Read Luke 23:44-49
I Can’t Explain It.
While Jesus was on the cross, total darkness came over the whole land from noon to 3:00 p.m.. At the same time, the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Then he died.
The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely, this was a righteous man.” There were also many witnesses that beat their breasts when they saw what happened, and they went away feeling ashamed. But those who knew Jesus, men and women, stood at a distance watching things unfold.
I don’t know about you, but when I see something I can’t explain rationally, it will scare me. Years ago I was sitting in the mountains of Colorado hunting. I heard a loud noise coming towards me at a high rate of speed that went over my head and beyond. The only thing I could conclude rationally, is that it was a stray bullet. The noise scared me.
Now imagine all these people witnessing Jesus at his time of death as they stood in total darkness from noon to 3:00 p.m.. Excuse me, there’s nothing rational about that. Even an eclipse doesn’t bring total darkness, nor does it last for 3 hours. Such an experience was not normal. I believe fear gripped the people as they tried to figure out rationally how such a thing could happen. And then later hearing, or seeing, that the curtain of the temple was torn in two. That had to bewilder people because the curtain was made with such a thick fine woven fabric.
How does the death of Jesus affect you? Is this just a cute bedtime story? Is it a fable? Or is it a true account worthy of our whole heart and soul? Are we driven to surrender our lives to the Lord? Or will we continue to live in our shame and guilt? Let today be the day of surrendering it All to Jesus while saying, “!I will follow you with all my heart!”
