Changing the Tide: Luke 23:48-49
“48) And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts. 49) And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.” Luke 23:48-49
It is eerie. People in those days use to gather to watch violence. A large crowd gathered to watch the crucifixion. This is the same mindset that filled the Roman coliseum to watch brutal blood sports and death.
There were two persuasions in the crowd. Many were against Jesus, but some were for Him. Most of them had likely been at least bystanders at one time or another as He taught or performed miracles. Some cursed and taunted Him. Others wept in silence.
There is a huge lesson in this text. Don’t form your morals or values based on the crowd or public option. The crowd can be manipulated and wrong. Crowd emotions can change quickly.
After the darkness, the earthquake, the veil in the temple being rent in two and the words of Jesus from the cross, their attitudes suddenly changed. They began returning to the city weeping and beating their breasts.
The sorrow and remorse were real. The mood had shifted. But it was too late. Jesus was dead! Or, was it? Was God at work in unseen ways? I believe the seeds of revival and awakening were being sown, watered and cultivated even during this dark hour.
Nothing else explains the explosion of the gospel after Pentecost. Three thousand turned to Jesus after Peter’s first impromptu message. The book of Acts records how the gospel quickly spread after Pentecost.
Granted, there was still opposition and even persecution, but as we shall see in the next context, some very influential people were gravitating toward Jesus and the gospel. Sometimes what appears to be bad news is good news in disguise!
I enjoy watching the gospel take root and wrestle people toward faith in Jesus. It is a process, but the Holy Spirit has ways of drawing the most hardened sinner to the cross and personal faith in Jesus Christ.
More about that in the next section, but for now what is your story? Have you switched sides from opposing to believing in Jesus Christ? What about the people around you? Are you hating the opposition or building bridges of love while sharing the gospel?
Never, never, never give up on the gospel or the ministry of the Holy Spirit! God has ways of changing the tide! Saul can become the apostle Paul!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
“48) And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, beating their breasts. 49) And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.” Luke 23:48-49
It is eerie. People in those days use to gather to watch violence. A large crowd gathered to watch the crucifixion. This is the same mindset that filled the Roman coliseum to watch brutal blood sports and death.
There were two persuasions in the crowd. Many were against Jesus, but some were for Him. Most of them had likely been at least bystanders at one time or another as He taught or performed miracles. Some cursed and taunted Him. Others wept in silence.
There is a huge lesson in this text. Don’t form your morals or values based on the crowd or public option. The crowd can be manipulated and wrong. Crowd emotions can change quickly.
After the darkness, the earthquake, the veil in the temple being rent in two and the words of Jesus from the cross, their attitudes suddenly changed. They began returning to the city weeping and beating their breasts.
The sorrow and remorse were real. The mood had shifted. But it was too late. Jesus was dead! Or, was it? Was God at work in unseen ways? I believe the seeds of revival and awakening were being sown, watered and cultivated even during this dark hour.
Nothing else explains the explosion of the gospel after Pentecost. Three thousand turned to Jesus after Peter’s first impromptu message. The book of Acts records how the gospel quickly spread after Pentecost.
Granted, there was still opposition and even persecution, but as we shall see in the next context, some very influential people were gravitating toward Jesus and the gospel. Sometimes what appears to be bad news is good news in disguise!
I enjoy watching the gospel take root and wrestle people toward faith in Jesus. It is a process, but the Holy Spirit has ways of drawing the most hardened sinner to the cross and personal faith in Jesus Christ.
More about that in the next section, but for now what is your story? Have you switched sides from opposing to believing in Jesus Christ? What about the people around you? Are you hating the opposition or building bridges of love while sharing the gospel?
Never, never, never give up on the gospel or the ministry of the Holy Spirit! God has ways of changing the tide! Saul can become the apostle Paul!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
