who he is? An anonymous Roman Centurion recognized Jesus as the Son of God. How’s that for irony? The one person who may have thought he had little or no stake in the legitimacy of Jesus as the Son of God is the only one to recognize the signs God has given.
Help us, O Holy Spirit, to recognize the work and will of God in our lives. May we captivate our every intention and thought and word and action to the will of God!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment