“As He drew near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing the crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’ And he cried out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’…and Jesus stopped…” – Luke 18:35-40
“There was a man named Zacchaeus…and he was seeking Jesus but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him…and when Jesus came to the place, He looked up…” – Luke 19:1-6
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And He said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'” – Luke 23:42, 43
As we started this study we established that the crucifixion was a crowded…chaotic…and, therefore…loud event that took place on a busy street going into town. There were many people with carts and animals passing by and quite a few that had gathered to watch the gruesome execution. There was a lot going on. And yet the first two phrases Jesus speaks from the cross show us that He is not only aware of those around Him, but that He “sees” them. We were reminded that our God is the God who sees…”Jehovah Jirah”!
The combination of the travelers and the spectators and the soldiers also made the cross a very loud place. Like a busy restaurant in the busy lunch rush there were many noises. The sound of the wooden carts hauling the people and supplies for the Passover celebration…the bleating of animals being brought for the sacrifices…people shouting at children to keep up. Then there were the shouts of the mocking spectators and voices of the soldiers at the foot of the cross. So, it is surprising that Jesus tunes in to hear the conversation of the two dying men around Him…and responds! Jesus reveals to us not only that we have a God who “sees”, but also a God who hears...who listens!
Throughout His ministry we often find Jesus surrounded by crowds of people clamoring for His attention. In fact, Scripture tells us that many times the crowds were so bad that He and the disciples could not get away to eat a meal. His reputation as a miracle worker brought people out of the woodwork wherever He went. When Jesus showed up there was standing room only! No, Jesus was no stranger to crowds.
It was also not out of the ordinary for Jesus to hear a cry for help amidst the many shouts of the crowd. He was never too busy to notice someone that was on the outside trying to get in or to hear the voice of a seeking heart.
We not only have a God who “sees”, but we also have a God who listens! Jesus was watching the people from the cross and He was listening too. He heard the mocking and the insults. He heard the angry shouts of the religious leaders. But, He only responded to the humble request of a dying criminal. “Jesus, remember me…”
Maybe today you feel you are on stranded on the side of the road and need the touch of Jesus…call out to Him! He will hear you. Maybe you are feeling inadequate…stunted by your shortcomings…in a tree hoping for a glimpse…come down to Him. Maybe you feel forgotten and alone…pray. “Jesus, remember me…”
He is a God who listens.