“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on His right and one on His left. And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide His garments. And the people stood by watching, but the rulers scoffed at Him saying, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!’ The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!'” – Luke 23:32-37
There was a lot of noise around the cross that afternoon. The roadside outside of Jerusalem was crowded with people who had come from all over for the annual celebration of the Passover. Like a shopping Mall on the day before Christmas, people were making their way into the marketplaces to get their final preparations for the feast. Yes, it is true, Jesus was crucified along a busy road into the city, not on a lonely hillside far away (though it makes for beautiful poetry). The public display and humiliation was an important part of crucifixion to the Romans.
Crowded places tend to be loud and chaotic. It is no wonder that the voice of Jesus seems to be ignored. In fact, we are told in the Scripture that there were many others talking…even shouting…the spectators, the soldiers, those passing by, even the other criminals. The cross was anything but peaceful…but…then Jesus speaks.
He does not wait for the crowd to calm down. He does not call loudly to get the attention of the those on the roadside. He speaks into the chaos to those who will listen. Amidst the scoffing and the mocking…He speaks…into our busy, distracted, “self absorbed” world…He speaks.
He deliberately speaks…He prays…out loud. Why? The Scripture tells us that He did this throughout His ministry. In fact, in the Gospel of John, Jesus Himself sheds some light on this when He prayed for Lazarus to be raised from the dead. He prayed,
“Father, thank you for hearing me. I know that you have always heard me, but I say this out loud on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” – John 11:41, 42
So, Jesus does this again from the cross. He prays, not for Himself, but for others. It is a prayer of intercession. A prayer for those too busy to pray. A prayer for those who did not even know that they needed prayer. A prayer that reveals His heart for those He came to save. A prayer that proclaims the very purpose of the cross and what He was doing at that moment!
Believer, you have a God who speaks into the chaos of your world today. Into your busy schedule…into your frustrations…into your despair. He is not waiting for a quiet moment in your life. He is not waiting for things to calm down. He is speaking a word into your crowded and broken heart…”Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Weary traveler you have been forgiven. Look to the cross today. Jesus is speaking. Are you listening?