21 September 2008
A Centurion’s Faith
Posted by Daniel under: Miscellaneous .
The story of the full-of-faith centurion in Luke 7:1-10 (also Matthew 8:5-13)has always been one of my favorites, but I’ve never completely figured out what the centurion’s point in talking about himself as “a man under authority” was. Until now I have incorrectly thought that the centurion’s point was that he, and Jesus, were under authority.
Last week, as I was listening to The Luke Reports from the Focus on the Family Radio Theater, the Holy Spirit turned on a light and helped me to finally understand why Jesus made such a big deal of the centurion’s faith. The key is in the centurion’s message to Jesus: “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.” (Luke 7:7-8)
The centurion’s point was that Jesus, like himself, possessed authority. In essence, the soldier was saying to Jesus, “Look, all I have to do is speak a work and my servants will obey me. In the same way, all you need to do is speak a word and your servants will obey you.” I suddenly realized that the reason Jesus was so impressed with the centurion’s faith was that here, in the most unlikely of places, was a man who actually recognized the extent of Jesus’ authority. This man clearly believed that sickness was subject to the Jesus’ commands. This is nothing less than an admission that Jesus was God, the creator of the universe and Master of all nature.
So now I understand the full force of Jesus’ marvel at the centurion, and His statement, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” (Luke 7:9, ESV). May my faith in everyday things be that of the centurion.
For an excellent message highlighting Jesus’ authority, listen to this sermon from Capitol Hill Baptist Church.
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