March 29 2026

Havasu Christian Church               

March 29, 2026

“Faces at the foot of the Cross.”       

The centurion

INTRO:  Our final “face at the foot of the cross” seems to be someone that it would be difficult to learn much from… at least in the sense of “what does God want from me in my life.”  But there is actually much we can learn from this man’s experience!  Our final “face at the foot of the cross” is the Roman Centurian in charge of the men who put Jesus to death.

1. What was a Centurian?

From: Roman-Britain.co.uk The real commanders of the men at drill, on the march or in battle were the men in charge of the centuries, the sixty centurions of each legion.

They were, in the main, expert swordsmen and professional soldiers, promoted from the ranks by the Imperator as men of conspicuous sobriety, loyalty, courage, and capacity for leadership. The centurion was identified by the transverse crest of feathers on his helmet.

They may be compared to our higher non-commissioned officers and warrant officers in station and education and to our captains in respect to command. There were different grades or classes in their own hierarchy to and from which they could be promoted. As these different roles show, the term centurion covered a range of different ranks in today’s terms, rather than being what we would recognize as a single role.

The centurion in the infantry is chosen for his size, strength and dexterity in throwing his missile weapons and for his skill in the use of his sword and shield; in short for his expertness in all the exercises.

1. A Centurian was a battle-hardened man, who has moved up through the ranks to a position of authority.
2. He hasn’t gained his position because of connections, he’s earned it.
3. He is a man of responsibility.
4. He is a warrior.
5. A Centurian is not likely to be fooled; he is not likely to be easily frightened.
6. He will do whatever it takes to fulfill his duty.

1. The Centurian witnessed some amazing things.

Luke 23:33–34 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

1. The Centurion witnesses Jesus, asking the Father to forgive them.
2. “they do not know what they are doing.”
3. I doubt this was a typical statement heard at a crucifixion.
4. More often, I suspect they would be cursed at and spit at!
5. There would be cries of agony… but not forgiveness!
6. Apparently, this had little effect on the men.
7. They continue to gamble for Jesus’ clothes.
8. The Centurian witnesses Jesus’ interaction with those being crucified with Him.

Luke 23:43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

1. The Centurion witnesses the other two men being crucified verbally attacking Jesus.
2. He sees the change of heart in the one man.
3. He sees the forgiveness given by Jesus! 
4. The Centurian witnesses the 3 hours of darkness.

Luke 23:44–45  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

1. By Jewish reckoning, 6th hour = about noon.
2. By Jewish reckoning, 9th hour = about 3 pm.
3. Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention this.
4. This is not a typical time to have darkness.

Darkness = Skotos. Plain old darkness… How dark?

Obscured=Ekelipo: to end - verb. to have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical.

to fail (disappoint) — verb. to disappoint, prove undependable to; to have a state or process cease.

to run out — verb. to become used up; be exhausted.

Ekliepo… From this word we get the word eclipse.

1. This may be total darkness.
2. It may be darkness like during an eclipse
3. Either way, it lasts 3 hours.
4. This would grab your attention!!!
5. The Centurian witnessed an earthquake!

Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

1. By itself, this might not be a big deal, but along with everything else that is happening, I’d say it is pretty scary!

I found this online, and did some digging… I’m not going to tell you it MUST be believed… It’s not Scripture… but it IS certainly interesting!

This is an excerpt from, Geological Evidence Supports the Account of the Earthquake at Jesus’ Crucifixion.  by Jason Ashe

The Gospels record that extraordinary events took place at the moment of Jesus’ death—events rooted in real history. In the Gospel of Matthew 27, we are told that when Jesus died, “the earth shook and the rocks split.” This is not presented as symbolism, but as a physical event witnessed at the time of the crucifixion. The question is: does any evidence outside the Bible support this claim?

In recent decades, geologists studying sediment layers in the Dead Sea region have identified clear evidence of a significant earthquake occurring between 30 and 35 A.D.—the exact timeframe of the crucifixion under Pontius Pilate. These findings, published and reviewed by multiple scientists, confirm seismic activity in Judea during this period. While geology cannot pinpoint the exact day, it does establish that a real earthquake struck the region at precisely the time the Gospel describes.

Historical sources outside the Bible provide additional support. Ancient writers, including Phlegon of Tralles and references preserved by Sextus Julius Africanus, mention a significant earthquake occurring during the reign of Emperor Tiberius in the early first century. These accounts are important because they come from outside the New Testament tradition, yet still acknowledge unusual seismic activity in the same general timeframe.

Taken together, the evidence is compelling. The Gospel of Matthew records an earthquake at the moment of Jesus’ death. Geological data confirms an earthquake in the region within the correct window of time. Non-Christian historical sources also refer to seismic disturbances during this period. While no single piece of evidence stands alone, the convergence of Scripture, science, and history forms a powerful case. The crucifixion account is not detached from reality—it is anchored in real events that left their mark on both the earth and the historical record.

*** Update: Geologist Jefferson Williams responded to Bible History Daily about the online attention given to the geological study. Bible History Daily has updated the article to reflect his commentary, and has copied a portion of his comment here that clarifies the initial report:

“I am the primary author of the research article and the original Discovery Article grossly misrepresented our work… Our article had very little to do with the date of the crucifixion. The article discussed Earthquake Geology and primarily how we arrived at a date for this earthquake (31 AD +/- 5 years). Because of uncertainties associated with the text of Matthew 27, we departed from previous Dead Sea Paleoseismology and dated the earthquake based purely on what we saw in the sediments. We then used an article by Humphreys and Waddington to compare our earthquake date with the date range of the crucifixion and the two years most commonly cited; 30 AD and 33 AD. If I had a do-over, I never would have mentioned those years since the only relevant textual information for our 3 conclusions was the date range of 26-36 AD. We are not New Testament Scholars and did not try to add textual information to come up with an exact date. Unfortunately, that was the impression of the Discovery article and this spread all over the internet.”

1. The Centurian witnessed Jesus’ death!

Matthew 27:50–54 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51      And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

52      The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

53      and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

54      Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

1. How many of the other events were witnessed by the Centurian, we have no way of knowing.
2. The Veil, torn top to bottom?
3. No way for him to see this.
4. Saints, raised from the dead?
5. It’s possible he saw one or more of these, but not at this time.
6. They walked around Jerusalem AFTER Jesus’ resurrection. 

1. The Centurian sees the WAY Jesus dies.

Mark 15:39  When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

1. The Centurian has a “front row seat.”
2. He is in position to see everything.

John 19:30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

1. Matthew tells us, “Jesus cried out in a loud voice.”  John tells us what Jesus said.
2. “IT IS FINISHED!”
3. This is NOT a cry of defeat!
4. This is the shout of Victory you would hear when an Athlete won a race.
5. What Jesus set out to do was finished.
6. But more than that, everything that led up to this final event was finished!
7. Now, Jesus can return to the Father in VICTORY!
8. He has conquered Death and the Grave!  FOR US!
9. Luke adds another detail for us that shows us what the Centurian saw and heard.

Luke 23:46  And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

1. The Centurian Knew with absolute certainty that Jesus was truly dead!

John 19:31–37 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 

         32      So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him; 

         33      but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 

         34      But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. 

         35      And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. 

         36      For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.” 

         37      And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

1. There would be no better expert in the 1st Century than a Roman Centurian as to whether someone was dead or not.
2. His life depends on doing his job correctly.
3. He could receive the punishment if he failed to give it to the condemned.
4. There is also the fact that they stabbed Jesus with a spear, up into His heart.
5. “Blood and water…”
6. The sac around the heart is called the pericardium, a thin, two-layered, fluid-filled membrane that surrounds the heart and roots of major blood vessels. It protects the heart, keeps it in place, reduces friction during beats, and prevents overfilling. Common conditions involve inflammation (pericarditis) or fluid buildup (pericardial effusion).
7. When put under the stress that would come with a Crucifixion, fluid build up in the pericardium would be certain to occur.
8. When Jesus is pierced, blood and “water” come out. He has been stabbed in the heart for good measure!

1. The Centurian comes to a conclusion.
2. It is a conclusion about this person they have crucified.
3. It is a conclusion, reached in fear!
4. We have done something that may cause the wrath of God to come on us!
5. It is a conclusion based on the evidence that he has seen throughout the day.
6. It is the Centurian’s conclusion that Jesus is (at least) the son of a “g” god.
7. With everything going on around him, this pagan man might be expected to believe this.
8. But it may be that He understands things better than we think he might.
9. Word for word from Greek. “Truly this man son of God was.”
10. This Centurian has possibly / probably been in Jerusalem for a while.
11. If so, he’s possibly been exposed to some of Jesus’ teaching, even if it’s second hand.
12. He has also quite possibly been exposed to this “Jewish God.”
13. Many Greeks and Romans were dissatisfied with the “g” gods they worshipped, and longed for something / someone better.
14. All through the book of Acts, we see Gentiles who are attending the services at the Synagogues where Paul preaches and teaches.
15. John the Apostle has been a witness to the witness!  He’s seen all of this first hand.
16. Did this encounter with Jesus lead this man to become a Christian?
17. Legend/Church tradition would say “yes.”

From: OCA.org. (Orthodox Church of America.

         The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, (The name is derived from the Latin longus or Greek logchē, spear) a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of the holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final moments of the earthly life of the Lord, and of the great and awesome portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion’s soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Mt. 27:54).

According to Orthodox Church Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the Crucified Savior with a spear, and received healing from an eye affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound.

After the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood watch with his company at the Sepulchre of the Lord. These soldiers were present at the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and say that His disciples had stolen away the Body of Christ, but Longinus and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection.

Having come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the apostles and decided to leave military service. Saint Longinus left Judea to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land (Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him.

The fiery words of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades. When the soldiers arrived at Longinus’s village, the former centurion himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking. Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the startled soldiers to carry out their duty.

The soldiers wanted to let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where the saints were martyred. The head of Saint Longinus, however, was sent to Pilate.

Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr’s head on a trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while a certain blind widow from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy places, and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts were in vain.

The woman’s son became ill shortly after reaching Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss of her son, who had served as her guide.

Saint Longinus appeared to her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son in heavenly glory, and also receive her sight. He told her to go outside the city walls and there she would find his head in a great pile of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr’s head, the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and Saint Longinus.

Taking up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it. The next night, Saint Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and Saint Longinus said, “Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son’s body, and bury them in the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever in great glory and happiness.”

The woman carried out the saint’s instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There she buried her son and the head of Saint Longinus. Once, she had been overcome by grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw him with Saint Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes, and also received healing of her soul.

1. The Bible does not tell us, one way or another.
2. Personally, I suspect that if he and the other soldiers had come to Christ, that it would have been mentioned in Scripture.
3. But Jesus’ death certainly made an impression!

Conclusion:  What can we learn from this man today that will make a difference in our lives?

• Jesus was, without a doubt, absolutely DEAD!
• There are those who have supposed that Jesus wasn’t really dead, but was revived and lived a long earthly life.
• Why would anyone believe such nonsense?
• Because Jesus truly rising from the dead is unpalatable to them!
• If Jesus really rose, I might have to pay attention to how He said I should live.
• This Centurian completely disproves such a notion!
• The things that the Centurian witnessed really happened, just like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John said they did.
• The accounts emphasize different things about the Crucifixion, but they come together in a very believable way.
• They are accounts of actual events.
• They are based on the testimony of
• witnesses… Perhaps even the Centurian.

• The Centurian heard and saw Jesus declare Victory before He “laid down His life.”
• “It is finished!”
• I have done what I set out to do!
• Death is defeated!
• We have the promise of “Eternal life with Jesus Christ our Lord!”

• The Centurian didn’t start out the day intending to be a believer in Jesus.
• Whether he ever became a believer or not, he certainly was given the opportunity.
• He saw much in the way of evidence.
• He was left to make a decision.
• Everyone who comes in contact with Jesus has a decision to make.
• It is however, their decision.
• God didn’t make the decision for this Centurian, it was up to him.
• Someday we’ll know for sure what that decision was.

• We have the responsibility to share the opportunity to come to Jesus with those that we come in contact with!
• They may choose to ignore the evidence.
• Or they may come to Jesus and serve Him for the rest of their days on earth.
• We can’t make the decision for them, but we owe it to them to give them the opportunity!
• You may be a link in a chain that eventually connects them with Jesus!

Is Jesus’ Crucifixion Reflected in Soil Deposition?

Geologists examined soil depositions to identify two earthquakes and compared their findings with Biblical information about Jesus' crucifixion.