puricarexfiles: SURELY THIS WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN - The centurion heard every word that Jesus spoke and, when Jesus took His last breath, the centurion gave glory to God When we trusted in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we too glorified God and declared Jesus is the only Righteous Man.

Surely This Was a Righteous Man

What caused the centurion to say: “Surely This Was a Righteous Man”

by Shari Abbott, Reasons for Hope* Jesus

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Listening to an online sermon many years ago, I heard a song about the seven sayings of Jesus from the cross.

(You’ll get a chance to hear the song below, but first consider what the centurion saw, heard and thought).

The words of the song are from the perspective of the centurion who stood at the foot of the cross and saw all that happened on the day Jesus was crucified.

The centurion heard every word that Jesus spoke and, when Jesus took His last breath, the centurion gave glory to God (Luke 23:47).

He looked upon Jesus hanging lifeless on the cross and accurately summed up all that he had seen with a proclamation of, “surely this was a righteous man.”

What changed the centurion? Did his heart begin to change when he heard the first thing Jesus spoke?

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Did those words cause the centurion to begin to wonder, who is this man?

Did the centurion stand in awe of Jesus, upon whom so much pain had been inflicted and who now faced imminent death, and wonder how He could ask His God to forgive the people who brought this about?

How could anyone experiencing such excruciating pain think of anyone other than Himself.

And how could He possibly ask that they be forgiven? What kind of man was this who thought more of others than of Himself?

Did this cause confusion in the mind of the centurion … and did it provoke him to wonder?

Or was it Jesus’ interaction with one of the two thieves who were also being crucified?

Did that cause a change in the centurion? The thief hung on the cross next to Jesus and he admitted his guilt and then called out to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

Jesus responded with mercy and grace, and a promise of eternal life with Him: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Did Jesus’ love, mercy and grace cause the centurion to pause and ponder what was happening before his eyes?

Or was it the love Jesus expressed for His mother and His friend? (John 19:26-27)

Or the unexplained darkness upon the land for three hours? (Matthew 26:45; Mark 15:33)

Was the centurion astonished that Jesus, having been scourged to the point of near-death, could still be alive and still be able to think and speak?

Was the centurion amazed when he heard Jesus declare His moment of death with a loud cry, proclaiming “it is finished?” (John 19:30)

We know what the centurion saw and heard, but we do not know what he thought. We also don’t know exactly what is was that opened his eyes to see the crucified Lord and opened his ears to hear the words of Jesus.

What was it that turned his heart?

The Book of Romans tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

… and this centurion heard the words of God, the words of Jesus — the second Person of the Trinity.

Jesus repeatedly petitioned those to whom He spoke, “he that hath an ear, let him hear.”

This centurion had a hearing ear.

The centurion heard everything that transpired on the cross that day, and then his eyes were opened … and he saw Jesus.

“… when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, ‘Surely this was a righteous man.’” (Luke 23:47)

We Were Blinded “Centurions,” But Now We See

At one time, we were all like that centurion.

He experienced the three hours of darkness which was black as night. (Luke 23:44)

Before Jesus saved us, we lived in the darkness unable to see. But, just like the centurion, when the darkness lifted and our eyes were opened … we saw Jesus.

We saw Him already loving us, willing to forgive us, and wanting to welcome us into His kingdom.

Just like the centurion, we heard God speak, we heard Jesus speak. We also saw ourselves, our unrighteousness, our sins, and our need for a Savior.

When we trusted in Jesus’ finished work on the cross, we too glorified God and declared Jesus is the only Righteous Man.

Help Others to Hear and See

Help the unrighteous to see Jesus and to hear His words.

Help them to understand their need of a Savior.

Pray that the eyes of their understanding will be enlightened (Ephesians 1:18).

And that they will hear what the centurion heard, and what we have heard.

Pray that they will see what the centurion saw, and what we have seen.

Pray that they will see the Righteous Man, who gave Himself that they might be saved.

And pray that they will respond in the same way as the centurion of old.

Surely This Was a Righteous Man

Years ago when I heard this song in a sermon, I was so moved by the lyrics that I clipped the audio file.

I don’t remember who preached the sermon, or at what church this song was sung.

The sermon is lost, not likely to ever surface amidst all my computer files, but I still have the song clip. It always comes to mind at this time of year and the words echo in my ears and “bring me to the cross.”

Put yourself at the foot of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.

See Jesus hanging there, naked, covered in blood, His skin ripped from the scourging and His hands and His feet pierced by nails.

Hear Jesus as He continued to minister to His people, with seven statements uttered through His passion.

Watch with the centurion, and see the man, Jesus of Nazareth, as He hung on the cross, spoke His last words, took His last breath and surrendered His Spirit to God His Father.

Join with the centurion and proclaim, “surely this was a righteous man.”

Are you struggling with a big decision or wondering how your eternal future will play out?

Why not talk to the God of the universe and let Him work in your behalf?

He says, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).

Ask God to show you what to do. Pray the following prayer:

“Heavenly Father,

I admit that I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and begin a new life with You.

Please forgive me. I now receive your Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and confess that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.

I want to receive all that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).

I believe and confess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, but by Him.

Lord Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You that you have given me eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am born again.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is in me now. I surrender my life to You. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.

Use me for Your glory.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”