The Importnace of the cross-Part V

SOLDIER – CONFESSION

“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’” (Matthew 27:54).

“The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God’” (Mark 15:38-39 NIV).

In order to appreciate this confession by the Roman centurion we must first learn a little more about this type of person. A centurion was a person of power and authority who was in charge of anywhere between 60 – 160 men. Centurions were experts at killing. Due to the amount of execution performed under a centurion’s command, they were more than likely very tough and calloused men. That is what is impressive about this moment in the crucifixion drama. This tough man broke down and exclaimed Christ’s divinity. This man who was a representative of strength, power, and position was immediately transformed into a state of utter humility because of the awesomeness of Christ.

As in this example, Christ can penetrate any stronghold erected around a person’s heart. There are many people in the world today that refuse to soften their hearts to experience Christ’s love. People, like the centurion prior to this moment of transformation, live lives of false meaning. When one confesses Christ as Lord and Savior, he or she immediately awakens to the reality of the wonder of God.

Paul states, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways in this world…But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgression – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:1-4 NIV).

The love of Christ conquers ALL!

What strongholds in your life are preventing you from experiencing Christ’s love? Is it cynicism, pride, anger, lust, guilt, greed, obsession, depression, addiction, indifference, or false faith in another god or gods? Make that ultimate confession that Christ is Lord of all and you will see these strongholds come crashing down.

“Christian faith isn’t a general religious awareness. Nor is it the ability to believe several unlikely propositions. It is certainly not a kind of gullibility which would put us out of touch with any genuine reality. It is the faith which hears the story of Jesus, including the announcement that he is the world’s true Lord, and responds from the heart with a surge of grateful love that says: ‘Yes. Jesus is Lord. He died for my sins. God raised him from the dead. This is the center of everything’” (Wright 2006, 209).