“Then Jesus, calling out in a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this He breathed His last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’ And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.” – Luke 23:44-49
“And when the centurion, who stood facing Him, saw that in this way He breathed His last, he said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!'” – Mark 15:39
To express our faith in times of trouble and in times of celebration are acts of obedience to the Lord we serve. However, our expressions of faith are more than a source of joy and contentment for us. They are also a testimony to others of who we are in Christ. It is a witness to those who are lost and seeking a Savior. The six hours that Jesus spent on the cross…the way that He suffered, and the things that He said…gave a powerful witness to those that were around the cross. It testified to who He was and revealed to them and to us a God who loves us beyond understanding.
The declaration of the centurion at the foot of the cross is living proof of the effect of the Gospel on someone who observed it being lived out. His job was simple that day… oversee the execution of the criminal element in Jerusalem. A centurion made sure that all who observed this event knew that this was the fate of anyone who resisted Roman rule. Normally the victims of such a death were thieves and little known rebels condemned to be used as examples…but, today was different.
The Scriptures tell us that this centurion was moved by the crucifixion of Jesus. And it tells us that it was the way that He died that convinced this soldier that there was something different about this man. He was there the whole time and most likely heard the same phrases that we have meditated on this last 39 days. He was probably used to hearing curses and screams of pain. He may have even occasionally heard criminals still pleading their innocence, but he had never heard words like these. He had never seen a death like this one.
What was it about the death of Jesus that would have brought such a proclamation from the lips of this foreign officer? Mark tells us that it was the way Jesus “breathed His last”. The focus on the Father and the unwavering commitment to trust Him no matter the circumstances. This loyalty must have earned the respect of this Roman and certainly got his attention.
I offer this to you today, the world is watching you and, believe it or not, they are looking for how your faith impacts your attitudes and your actions. In fact, it is how your faith in God stands in the midst of suffering that has the most meaningful influence. The skeptical and unbelieving people around us are seeking something that can give them strength in a world where sin and suffering are real and effect everyone.
In fact, the Scripture tells us that the greatest demonstration of God’s love for us was that “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). So, maybe it makes perfect sense that the centurion, who was there watching it all happen, recognized that Jesus was “The Son of God”.