Confession of a Centurion – Mark 15:39

“So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this Man was the Son of God!’”

The centurion was a man familiar with death.  He had experience in seeing men die, probably by his own hand in battle, maybe even his own men from the enemy, but certainly from the people he had crucified.  He knew death could be tortuously slow or could happen in an instant without warning.  So why was his experience with the death of Jesus so different than the others he had observed?  What transpired that made such a hardened man, who was responsible for carrying out the crucifixion, exclaim aloud ‘truly this Man was the Son of God!’?

Part of it could have been the three hours of darkness preceding the death of Jesus.  In the account in Luke, there was darkness that was then followed by the sun being obscured.  “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened” (Luke 23:44-45a).  That was difficult and certainly could have bothered the centurion.

Add to that, the centurion had never observed someone with such control over their own death.  Doctors say that death by crucifixion comes from suffocating.  The body is hung in such a way that the victim must push from the feet to take a breath of air.  Breathing would be painful labor.  Speaking would require great effort.  Yet – “And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.” (Mark 15:37)  The centurion watched Jesus cry out with a strong voice and the next moment give up his life.  This was unique.

But I imagine, even more than the darkness and the control over His own death, was the love that Jesus showed to the centurion.  How did Jesus show the centurion love?  Forgiveness.  “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’  And they divided His garments and cast lots.” (Luke 23:33-34)  Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified Him. 

“The centurion looked at the crosses and stood vigil as death reduced them to a mass of lifeless flesh.  Yet one victim seemed unlike any the veteran soldier had ever seen.  This man didn’t fight as the others had.  Nor did He beg or curse, condemn or plead for mercy.  In fact, He did something that tore at the centurion’s heart.  He forgave.  In all his career, only Jesus had ever offered the centurion mercy.  Even though he stood for everything that put Christ on that cross, Jesus forgave him.”  (Charles Stanley)

My dear friends, we live in a world full of darkness, a world full of sin.  Jesus took that darkness on Himself for our sake.  He freely gave His life so that we who believe in Him could have eternal life.  He now sits at the right hand of God and intercedes in prayer on our behalf.  I pray that you look upon Jesus as the centurion did.  Regardless of your past, Jesus will forgive you.  You are not beyond His grace.  He loves you so much He died for you. 

What is your confession about Jesus?

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Forgiving Others – Mark 11:25

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”

Jesus had just explained to the disciples what can be done with prayer after Peter had pointed out that the tree which Jesus cursed was withered away.    Jesus tells them to have faith in God.  He assures them that mountains can be moved by prayer.  He tells them that whatever things they ask and believe they will receive, indeed they will have them.  And then He tags on this requirement of forgiveness.  ‘If you have anything against anyone, forgive him.’  In other words, you must forgive everyone of everything.  No one and nothing is exempted. 

This is no easy thing.  The world we live in today affords us too many occasions to be unforgiving.  There are so many opportunities for others to do wrong to us.  It could begin within your family.  The family should be the safest place on earth.  Yet a sibling, parent or child can say the most hurtful things.  It could be more than emotional abuse, it could be physical as well.  Maybe a spouse cheated on you.  Maybe somebody said something mean about you on Facebook.  There could be politics at a place of employment where people have flat out lied about us.  And politics?  The talking heads seem to want us all to be divided and hate each other.  Further, we have all encountered mean people during our commute or at a store or gas station, or at school.  And talk about mean people, what about terrorists who are killing Christians around the world?  The level of hate they foster is unfathomable.

Yet we are not to have anything against anyone, anywhere.  We are to forgive all.  This may seem impossible.  It is clearly not the way of the world.

The word forgive used in this passage is ‘aphiemi’ in the Greek (Strong’s 863) and means ‘to send away, to let go, let alone, let be, to give up a debt, to give up, to keep no longer, to leave, abandon.’  When we forgive, truly forgive, we are letting go of the issue, giving it up, we abandon it.  Therefore, when we do not forgive, we are hanging on, keeping it close, calling out the debt, we are continuing to live in the midst of resentment.  Visualize hanging on tight to something, and that something is what you have against someone.  Why do we clutch it like it was something precious?  Because we say that person does not deserve our forgiveness.  That person needs to suffer for how they wronged us.  That person is not worthy of forgiveness. 

Unforgiveness is unhealthy, it is hard work, and it never hurts the person you have not forgiven, it only hurts you.  All of the anger and resentment from unforgiveness must be hauled around with us, into every relationship, into every day, and into every night.  Unforgiveness is a poison that Satan can use against us.  He can use it to ruin our health.  He can use it to ruin our relationships with people.  He can use it to make us ineffective in witnessing or ministering to others.  He can use it to interfere in our relationship with God.  It has proven to be a great weapon in the hands of the enemy.

Can you see yourself gripping tightly to unforgiveness?  Visualize letting go.  Your hands open, your fingers relax, and you set free the subject that has exhausted you and controlled you for so long.  You close your eyes, the tension leaves you, and you are overwhelmed with a sense of peace.  There is a large sign on Highway 70 in New Mexico with huge letters that simply reads 'FORGIVE.'  It is not something I see everyday, so I forget it is there.  As I turn the corner and I see it afresh, my reaction is to remember how I have been forgiven.  Then I exhale and let go of anything I have against others.  It is a purifying exercise that results in a joyful sense of peace.  I highly recommend it!  And I must say that I am thankful to the person that put that sign there.

Forgiveness is important to God.  He has done so much to forgive us.  We did nothing to be worthy of His forgiveness.  We do not deserve it.  And who suffered for our wrongs against God?  Jesus suffered.  When we accept His gift of grace, the forgiveness from God, we are to remember how undeserving we were and forgive others.  We are to be like Him.  “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  (Matthew 6:14-15) 

Do not worry about punishment of the person that wronged you.  It is not for you to make them suffer.  Leave it in the hands of God, trust Him.  Who better to exercise perfect judgment?  “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”  (Romans 12:19)

I am not saying that forgiving means that trust is restored.  We can forgive someone, maintain a relationship and still have discernment from God that the person is not trustworthy.

I am also not saying it is easy, that it may not take time, or that you will not let it go only to try to pick it back up again.  But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can forgive and let go.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can resist picking it up again.  It is supernatural.  We can live without bitterness.  “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”  (Hebrews 12:15)

When Jesus said ‘stand in prayer,’ He was not talking about a physical position. The Greek word for stand in this passage is ‘stēkō,’ (Strong’s 4739) and means to stand firm, persevere, to persist.  Jesus is talking about persistent prayer.  Friend, are you persisting in prayer for a loved one to see the saving grace of Jesus Christ?  Are you persevering in prayer for the healing of someone?  Do your prayers seem ineffectual?  Ask yourself honestly, and ask God to show you, whether you have anything with anyone that is unforgiven?  God takes this seriously.  He has forgiven us much, so much, and He expects us to forgive others.  If we have not forgiven, we cannot be called righteous.  “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”  (James 5:16b)

Jesus was the perfect lamb that was slain so that our sins could be forgiven.  He was raised from the dead three days later.  This same Jesus wants you to forgive, so you will have peace.  Jesus wants you to let go and leave the judgment to God.  He wants you to forgive so you can have a spiritually fruitful life.  Jesus also wants you to forgive, so when you stand in prayer, mountains will be moved. 

May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.