Matthew 27:49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
It is amazing how the routine of life can set us up to fail. We get so used to the things that happen, that we miss what is right in front of us. We seem to get stuck in how we see things. We seem to miss what can be right in front of us.
We see this when those charged with protecting others. Remember Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq? Soldiers with too little training and too little supervision did some terrible things. They viewed the prisoners as lees than human and treated them that way.
It happens in restaurants when customers are treated to less than the best service and food possible, instead focusing on something other than customer service. It happens in factories when their job becomes just a job, rather than doing the best to produce the best product. It happens with the lawn service when they cut corners (Pun intended).
We see it in our text. Jesus is on the cross, just about to give up His spirit. But the crowd has been there for hours watching this sick spectator sport. Who would go to a crucifixion? Don’t they have better things to do with their time?
I wonder if they are getting bored? Did they witness Jesus’ miracles and want Him to pull one out of his hat at the last moment? Do they want to have something to tell their grandchildren?
So, what do they do? They want to withhold compassion from Jesus. Someone is offering Jesus some wine vinegar to sooth his thirst a bit. But they want to withhold this simple human kindness. What kind of people are these?
And in the next moment, Jesus is dead. I wonder what their expectation was concerning Elijah and the Messiah? We know Elijah was expected before the Messiah’s arrival. Was there an expectation that when the Messiah was crucified, that he would be saved at the last minute by Elijah? I don’t think so.
But this part of the crowd just wants some excitement. They have no idea of the importance of the next few moments. Jesus, the Messiah, is dying for humanity. He is fulfilling the first prophecy of Scripture. The Messiah’s heal is being bruised as He defeats Satan.
But they don’t see anything. They are oblivious of the moment. They just want a good time as they pass the popcorn.
I am wondering how many times in life we aren’t aware of what moment we are living. Instead of seizing the moment, we cruise through the moment.
Jesus said that believers had to be awake and aware of the time. We have to be ready at any moment. We need to be watching and waiting in expectation of the moments that Jesus will bring. We can’t afford to be looking for entertainment when we really need spiritual discernment.
I am excited about the coming of someone much greater than Elijah. I am looking for the parting of the skies, and the trumpet sounds, and the day of the culmination of all of history. A new heaven and a new earth await. I am looking for that day.
The Arnold Journey 