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. 

Prayer In The Morning – Psalm 5:3

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”

Psalm 5 is considered a prayer for guidance.  What better time to ask for guidance than before we do anything in the morning.  I am not saying do not pray other times in the day, or at night.  No, those prayers are necessary.  Prayer at night though, is usually associated with the troubles that weigh us down by the end of the day, it is usually about something unsolved.  If we do not pray and turn that issue over to God, then sleep will elude us.  In Psalm 4, King David prays at night over his terrible distresses.  As we see in the last verse after he has given his trouble over to God, “I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”  (Psalm 4:8)

How important it is to start our day in the counsel of the LORD.  When you are serving God, you will have troubles.  What?!?  Did you think that when you became a Christian, there would be no more troubles?  If you are a servant of God, you can expect to encounter troubles from the enemy.  Jesus said “If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of this world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)  Because you love Jesus, and especially if you are boldly serving Him, the world will make you its enemy.  It is not about you, it is all about Jesus.  “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (John 15:21)

King David’s troubles came from those who did not follow God.  In this Psalm, he gives us an example of what we should pray for as we began our day of service to the Lord.  “Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies, make Your way straight before my face.”  (Psalm 5:8)  David wants to follow God’s way, but is distracted by his enemies.  It is the same for all of us. 

“An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. While the dew is on the grass, let grace drop upon the soul.” (Charles Spurgeon)  Ask God to wake you up early so you can seek His counsel in the quiet of the morning.  Let God be the first to hear your voice in the morning.  Look up and know the God whom you serve is always ready to direct your ways.  All you need to do is ask and listen.

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

All the Saints With Him – Zechariah 14:5

 “Thus the LORD my God will come, and all the saints with Him.”

These last chapters of Zechariah describe ‘that day’ when the Lord is coming.  It describes how Jerusalem will be attacked by an international force and that at some point, the Lord says He will step in and fight against those nations.  “Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle.  And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east.  And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley.” (Zechariah 14:4)  This valley is described in scripture as a way of escape. 

In the midst of this description of the Lord’s coming, we get a glimpse of who comes with Him.  Glory be to God that He will bring His saints with Him!  It is so good to know – whether we die and go to be with Jesus, or are raptured to be with Jesus – once we are with Jesus we will ALWAYS be with Jesus.  “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Jesus loves us so much that He wants us with Him all the time.  He died for our sins so that He could clothe us in His righteousness.  Why?  Because He wants us to be with Him for eternity.  Whether Jesus is in Heaven or He comes to make His claim on the earth, He wants us with Him.  Here are some other scriptures of this beautiful picture of the Lord coming to earth with His saints:

“When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”  (Colossians 3:4)

“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”  (Revelation 19:14)

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,” (Jude 14)

“Christ will appear again. He is now hid; and the heavens must contain him; but he will appear in all the pomp of the upper world, with his holy angels, and in his own glory and his Father’s glory.  We shall then appear with him in glory. It will be his glory to have his redeemed with him; he will come to be glorified in his saints; and it will be their glory to come with him, and be with him for ever.  At the second coming of Christ there will be a general meeting of all the saints; and those whose life is now hid with Christ shall then appear with Christ in that glory which he himself enjoys.  Do we look for such a happiness, and should we not set our affections upon that world, and live above this?”  (Matthew Henry)  We are to encourage each other with the future that Jesus has for us.  A victorious future with Him.  There is a time coming when our Righteousness King will reign, and this gives us great hope.

But Jesus is not keeping us at arm’s length in the meantime.  Through His Holy Spirit, He is right here with us.  Jesus sees all and misses nothing.  He hears every prayer and knows all of our troubles.  While we are currently limited by our unglorified bodily form, or earthly tabernacle as the apostle Paul called it, we do not have to wait until we die or are raptured to start spending eternity with Jesus.  “We are told to seek those things which are above, and set our mind on things above. But how do we practically seek and set?  By spending time in the Word of God.  By spending time in prayer.  By spending time with things that build us up in God instead of merely entertaining us.  By gathering with others in the Lord.” (David Guzik)

One of the wonders of spending more time in prayer, the Word, worship, thanksgiving and serving is that you will long even more for the coming of our Savior.  You will lose your desire for the things of this world and you will desire the things of God. “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”  (2 Corinthians 5:8)  Furthermore, it will help make you ready for the day you meet Jesus.  “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  (Matthew 24:44)

Are you ready?  Is your family ready?  Are your friends ready?  “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”  Amen.  Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”  (Revelation 22.20)  “When will Jesus return?  No one can say.  Maybe today.  Maybe tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe next century.  No one knows the hour He will descend from the clouds in great glory.  But make no mistake.  He is coming!”  (Charles Stanley)

If you are not sure you are ready for Jesus to come, leave us a comment with a phone number.  We will keep your comment and contact information private.

May you make yourself ready for the next coming of Jesus, and then may you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.