THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION
Luke 7:1-10
Key Verse 7:9
"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.'"
In his Sermon on the Plain, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and forgive and do not judge others with the plank in our own eyes but repent of our sins. He taught all Christians to hear his words and put them into practice. Today we want to study 7:1-10, the faith of the Roman centurion. This centurion practiced the word of Jesus by loving his servant and depending on the authority of Jesus’ word. This passage depicts Gentile faith, Jews who respect a Gentile, the humility of the centurion, and Jesus’ authority. This passage shows how the centurion amazed Jesus through his shepherd love for his servant and his absolute trust in the authority of the word of Jesus. Let’s learn the centurion’s “say the word” faith through this passage. I pray that we may experience the power of Jesus for the sake of our sheep and receive Jesus’ approval of our faith by submitting to his authority daily.
I. COME AND HEAL MY SERVANT (1-5)
When Jesus had finished giving all the basic instructions about how to be his disciples (1), he then entered Capernaum, located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, which served as Jesus' home base for his Galilean ministry. Look at verse 2. "There a centurion's servant whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die." The centurion was a captain of a hundred Roman soldiers and commissioned to keep the Roman peace in the conquered area. Usually, Roman soldiers controlled colonial people with weapons and with a superior feeling. In the ancient world, people regarded a servant or slave as an asset or property. People did not treat their servants well. But the centurion was different. He valued him highly. What does it mean that his master valued him highly? This means that the centurion had a deep respect for human life. What we value most reveals our character. The centurion valued a human life most. Though he was a soldier, he had a right value system regarding his servant highly. Of course, the centurion knew that his servant was only a slave boy. But to him, the servant boy was very dear, like his own family member. The centurion loved his servant. The centurion usually said, "Good morning, Mike." Then the servant boy would make a big smile in response and answer, "Good morning sir! Your breakfast is ready." In this way their deep trust and love relationship was developed. But this time, the servant did not respond. He was very sick, breathing heavily, so heavily, hovering between life and death. His life was hanging by a thread. In this situation, ordinary people could have given up their hope, "This guy is out of luck. No way...very sorry." But the centurion did not stop there. He began to seek the way to help his servant.
Look at verse 3. "The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant." In this crisis, the centurion revealed his shepherd heart for his servant. When he had shepherd heart, God gave him courage to find the way to help him. In this hopeless situation, the centurion found hope in Jesus for his dying servant. The centurion remembered what he had heard, that Jesus healed demon-possessed man and lepers and paralytics. He thanked God for Jesus with deep gratitude, having a sigh of relief. Then he shouted, "Yes, Jesus heals the sick." But there were many human barriers between Jesus and the centurion. There was a barrier between the Jew and the Gentile (racial), soldier and Rabbi (professional), and conqueror and conquered (class). The Jews despised the Gentiles as dogs while the Gentile called the Jews as the low class colonial people. They hated each other. How did the centurion overcome these human barriers? As a Gentile, the centurion may have hesitated asking Jesus’ help directly. So he did not go to Jesus. Instead he asked the elders of the Jews to deliver his request. It was not easy for him to ask their favor since he was a high ranking officer in the occupied Roman army. In order to do this he humbled himself and asked them a favor: "Would you please go to Jesus and ask that he come and heal my servant?" In order to help his servant, the centurion threw away his human pride as the Roman centurion. He humbled himself and asked Jesus’ help through the elders of the Jews. His humility came from his love for his dying servant. The elders of the Jews were so moved by his noble humanity that their enmity toward Romans melted away. Rather, they were eager to help him out.
As soon as they came to Jesus, they earnestly pleaded with him and said, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." (4b, 5) Their pleading was as earnest as the centurion's. The Jewish elders did not just bring the centurion’s request, but they also lobbied on his behalf. They attempted to persuade Jesus to come and help this soldier. Their point was “the centurion is worthy of receiving your help.” Here we see that the centurion earned their respect through his active love for others. Respect should not be demanded but earned through our practical act of faith. Not only did he love his servant boy, but also he loved the people in the colony. He loved the Jewish people like brothers and gave them what they wanted. He built a new center for them (5). They thanked for the centurion's love for God. His respect for human life broke away all human barriers between Romans and Jews and made a beautiful friendship among them. His love for the Jewish people moved the heart of the elders beyond religious and racial barriers. True humanity overcomes all barriers. This man practiced Jesus’ teaching, “love your enemies.” Love is our universal language. True love can break away all human barriers--racial, cultural, national, and gender barriers. There is no border in love. Through this passage we learn that true faith brings immediate actions. This centurion had an active living faith that produced good spiritual fruits of love, compassion, and healing. James 2:26 says, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” This centurion was willing to do anything to save his dying servant. He was willing to pay any cost to heal his servant. His faith was active and living. Do you have “active living faith” or “dead faith?” Are you willing to go extra miles in helping your helpless sheep? Christian life is not a lip service but a practical help for others. Phillip B. delivered the message based on the parable of the lost sheep for the YDJ meeting and he was moved by shepherd heart of Jesus. He said, “Though I am stubborn to anything I did not like to do, I made a decision of faith to practice Jesus’ shepherd love by going to campus fishing and inviting lost sheep.” During Abraham team meeting S. David B. encouraged Bob saying, “Bob always forgives quickly.” When we look at the YDJ members, they are different in their languages and nationalities. But they respect each other and work together because they have active and practical faith in Jesus. This Gentile centurion believes that Jesus has the power to restore his slave, and so he asked Jesus come and heal his servant through Jewish elders as emissaries. He invited Jesus for healing his servant’s sickness. In a sense, it was his humble intercessory prayer to Jesus for the sake of his dying servant. Do you have such a humble prayer for your loved one? YDJ will have a Siloam festival next week and they are offering chain prayers for students out of their love.
PART II SUCH GREAT FAITH (6-10)
What did Jesus do when he heard their pleading? In verse 6a, Luke simply says, "So Jesus went with him." Jesus was greatly moved by the centurion's compassion and was willing to heal his dying servant. Look at verse 6b. When Jesus was not far from the house, the centurion sent some friends to say to him, "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof." When the centurion was overcome by compassion for the poor servant, he asked Jesus to come and heal his servant. But when Jesus was near his house, he changed his mind. So he sent the second delegation to say to Jesus, "Don’t come to my house. I am not worthy to have you under my roof.” Jesus should not trouble himself to enter the Gentile house, because the centurion recognizes that he is not worthy of such a personal visit. He was a Roman officer and Jesus was a country evangelist. But the centurion did not look at Jesus' shabby clothes or national background. He called Jesus “Lord.” He saw God in Jesus. He felt that he was not worthy. He did not feel worthy of direct contact with Jesus. He discovered his unworthiness and found his true identity. His unworthiness enabled him to become humble before Jesus. Saint Augustine’s disciples asked him, “Teacher, how can we receive a big grace of God?” He answered, “It is humility.” They asked again and he answered, “It is humility.” They asked again and he said, “It is humility.” Humility is a spiritual quality that brings total dependence to God. 2 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Many servants of God grew in faith when they felt unworthy before God. Moses felt that he was slow of speech and tongue when God called him. (Exodus 4:10) But he became a great leader because he knew his weaknesses and became a humble servant. When Simon caught a large number of fish by obeying Jesus' direction, he rediscovered himself and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8) It was the beginning point of Peter’s spiritual awakening. Many servants of God felt unworthiness when they met God. Isaiah cried in Isaiah 6:5 when he met God in the Temple, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips….” Isaiah felt unworthiness because he said many words of unbelief when he saw the dark spiritual condition of his people. Apostle Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:8, “And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” He felt unworthy before Jesus. When he realized the grace of Jesus, he rediscovered himself. It was a turning point of his life. He became a humble servant of God remembering the grace of Jesus all the time.
He said in verse 7b, "But say the word, and my servant will be healed." Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The centurion had absolute faith in the word of God. He also believed the absolute authority of Jesus' word. He was sure of his servant’s healing if Jesus says the word. The word of Jesus, given unseen and from a distance, can deliver the precious servant from his sickness. It is a profound insight that the centurion possesses and expresses: even though physically absent, Jesus can show his presence effectively. Jesus demonstrates his power without his visible and physical presence. The ancestors of faith are the source of comfort to us. Who were they? They were those who believed that the world was made by God's word of command. (Heb.11:3: 2Pe.3:5) Abraham was old and weak when he began his life of faith. But he held the words of promise absolutely. He never doubted that he would be a great nation and a father of faith. He did not waver at all. The highlight of his faith was his trust in God when he was asked to offer his son Isaac. Hebrews 11:19 commented Abraham’s faith in this way, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.” Abraham had resurrection faith. He trusted the word of God absolutely. Thus he became a blessing to all mankind. (Ge.12:1-4) Genesis 22:18 says, "...and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." See! The centurion was a Gentile. The Jews asked Jesus’ touch and demanded his miraculous power. But to the centurion the word of Jesus was enough. So he asked Jesus, “Say the word and my servant will be healed.” These days there are three ways of shopping-go to the store and buy or go to the website and order, or use telephone. I hate to go shopping and so I go to Amazon.com and just say my order and the books will be delivered to my house. In the same way the centurion believed that if Jesus says the word and his servant will be healed. Jesus said in John 20:29b, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Wow! This is true faith. I pray that we may have faith that trusts Jesus’ word absolutely.
How could he have such respect for Jesus' word? Look at verse 8. "For I myself am a man of authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." As an officer in the army, the centurion had learned how to submit himself in higher authority and how to give orders to his soldiers and his servants. In the army the number one rule is to obey orders absolutely. The Roman centurion obeyed his superiors absolutely and taught his soldiers do the same. He understood the nature of authority. He applied the power of authority to the word of Jesus. He believed Jesus' word absolutely. He thought why he should bother Jesus to come. In the family the father is a figure of authority. If children recognize father’s authority and follow his direction, there will be a happy family. If not, there will be a dysfunctional family. If church members respect the spiritual authority established by God, there will be unity and the body of Christ will be strengthened. We understand why Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith in the next verse.
Look at verse 9. "When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, 'I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.'" So far, Jesus had been dismayed by his own people's unbelief. Unbelief was deeply rooted in the hearts of his own people. To Jesus, unbelief was the cause of all their troubles. Jesus rebuked his disciples and the religious leaders in Luke 41a, “O unbelieving and perverse generation!” When we look at our spiritual life, we are following the influence of unbelieving generation. We worry about many things due to our unbelief. It is hard to find faith among Christians and leaders these days. We have to find how to please Jesus through our act of faith. When Jesus heard the centurion's words, "But say the word, and my servant will be healed," he marveled at his faith. As we know, to Jesus nothing was so great; nothing was frightening (6:11) and nothing was amazing. But the centurion's faith was so great that even Jesus was amazed and said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." Why was his faith so great and amazing? As we have studied, his faith was based on the authority of Jesus' words. Jesus’ response to the request is one of surprise and commendation, especially for the centurion’s confident declaration of Jesus’ authority. It is true that many Gentiles like Cornelius in Acts responded to Jesus by faith while many Jews rejected him with their unbelief. “Can Jesus find such faith today in America?” That’s a challenge of faith. Only faith brings Jesus’ approval. The healing of the centurion’s servant foreshadows the expansion of Jesus’ ministry to the Gentile world. Jesus has authority from God that extends over space, distance and sickness when there is faith. Anyone can share in the benefits that Jesus offers, if faith is exercised. Look at verse 10. "Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well." Jesus blessed the centurion's faith and healed his servant. May God help us to please God by having deep compassion on the helpless and by having faith in the authority of the word of Jesus. Let’s read the key verse 9.