A Centurion's Faith

The Gospel of Luke and chapter 7. We're going to read a story. It's recorded in Matthew and in Luke. There's three very distinct parts to it.

I love the stories in the Gospels. They illustrate gospel truth tremendously, and if someone was here tonight with a desire to be saved, if you adopted the attitude of this man we're going to read about, you would be saved. So let's look at chapter 7, Luke chapter 7, and we're going to start verse number 1. Luke chapter 7 and verse number 1. Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum, and a certain centurion's servant was there, who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die.

And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching, begging him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought, they were begging him instantly, saying that he was worthy. That's referring to the centurion back home, that he was worthy for whom he, the Lord Jesus, should do this.

For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. I'll explain that in a minute. Verse 6. Then Jesus went with them, and when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.

Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. But say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority.

That means that he was a boss, and he had all these people that would obey him, that's what that expression means, having under me soldiers. And I say unto one, go, and he goeth, and to another come, and he cometh. And to my servant, do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled. He was shocked at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been sick.

Now let's turn to the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew chapter 8, and we'll read the final part of the story. Many times when a story is being recorded by two writers, or three writers, or four writers, you often have to put them together to get the full picture, and there's a reason why the Spirit of God has chosen different things. They're often teaching a very significant lesson.

But Matthew chapter 8 and verse number 5. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching, begging him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the policy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, go, and he goeth, and to another, come, and he cometh, and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said unto them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

But the children, now the Lord is looking at the Jewish people that did not believe him, but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.

And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour. Now that's all we're going to read. We'll look to the Lord to help us with the thoughts that we have.

This little story has three very distinct parts. What makes the story even more interesting is that you've got a Jewish backdrop, and you've got this gentile, this Roman gentile. And this Roman gentile has got a servant, and that servant is very sick.

Now another element that comes into the story is normally the Jews and the Romans hated one another, because the Roman power was the world empire at the time, and they were suppressing the Jewish people and basically just wanted their taxes. So there was no love loss. There was no respect between Roman and Jew.

But this particular Roman soldier, this centurion, I don't know whether it was because he saw something in the Jewish faith that appealed to him. He would have been coming from a very pagan background, worshiping suns, stars, trees, moons, whatever they wanted to worship. But as this centurion, this Roman citizen was placed in the land of Israel, and he had a garrison of soldiers underneath him, and he was basically given the job to keep peace in the land.

All of a sudden he starts noticing these Jewish people. They're talking about one God. I wonder, we're not told, all this is my imagination, but in the course of time he started to really like these Jewish people.

And that's what they meant when they said, he's built, he's loved our nation, he's built us a synagogue. This Roman ruler was so taken by these Jewish people, maybe he started to enjoy being with them. Oh, you people would like a little temple to worship in.

Oh, here, I'll give you the money. Here, here, go, we'll build it for you. So there was quite a level of respect, nice little, we would say, nice little friendship started there.

Here's what you're going to notice about the story. This centurion, as soon as his servants get sick, he says, I'm going to call those Jewish people, and I'm going to get them to come here, and I'm going to get them to go and talk to that Jesus healer. I'll have an inn.

Maybe this is how he was thinking. So he calls the scribes, and he calls them people in, and he says, look, this boy is sick. I need the Lord Jesus to come here.

Well, they were only too happy to oblige. Oh, this guy's done so much for us. We're going to go.

And did you notice it? When they came to the Lord Jesus, they were instant begging the Lord Jesus. Listen, this man, he's worthy. Look what he's done for the Jewish people.

He's loved our nation. He's built us a synagogue. Now his servant is sick.

We want you to come with us right away, and we're going to go down to the house, and we want you to heal him. I just love it how the Lord went with them. In spite of our arrogance, in spite of us thinking we're worthy, how gracious the Lord Jesus just went with them.

All right, so we get the Lord Jesus, and you got this group of friends, Jewish individuals, and they're moving toward the house. Something happens in the house, because now the centurion sends his own friends. You better go out there and tell him I'm not worthy.

The first group, oh, he's worthy. The second group, change of attitude. You go tell him right away.

Tell him I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy for him to come under into my house. I'm like him.

I have authority. He has authority. I have people underneath me, and I just say a word, and they do it.

You just get him to say the word, and it'll happen. But there was something that must have got into his thinking after he sent that little group out, the second group, because when the second group comes up, oh, don't bother yourself, master. He's not worthy.

That's what he wanted us to tell you. All you have to do is just say the word, and it'll happen. And then they described the authority thing.

Something else happened to that man, because you know where the Gospel of Matthew picks it up? The centurion himself. That's all he records. He comes to the Lord Jesus.

I think the centurion was back in the house, and I think he started to realize, with all the authority I have, I can't heal this boy. But there's authority that Jesus has that I don't have. Now, friend, in the meeting tonight, Not Saved, have you ever come to that conclusion that the word of God is the authority? God has power.

It's not based on our human logic. If we think that we can go up against God and win, you are so mistaken. There's something about allowing the word of God to judge me.

That's what I think happened to this centurion. And do you know what this man quickly realized? There's no point in me sending my friends and saying I'm not worthy. I need to do it myself.

So you got the first group goes out, he's worthy. The second group goes out, he's not worthy. Now the man leaves himself.

He doesn't care who's around the Lord Jesus. He comes right up to the Lord Jesus, and he says, I'm not worthy. You ever told God that? You'd like to be saved? You ever told God you'd like to be saved? God, you don't have to save me because I'm not worthy.

You ever done that? Let's get down to where the tire hits the road. Let's have an honest moment. Do you feel that you could honestly tell God you don't have to save me? You'd be right if you sent me to hell.

Could you do it? See, that's why you're not saved. You still think there's something worthy in there. I'm not like those boys at school.

They use bad words. I don't. I know better.

That doesn't make you worthy. Oh, I know what they're looking at. They're looking at pornography on the telephone, the cell phone.

I don't. I don't. I wouldn't do that.

That doesn't make you worthy. You're no different. All of us, every single one of us.

If the God of heaven was right now to sweep the entire population into hell, we'd all unite in hell and say, amen. Amen. Because everything that God does is right.

That's what this man got a hold of. And as this man comes now with this attitude, that's what unleashed the power of the Lord Jesus. And this man comes up to the Lord Jesus.

I am not worthy for you to come under my house. Just say the word. And the Lord Jesus turns from that man and he looks at the nation of Israel who had his word.

You have his word. I bet you know Bible verses, don't you? The centurion knew none. And he looks at those Jewish people and he says, the children of the kingdom, those that have a birthright to the kingdom, you're going to land in hell.

Look at the simple faith of this Roman. It actually, there's only two times where you read the Lord Jesus marveled like that. Once with a woman, a Gentile woman, and one once with a Gentile man.

It thrills the heart of God when you give him credit for telling the truth. It's called faith. God, you're right.

I'm wrong. That's glorifying to God. If there's someone here and you'd like to be saved, think about your worthiness.

Challenge your own thinking. Does God owe me anything? Just one thing, judgment. That's what our sins deserve rightly.

Take your place as a sinner and allow the Lord Jesus to save you.