Hark 15:39...And when the centurion who stood facing him,saw
that he so cried out, and gave up the s p i r i t , he said surely
t h i s m a n i s t h e S o n o f G o d . ;
S U R E L Y
One man, and one man only is w h o l l y competent to tell us the
story of the death ofJesus. That man is this roman centurion.
-It was this c e n t u r i o n , who sent his band of men across the
brook Kedron in the soft m o o n l i g h t to arrest Jesus.
-It was this centurion who guarded Jesus as he was lead to
the house of C a i a p h a s , and then marched him as a dangerous
rebel, first to the Palace of P i l a t e , and then to the High
R i s e of Herod, and back to the Palace of P i l a t e .
-It was this centurion that overheard the strange p a r l e y i n g
between Jesus and Pilate.(Are you a king? ..John 18;33-38).
-It was this centurion that s u p e r i n t e n d e d the scourging of Jesus.
-It was the centurion, who looked on when the soldiers mocked him
-It was by the l i p s of this centurion that the message of
P i l a t e s wife reached the governors ears. It was from the
l i p s of this centurion, that Simon of Cyrene (A man of
Afrocentic ethnicity) was to help with the cross of Jesus.
At his word of command the glittering spears began to move
along the way to Calvary.
-It was this centurion that saw that the n a i l s were driven in
his hand, and then stood with watchful eye and open ears, in
the strength of his roman discipline, and marked how Jesus died.
Of t h i s man we know nothing certainly until he stands in the
light of the dying face of Jesus.
-That he,was a soldier assures us of the ingrained habit of
obedience, a man with perfect courage, a man of unflinching loyalty,a man of honesty, and a greatly s i m p l y heart.
-That he was a Roman S o l d i e r , suggest to us that he belonged
to the lost dauntless army the world has known, in fact their
deeds of valor went back through an almost unbroken record
of success through seven centuries.
-That he was a centurion tells us that he was a man in middle
life,a man who had seen service, and had risen through
merit to his high command. It may be safely said that among
the centurions of the Roman army, he was said to be the very
flower of honor and chivalry. A Colon Powell, so to speak.
However, Let us examine, and interview the man that commited the crucial crime of mankind. Come and go with me back to Golgotha's
Hill. While we are there. Let us attenuate the setting of ONE who CURSED JESUS, ONE WHO CAME TO JESUS, AND THE ONE THAT CRUCIFIED JESUS.
Tradition speak of the thief on the cross as the only convert to Jesus. However according to Matthew 12:v34c says out of the abundance of the heart a man speaketh. Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Roman 10:9 that if thou shall confess with thou mouth the Lord Jesus
and believe God hath raised Jesus from the dead, Thou shall be saved. And this time, this centurion speaks, he say 'TRULY THIS IS THE SON OF GOD'-HE MAKES AN EXCLAMATION!,A DECLARATION AND AN IDENTIFICATION!
a. Exclamation-Surely
b. Declaration - T h i s was
c. Identification - THE S O N OF GOD
So there was ONE that cursed Jesus
there was ONE that crucified Jesus
and there were TWO that CAME to Jesus-66 1/3%
came to know him. Stay with me.
Let us look at the CRUEL OFFENSE.
An offense that is so cruel that
c r i m i n a l justice system..
it was outlawed by the criminal justice system.
Matthew 27 v.26...Then release he (the centurion) unto them;
and when he (the centurion) had scourged Jesus; he (the
centurion) delivered him (Jesus) to be crucified. The cruel
offense is that he (the centurion) turned him (JESUS) over
causally, calmly, and criminally, and he though so little of
it that in verse 5 4 says that he sat down, and watched him die there.
THERE-where Abraham worshipped
THERE -Jeremiah wept
THERE-Isiah prophesied.
THERE-Solomon built his temple
THERE-where David wrote and played his psalms
THERE where the widow gave her mite.
THERE where Peter denied Him
THERE where Thomas doubted him.
Luke 23:33..There they crucified him.
There at the center of the earth
There they watched him, There.
There they committed the cruel offense and then they sat down and watched him die.They sat down and became casual observers.
When one becomes a casual observer of anything , they run the
risk of changing his or her o p i n i o n . They run the risk
of changing their minds and o p i n i o n s about people, possessions,prospectives, and problems, once we become careful and casual observers .
Here is a man, (the centurion) who came to participate in
the execution and the crucifixtion of the life giver King,
and though so little about it, that he sat down and watched
h i m die.
But. while while he was sitting there, as a casual observer.
He came up with the third point that was offered, which is a CONCLUSION that was offered.
Now anyone who takes a real good look at Jesus, will cease their cruel offenses and will offer the conclusion of SURELY. (I am sure he went home and told his wife what had happen was!)
Let us sit down and watch Jesus for a while. Let us be the centurion for a while, let us watch and take a real good look and take a careful and causal observation.
John 1:9-14. .. Jesus is the true Light which lighted every
man or women that cometh into the world. He was in the world,
and the world was made by him, and the world did not
know there maker. He came to his own and his own relatives
and kin folks wanted nothing to do with him. But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the children
of God, even to them that believed on His name. He who was
born not -of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jesus healed the sick at the will of God
Jesus gave sight to the blind at the will of God
Jesus unstopped deaf eyes.
Jesus changed water to wine
Jesus feed the hungry
Jesus preached the gospel to poor folks
Jesus healed the brokenhearted
Jesus preached deliverance to the captive
Jesus preached until those that were bruised by their friends
and there enemies were set at liberty.
You may be a murderer l i k e Moses.
Father forgive them
You may be an adulterer l i k e David
you may be ... what soever you maybe.
Its At the Cross..At the cross...
Church , I am uncertain about many things.There are many things I am not sure of....
-I am not sure About htis years election.
-I am not sure when Apartheid will be over
-I am not sure if the dollar will hold its value.
-I am not sure about this economy
-I am not sure if your best friend will be faithful.
-I am not sure about a lot of things But if you would ask me, If there is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul. My answer would be SURELY
-If you were to ask me if He is a lawyer that has never lost a case. My answer would be SURELY.
If you were to aske me if a woman with five husband can become a soul winner for Christ. My answer would be SURELY.
iF YOU WERE TO ASK ME WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL AND THERE IS NO OTHER FORCE TO CALL ON BUT GOD Can I go to my secret closet and Call HIM. My answer would be SURELY.
-If you were to ask me if God can Take a crooked stick and hit a straight 1ick
-If you were to ask me if God would send his only begotton son into the world to save a sinner like me, my answer would be SURELY
-If you were to ask me if God would raise His Son Jesus from the dead on the third day. My answer would be SURELY
If you were to ask me if Jesus was risen with all power in His hands including the keys of death and hades in his hands. My answer would be SURELY.
If you were to ask me if Jesus is coming back again? My answer would be SURELY.
-If you were to ask me if he can speak to the
raging seas in our l i v e s . My answer would be SURELY
-If you were to ask me if he is water in dry places
-If you were to ask me when its all over down
have a heavenly place of abode..SURELY
-1 -1 -1 w i l l get up! on one glad morning when this life is over
-I will Fly away
SURELY, SURELY, SURELY, He is the SON OF GOD...
Mark 15:39...And when the centurion who stood
him,saw that he so cried out, .and gave up the ghost. He s a i d surely this man is the Son of God.
SURELY
