A. Once there was a Sunday school teacher who had given her class an assignment to read Isaiah chapter 9.
1. The next Sunday, she asked the class how many had remembered to read the chapter and every hand went up.
2. “Wonderful!,” she said, “And I’ve got a piece of candy for everyone who can complete the 2nd half of this verse from Isaiah 9:2: ‘The people who walked in darkness...’
3. Instantly, the students offered their answers:
a. “The people who walked in darkness use less electricity!”
b. “The people who walked in darkness, stub their toes a lot!”
c. “The people who walked in darkness, spend most of the time sleeping.”
d. “The people who walked in darkness, are usually burglars.”
e. “The people who walked in darkness, could really use a flashlight!”
4. Obviously, those answers were not the right answers!
a. Do you remember what the right answer is?
b. Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walked in darkness... have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”
5. Today, as we explore how a Roman centurion became a believer, we will see a perfect example of how that prophesy was fulfilled when the Gentiles who had walked in darkness (including this Roman centurion) saw the great light of Jesus shine on them.
B. The Roman Empire conquered and occupied Israel beginning in 63 B.C.
1. The practice of the Roman Empire was to station a legion of troops in any country they had under their control.
2. Roman Legions normally consisted of 5000 men.
3. Those 5000 soldiers were divided into groups of 100 who were each led by a commander called a centurion – a leader of a hundred (century) men.
4. So if there was a full legion in the province of Israel, then there were 50 different centurions over that legion.
5. Centurions had a great deal of authority and were like federal officers scattered around the empire to keep the peace and impose Roman rule.
6. You would assume that someone with that kind of authority and power would have a pretty good head on his shoulders.
C. There are four centurions mentioned in the New Testament and each is portrayed in a positive light.
1. First, there’s the centurion mentioned in Luke 7 who expressed great faith in Jesus’ power to heal the centurion’s servant – it was said of that centurion that “he loves our nation and had built our synagogue.” (Lk. 7:5)
2. Second, there’s the centurion named Cornelius in Acts 10 who had been instructed to send for Peter, and he and his whole household became the first Gentile members of the church.
3. Third, there’s the centurion in Acts 27 who was in charge of Paul during his Roman imprisonment.
4. Finally, there’s the centurion that we are going to talk about today who was in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus and who stood at the foot of the cross.
D. Some people believe that the centurion in Luke 7 and the centurion at the foot of the cross are the same man, but we have no way of knowing that.
1. It is likely that the centurion in charge of Jesus’ crucifixion had heard about Jesus previously.
2. Judea was not a large country, and the Roman soldiers were not totally isolated from what was taking place in the nation they were watching over.
3. So, perhaps he had heard of the commotion that surrounded Jesus – the rumors of His claim to be a king and that He might be starting an insurrection.
4. The centurion may have even been in the crowd while Jesus taught and performed miracles.
E. Nevertheless, however it came about, this centurion had been assigned the trial and crucifixion of Jesus and something happened that day that turned a callous Roman centurion into a believer.
1. Something that centurion saw and heard caused him to arrive at the amazing conclusion: “Truly this man was the son of God.”
2. Today, I want us to explore what it was that he had observed that had changed his heart and mind.
3. Of course, the most important question for each one of us is: Who do we believe that Jesus is?
4. Will our hearts and minds come to the same conclusion as the centurion?
F. Let’s think about what that centurion had seen and heard throughout the day of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion.
1. If he was given the commission to make sure all the details of this crucifixion were carried out, then he must have been in charge of Jesus from the time of His trial before Pilate until the conclusion of the crucifixion itself.
2. If that was the case, then the centurion saw not only the events of the crucifixion, but also all the events that led up to it.
3. He saw how Pilate kept trying to figure out how to release Jesus, because the things Jesus was being accused of were not deserving of death, but he saw how Pilate finally gave them what they wanted because of political implications.
4. The centurion witnessed the scourging (39 lashes) and the mockery of Jesus’ kingship.
a. The Bible tells us that the whole company of soldiers put a purple robe on Jesus and twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on Him.
b. They beat Him with a staff and mocked Him by kneeling as if they were his subjects.
c. The centurion probably stood to the side and allowed them to have their fun but would have stopped them if they went too far.
5. The centurion witnessed what happened to Jesus as he carried His cross to the place of crucifixion, and how he was so weak from the flogging and other beatings that He couldn’t carry the cross and a man named Simon from Cyrene was pulled from the crowd and forced to carry Jesus’ cross.
6. The Centurion saw how Jesus was nailed to the cross and raised in the air.
a. He witnessed the shame and ridicule and mockery of the onlookers.
7. For six hours that Friday, the centurion saw and heard it all.
a. When darkness came over the land at noon, he saw the darkness and shuddered at its eeriness.
b. And when Jesus breathed His last breath, the centurion felt the rumble of the earth beneath his feet as “the earth shook and the rocks were split.” (Mt. 27:51)
8. During this process, the centurion watched as Jesus gave His life for the sins of the world.
a. He heard every word Jesus uttered from the cross – including “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me,” & “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.”
b. He observed Jesus’ disposition and demeanor.
c. Very few people were given such a front row seat to witness the crucifixion of Jesus as that centurion was given.
d. And that’s what makes his testimony so important and powerful.
G. When all of what the centurion witnessed that day came together in his heart and mind, we can just imagine what his thoughts must have been.
1. He must have thought, “This was no carpenter. This was no peasant. This was no normal man.”
2. Then, had the centurion not said it, then the other soldiers would have surely said it, or the rocks would have said it, as would have the angels, or even the demons.
3. But the centurion did say it – the duty to declare the obvious truth of what everyone should have known fell to a nameless foreigner – “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
4. Let’s look more closely at this centurion’s statement of faith.
H. The centurion’s profession began with the word “truly.”
1. The word “truly” means “here is something that is true” – it’s the truth, a reality, a certainty, an undeniable fact beyond doubt...no second guessing, no qualifiers, and no need for disclaimers.
2. Jesus used the statement himself on many occasions to provide emphasis and validity, and to get people’s attention.
3. More than 80 times throughout the gospels, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you…”
4. When Jesus and the centurion said “truly,” they were saying: here is something to pay attention to…here is a significant fact that is undeniable...it is true.
5. The centurion declared what he had discovered with certainty – truly!
I. The centurion then continued: “Truly, this man…”
1. Pointing to Jesus, the centurion basically said: Here was a man who was human, just like we are human.
a. Jesus was born as a human baby and grew into manhood and had a body that breathed its last breath and died.
b. In this way, the soldier acknowledged the humanity of Jesus Christ.
c. Very likely, that centurion began the day thinking that Jesus was just another human being, like every other human being.
2. We have no way of knowing how many crucifixions this centurion had witnessed... likely dozens or more, as it was a common form of Roman execution at that time.
a. Perhaps he started the day thinking: A few more hours on this shift and I can get home to my wife and kids...Let’s give these guys what they deserve and get out of here.
b. Perhaps of Jesus he thought: here is just another guy, flesh and blood, skin and bones, another Jew about to ‘meet his maker’ (not realizing he WAS the maker!...).
3. And yet, there was something very different about “this man!”
a. There was the blood dripping from his forehead due to the pressure of the impromptu crown of thorns placed on his head and the sign placed above his head which read, “King of the Jews” – perhaps it was a veiled confession on the part of Pilate, or perhaps just sheer mockery.
4. But there was something else...There was something very different about ‘this man.’
a His demeanor and His character were different – you could see it as he hung suspended there.
b. Men didn’t act the way “this man” did when being crucified – there was no cursing or blaming of others, no taunting, no accusations, no mocking the Roman government.
c. Verbal assaults were hurled at Jesus from the crowds and even from the men on the crosses next to Jesus, but there was no retaliation from Jesus.
d. Instead, Jesus offered prayer and pardon.
e. His main request was that his mother be taken care of by a close friend.
f. The only thing “this man” said that made any sense was “I thirst” – any man would have - after all, he was human.
J. But “this man” was more than just a man, and so the centurion declared: “Truly this man was the son of God.”
1. This declaration is truly amazing - this hardened, calloused Roman soldier was the one who was able to recognize who “this man” truly was.
2. He determined that Jesus was more than mortal and human, but was the divine, holy, son of God, the Messiah.
3. The Jewish religious leaders – who had been searching for the Messiah for centuries – were unable to see how Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecies and of all their hopes, but they were blind to the truth.
3. Instead, the one who figured it out was a Roman centurion just doing his job.
4. Let’s look again at what the Bible says about how the centurion came to that conclusion:
a. Matthew 27:50-54: 50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
b. Mark 15:37-39: 37 Jesus let out a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 When the centurion, who was standing opposite him, saw the way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
5. So, what was it that had caused the centurion to believe in Jesus?
a. He had seen all the unexplainable, miraculous things that happened that day, like: the middle of the day darkness and the earthquake.
b. He had seen how Jesus had not suffered or retaliated like an ordinary man.
c. And he had seen how Jesus had died with great peace and like He was in control.
d. In essence, the centurion had made his observations with an open mind and came to his own personal decision and conviction.
K. How about you? Have you examined the evidence about Jesus with an open mind?
1. Have you done what that centurion did who had placed himself in a good position to observe Jesus?
2. Have you been giving Jesus enough time and attention to be able to come to your own conclusion?
3. Maybe we need to spend more time in front of Jesus instead of the TV or the computer screen.
4. Maybe we need to open our eyes to who He truly is.
5. That’s what the Roman centurion did and because he did, his conclusion was:
a. “Truly” – a statement of FACT
b. “This man” – an acknowledgment of FLESH.
c. “The son of God” – a declaration of FAITH.
L. But, if you noticed, I left out one tiny word of what the centurion said.
1. The centurion had gotten everything right except for one thing.
2. The centurion declared: “Truly this man WAS the son of God.”
3. Because the centurion had seen Jesus the son of God had died, he assumed it was all over and done, and so, Jesus was the son of God past-tense.
4. What that centurion didn’t know on that Friday was that Sunday was coming!
5. What that Roman centurion didn’t know was that three days later Jesus would rise from the dead and the tomb would be empty, and it then it wouldn’t just be that this man WAS the son of God – but that this man IS the son of God!
M. And that’s why we are all here today.
1. What makes Jesus’ crucifixion different from all the other Roman crucifixions is that He died carrying our sins on the cross and was buried, but then on the third day He arose from the dead.
2. That Roman centurion expressed the hopelessness that is found when we only see life in human terms... then death is the end... then there is nothing more beyond the grave.
3. But Jesus’ empty tomb testifies to the fact that there is so much more: There is hope and healing…there is the defeat of sin and death, and there is abundant and eternal life.
4. That Roman centurion made the best proclamation he could make about Jesus on that Friday when Jesus died – surely this man WAS the son of God.
5. Thankfully and amazingly, from that Sunday on, all of us can declare that this man IS the son of God because He arose from the dead and He lives today.
6. We believe that Jesus IS the Christ, the son of the LIVING God... and that makes all the difference in the world.
7. Jesus was and is, and He is to come.
a. The cross could not confine Him and the tomb could not contain Him.
N. Scripture tells us that after Jesus was buried, Pilate ordered that the tomb of Jesus be made as secure as possible, so a seal was put on the entrance stone and they posted Roman guards.
1. The Bible tells us what happened that Easter morning: 1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men. 5 The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.” (Mt. 28:1-7)
2. Scripture doesn’t tell what happened to that Roman centurion who made the greatest confession of all time, but I’d like to think he went home a changed man after experiencing the death of Jesus on Friday, but then was changed even more after resurrection of Jesus on Sunday.
3. I am sure that centurion heard what the guards reported that an angel showed up, moved the stone, and declared that the tomb was empty because Jesus had risen from the dead.
4. So, it is my hope and prayer that the centurion’s belief in Jesus only increased after Sunday.
O. And that is my hope and prayer for each of us here today.
1. I hope and pray that all of us will make a lifelong profession that “Truly this man is the Son of God.”
2. And I hope and pray that all of us will share this good news to others, because it is the greatest news of all time and it makes all the difference in the world.
3. God loves us all and wants to offer us His grace and mercy through Jesus who died and rose again.
4. Because Jesus lives we have purpose and power, and joy and hope because through Jesus we have abundant life and eternal life.
5. Even if our earthly life is filled with challenges and heartaches, we still have abundant life and eternal life through Jesus.
P. If you’re not yet a believer in Jesus, then I want to challenge you to seriously consider and investigate the testimony of that Roman centurion from 2000 years ago – because he saw something in Jesus that was different and divine, and concluded: “Truly, this man was the son of God.”
1. If you look closely and carefully enough at the evidence, I believe you will arrive at the same conclusion: “Truly, this man is the son of God,” and by believing you will have abundant life and eternal life.
Resources:
• Truth for Today Commentary, Mark.
• What Difference Did the Cross Make to the Roman Centurion? Sermon by Lee Becknell.
• A Centurion’s Confession. Sermon by Eric Reynolds.
• The Centurion at the Foot of the Cross. Article by Max Lucado.
• A Soldier Who Almost Got It Right. Sermon by David Robinson.
