Today, I have been thinking of three Roman centurions who stood at the base of the cross that day. I believe each of them made decisions that reflect decisions made by everyone in today's modern world. I think you will understand as I present each centurion for your contemplation, because I believe two made the wrong decision and are in hell today, but one made the right decision and is in heaven.
THE FIRST CENTURION MISSED SALVATION BECAUSE OF DISTRACTION. He was gambling for the seamless coat of Jesus, probably with his back turned on the most important event in human history. There is nothing either moral or immoral about wanting a coat. His problem was that he was distracted from Jesus. Modern Americans have little or no time for Jesus because of their being distracted by sports, family, careers, politics, etc. I believe hell will have huge crowds of people who were actually moral, good people, but people whose attention was on things that in and of themselves were good things but nevertheless kept people from gazing upon the Christ of Calvary.
THE SECOND CENTURION MISSED SALVATION BECAUSE OF A USELESS
DEED. He cast a spear into the lifeless body of Jesus. That was a useless act. It made no sense. A spear is an instrument of combat against a living person. However, he must have despised our Lord so much that he could not restrain himself from this non-productive deed. There are millions who will be in hell because like this centurion they will choose some useless, non-productive sin rather than accepting Jesus as Savior. I believe at the judgment all of heaven's angels will mock them for the choice of a useless sin over the Son of God.
THE THIRD CENTURION MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE BECAUSE HE GOT AS CLOSE TO JESUS AS HE COULD AND ADORED HIM. In Mark 15:39 we are told that this centurion, according to the KJV, got over "against" Jesus. To be so close that you are against someone is to be as near that person as possible. And, once he was there, according to verse 39 of Mark 15, he saw Jesus as he gave up the ghost and then said, "Truly this man was the Son of God."
On this Good Friday, as we ponder the cross, which of these centurions represents you? Are you so distracted by even good things of this world that you have no intimacy with Jesus? Are you too committed to a useless sin that you will not obey our Lord's commands? Or, are you as near to Jesus as possible and adoring him as the Son of God?
Very challenging. Making the right choice is still relevant for us today. We are presented with a choice of a personal relationship with the King of kings or rejecting Him. The consequences are eternal.
ReplyDelete