The Guards Who Saw Jesus Crucified There were many spectators - TopicsExpress



          

The Guards Who Saw Jesus Crucified There were many spectators at Jesuss crucifixion, but none were as unlikely to be changed by that event as the Roman soldiers. These military men were the type of people whose lives were immersed in violence. They’d seen countless criminals beaten, tortured and crucified just as Jesus was. To them, He was simply another criminal who deserved to die. But that day, they realized He was different. These Roman soldiers were probably some of the same men who earlier mocked Jesus. Instead of fighting back or condemning them, Jesus prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Jesus chose to love instead of retaliate. We don’t know what became of those soldiers or if their lives changed after that moment. But we do know they faced a decision that day. They had to decide what to do with Jesus, and they admitted, “Surely He was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). The soldiers story reminds us that Jesus interrupts our routines and changes our minds. In the midst of performing their jobs as torturers and guards, Jesus’s presence affected them. When God gets involved in our lives, we are forced to make a decision: What will we do with Jesus? 1) Who in your life would you consider unlikely to believe in Jesus? Will you pray for that person now? 2) How has God gotten involved in your life? When have you sensed His presence with you? 3) How has Jesus changed your mind? Matthew 27:45-54 Matthew 27:45-54 MSG 45-46 From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around midafternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “ Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? ” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” 47-49 Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked in sour wine and lifted it on a stick so he could drink. The others joked, “Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s see if Elijah comes and saves him.” 50 But Jesus, again crying out loudly, breathed his last. 51-53 At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. What’s more, tombs were opened up, and many bodies of believers asleep in their graves were raised. (After Jesus’ resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.) 54 The captain of the guard and those with him, when they saw the earthquake and everything else that was happening, were scared to death. They said, “This has to be the Son of God!” Mark this reading as completed on YouVersion Email Subscription Settings This plan was provided by... We would like to thank NewSpring Church for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: newspring.cc
Posted on: Sat, 14 Jun 2014 19:32:00 +0000

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