1 Kings 21—22, Luke 23:26-56 • Key Verse: Luke 23:47

A credit card company used as an advertising campaign the line, “Do you know me?” Famous people were portrayed in normal settings as being unrecognized-—until they pulled out their credit card. The name on the card gave them recognition. Without it, they supposedly were unknown.

The world did not recognize Jesus, according to the apostle John (John 1:10). People may have known His name and hometown, but still did not realize who He was. Jesus Wept that first Palm Sunday because the people did not recognize the time of God’s coming to them (Luke 19:44).
People were curious about Jesus.

Crowds gathered to see Him wherever He went. At Jesus’ trial, Herod hoped He would do a miracle, much like a person wanting to see a magic trick. Both Herod and Pilate asked Him questions about who He was—“Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked (23:3).

Then came the cross and His death. The centurion who was there, a man who had undoubtedly witnessed many crucifixions, realized that this one was different. His reaction is amazing. “The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man’” (v. 47). Matthew and Mark quote him as saying, “This man was the Son of God.”
The centurions words contain a significant testimony. He recognized who Jesus truly was. He recognized that Jesus was not just a man but also the Son of God. The blessing of eternal life comes to those who recognize and receive Him as Lord.

_Do you recognize Jesus as just a man, a great person of history, or as your Savior? If you know Him, thank Him for your salvation. If you do not, you can, like the centurion, confess Him as Lord._

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in