Such Great Faith
Luke 7:1-10
Key Verse 9
“When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him and turned to the crowd following him, he said,
“I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.”
Luke’s gospel teaches us who Jesus is and the importance of having faith in him. Some brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus, making a whole on a roof. They did so by faith. One woman who had suffered with bleeding problem for long years secretly came to Jesus and touched his cloak by faith. One blind man on a street cried out -“Son of David, Have mercy on me!” though he was told be quite. Jesus was pleased with their faith, and blessed their faith. Having faith in Jesus is most important for anyone. It is more important than getting a good job, or even marrying well. Anyone who comes to him must come with faith.
In today’s passage, Jesus was amazed by the faith of a centurion. He upholds the centurion as exemplary in faith, saying I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Through him, we may learn His great faith; faith in the word of God.
- The centurion’s love reflects God’s love
For the last 3 weeks, we had studied Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. On the Mountain, Jesus taught who is truly blessed. It is those who are poor, who hunger and weep, who are insulted and rejected. It is because theirs is the kingdom of God. Jesus taught to love enemies and to do good to those who hate them. He also taught not to judge other, but forgive and be merciful. At the end of his sermon, Jesus taught to be wise builders who build their houses on the rock by putting His words into practice. Every words of Jesus are the words of eternal life that breaks vicious cycles of sins and leads us to live and to be children of God. His teachings are so propounding and radical even, that 3 weeks are too short to fully comprehend his teachings. We may continue to dig deep into the words of Jesus, so that we build our lives on the rock foundation Jesus.
Now, Jesus finished his teachings and entered Capernaum, where he had performed most of his miracles. What happened there? Look at verses 2. “There a centurion’s servant, who his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.” On entering Capernaum, Jesus encountered a very rare situation. Who were centurions? They were Roman army commanders in charge of 100 soldiers. Usually, they came from the lower class; were chosen for their bravery and loyalty. They were highly-trained fighting machines, like Navy Seals. Generally soldiers were trained to be rough, tough and merciless. Otherwise, they would not be able to survive or promoted.
However, this centurion was different. He valued his servant highly. Here, servant means “slave.” At that time, generally masters treated slaves harshly and mercilessly. Slaves were treated as goods or properties which could be traded, replaced, and even disposable. It is just like we trade or replace our cars when it is worn out and broken. But this centurion valued his servant highly. We don’t know exactly why the centurion valued him highly. But, it’s sure that he did not despise the servant on the basis of the social hierarchy. He was not indifferent to the sick servant on the basis of pragmatism. Rather, he valued him and treated him as a human being, just like himself. He basically loved and respected others as human beings regardless of their human situations. He was a man of compassion with genuine love for others. In fact, the centurion was the one who practiced Jesus’ teaching “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” He was the Good Samaritan who “Loved his neighbor as himself.”
His genuine love reflects God’s love for people. God loves people not because they have better social status, more money, or more achievement. God loves us because we are human being made in his image. God does not stop loving us when we get old or sick and seem useless. Rather, God loves us in the midst of sickness, weakness and failure. God’s love is unconditional, unchanging and everlasting. God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro5:8) God has lavished such great love on us, so that we may be called children of God. Sometimes our love is limited and our respect is conditioned by our own traditions, social position, skin-color and so on. Love of God we receive is unconditional and unlimited. On the basis of God’s love we receive, we may love others unconditionally, overcoming all barriers – such as race, ideology, religion, culture, gender and ages. May God grow each of us a man and woman of genuine love of Christ. So, we may welcome and love all kinds of people regardless of their human conditions and situations.
Look at verse 3. He heard some good news. As a centurion, he received many reports of what was going on in his area. He heard how Jesus healed a paralyzed man with his word “I tell you, take your mat and go home.”(Lk5:24). He also heard how a man with a shriveled hand was healed by Jesus’ word “Stretch out your hand.” (Lk6:10) This good news gave him hope for his sick servant. When he head of Jesus, he did not doubt, but put believed the good news and come to have faith in Jesus. Then, he found a way to save the servant in Jesus.
Then, what did the centurion do for the servant? Look at verses 3b-5. He “sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” Here, this centurion suppresses us in many ways. Though he was a Roman officer, he not only understood, but also respected the custom of the Jewish religion. He knew that the Jews would not associate with the Gentiles. So, he did not go to Jesus in person. Instead, he sent some of the elders of the Jews to ask Jesus to heal his servant.
What is really surprising is that the elders of the Jews earnestly pleaded Jesus on behalf of the centurion. Generally a Roman centurion was an opponent of the elders of the Jew. They resisted the Romans as a matter of life and death. It would seem impossible for any Romans to have such relationship with the elders of the Jew. But this centurion won their affection. How? Look at how the elders pleaded. They said, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” They trusted that the centurion loved their nation. This kind of trust does not develop quickly or easily. It comes over time as the fruit of sacrifice. The centurion did not just talk well. He put his money where his mouth was, getting involved in a real act of love. He took time to understand the Jews. He humbled himself to serve them. When he came to know how much they wanted a synagogue, he built it for them by sacrificing his own money and time, and even employing his own men as well. In this way, he won their trust. He was regarded as a worthy person to receive Jesus’ favor.
This centurion reminds us of Jesus who came to this world to seek and save the lost. Though he was the Almighty God, he emptied himself and came into the world as a human being. He did not demand people to serve him, but he served all kinds of people according their need. He healed the sick, drove out demons, forgave sins, and planted the living words of God. Finally, he bore all of our weaknesses in his body and died on the cross for our sins. His humble and sacrificial service has moved sinners like us to repent and accept his love and put their trust in him.
This centurion reminds me of American Missionaries to Korea who struggled hard to understand the culture and the people to win over them with the gospel of Jesus. They loved Korea so much that they ate Korean food, wore Korean clothes and even gave themselves Korean names. Some of the Korean natives were hostile to them. Still, they loved Koreans and built schools, hospitals, churches, and taught the gospel to them. In the course of evangelizing Korea, many oversea missionaries shed their precious blood for Korean people.
One of them was “Won Du-u.” It is Korean name of Rev. Horace Grant Underwood. In 1885, he came to Korea as a missionary at his age 26. He dedicated his life to serve Korean with the gospel of Jesus. Moreover, he opened orphanage, found churches, established the Korean tract society, and translated the Bible. He also found Yonhi college, the predecessor of today’s Yonsei University. Not only him, but also his wife, his children, his grand children and even his great grandchildren served educational and missionary work in Korea.
Do you know “Ma-Po SamYel”? It’s Korean Name of Samuel Austin Moffett. (1864-1939) He was sent to Korea as a Missionary in 1890. He was 26 years old. He had served Korea for 46 years before being forced out by the Japanese. He had planted the seed of the gospel in the province of PyungAn, especially “Pyungyong.” The Great Revival in Pyungyang is actually the fruit of his sacrificial life of mission. Through the great revival, the gospel had spread all over
Korean with power and authority. This became the basis for Korean to grow into a Christian nation. We met his Son, “Samuel H. Moffett” in Princeton a few years ago. He was born in Pyongyang, North Korea. He had chance to live in American after he finished his school. But, following his parents’ footsteps, he came back to Korea as a missionary. Because of their sacrifices and their love for Korea, we had received the gospel of Jesus. Thank God and praise God for their love and sacrifices
Some of us here came to America with God’s special calling. Meditating this passage, I asked myself if I love America. I still love Korean Food more than Big Mac. I do not know much about the History of America. I came to American not for my own success, but to love America and to pray for America to be a kingdom of priests. Following Jesus and also American Missionaries, we may love this nation; we may love this campus; we may serve this people with love and sacrifice. Our children and also next generation may also follow the footsteps of our ancestors of faith. We may pray earnestly for America to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Amen.
- The centurion’s “just say the word” faith (6-10)
Jesus was moved by the elders’ plea and he went with them. (6) When Jesus was not far from the house, 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. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (7,8) These verses tell us that the centurion was not only a man of genuine love but also a man of humility and man of faith.
He confessed that he did not deserve to have Jesus come under his roof. He said that he was not even worthy to come to Jesus. This centurion, a gentile Roman officer, called Jesus “Lord.” He truly knew who Jesus is and who he himself is. He truly accepted the Lordship of Jesus over him. When he began to see who Jesus was, he became aware of his unworthiness. He was conscious of his sins, like Peter at the large catch of fish. Before Saul came to know Jesus, he thought that he was a great man like King Saul. But after meeting the Risen Jesus, he came to know who he really was, his true identity. So he changed his name from ‘Saul” to “Paul”, which means small.
Here we learn that faith leads us to recognize Jesus as Lord, Sovereign Ruler and I myself as a sinner. This spiritual realization breaks the idols in our hearts and the delusions about ourselves. It enables us to have a right attitude toward Jesus and His word. In verse 7b, the centurion said, “But say the word and my servant will be healed.” He believe that Jesus’ words have great power; the power to drive out demons; the power to heal any kind of sicknesses; the power to give life to the dead. He believed that at one word of Jesus, his dying servant would be healed competently.
Then, how could he have such understanding? Look at verse 8. He said, “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.” (8) The centurion understood the authority of Jesus’ word through his military life. In the army, a commander’s words, even if they seem unreasonable, must be obeyed as a matter of life and death; no excuses and no delay. He applied this understanding of authority to Jesus. He accepted Jesus as the Supreme Commander who has all authority in heaven and on earth. (Mt28:18)
How did Jesus respond? Look at verse 9. “When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Jesus was amazed by the centurion’s faith. He even admired his faith all the more because the centurion was a Gentile. Right away, Jesus blessed him faith by healing the servant. (10)
What is “such great faith”? Look at verse 7b. “But say the word, and my servant will be healed.” The centurion’s faith is in the power of Jesus’ word. He believed whatever Jesus said would come true. The centurion had absolute faith in the power of Jesus’ word. So he said, “But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
UBF is not only Bible Reading Fellowship, but Bible Believing Fellowship. In doing the word of God, we need to learn such simple faith in the power of God’s word. We must believe the Bible as God’s word. God’s word has absolute power and authority. God’s word has power to create, power to change, power to save, power to heal, and power to restore. God is the Word. In the beginning God created the world with his word.(Ge 1:1, Heb 11:3) In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1-3) The word is Jesus Christ. We may have such great faith when we teach the Bible one on one. Simple but absolute faith in God’s word can change sinners into kingdom of priests and holy nations. Simple but absolute faith in Jesus’ word can heal the sick and change the world.
“But say the word.” Nowadays many people talk about Asbury Revival. I learn that it is truly amazing work of the Holy Spirit. However, we may not forget that in the middle of the great spiritual revival, there is always the powerful work of the word of God. So many young and old came up to stage and shared their “Life Verses” which Jesus said to them, changed them, and saved them from the power of darkness. Wherever the word of God works, there is spiritual revival.
In 1907, the Great Revival in Pyungyang began with one man’s sincere repentance for the word of God moved his heart. However, such great spiritual revival could happen because Missionaries (Robert Hardie) believed in the power of the word of God and taught the Bible and prayed together day and night over three years. When UBF ministry believed in the power of God’s world, “Go and make the disciples of all nations,” then God had blessed UBF ministry to pioneer all the campuses in Korean and sent Missionaries to over 98 nations. When Jesus said “Son your sins are forgiven’ to a country boy who had suffered under the meaninglessness had changed, this country boy had overcome his fatalistic thought and devoted his life to be a shepherd and bible Teachers. When Jesus said “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive,” to a selfish young man, he repented of his petty desire to please woman, and was changed to be a missionary with spirit of giving. Such lazy young man has changed to be a hardworking man of God to raise and to feed 7000 American campus students. When Jesus said“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes form the mouth of God,” to a hippy young man who loved to ride Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, he repented of his sinful desires. He entered Rugters University in his old age to be a bible Teacher and shepherd.
“Just Say the word.” We may have such faith in the power of the word of God. By faith in the word of God, we pray that God may say the word to campus students. By the power of the owrd of God, they may be healed from all sin-sickness and grow to be disciples, spiritual leaders for this generation. Let us pray for Our Bible Studies, One on one Bible study, and Campus Out reach. We may faithfully, and whole heartedly share the Bible. May God may say one word of God to our sheep, so that they may be healed and restored.
In conclusion the centurion in today’s passage was not only a man of genuine love, but also a man of faith. His faith came from hearing the message, which is the word of Christ. (Ro 10:17) Above all, his faith came from the knowledge of Jesus Christ and of himself. Let us believe that when Jesus just says the word, our sick loved ones will be healed in every way.