Tremors at Calvary did not convince people to change

FRIDAY, MAY 20: At the Cross of Calvary, you are presented with a picture of life. 

People in that day reacted in very much the same way that people react today.

At the Cross of Calvary there existed moments of monumental contradictions.

Indeed, as the Prince of Peace hung high, the world experienced tremors and a tearing that had never been seen before.

The earth trembled and tore; so did the veil in the Temple. Might, I add that all of those happenings sent shockwaves through the world on that day, as people wondered what was going on.

One group of people at the Cross were those who eagerly awaited the final breath of the one who they felt had disappointed them and the entire nation of Israel.

They were the ones who cried out “Hosanna” at the thought of Jesus rescuing them from the tyranny of Roman rule. 

They were the ones who deemed Jesus a traitor because He failed to take over the government and instead turned over the tables of the tax collectors.

For that group of people, Jesus was a huge disappointment and worthy of the death of a betrayer.

Those folks stood at the base of the cross and its perimeter, waiting for the centurion to remove the body of a dead Jesus.

They waited for it, but it did not happen the way they envisioned it.

Things went differently.

For as the weight of sin darkened the world and was followed by the earth breaking apart, those would-be-haters were temporarily shaken themselves.

Luke 23:48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

Those persons at the cross, changed at the death of Jesus. So many unusual things were going on that they had to confess that Jesus must have been the Son of God.

For that moment, they were in right standing. For that very instant, they were convicted.

It was almost as if they had heart attacks. Perhaps attacks of conscience.
Perhaps attacks of guilt. Perhaps attacks of shame. 

In any case, whatever changes took place at the death of Jesus did not last.

Perhaps, they believed that because of the darkness and earthquakes the world was about to end.

Perhaps, with the ending of the world near, conviction was brought near to the surface of their being.

Yet, the Bible tells us that they “returned”.

Oh, what a sad statement. A statement that indicates that once they realized it was not the end of the world and that their lives were not over, they returned.

They went to doing what they had always done.

They returned to a heart of hatred and to their sinful ways.

What a shame to waste the redemptive work of Jesus. What a shame to miss out on a life-changing opportunity.

They turned away from Jesus in that day. What will you do today?

I beseech you not to turn away and return to your old ways.

Respice finem.

Dr Maria A. Seaman is the Pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre.