Matthew 27:54 “The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, ‘This man truly was the Son of God!’”
Jesus has just been crucified at a place called Golgotha. At the very moment of his death, there was a violent earthquake. This earthquake shook the hill at Golgotha and also opened some nearby graves! The bodies of these dead people rose up and floated into the streets of nearby Jerusalem spooking the residents. And when dead people are wandering the streets of your city-well who ya gonna call!? These events scared the Roman soldiers to such a degree that they proclaimed that this guy who had been hanging on that cross all afternoon was “truly the Son of God!”
These soldiers had felt the earthquake. They saw the rocks split and tumble into the Kidron Valley below. They saw this happen with their own eyes. The earth shook. And this is how they knew something was different about this Jesus character. How has Jesus shaken me? How have I experienced his power and love? I too have had an encounter with Jesus. He has touched my life in a profound way. It wasn’t through an earthquake but he has shaken my life nonetheless. My experience and my response should be no different than that of these soldiers. Am I willing to proclaim to others around me today that he is indeed the Son of God? Today I need to tell others about how Jesus has shaken my life.
Dear Jesus, thank you for showing up in my life in profound ways. Help me share you and your message with others this week. Amen.
