Surely this was the Son of God!

Sermon notes from Sunday 13 July 2014

Matthew 27 verses 34 – 54

“Surely this was the Son of God”

What was it that moved and motivated this Roman centurion to say these words?  He could have believed that Jesus was the Son of God but had never declared it openly until now.  What influenced him to say it?  3 aspects – what he knew about Jesus, what he saw that day and what he heard that day.  As we go through these points ask yourself – what do you know about Jesus?  .

What he knew about Jesus.  It doesn’t tell us specifically what he knew.  His job for that day was to put to death 3 men on the cross.  He was in charge.  He had some input into how the crosses were made.  Think of the down post and the crossbeam.  That is where our picture of the cross stops.  This is not the picture given in God’s word.  There was an accusation put across Jesus’ head.  Some would say these words were maybe written into the cross but we do know they were written in Greek, Hebrew and Latin.  They were probably written on another crossbeam above Jesus’ head.  Perhaps people could read it clearly from the ground.  The King of the Jews was the title given to him.  Many in the world today want Jesus as Saviour but not King of their lives.  All of our wills, ambitions, plans and desires must be given to him for him to be king of our lives.  Remember the words of the hymn “King of my life I crown thee now.”  Unless he is King we are not bringing the honour he richly deserves.  The old thief on the cross who repented of his sin cried out “remember me (as Saviour) when thou comest into thy kingdom (as King).”  All that was planned that day was planned by God so many years before.  The Roman soldier would have known the accusation of Jesus.  He would also have known about his arrest probably.  It was probably talked about by the soldiers.  John’s gospel tells us when he was arrested and they came to take him Jesus asked them “whom seekest thou?”  Then the scriptures record “the men fell backwards.”(John 18 verses 4 and 6)  That shows Jesus’ power and authority through his voice.  Each one of us will one day find the power and authority of the voice of Jesus when we stand before him in judgement, when he will separate the sheep from the goats.  When Jesus will say “depart from me I never knew you” or when he will say “enter into the rest I have prepared for you.”  That is Jesus’ power and authority being shown.  That power and authority caused his arrest.  Many say he has delayed his coming again but he delayed coming in a familiar story in the Bible when he raised someone from the dead.  He knew a family who lived in Bethany – Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  Lazarus took ill and died one day.  The sisters sent for Jesus but Jesus delayed in coming – why – “so that others would believe.” (John 11 verse 15)  When Jesus arrived in Bethany he told them to take away the stone.  The people said that Lazarus had been dead for so long and his body would stink if they took the stone away.  Jesus then spoke “come forth” to Lazarus“. The scriptures record that “he cried with a loud voice” meaning he yelled (verse 43).  He could have done it with a still small voice but he wanted everyone that stood there to be left in no doubt.  The Bible goes on to say “from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.”(verse 53)  The Roman soldier would have also known about the acclamation Jesus received a few days earlier.  As Jesus was coming into Jerusalem riding on a donkey all the people praised him.  The Roman soldiers would have talked about this too.  Matthew 21 verse 10 “the whole city was moved saying who is this? Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”  Maybe that is why the soldiers mocked him so much as a king.

What he saw.  The centurion saw the greatest day in history with his own 2 eyes.  Only we could imagine it.  How much more blessed are we to understand what was happening that day than they were.  He saw the darkness over the land.  Why was there darkness on that day?  God couldn’t bear sin and therefore he caused darkness to pass over so that sin would not be shown.  Darkness was for our benefit to help us understand the great judgement he was going through in bearing our sacrifice.  Darkness in the bible is a sign of judgement.  Remember the 10 plagues in Egypt – one of them included darkness.  The Israelites did not experience the darkness only the Egyptians.  On the cross Jesus also prayed for his earthly mother.  He said to John “son behold thy mother.”  Notice the love he had and how it was shown clearly on the cross.  The last thing the centurion saw that day was the earthquake.  Jesus used nature to speak as he paid the final debt – Matthew 27 verse 54.

What he heard.  He heard the conversion of a sinner.  The thief opened his heart and mind to accept the Lord as Saviour.  He realised Jesus’ righteousness and his own unrighteousness.  Here was a man who was not going to let Satan believe that death is the end.  Many do believe that today.  We need to focus not only on the here and now but on the Saviour’s everlasting kingdom when Jesus would be king forever.  Remember the Lord’s Prayer – “thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”  He also heard the cry “my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?”  The human heart was feeling the abandonment of God on his soul.  There’s a massive difference between the judgement Jesus bore on the cross for our sin and what we will face if we reject Christ as Saviour.  God has told us in his word that our judgement for sin will be for eternity.  He also heard the words “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.”  It shows Jesus was still in control of his destiny.  “It is finished” was the cry of triumph.  His blood had satisfied Jesus’ judgement.

What this man seen, heard and knew about Jesus caused him to declare he was the Son of God.  Each one of us needs to believe Jesus is our Savour to be sure of a home in heaven one day.