The Centurion

The man rarely mentioned in any Easter Sunday sermons may have had the most profound revelation of any on that dark Friday. The Roman centurion soldier was a career officer. You had to be at least 30 years old to be a centurion. The centurion got the title because they over saw 100 men. They were the outstanding soldiers, probably joined the army at 16, had high accolades, maybe knew the right people. Through the years of a military career, carrying out the orders from ruthless Roman emperors one thing is for sure, not much probably bothered this centurion. He was huge, strong, prime fit, 'all man' you can guarantee that. He wore the heavy armor and could sling a spear hundreds of feet through the chest of an enemy in battle. He been doing this job for along time. He's been through battles, probably cut the heads off of men. A crucifixion sure didn't bother this guy he'd probably carried out quite a few. It was his job, he was following orders. I am sure he probably couldn't have cared less who this Jesus was. But things that happened that day took a heart as hardened as you would be pressed to find and broke it.

"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." Mark 16:39

"Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man." Luke 23:47

After reading these two passages all I can say is, 'Absolutely Amazing!', not only how powerful but how loving our Savior truly is. Can you just picture this? I find myself closing my eyes and picturing the centurion strait faced all business while he oversees the crucifixion of these men. But this one Jesus starts to catch hold of him. He begins to look over this body so bloodied and beaten, he doesn't even recognize it. he wonders to himself, how is this man still alive....after all we have done to him today, how is he alive? He had heard Jesus say earlier on his horrid path to Calvary "...Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." (Luke 23:28). He begins to wonder what kind of man suffering such horrible death says something like that? He watches as the men he oversees muck Jesus....maybe then his eyes get a little glassy. He hears Jesus cry ..."My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
The centurion's heart begins to pound, the tears a little bit more full...he looks down so no one notices, a quick wipe. He hears Jesus prayer. "Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) He watches and listens as Jesus accepts and saves the criminal. His heart pounding ...Oh he wants to cry out to Jesus...but he can't...not in front of these men. What would they do? They would kill me, he thinks. Then with tears streaming down his face he looks up at the broken body of Jesus. He hears the final cry. '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.' (Luke 23:46) ....."It is finished"... ( John 19:30).
At that moment I imagine the spirit of this centurion was overcome. His body covered in sweat, dirt, the blood of Jesus on his clothes, streaked on his forearms. He hits his knees at the feet of Jesus. The feet with nails in the heels dripping his Saviors blood and water. Knowing the man he just crucified is the Son of God. His hands gripping a hand full of dirt and rock, scratching his fingernails in the ground out of anguish, his face in the ground. He leans up with tears streaming down his face and Yells...."Truly this man was the Son of God!!" The centurion glorified God and God forgave. How did God forgive? The same way He forgives us. How truly awesome is a God that reveals himself to a centurion that just oversaw the crucifixion of His only Son? I think we can rest assured there is nothing we can do that would make God love us less. Amen