Good Friday Sermon

Scripture

The New International Version (Chapter 23)

Luke 23:47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 23

Certainly this man was righteous Matthew and Mark record the centurion affirming Jesus’ identity as the Son of God (see Matt 27:54; Mark 15:39 and note). By Luke recording the centurion commenting on Jesus’ righteousness, he maintains a connection with the prophecy of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah (Isa 53:11).

Introduction

HERE WE ARE AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY NEARLY 2000 YEARS AGO

AND HUMANITY IN IT’S DEPRAVITY HAVE CARRIED OUT SATANS PLOT AND PLAN AGAINST CHRIST

WE’VE CRUCIFIED THE LORD OF GLORY

AND OUR TEXT SUGGEST THAT A NAMELESS EYEWITNESS ( WHO WE KNOW BY HIS OCCUPATION ) A CENTURION , A CAPTIN OVER A HUNDRED ROMAN SOLDIERS

CATCHES A CASE OF TERETZ AND BLURTS OUT

“SURELY” … THIS WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN

AND THE THEOLOGICAL QUESTION THAT BEGS TO BE ASKED OF THIS TEXT IS ...

HOW DOES HE COME TO THIS CONCLUSION , I MEAN WAS HE A FAN OR A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THE WAY THAT JESUS DIED THAT BROUT HIM TO THIS CONCLUSION

“SURELY”

WITHOUT DOUBT

WITHOUT WAVERING

WITHOUT SKEPTICISM

HE AFFIRMS CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

CAN I SUGGEST THAT IF JESUS’ LIFE WAS A SERMON

THEN THE CENTURIONS COMENT WAS A AMEN

CAN I SUGGEST THAT ,… THIS IS WHERE REPUTATION AND CHARACTER HAVE TO MEET .

THERE MUST BE SOME CONTINUITY

THERE MUST BE A MARRIAGE BETWEEN YOUR REPUTATION AND.... YOUR CHARACTER

BECAUSE IN 1 KINGS 10:7 I BELIEVE THAT THE QUEEN OF SHEBA HAS THE SAME EXPERIENCE AS THE CENTURION IN OUR TEXT

THE QUEEN OF SHEBA SAYS TO SOLOMON I HEARD IN MY OWN COUNTRY.....

OF

YOUR WEALTH

YOUR WISDOM &

YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

AND SHE SAYS ,… I HAD TO SEE FOR MYSELF

AND WHEN SHE CAME TO SEE HIM, SHE SAYS .... ONLY THE HALF WAS TOLD

CAN I RAISE THE RELEVANT QUESTION

IF WE WERE TO COME TO YOUR RESIDENCE TONIGHT, WHAT WOULD YOUR KIDS SAY ABOUT YOU

IF WE WERE TO COME TO YOU RESIDENCE TONIGHT WHAT WOULD YOUR SPOUSE SAY ABOUT YOU

IF WE WERE TO COME TO YOUR JOB ON MONDAY, WHAT WOULD YOUR BOSS SAY ABOUT YOU

SURELY ......

WHAT WOULD THE PERSON IN RUSH HOUR TRAFIC SAY ABOUT YOU.

SURELY...

THAT WAS FOR THE SCHOLAR

THIS IS FOR THE SEEKER AND I TAKE MY SEAT

HE AFFIRMS , THE CENTURION AFFIRMS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

AND IT’S PROVEN ACCORDING TO ISIAH 53:11

JESUS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES HIS ASSIGNED THREE YEARS OF MINISTRY WITH NO SCANDAL

JESUS SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTES THE THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

HE OPERATES AS, AND... ORDAINED APOSTLES

HE OPERATED IN THE PROPHETIC

HE WAS A GREAT TEACHER / PASTOR / & EVANGALIST

AND THE GOSPEL RECORDS THAT ON HIS LAST EXCURSION TO JERUSALEM BEFORE HE FULFILLS HIS PASSION

THAT WHEN HE ENTERS JERUSALEM FOR THE LAST TIME

HE HAS TO ENDURE HYPOCRITICAL PRAISE

IN JESUS’ OWN WORDS … THEY PRAISE HIM WITH THEIR MOUTHS BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM HIM

BECAUSE WHEN HE RIDES IN ON A DONKEY ,

THEY HAIL HIM KING ....AND CRY OUT HOSANA

BUT IN THE NEXT BREATH THEY YELL OUT , ( THE HELL WITH YA )

AND THIS IS WHERE THE HEBREW WRITER PICKS IT UP

AND SAYS

HE ENDURED THE CROSS

DESPISED IT’S SHAME

AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GLORY