Read: Luke 7: 1-10
How is your faith/ trust in God?
Wavering or getting stronger?
The text was a reminder for me as I revisited it as I am going through challenges in my job/ church, family condition both here & the Philippines.
I am sure you have your own challenges too in your work, family etc.
The centurion’s faith is both significant and relevant to us.
Our Lord made a point of commending his faith.
Few things are more needed in our individual lives and the church than a vital, growing faith.
The centurion’s faith serves both as a stimulus and as a model for Christians of all ages.
The first observation we can see here is that the Centurion’s faith works/lives/ grows even in a secular environment/ context.
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum.
2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death.
2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death.
I.Faith that thrives in the world’s environment.
A.Centurion: where he work
He was a man in military authority over 100 soldiers, , which is not known as a seedbed for piety,
The centurion was a man of rank and power.
He gave orders and they were obeyed.
This man shows us that we can serve Christ in any “secular” job.
How about us n our secular job- military, hospital, insurance co., supermarts etc. ?
B. Where he lived, in Capernaum; which Jesus later castigated for its lack of faith (Luke 10:15), but he was not affected by their unbelief.
Luke 10: 14 Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
15 And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.”
16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
15 And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.”
16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
This shows us that we can be godly people in the midst of an evil, unbelieving world- Even hostile environment. Ex. Sn. Francisco, NY, New Orleans
Wherever we are and whatever we do, this centurion shows us that we can still an effective servant of Christ.
C. In his house: Slave, a caring view of others. His attitude toward this slave boy.
Slaves in that day were commonly regarded as property to be used and discarded at the will of the owner. He easily could have said, “If this slave dies, we’ll have to get another one.”
But the centurion “highly regarded” this slave.
He had concern whom society would normally have despised.
And so he entreated Christ on behalf of his slave.
The Lord Jesus did not regard this slave as too unimportant to heal.
Christ cares for every person, especially for the poor or despised in the eyes of the world.
Ex. Of love
All too often, I tend to look at people from the human perspective and think,
“This guy is hopeless. Why bother with him?”
Or I look at somebody else and think, “This guy would make a great Christian!”
But that’s not the Lord’s perspective. He can take the most unlikely people (from our point of view) and do great things with them to the glory of His grace.
We tend to be overly concerned about the image of the people esp. in leadership position.
-had to look “cool” in the way they dressed, w/ athletes body who could attract others to the ministry.
But God taught me that He chooses and uses people whom I would reject.
God often saves the despised of the world and uses them as trophies of His grace.
How do we care about such people?
The second point why his faith grew is because this man has a listening ear
3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave.
II.Faith that is listening that results in an exalted view of Christ.
v:3 “heard .” and he believed.
As far as we know, these two never met but this man had a listening ear.
What do you think he has been hearing?
Luke 1-2 Messiah’s birth,
Luke 3 probably from the teachings of John the Baptist
Luke 4 Heard him casting demons & healing many
5 Probably from his 1st disciples telling the miracles that happened w/ the leper & paralyzed man
6 Heard Jesus sermon on the mount,
He is formed his beliefs on what he has heard that resulted in…
An exalted view of Jesus.
The centurion had a good grasp of the meaning of authority.
- a man of authority himself, knew what it meant to speak and to have his words obeyed.
But he knew that his servant’s desperate condition was beyond the realm of his authority.
He needed to go to the One in authority over all creation. He recognizes Jesus to be that One.
His authority over this hopeless disease: “...
The centurion had concluded from the reports he had heard, was a man of greatest authority.
He even had authority over nature.
Thus, He could order sickness to depart and it would do so, whether or not He was present.
The Lord of Creation, who spoke the universe into existence, simply had to speak the word and his servant would be healed. That is an exalted view of Jesus Christ!
Where did the centurion get this faith?
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word concerning Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
God imparts faith through the hearing of the Word about who Jesus is.
The effective servant listens to Jesus & believes in an exalted Lord who is mighty to save those
who cannot do anything to save themselves.
1. We need to ask God to show us through His Word a more exalted view of the Lord Jesus.
We are privileged to have God’s word, read it daily, listen to messages…but are we getting an exalted view of God? How big is our God? Can he help us w/ our problems just like this Roman Officer?
2. We need to direct others into the Word and pray that God will open their eyes to the glory of the Lord.
The third observation why his faith grew is that his faith was alive & working & is seen by others.
III.Faith that is seen as worthy by others
4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said,
5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
We learn that this man is loving, thoughtful, & benevolent.
-Love was demonstrated - “he’s built us a synagogue”. Not mere words or feelings.
-A Roman Centurion caring about his slave? - Loving him? - Loving him enough to approach Jesus on his behalf? Wow!
The Jewish elder’s opinion:
He’s worthy/deserving! - He loves our nation! - He built us our synagogue!
That’s there great opinion of this man.
The basis of his worthiness was his favorable attitude and actions toward the Jews.
Far from disdaining the natives who were under the authority of Rome, this man greatly valued them as a nation, and, I believe, had a considerable respect for their religion.
How about us? What are the opinions of others?
He doesn’t have to do it but did it anyway- whether small-sickness- or big-synagogue
MY last observation why his faith was amazing is because of…
IV.Faith that is humble
6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor.
7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.
8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
A. As seen in his understanding and appreciation for the Jew’s religious beliefs v.6
He could have said, “what a privileged for Jesus to come to the house of the centurion, the chief of police of this town, w/ a big house loaded of booty’s from battles, w/ a very spacious land for his horses to roam around, , lots of servants and bodyguards ”
But instead of using his title & greatness among this conquered people, he humbled himself.
In his helping build their synagogue, he had come to have known a good deal about their religious beliefs and practices. He accommodated them.
This was a very humble thing for a military superior to do for a captive people.
He also understood the Jewish reticence to have any intimate contact with a Gentile.
In this situation, The roman officer doesn’t want to defile Jesus by coming to his house.
What makes us feel more superior? Education, our looks, our income, our cars, our home, our jobs, place where we live….
B. As seen in his own admission of his unworthiness v.7
In verse 4, the Jewish delegation tells Jesus that this man is worthy,
but in verse 7 the man says of himself that he is unworthy for him to come in person to Christ.
The man had reason for boasting.
He was a good man who loved the Jewish people.
- a generous man who had built the synagogue.
- a compassionate man toward his slave.
He could have boasted in any of these things.
He even could have boasted in his humility!
The man whom the world views as worthy views himself as unworthy.
He knows his own heart. Allegiance to Rome & Emperor, Punished enemies, even killed some in battles, to be a Centurion.
Peter said when he met the Lord, “Get away from me O Lord for I am a sinful man.” Lk 5:8
Isaiah when he saw the Lord, “Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips. “ Is.6:5
Just like Peter, Isaiah & the Roman Officer, when we see Jesus for who He is, all the more we’ll see our sinfulness & appreciate His saving us.
C. As seen in his own admission of insuffieciency v.8
The centurion’s servant was about to die (7:2).
He was helpless to deal with this irreversible illness and imminent death.
The centurion saw his own insufficiency to deal with the problem, but he also saw Christ’s all-sufficiency.
“Say the word” – Confession of Faith! He didn’t need to go. He didn’t even need to utter a word!
“Say the word” – Confession of Faith! He didn’t need to go. He didn’t even need to utter a word!
False humility says, “I can do nothing” and stops there.
True humility adds, “But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13)
and cries out to Him to work.
It’s a lesson we keep learning all our lives.
I often experience it in preparing messages. I come to a point where I cannot get the flow of the passage. The message isn’t gelling.
And I’m under time constraints! I don’t have time for it not to come together!
Then I realize afresh that I can’t put sermons together.
I can’t adequately communicate God’s truth.
Only He can. And so I call to Him out of my weakness, and He answers.
That’s what grace is all about. I do not deserve God’s blessing.
I am not worthy for Him to use me or to answer my prayers.
But I don’t come to Him based on my worthiness. I come asking for His undeserved favor.
This centurion didn’t approach the Lord based on his worthiness,
even though others saw him as a worthy man.
He saw himself as unworthy to come to Christ;
but he also knew that Christ received sinners because of His grace.
And so he approached the Lord on behalf of his slave.
The result of Amazing Faith: Amazement!
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!”
A FAITH THAT TURNS HEADS! “He marveled…& turned around” – applauding Faith!
Only 2X times in the gospels is it said that Jesus marveled:
Here, and in Mark 6:6, “He marveled because of their unbelief” (up in Nazareth)
Nothing gladdens the Lord more than when a person has faith in Him and His authority.
And nothing saddens the Lord more than unbelief.
I love that Jesus turned around to the crowd!
He’s in awe of this Gentile’s Faith. (Did you check that out?)
He esteems it higher than any of his own Jewish people.
How will you make the Messiah Marvel at your faith in Him this week?
How will you make the Messiah Marvel at your faith in Him this week?
Note verse 9, “not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
The word “found” implies that the Lord is looking for faith. He is looking for men and women of faith.
We tend to think that God will use a person with unusual gifts,
but even more important than giftedness, the Lord will use a person who simply trusts in Him.
So that we can say He alone did it 7 he gets the glory!
The result: Miracle!
10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
FAITH’S REWARD! (10)
“God sends none away empty but those who are full of themselves!”
We can never deserve His blessings, but we can ask for them in faith.
What if the centurion didn’t ask? No miracle
Nazareth didn’t believe. Result- few miracle
What can we ask God as a church?
FCC Goal of 50 new people/year. 150 for 3 years.
Better to trust God than not at all.
What are you trusting God in your personal lives?
Conclusion : The Faith That Amazes The Savior
I.Faith that Thrives in a secular environment/ context
Centurion
Capernaum
Slave
II.Faith that is listening that results in an exalted view of Christ.
III.Faith that is seen as worthy by others:
IV.Faith that is humble
-as seen in his understanding and appreciation for the Jew’s religious beliefs
-as seen in his own admission of his unworthiness
-as seen in his own admission of insuffieciency
Hudson Taylor, the great pioneer missionary to China, used to say,
“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things
for God because they reckoned on God being with them.”
Objective/ Goal of this message: to Strengthen our faith in God
The Faith That Amazes The Savior
May that same powerful God do great things through us as we trust Him in our weakness!
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