“When the Centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place. They were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly, this was the son of God.'”
-Matthew 27:54
That (Matthew 27:54) was the conclusion of the Centurion and those who were with him. Who just witnessed Jesus die on the cross. And they see all that happens after that, including this earthquake and what took place. And they were filled with awe and said, “Truly, this was the son of God.” They saw at this moment who Jesus was in his death on the cross.
Father, we ask that You open the eyes of those who do not know Christ and who He truly is. May they see Your glory in the face of Christ.
This Verse Reminds Us of 2 Corinthians 4:4–6
Huh? I just think about 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 talks about how the god of this world, little G, god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers from seeing who Jesus is. Verse 5 says, “We preach Christ.” And verse 6 in 2 Corinthians 4 talks about how, “God shines a light in our hearts so that our eyes are open to see the glory of God in the face of Christ.” This is a supernatural, eye opening work, that God does by his grace.
And he did it in this centurion’s life. And those who are with him in this way. Truly this was the Son of God that’s bringing them to that realization. And I just want to lead us to pray that people in our lives, in our families, our spheres of influence, who don’t know who Jesus is, that God would do this work. God would open their eyes.
Matthew 27:54: Prayer For Those Whose Minds Are Blinded
God, we pray right now. 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, based on Matthew 27:54, “Knowing that the god of this world, little G, god of this world,” Satan, the adversary is blinding minds all around us of family members, of friends, of neighbors, coworkers, and people right around us, and people around us in our cities and people far from us. And think about praying for the unreached of the day today, for the Nosu in East Asia. So many millions scattered throughout remote regions who have never even heard the good news about who Jesus is, and what Jesus did on the cross.
Prayer For Those Who Are Near and Far From Us
God, we pray for all of these people, from people in our homes to people far from our homes; open eyes today we pray. God would today be the day. God, we pray that today would be the day for a husband or a wife. For a son or a daughter or a mom or a dad. Or a grandparent or aunt or uncle. Somebody in our family we’ve been praying for, for so long ago. Would today be the day you open their eyes. Unblind their eyes help them to see your glory in the face of Jesus.
God we pray for that and for our friends, we’ve been praying for, for neighbors around us, that we’ve shared the gospel with, for coworkers that we shared the gospel with, would today be the day we’re thinking of all kinds of names. Even right now in our minds. God make today the day we pray. And then, oh God, we pray, we pray for people far from us would today be the day that the Nosu receive the gospel. That Nosu men and women and children hear the good news of who Jesus is, and what Jesus has done for the first time. God, please make today the day.
Prayer For People to Come to Christ
Open eyes that people might say, confess today, truly Jesus is the son of God. As we pray, we pray that you’d give us boldness today to share this gospel. To share this truth, to share this route, to show people who Jesus is. And we pray that you would open eyes, that they might know you Jesus, as the one who has died on the cross for our sins. And rose from the dead in victory over the grave. That they might know you are the Christ, the Savior, the Lord, the son of God, bring it about, we pray in Jesus name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
