This was the Son of God.
Sometimes I think that we do not truly recognize the influence of Christ’s purity and holiness in the lives of those He came into contact with.
We know He was rejected by most of the chief priests and rulers…but it is an amazing discovery that many believed on Him as the Son of God…even though they felt His influence but a little time.
One of these is the centurion of the men under Pilate, to take Jesus to His crucifixion.
(In the Bible, centurions are only spoken of in a good light! Pretty amazing, if you consider their jobs! Yet how many times we think….”this person could never be saved!”….yet, God is able)
Matthew 27:54 “Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
Now I want to say here….that this man, who exclaimed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God…was also the man, along with those under him, who mocked and beat Him…a few hours ago.
Matthew 27:27-31 “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers.
And they stripped Him, and put on Him a scarlet robe.
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, (look what efforts they made to hurt and mock Him!), they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head.
And after that they had mocked Him they took the robe off from Him, and put his own raiment on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.”
Their job was to lead Jesus out of the city, and take Him to Golgotha (Calvary)….and nail Him to the cross.
Then they were to raise the cross, and watch Him die.
It was a terrible death, even normally….for these men would internally strangle. The weight of their own bodies would put bones out of joints….the sinews would stretch and tear.
As the blood would drop to the lowest part of the body, and ooze out….the sufferer would become dry…His tongue cleaved to the top of HIs mouth.
Below Him, this centurion and his soldiers gambled for HIs clothes.
Mark 15:24 “And when they had crucified Him, they parted His garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.” (Matthew 27:36 “And sitting down they watched Him there;”)
John 19:23-24 “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, (they got Him up on the cross) took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled….”
They, like everyone else, were watching for HIm to die. Then their job would be over.
Hours pass, they hear the mockings of the people….they hear them cry, “Come down and save yourself, if you are the Son of God.”
They, too, begin to mock Him…”And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him, and offering Him vinegar (at a distance…to make Him, in HIs thirst, suffer more)…and saying, If Thou be the king of the Jews, save Thyself.”
Then they experience the darkness….for three hours…at a time in the day, it should have been bright light…
And when Christ Jesus has fulfilled everything….completely taking our sins on to Himself…
….and then, after three hours of darkness, the cry, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”
After watching Him….hearing His words of forgiveness….and then this ear piercing cry…
….they are amazed when He cries one more thing:
Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.”
Mark 15:39 “And when the centurion, which stood over against Him, saw that He so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.”
This centurion believed. Earlier, he had mocked, beaten, and gambled for His coat…but now, after hearing and seeing these things….he believes on Jesus as the Son of God…and openly confesses it!
1 John 2:23 “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father, [but] he that acknowledged the Son hath the Father also.”
At the same time of Jesus’ cry, “ the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”.
God was manifesting by outward signs, the enormity of what had just transpired!
The sacrifice was made….to cleanse all who would believe on His Son, from their sins….the past was done away….nothing would remain the same!
Luke 23:47 “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.” (God certainly “shook” this man)
1 John 2:28-29 “And now, little children, abide in Him; that , when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
If ye know that He is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him.”
The earth shook again, three days later, when God raised His Son, Jesus Christ from the dead…
Matthew 28:1-2, 5-6 “..as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,….And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it,…
And the angel answered and said….Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here: for He is risen, as He said…”
This was the proof of God’s acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice…Christ arose!
Here was what Jesus had told them….He would rise again….the third day.
…and because He did, we too, can have life eternal…in Him.
And there will be another “shaking” when He comes again! (Hebrews 12:25-26, Revelation 8:1,5; 16:18)
But for this centurion….life would never be the same. He came from a mocker and cruel servant of Rome….to a believer and confessor of Jesus, the Son of God.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 