Valerie Rae Hanneman
“Should’ve” Easter Series #4
Matthew 27:54 (NIV) “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"”
When I was young there was a church across the street from where I lived. When I was 12 years old, they started advertizing for a Vacation Bible School. It sounded like fun, so every morning my two brothers and I would hurry across the busy street. We had the crafts, the music and the food. The speaker for the week was the pastor of the church. He spoke daily for about 30 minutes, and to be honest, it sounded the same as when he preached on Sonday morning. He preached the same stuff every day - about how Jesus died for our sins because He loved us, and about hell. (He really liked to preach about hell). By Wednesday I was getting a little worried about crossing that busy street because I knew that if I got hit by a truck and I didn’t have Jesus in my heart, I was going to hell. Every day there was an altar call, and every day I resisted going up there out of fear and embarrassment. (I know that you are going to find this hard to believe, but I was terrifyingly shy back then). I could feel a call on my heart that told me to go up there, but I kept thinking that I would do it tomorrow. On Friday the pastor had added another wrinkle to his sermon. “You are not going to hear that little voice forever. God is going to get tired of you saying no, and He is going to quit talking to you.” Well, that was just one pressure to much. Now not only did I have to worry about that truck, I had to worry that God was going to give up on me. I quit resisting, and during the alter call, I asked Jesus into my heart.
The centurion was standing at his post that morning. Another day of death - at least two crucifixions, maybe more. Thank Zeus, he had advanced in rank enough to where he no longer had to actually pound the nails - he just had to supervise. But great Hercules, how he hated the smell of blood and death and it always seemed to be in his nose. With a start, he realizes that Pilate has motioned him forward. “Do what they say,” he orders the Centurion. “Flog Him and crucify Him.” In an undertone Pilate orders the Centurion. “Put a sign over His head. Write ‘King of the Jews’” Never had he seen a more unlikely king. This man was a pitiful figure - from the looks of it, He had already been beaten a couple of times. He motions two soldiers over and they take the king out to the inner courtyard. They bind the man - this Jesus - to the post. The whip snakes through the air, the glass and metal embedded in it catching the light. The man stiffens as the whip takes skin off of Him, and the Centurion turns away at the hoarse cry that comes from Him. ‘Great gods of Olympus,’ he prays, ‘I am so tired of the death business - get me out of this!’ Suddenly his eyes meet Jesus’ eyes. To his shock, this man’s eyes are filled with love and understanding - almost as if He had heard the Centurion’s unspoken prayer. As the flogging nears it’s end, the Centurion remembers Pilate’s sign and directs one of the others to prepare it. “Hey fellas!” the soldier laughs, “we got us the King of Jews here!” Like hyenas they circle Jesus. They mock Him, even to the making of a crown of thorns that they shove down on His head. As fresh blood flows down His face, again their eyes meet, and the Centurion feels shame at the actions of these men under his command. They drag Jesus into the streets, place His cross on His back, and start whipping Him up the street. For some reason he can not explain, the Centurion walks close to Jesus. Jesus stumbles, and stumbles, and stumbles again. Finally, even though the whips are tearing at Him, Jesus cannot get up. The Centurion grabs a man from the crowd and pushes him towards the cross. “Carry it!” he barks. For a moment, the man looks like he might protest, but the look in the Centurion’s eyes stops him. Once again, the Centurion’s eyes meet Jesus’ eyes. He sees eyes filled with pain and exhaustion, he was expecting that - but where is the hatred? Where is the rage? Why does it seem like this man’s eyes are filled with love? Suddenly the Centurion knows that what is happening to this Jesus just isn’t right. This man should not be dying like this. They reach the top of the hill. The two thieves are struggling, fighting, cursing. But not Jesus. In what looks like calm acceptance, Jesus lays there. The nail is placed, the mallet drops, and again, His hoarse cry fills the air. Two more times those cries tear at the Centurion’s heart. The Centurion shakes his head in confusion. He has done hundreds - maybe thousands - of these crucifixions - why is this one getting to him? Why is everything in him telling him that this man should not be dying. The day drags on. With disgust, the Centurion sees his men gamble for Jesus’s clothes. He hears the priests mock Jesus, telling Him that if He comes down from the cross they will believe that He is the Son of God.. Again, almost against his will, he looks up at the dying Jesus and sees love and forgiveness - even now - love and forgiveness. Suddenly, darkness covers the earth. The murmurs from his men show their jumpiness at this unexpected event. Then with a cry, “It is finished” Jesus dies. Suddenly, the earth shakes, knocking the Centurion off balance. He grabs at the cross for balance and as his hand comes away, he sees that it is covered with Jesus’ blood. As his men gather around him in fright, the Centurion looks up at the body of Jesus. What he has seen today comes quickly to mind. “Truly, this Man was the Son of God.”
This battle hardened, heart hardened soldier should have dealt with death as emotionlessly as I boil water. He should have been oblivious to the death of Jesus - it was just another day, just another cross. But there was something about Jesus’ death that was so compelling, so different, that this Centurion made one of the two strong statements of faith on this dark day. Was this a statement of conversion - did it mean that the Centurion was saved on this day? I don’t know - that is between the Centurion and God. But just as I was aware on Wednesday of VBS that I needed Jesus in my heart, maybe on this day the Centurion realized that he needed something more than the death business. I accepted Christ as my Saviors a short time after that Wednesday when I saw my need. I like to think that the Centurion was in the crowd that Peter preached to on Pentecost and saw his need. Or maybe it was a few weeks later when the Centurion continued to hear about a risen Jesus. I like to think that even now, that Centurion strides down the streets of gold. He doesn’t smell death or blood anymore, instead - he smells life.
Peter was Jesus’ disciple, he should have stood for Jesus. But he didn’t. Pilate was the law. He knew Jesus was innocent, he should have done what was just. But he didn’t. Barnabas was a murderer and an insurrectionist. He should have died on that day for his sins. But he didn’t. The Centurion should have ignored the death of Jesus. But he didn’t.
Sometimes the greatest faith comes from the most unexpected sources.
LORD Jesus, I think about the price You paid for me - to bring me back to You - and I am astounded by Your love for me. For all of eternity I will sing my praise and my love for You.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministries of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Posted by Valerie at April 14, 2006 06:37 PM