While having a morning break in our local Mickey D’s a man, in a plumber’s uniform, stopped and said, “After Jesus put that guy’s ear back on in the Garden how could you not believe!”
Surprised at his question, I added, “Remember, that was after everyone picked themselves up off of the ground when Jesus spoke.” We traded several other ideas and said good-bye. All of this started because I was wearing a † = ♥ shirt.
When a GODportunity like that occurs, it tends to lift you from your earthly thoughts and sets your mind on things above. My two thoughts were:
- Did that servant join with the crowd calling for Jesus’ death?
- How was it that there were only two people who saw Jesus as the Son of God on Good Friday? The thief on the cross and the Roman soldier.
My thought on #1 is, NO! He may have been there but a touch from Jesus would have changed him. It would be nice to know his story.
The thief was a Divine Appointment. Jesus was doing His work of glorifying the Father right to the very end of His earthly life. This would also set an example for the Christians who were to die at the hands of the Romans many years after death.
The battle-harden centurion knew Jesus was different because of how He died. No curses, no fighting with the guards, no blaming everyone else, no crying how unfair it was, just Jesus speaking words of comfort to His friends and being in control of Himself. He recognized the darkened skies had to be from God as a show of His disapproval! I like to believe that he was the centurion who had his servant healed at Jesus’ command. And that he would have a visit from Peter, after all of these events, and receive the Holy Spirit!
Two other thoughts about this day:
- Were the people who came out of the tombs among the three thousand on the day of Pentecost?
2. Was it grief, fear, or a limited vision of Jesus that blinded the disciples from seeing Jesus as the thief and soldier saw Him that day?
Add your thoughts and questions!
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