Amazing Faith

Luke 7:1-10

 

by Samuel E. Ward

 

July 7, 2011

 

Introduction

 

Jesus is recorded in the gospels to have been amazed at only two things:

 

1.  Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith in Him by the people of his own hometown. 

 

(Mark 6:5-6 NIV)  He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. {6} And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

Related to this is the fact that Jesus is recorded three times in the gospels as rebuking

his disciples for having so little faith. 

 

a.  In His ability to provide for us

 

(Mat 6:30 NIV)  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

 

b.  In His ability to bring calm to the storms in our lives (figuratively and literally)

 

(Mat 8:26 NIV)  He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

 

c.  In His ability to keep us from sinking from the weight of our doubts.

 

(Mat 14:31 NIV)  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

 

d.  In His ability to give us our daily bread

 

(Mat 16:8 NIV)  Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?

 

2.  Jesus was amazed at the faith of the Capernaum Centurion whom one might have considered to be among the most unlikely to have faith in Christ.

 

I.  The Capernaum Centurion's Burden for His Servant, Luke 7:1-5

 

A.  He was a Centurion.

 

1.  He was a non-commissioned officer in the Roman army and could have had authority over as many as 100 soldiers.

2.  He was probably stationed in Capernaum which is located on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee.

 

B.  The Centurion  had a servant, Luke 7:1-2.

 

(Luke 7:1-2 NIV)  When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. {2} There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.

 

1.  The servant was sick and about to die.

 

Matthew 8:6 adds that the servant was "paralyzed and in terrible suffering."

 

2.  The servant was valued by the Centurion.

 

This in itself is noteworthy because servants were most often treated like property. When they became old or had lost their usefulness they were simply cast aside, thrown out on the curb for citywide cleanup.

There is insight to be gained in seeing how this word "ἔντιμος" (translated "highly valued") was used four time in three verses elsewhere in the New Testament.

 

a.   Used of someone who is distinguished and deserved a place of honor 

 

(Luke 14:8 NIV)  "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited.

 

b.  Used of Epaphroditus, a valued co-worker with Paul, who deserved (and all like him) who deserved to be treated with honor.

 

(Phil 2:29 NIV)  Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him.

 

c.  Used of Christ in a quote from Isaiah 28:16 as one precious to the Lord.

 

(1 Pet 2:4-6 NIV)  As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-- {5} you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. {6} For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

 

It is safe to say that this servant was a person precious to the Centurion for the kind of servant he was and deserving of great honor.  He was someone for whom he would do anything to save.

 

C.  The Centurion had heard about Jesus, Luke 7:3.

 

(Luke 7:3 NIV)  The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.

 

1.  He had heard that Jesus could perform miracles (probably from reports of those Jesus had just performed in Galilee).

2.  He had perhaps heard of Jesus' Jewish ethnicity and that Jews did not normally have dealings with Gentiles

3.  He sent Jewish elders of the synagogue to Jesus with the faith that Jesus could heal from wherever He was by His mere word.

 

How he had heard is not nearly as important as the fact that he heard.  Many people have heard about Jesus and the things the Bible, Christians, and others have said about Him but have shown no regard for it or checked it out.  This is much to their own harm, because not only do they miss out on all that Christ would do for them by their faith, but there is a high price to be paid for ignoring Jesus and that price is a heart that continues to be blinded and hardened towards Him.  

 

(John 12:37-40 NIV)  Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. {38} This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"  {39} For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: {40} "He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them."

 

D.  The Centurion had friends who were willing to intercede on his behalf.

 

(Luke 7:4-5 NIV)  When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, {5} because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."

 

1.  In this narrative we note the reason why the Jewish elders felt that Jesus should answer the Centurion's request and later we what moved Jesus' to consider it.

2.  In this narrative we might see why we think Jesus should answer our prayer requests and miss what Jesus is actually looking for from us in our requests.  Some may think we deserve our prayers to be answered because.

 

a.  We are faithful in our church attendance.

b.  We give much money to the church.

c.  We are nice people.

d.  We show the apparent signs of devotion.

e.  We say nice things about God and Jesus occasionally.

 

The Centurion presented his petition to Jesus from two different, but related, perspectives. 

 

II.  The Capernaum Centurion's Humility, Luke 7:6-7

 

How is this humility evidenced?

 

A.  He did not feel worthy to approach Jesus himself, Luke 7:6-7.

 

He did not negotiate a "deal" with Jesus.  He only appealed to His compassion and mercy. 

 

(Luke 7:6-7a NIV)  So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. {7} That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.

 

Jesus was not interested in a relationship with the centurion based on reciprocity, "I'll do this for you if you'll do this for me."  Think about it!  There is nothing that we have that Jesus needs!

 

B.  He did reveal the depth of His faith in Jesus' ability and character.

 

1.  He confessed his belief in Jesus' ability, Luke 7:7b.

 

(Luke 7:7b NIV)  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

 

2.  He exhibited his trust in Jesus' compassionate and merciful character.

 

III.  The Capernaum Centurion's Recognition of Jesus' Authority, Luke 7:8

 

(Luke 7:8 NIV)  For I myself am a man under 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."

 

A.  The Centurion knew that Jesus' had a unique kind of  authority was evident by His power to heal.

B.  The Centurion believed that the power was Jesus' own.  Jesus did not have to submit to any rules or protocol to exercise.  It happened purely by Jesus' will to do so.

C.  The Centurion was only asking (not demanding or commanding) for Jesus to will to do it if He pleased,

 

IV.  The Capernaum Centurion's Display of Amazing Faith, Luke 7:9-10

 

(Luke 7:9-10 NIV)  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." {10} Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

 

Jesus' description of the Centurion's faith was that it was . . .

 

A.  "Amazing"

B.  "Great"

 

In fact, it was greater than anything He had ever seen even among those who were considered to be God's people, Israel.

 

What made it such an amazingly great faith?

 

1.  It was great in its origin.  It came from a Gentile, and not only a Gentile but a Roman, and not only a Roman but a Roman soldier.  Any of these designations would have made his faith in Christ an unlikely thing.  Faith can be born from the heart of anyone who has been told of Jesus.  So, tell everyone about Him.

2.  It was great in its potential.  Not unlike the man with leprosy in Matthew 8 who told Jesus, "Lord if you are willing you can make me clean."  The centurion believed Jesus could heal from a distance if He were willing.  Jesus was willing, the servant was healed,  took place, and the centurion was blessed. 

 

What is an even greater display of faith?

 

Understand this, Christ will not answer all of our prayers in the way we desire because He sometimes has a greater answer to our need.  We pray, "Lord, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  It sometimes takes greater faith to trust in the will of God than in the power of God.  Lazarus was not healed of his illness because the greater answer was his being raised from the dead.  So, counsel people to trust in the goodness of God's will.  "When you can't see His hand, trust His heart."