Luke 7:1-10 - Impressing Jesus

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If you have a Bible with you, open them to Luke chapter 7.

Luke 7 · chapter mention

We're continuing in our journey through the gospel of Luke.

And this morning we're going to look at this situation here with Jesus meeting this Roman centurion

where he begins to demonstrate a lot of things he has just taught in this sermon which we've just finished going through.

So let me read for us from Luke 7, beginning of verse 1.

We're going to read down through verse 10.

After he had finished all his sayings and the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.

Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death who was highly valued by him.

And when the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews asking him to come and heal his servant.

And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly saying,

He is worthy to have you do this for him for he loves our nation and he is one who built us our synagogue.

And Jesus went with them.

But when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends saying to him,

Lord, do not trouble yourself for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

Therefore, I did not presume to come to you.

But say the word and let my servant be healed.

For I too am a man set under authority with soldiers under me.

And I say to one, go.

And he goes.

And to another, come.

And he comes.

And to my servant, do this.

And he does it.

And when Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him.

And turning to the crowd that followed him said,

I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.

And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

You know, one of the things I love about really the whole of the Bible,

but especially when we come to the Gospels, is stories.

I mean, I love stories.

I think we all love stories.

And one of the things about Luke, and it's a little different than especially, say, Matthew,

Luke, we find very few extended sections that are just him explaining the kingdom.

Where he's teaching us truths.

Far more often than not, you have these stories that paint a picture of these principles that

Jesus is communicating about the reality of this new kingdom that he brings in.

And this is one of those examples.

He's just finished, probably in the Gospel of Luke, the longest section of teaching that we have.

But now, immediately, Luke is going to give us a pair of stories.

And we're going to look at one this week and another one next week

that illustrates all that he has just said about the kingdom.

This week, we have the healing of this servant of a Gentile who expresses faith.

But then next week, we're going to see how he returns a dead son alive to his widowed mother.

And both of these are going to reflect something different about the kingdom.

And in some ways, they are both scandalous.

Because they fly directly in the face of common thought.

And so today, we're going to look at the kingdom, and we're going to look at kingdom faith.

What does kingdom faith look like?

You know, and you have to say, when you say that you have faith, when you say your friends have faith,

what do you look for in yourself or in someone else that says, yeah, they really do have faith?

And if it's true faith, you know, what distinguishes that?

So as Jesus just taught in this previous sermon, that you'll know a tree by its fruits.

And so he says, a good tree is going to produce good fruits.

A bad tree produces bad fruit.

You know that tree by the fruit it produces.

What does the kingdom, what does faith, this kingdom faith, produce in us

that demonstrates that fruit of the kingdom?

And so Luke is going to show us in this section.

Again, it's a scandalous section in a couple of ways.

But he's going to show us and demonstrate for us what this kingdom faith is.

And if you really do want to impress Jesus, this is how to do it.

So, really we just see two things.

The first is kingdom faith.

It's always in a downward movement.

We're going to see it in both of these.

But it first moves downward in humility.

Here's the story.

What's going on here?

Jesus has just finished teaching.

And now he is moving towards Capernaum with this huge posse with him.

In some ways, Luke at this point doesn't even give it much thought.

Though we're going to see it come into play in the next story.

Jesus has just finished teaching about all this new system of values.

And now he's going to demonstrate in a very clear, very major way what he was trying to explain.

And so as he's approaching the city, he is met by this group of Jewish elders.

These are leaders in this community.

And they've been sent to him on behalf of a Roman centurion.

See, that in itself would make us scratch our heads.

Because what do these Jews, what are they having to do, what do they have to do with this Roman centurion?

These Romans were the occupying army.

They were the force in Palestine then, in Israel, that the Jews hated.

They hated them almost as much as they did Samaritans.

But they hated the Romans because typically Roman centurions were not nice people.

They could be, in many occasions, brutal.

They were captors.

They were occupiers.

And the Jews were captives.

And so many times that's the way they treated them.

So what's going on here?

The Jews have come to Jesus, these Jewish leaders,

and they're kind of pleading this guy's case.

They're making a case with Jesus that this guy deserves Jesus' help.

That's a little weird.

What are they doing?

Well, is this Roman actually that nice a guy?

Maybe.

Maybe.

I mean, we see here, the way Luke describes him, he's got a tender heart, especially towards this servant of his.

And he's obviously done some good things for the Jewish community.

So maybe there's something very tender about him and that he has indeed won the affections of his captives.

There might be something else going on here.

The way that society operated and worked in these kind of situations was on a quid pro quo basis.

Jesus, if I do good for you, that means you owe me.

And so what the Romans would do sometimes with their captives is, you know, the centurion spent money, you know, built their synagogue and so forth.

But what he could be doing here with that is buying peace.

I'll build your synagogue.

You don't give me any trouble.

And so the Jews, in a sense, you know, maybe what he's doing here with these Jewish elders is calling in his debts.

So, yeah, maybe he did love this servant of his and this servant was obviously very valuable.

And so he needed help.

And now he has heard that there's this guy named Jesus out here who could bring life and healing back to my servant.

So, the elders come and are trying to build a case for this centurion's worthiness.

That word worthy is the key here.

It's one of these key ideas because, you know, the Jews operate on this basis as well.

What you do, how you behave, your standing in society, all of that makes you worthy.

And the basic meaning of that word worthy is kind of substantive or heavy.

You have weight to your life or you are valuable.

You are somebody.

And that is, you find worth on the basis of how you live, the good things you do, and so forth.

And so that's the system.

That's simply the way the world works here.

And it's the way the Jews are working.

Yes, this guy was a foreigner.

Yes, in normal circumstances, they wouldn't have anything to do with him.

But in this case, they are coming and trying to build a case.

Now, the amazing thing here is Jesus goes.

He never says a word about it.

He just goes with him.

And now what this does, it sets up a whole new crisis.

Because a centurion hears that he's coming.

And there's something else about society.

This Jewish teacher cannot come into the house of a Gentile.

And so, the centurion in some ways panics.

And he sends a whole different group of people to Jesus.

These are not Jewish elders that he's using to get something.

Now he's got friends.

And now they're saying something whole different.

Something totally different about this Roman.

He's not worthy.

He's a Roman.

He says, I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof.

Enter into my house.

And the word that their centurion uses.

It's like, I'm insufficient.

I am a nobody.

In regard to you, comparison to you, I am not enough for you to care.

And so, from a distance, he sends these friends to Jesus.

Because basically, the Gentile says, I have no right to expect you to help me.

But, you know, if you just say the word, which we'll look at in just a minute.

But there is in this world this system of worth and value.

And unfortunately, in that system, it's all based on what you do.

Who you are.

And this is what Jesus came to bring it into.

Unfortunately, that same kind of system is what we have here.

What makes you think that you are worthy to expect Jesus to come to you and to give you help?

You know, help is given to those who are worthy of it.

You know, we operate this way.

If someone were to come to you and ask for financial help, they need money from you.

What are you looking for in them that would make them worthy of your help?

What if they were standing there puffing on a cigarette in front of you?

What if they had the smell of alcohol on their breath?

What if they were dressed very clearly as if they belonged to another religion?

What would disqualify them from you giving them help?

Would they be worthy?

What makes us worthy?

To ask and to expect something.

But, you know, that is as big a question as that is.

How do you approach God yourself?

You need Him to work for you?

You need something?

You've got something going on in your life?

And it's very, very dear to you.

What gives you the right to go before God and expect Him to answer your prayer and to meet you in that need?

Have you done enough?

Are you good enough?

You know, a few years ago, well, let me just say this first.

A lot of us know intellectually that there's nothing we can do.

But that's not the way we function.

Some years ago, when not long I had actually become a Christian,

I joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ.

I was going to become a missionary.

And I had, I was at new staff training,

and they were trying to decide where I should fit,

what ministry I should go into.

And I had just auditioned for the music ministry.

Not very well, I might say.

But I auditioned.

And that's where I really wanted to be placed.

I didn't want to go just work on a college campus somewhere.

I wanted to work with these music groups that they had.

And so, you know, in that anxious time of waiting,

and this was something I really, really wanted.

And so I decided, you know, maybe I ought to pray about this.

But I was like, oh, my God.

And so I remember, I went up one evening.

They had a, at the camp, the staff training grounds where I was,

they had a chapel.

And so I decided, let me, I'm just, I'm going to go up there

in the quiet and the private, and I'm going to pray.

But as I went up there and started praying, I realized something.

That's the first time I had really prayed in a long time.

I hadn't really, as far as my time and efforts go,

I hadn't paid God much attention at all.

Yeah, I was in training to be a missionary.

And I wasn't in his word.

I wasn't praying.

And there were just other things in my life that were inconsistent

with all of this.

And it hit me that God, and I just started kind of rattling all this off.

And I said, I really don't have much right to ask you for this.

And it was kind of like, you know, this is a very un-Presbyterian thing.

It was almost like God actually responded.

To that prayer.

And as clear as it could be in my mind, this thought came.

And it says, okay, what difference would it have made

if you had done all those things?

Would you be more worthy?

Well, no.

See, I was very, very determined to make myself acceptable.

I was determined that I was going to make myself good enough

where I could be approved because I'd behaved well enough

so that God would, that I would feel confident

that God would actually come and take my desires to heart

and meet me and answer my prayer.

I was trying to be worthy.

Well, what's keeping you from asking God

for something that's very, very dear to your heart?

And I don't know what that might be.

It might be something that you really want.

It might be him taking away something you really don't want.

But that request, what is it?

And see, a lot of times we hesitate

to come before God because,

yeah, I'm not good with devotional times.

Oh, yeah, I've been going the wrong places on my computer.

Oh, yeah, I mean, I have just yelled at my kids

for the seventh time and it's barely lunch.

Why would I think that God would listen to me?

Why would I think he would have anything to do with my desires?

See, in the old system,

worthiness is on what we do.

But there's a new system.

And Jesus went to the Gentiles' home

without a word, without hesitation,

because there's a new system.

That those who are the least worthy

can be made worthy,

but not because of their lineage,

not because of their religion,

not because of their behavior,

but because of what he was about to do.

The Holy One of Israel

was about to embrace unworthiness.

The Holy One of Israel

was about to enter in the sewer

of human depravity

and take it away.

And he was going to embrace it

so that us who are lost in it

and stuck in it

we who cannot be good enough

ever

can be made

worthy.

And how worthy has he made us?

that same Holy One

of Israel

has now declared

that through his work,

through his death,

through his intervention,

has made me

not only acceptable enough

that he would enter

into my dwelling,

he's chosen to take up residence there.

the Holy One

has cleansed me

so fully,

so completely,

and has made me

so ultimately

beautiful

that he

says,

I'll come.

No problem.

I'm on my way.

There's nothing

to keep us

from inviting him

and expecting him

to hear us

and to

bless us.

Nothing.

Faith

embraces

the humility

of unworthiness

because

we have a Savior

that we trust

and makes us worthy.

Secondly,

faith

moving downward

now in submission.

You know,

when the centurion,

and this is the part

that sometimes

we might scratch our heads

about this,

and this is okay,

as soon as,

you know,

with the second group of people

he sends them to Jesus,

and the reason

he tells Jesus,

no,

don't come,

he gets into this

discussion of authority

and it's kind of

this hierarchy

of authority.

And what's this

all about?

And he says,

Jesus,

look,

just say the word

because I understand

authority.

I mean,

I'm a centurion.

I got guys under me.

I tell one,

do this,

and he does it,

and go here,

and he goes,

and so all you've

got to do

is say the word.

And see,

obviously,

the centurion

has heard the stories

about Jesus

and what he's doing

and how he's not only

teaching with authority,

he's been working

with authority,

something that

the Jewish elders

in a lot of ways

were blind to,

but he's caught on.

This guy's got authority,

and he can speak,

and all he's got to do

is speak,

and it's done.

And so he's,

this centurion

is submitting himself

to the authority

of Jesus.

And Jesus hears this.

Jesus was impressed.

The text says

he marveled.

And he says,

in all Israel,

and here's the scandal

of the story,

in all Israel,

I have not seen

such faith,

and that faith

came from a

scum

Roman centurion.

because he understood

the dynamics

of a new kingdom.

This is huge.

This whole idea

of authority

is huge

for me.

For the centurion,

he was dealing

with this physical illness

of this beloved servant,

and all he knew

that all Jesus

had to do

was to speak

into this,

and this servant

would be healed.

you know,

for us,

the issue

might be

a little less material.

You know,

what has Jesus

already said to me

about me

that I simply

do not believe

or that I openly

reject

and that I cannot,

I will not

accept?

what has he said?

What has he already

declared?

Well,

who's the one

in your life?

And I have

asked the question,

you know,

who's the one

in my life

that actually

has the authority

to speak

into my heart

and I will submit

and believe

and accept

what they say?

Is it a parent?

Maybe a spouse?

Do we live

with parents

who are speaking

into our lives

and what they're saying

actually is not

very good

but yet we believe

and we live

under this burden

of what they're

declaring about us?

are we living

in slavery

to certain people

because we need

their words

to speak

into us

that we actually

have value?

Who is it

in your life

that can speak

and you're going

to believe

and accept

and embrace?

Who has the authority?

You know,

because of these voices

sometimes we can

either feel

very defeated,

very worthless,

very small,

enslaved.

You know,

some of the loudest

voices that we believe

unfortunately

are our own.

we don't need

somebody else.

Some of those voices

simply say,

I'll look in the mirror

and it says,

I'm a failure,

I am a zero.

I am insignificant.

I mean nothing

to no one.

Now,

what I'm talking

about here

in getting into

is not

psychological

gymnastics.

Psychology

today

will tell you,

you know,

you might think

this is just

well,

positive speak.

We need to have

positive messages.

We need to speak

to ourselves

and listen to

the positive messages

that people give us

and ignore

the negative ones

and so that we can

have a better image

of ourselves

and you know,

I'm not talking

about that

because what

psychology does

unfortunately

is just saying

giving us

positive messages

and they're

ignoring the truth

and what is the

truth?

truth.

One of my

spiritual mentors

had this saying

and he says,

you know,

when people

criticize you,

rejoice

because it's not

anything as bad

as the reality.

reality.

What modern

psychology today

does is ignore

the reality.

I am unworthy.

I am broken.

I'm a mess.

And this is

the paradox

or the crazy

thing about

Christianity

because what

Christianity says,

what the gospel

says about it,

the gospel is

by far the most

absolutely negative

message we could

hear,

but at the same

time the most

glorious.

Because the gospel

says you are far

worse than you

ever believed.

But you're far

more beloved

than you ever

dreamed.

And so the voice

of Jesus

says what

to us?

it says,

yep,

you got a

problem.

You got a

big one.

You have no

clue.

You're a broken

mess

and there's not

one single thing

you can do

to take care

of it.

He doesn't

stop there.

what does

he also

say?

You're

forgiven.

You're

accepted.

You're

approved.

You are

righteous.

You are

beloved.

You are

beloved.

Now

how are you

going to

listen to?

does

Jesus

have

the

authority

to speak

truth

into your

heart?

Because

this is

the truth.

This is

what he

comes to

do.

faith

always

begins

moving

downward.

Always.

It is

grasping

the truth

of my

unworthiness.

But

faith

also

submits

to the

declaration

that comes

from the

cross

that it

is

finished.

That we

who believe

him are

in

Christ.

And

there is

now no

barrier

to keep

us

away.

To keep

us from

expecting

anything

other

than

God's

ultimate

good.

That is

kingdom

faith.

Is that

what you

have?

Is that

yours?

Are you

still living

a life

trying to

improve

so you'll

get a

hearing?

Are you

still living

a life

that's

trying to

earn it

on your

own?

Are you

still

or have

you just

maybe

given up

and you

quit asking

God for

anything

because you

can't get

there?

Let's see a

new system

has come

inaugurated

by the

king

himself

that it's

not up to

you.

You come

to him

and he

takes care

of all

of it.

In

Christ

through

going down

and accepting

your unworthiness

submitting

ourselves to

his declaration

of us

we can

fully

expect

this good

king

to hear

our cries

and to

meet us

in our

needs

because he

has declared

us worthy.

Let's pray.

Father

what you

have done

to make

us your

own

what you

have done

to make

us suitable

for you

to dwell

a place

where you

can dwell

what you

have done

to make

us

your very

sons and

daughters

oh

father

would you

speak

truth

into our

hearts

expose

our

natural

brokenness

expose

that

unworthiness

that we

did earn

but then

show us

the ultimate

gift

of the

cross

where all

was done

show us

that we

might more

fully

and readily

run to

you

with our

hearts

with our

needs

we pray

in Jesus

name

amen

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