Sermon Manuscript: The Centurion

Text: Matthew 27:27-54

Crucifixion was a most shameful way to die. Notice that I did not say most horrific or most painful.
That would probably be saved as a moniker for death by burning. It was not unusual for a crucifixion to be preceded by a brutal beating in order to prepare the body for the hanging. Death could take up to three days and was usually caused by organ failure as a result of suffocation and lack of blood flow. A place was chosen that was well traveled in order to maximize its effect. Crucifixion was the mechanism by which the Roman's controlled the masses that they governed. It didn't take too many of these public spectacles before the people within a region realized that the Roman's meant business. For this reason, crucifixion was the primary means of execution for insurrectionists and enemies of the state. Their very public and shameful death sent a cruel reminder to those who would think about following in their footsteps.

And so it was with Jesus. His charge that prominently displayed above his head on the cross was "king of the Jews" The official charge he was executed for was being an enemy of the state. There could only be one supreme ruler. And "he" must definitely be a Roman. And so it was under this backdrop that the Centurion guard was introduced to Jesus. Jesus was considered an insurrectionist like so many he had seen before. As a member of the praetorian guard, the Centurion was charged with guarding the political figures in Jerusalem that lived in the palace. It was an elite group of men chosen to be trained for the survival and benefit of the Roman empire. And in this case, the Centurion was part of the execution group. An execution that would shake his personal world and change his perspective and had him looking for meaning within these events.

First of all, this execution had a distinctly different flavor than all of those before. Jesus had been through four trials (Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, and then Pilate again to complete). It was obvious that the Romans, his superiors, were not too interested in having this man Jesus put to death. For they did not arrest him and continued to pronounce his innocence in the face of great Jewish upheaval. With all the oppression by Pilate, why on earth would the Jewish people want one of their own, a popular teacher put to death? What could they stand to gain by all of this? What could this mean?

In addition to the issues surrounding his arrest and trial, Jesus himself did not intensely defend himself. Why would a man who appeared to be innocent of the charges leveled against him not put up more of a defense? What was his intention? How did he intend to escape or be freed? Surely this could not make any sense. What could this mean?

After scourging Jesus ,which entailed beating him with a whip that had metal ends, the guards led Jesus away to a place outside the city, a place called Golgotha, or the place of the skull for his execution. The Romans allowed the women of Jerusalem to prepare wine with gall for the prisoners. This was their chance to receive a bit of anesthesia against the hours of hanging to come. And yet Jesus, upon finding out what the potion was, refused to drink it. It was evident that he intended to go through the entire experience fully aware of the circumstance and the pain. What on earth could this mean?

There were two others with Jesus being crucified this day. Both robbers, deserving of their fate by Roman standards. They were placed on a cross and planted on either side of Jesus. They hurled insults at him. Hoping it appeared that if he were the Son of God, he would save himself and somehow in the process they would be saved. But Jesus would have none of this goading. He appeared almost content, to hang upon the cross. In fact, after a while, one of the robbers asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. And Jesus, rather than condemn him for his previous words, told him that 'today, you will be with me in paradies.' What could this mean?

The bizarre events surrounding this execution took a dramatic turn at noon. In the midst of daylight, the entire land turned dark and remained that way until three o-clock in the afternoon. Jesus himself described this event as his God abandoning him upon this tree. But where was the outrage? Where was the cry for mercy? Where was the cry for justice? What could this mean?

At three o-clock, Jesus gave up his spirit. Don't miss this, for it is important. Jesus gave up his spirit instead of his spirit being taken from him. After which the "earth shook, rocks split apart, the curtain in the Temple sanctuary split in two, and the bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead." What could this mean?

Here was a man, who by all outward appearances "lost" his struggle against the Jewish leaders. He lost his close group of disciples as wells as the large legion of people who followed him around the countryside. He lost the group who coronated him just five days ago. He lost all that he had, and then lost his life to a group of people who embodied the injustices that he lived his life attempting to stop. And in the face of all of this apparent losing, the Centurion had a sense, no not sense, a real assurance that this Jesus had won. His body was conquered, that was evident enough. But what was not conquered was his spirit and his will. JESUS HAD REDEFINED THE HUMAN STRUGGLE THROUGH HIS DEATH. HE WAS WILLING TO ACCEPT HIS FATE, BUT HE NEVER ACCEPTED DEFEAT. THE ROMANS HAD KILLED HIS BODY WITHOUT TOUCHING HIS SOUL. HE HAD OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOODNESS.

NAU Deuteronomy 21:23 (a)his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for (b)he who is hanged is (1)accursed of God), so that you (c)do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.

Ironic that Jesus chose to hang on a tree and be accursed of God so that others would not be. Ironic that the evil that attempted to destroy him was left impotent out of his goodness.

Instead of the guards conquering Jesus, it was Jesus who in the end conquered them by gracefully accepting his fate and showing that the worst they had for him could not destroy him. And as a result of this entire experience, the Centurion and others around him FINALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT ALL THIS MEANT. This Jesus was much more than simply King of Jews as it read above his cross; He was truly the Son of God.

It is easy to misunderstand or even underestimate the significance of this statement. Caesar Augustus considered and named himself the "Son of God" which was incorporated by Tiberius, his chosen successor, upon his death. For the Roman soldier to acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God, he was in fact replacing his own ruler with this Jewish person who he just put to death. And ironically, he had just put Jesus to death for being the "King of the Jews."

Were you there? is the question we have been asking over the last six weeks. We have been looking at things we can learn from those who played an instrumental part in the last week of Christ. So, what can we learn from this episode? It matters how we suffer. I know it sounds awful to say this, but the world wants to see how we accept and deal with life when it is less than rosy. The world may listen to our words, but the world will definitely listen to our actions. Jesus had no conversation with the Centurion that we know about. He did not have a relationship from which to share the truths about God. His only interaction was a passive one in which the Centurion saw how Jesus died, and it changed his perspective.

We have looked at James 1:2-4 two times during this Lenten season. Let me remind you what it says,
James 1:2-4 says it like this, "consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Not wanting to be heretical, but let me add another statement to James'. God uses trials and temptations to not only grow us into maturity, and God uses trials and temptations to reach others. I want to encourage those of you who are in the midst of trials and temptations at this moment to carry on. For in the end, you are being made whole, and in the end, your witness is having a profound effect upon those around you. You may not see it. You may never know it, but believe me when I tell you it is so.

Secondly, with God, hindsight is never too late. This roman Centurion. This executioner. Felt compelled to speak the truth about Christ by saying he was the Son of God. Rather than feeling judged or condemned by Jesus, this statement shows that the soldier was brought closer to him. Close enough for him to know the truth and to utter it for all to know. Is this not just unbelievable? If you are here this morning having been a party to something against all morality, let me encourage you that it is not too late. Jesus died on the cross not to condemn you, but to give you the chance to live in victory. You too have the opportunity to utter the words that Centurion did, 'surely he is the Son of God.' And surely he will meet you at the point of your greatest need. With God, hindsight is never too late. With God it is better late than never. May today be the last of the later for you and for me!