SoulThirst

Good Friday
People throughout history in the church have offered many words regarding the crucifixion and death of Christ. Yet, the crucifixion is the one of two events in human history that are infinitely indescribable- the other event being the birth and incarnation of Christ. Christians have offered up expositions on the gospel accounts of the crucifixion, commentaries on the significance of each detail, and reflections on the applications of the crucifixion to our present lives. However, the death of the Son of God
Is not meant to be expounded upon like any mere text
Cannot be adequately explained in any commentary
And holds much greater significance in cosmic history than merely that which we can apply to our own lives
As we gaze upon the crucified Jesus, our crucified Lord, there is truly only one way to respond that at once captures the mystery and the reality of what has happened.

54When the centurion and those with hum 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

Meditation:
One simple declaration, yet wrapped in that is all we could ever really say about Jesus. It is a simple utterance, and yet it demonstrates a knowledge and recognition that plumbs the depths of our faith. Of all the things to be said about Good Friday, of all the words to be written about the crucifixion, I draw our attention to those seven words of the centurion: “surely, he was the Son of God.” It is a simple enough declaration, one which we believe in our creeds and prayers, and one which is easy for even children to say; we all know that Jesus is the Son of God. Yet, allow yourself to dwell on those words, and the significance behind that confession.

That centurion was probably a Gentile, with no Jewish loyalties or sympathies. He may or may not have known about any of the events leading up to Jesus’ arrest, trial, and flogging. It is very possible that he was just an ordinary soldier, following orders for yet another crucifixion (a form of execution not unique to Jesus’ death). This particular centurion may have crucified people before, and at the very least, he was probably familiar with what crucifixion entailed. There was nothing special about this particular crucifixion at first glance.

And yet, the accounts given in the gospel point to subtle differences between Jesus’ death and that of the common crucifixion victim.
- he refuses a drink containing gall (a painkiller) so that he would remain conscious through the entire process (Matt. 27:34)
- with strength of character, he remained resolutely silent in the presence of his mockers (Luke 23:35-29)
- all of creation responded to this event by darkness and an earthquake (Matt.27:45, 51)
- his final breath was not a defeated exhaling, but a loud cry, full of strength, and fully controlled (Luke 23:46)
- he died intentionally, when he chose to (John 19:33)
This was characteristic of Jesus’ ministry- while he did employ dramatic miracles, the greater miracle is the strength of his character, his humility, and his demonstration that true power is not demonstrated by the means of the world. During his hours on the cross, he was fully aware and fully in control. In the moment when everybody thought that the Son of God had failed, he was still living out the same humble strength that characterized his life.

We do not know exactly what made the centurion recognize Jesus as the Son of God. All we are told is that after seeing everything that had happened, this Gentile, who might not have had any prior exposure to Jesus or his teachings, undeniably declared- publicly- a confession of Jesus’ identity. Nobody had to teach him what to say or how to say it; nobody listed for him “signs by which to identify the Son of God.” He simply knew.

Is Jesus simply a “good idea to believe in”? Do you say that he is the Son of God because it is what Christians are taught to believe? Or perhaps we recognize Jesus’ role in our salvation- He is the Son of God because only the Son of God is sinless and can take away our sin- and so we believe because it is a theological necessity for salvation that we affirm Jesus’ identity. However, most likely none of those thoughts passed through the mind of the centurion. There was only one central thought: by His acts of power, this crucified Man demonstrated his power, a power that can only be wielded by the Son of God.
- There was something in the person of Jesus, a power that could be felt even by standing in the shadow of his crucified body.
- There is a divine quality about how he carried himself through such dark circumstances.
- There was a realization that, whatever it was that the centurion specifically saw and experienced, that it was only God- and the Son of God- that could have been responsible.

God will not be mocked, and his power and reality will not be denied, not even on the cross.

Application:
What have you seen Christ do in your life? Have you encountered something so extraordinary that causes you to fall on your knees in worship and exclaim, “that could only be of God!”

Brennan Manning writes that “grace abounds and walks around the edges of our everyday experience.” Do you believe that God acts in such a way that parts of our daily existence are actually supernaturally charged with God’s activity? The centurion was doing something that came very regularly to him; he was following orders, and for all he knew, was going through another ordinary day on the job. It was ordinary until the moment Jesus breathed his last. At that moment, the pieces came together, and he saw what was going on in its true reality: this was literally an act of God. When have you, in the course of your daily schoolwork, relationships, or job, noticed that there was an “extraordinary” quality about what was going on?

When we affirm with our mouths that “Jesus is the Son of God,” we are making more than a statement of doctrine or mental belief. If Jesus really is the Son of God, it changes how we live. There is no longer anything “ordinary” about our lives anymore. If we say that we believe that God is active in our lives, there is quality of life which makes us see, in every circumstance, the presence of God. Jesus Christ came as God Incarnate, Emmanuel God with us, into the very ordinariness of life.

Do you see him there?
Does your heart respond in worship to what you see God doing, thankfully recognizing- as Jacob did- that “God is in this place, and I was not aware of it!” (Gen.28:16)

Questions:

What can you do to make yourself more aware of God’s activity in your daily life?

How do you respond when you see God at work? Do you take it for granted, or do you worship?

Pray that God will open your eyes and give you spiritual insight to discern His activity in your life

posted by Andy Chang @ 6:07 PM