Book of Luke - Ch. 7, Vs. 1-18 (04/20/2003)

Okay, we're ready Let's go ahead and pray and we'll start with Luke chapter 7 and verse 1

Lord, thank you for meeting with us this morning. Thank you so much for your word. Thank you that you teach us in our hearts

You teach us line by line As we need to know You reveal things to us.

We thank you for that. We ask that you would teach us again this afternoon And we thank you for the good time fellowship that we've had together as brothers and sisters because of Jesus Christ We pray in his name.

Amen Luke chapter 7 and verse 1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people

He entered into Capernaum and a certain centurion servant who was dear unto him was sick and ready to die

Now let's stop just there for a moment because these things are so easy to To just kind of read over and not think about it being real life real

Actual things that really happen to different people Could there be a purpose ever be a purpose in God's purpose in us having to lose a loved one and This is kind of a thing that's happening here as he's facing the possibility of losing

Someone that's very dear to him in this case his servant In other words could

God ever have a higher purpose than we could possibly know when these sorts of things happen in our lives

And the obvious answer is yes, there's always a higher purpose than we know But it's good to remember them now because we may need to remember that someday in the future

Behind every incident certainly including the Dire illness or even the death of a loved one behind all of that is a higher purpose

It becomes obvious in this case what the higher purpose was we're allowed to see it here very shortly sometimes in our own lives

We don't get to see that for quite some time. Maybe five years ten years later We can look back and see it.

Maybe some of the things that happen. We never know in this life God's purpose is behind it.

But sometimes we do see them five or ten years later But in this case we see clearly the purpose in this so let's read on in verse.

We're chapter 7 verse 3 verse 3 says and When when he had heard of Jesus He sent unto him the elders of the

Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant Now this is a

Gentile But he was taking great interest in the things of the Jews and already had been doing that I'm sure he must have taken interest even in the

Old Testament Oracles of God that they had I think he had taken interest in in them

But my question is this will the elect always hear about Jesus you see it says and when he heard of Jesus Will the elect always hear of Jesus?

Yes, they will One way or the other they will hear of Jesus He sent unto him the elders of the

Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly saying that he was worthy

For whom he should do this talking about this Gentile Centurion they said the

Jews said he's a worthy man And it's not normal for the Jewish the Orthodox Jewish to say that about any

Gentile really not normal at all So it was obvious that this man was Doing some good things for these people

Including building things for them as you'll see in the next verse So they say he is he's worthy for whom he should do this for he loves our nation and he

Hath built us a synagogue Then Jesus went with them and when he was not far from the house

The centurion sent friends to him saying to him Lord trouble not thyself for I am

NOT worthy That thou should enter under my roof. Isn't it interesting the contrast we see here that the people around this man told

Jesus He was worthy, but the man himself said I'm not worthy. Don't even come to my house This is quite the reverse of most people

Around us today They believe they are worthy while others do not it's just the opposite Of it, but so this was a noble man

And he says I am NOT worthy that you should enter under my roof Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come into thee

But say in a word and my servant shall be healed For I also am a man sent under authority having under me soldiers and I say to one go and he goeth to another come and he

Cometh and to my servant do this and he doeth it when Jesus heard these things he marveled 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 all Israel My question is what about this answer impressed

Jesus What was it about this man's statement that showed faith?

in your opinion Well, what was it about what he said though that that?

He said if you just say the word the servant will be healed and he said and then he gave a human example

He said it's like with me. I have certain authority I can tell a soldier to go here or come over here and they'll do it because I have authority

So he recognized that Jesus had authority over this the whole world he recognized it in just very few words and The Jews that were following along did not want to believe that at all

So this man had stronger faith than they had and Jesus said I've not found so great faith

No, not in all Israel and yet Israel had the oracles of God They were the ones that supposedly had the advantage

But this man saw that Jesus was who he claimed to be He demonstrated it with simple

Actions that revealed a very deep childlike faith really a childlike faith and So this next sentence is kind of powerful verse 10

And this was all that took place. It never says Jesus did anything thought anything or anything

He just says other than that. This man has great faith and he says they That were sent returning to the house

Found the servant whole that had been sick. That's amazing He didn't touch him.

He didn't send him a prayer cloth He didn't pray for him. He didn't do anything

He just healed him Well, it was a demonstration of his authority over the entire universe the next verses continue to demonstrate this and probably in a more visible way to the people now picture this you have these

Jews that are following along and the Gentile comes out and he says these things and it's almost a rebuke to the

Jews when Jesus said he's got more faith than you have and And there was no outward demonstration of power because they didn't even get to see this person healed

They didn't know the person they didn't care about him He was a Gentile slave who would care?

There's no real proof that anything happened only the ones that went back into the house saw that this person was well

So it really didn't demonstrate anything to these Jews But look what happens in the next passage

The Authority that this Gentile soldier talked about is about to be demonstrated and it came to pass the day after That he went into a city called name and many of his disciples went with him and much people there's the

Jews following along that had perhaps seen the day before and Been thinking about what did he mean that this man has faith and we don't

Now when he came not at the gate of the city behold There was a dead man carried out the only son of his mother

And she was a widow and much people of the city was with her And when the

Lord saw her he had compassion on her and said unto her weep not and he came and he touched

I Can't pronounce that. Is that bear be I er? the casket

Beer Okay, and they that bear him

Playing words here and they that bear him Stopped when he put his hand on it.

They stopped and He said young man, I say unto thee arise

Now think about what the soldier had said the day before he said if I say to this person come over here

They do it. I say that one go there. They do it. And now Jesus says to a dead man Arise, and you talk about authority

He talked to the dead man, and he says I say unto thee Made it clear who he was talking to arise and he that was dead sat up and began to speak and he delivered him to his mother and There came a fear on all and they glorified

God saying that a great prophet is risen up Among us and that God had visited his people

And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea and throughout all the region roundabout and the disciples of John told

John Well, isn't it interesting That the

Jew requires knowledge. It said he had heard of Jesus. He had knowledge of Jesus. That's all he needed

He just says well from what I've heard All you have to do just speak and my servant will be healed but the

Jew Required a sign Those Jews did not believe anything yet But when he spoke to the dead man, and he sat up and began to speak then

I'll say whoa Wow This is a great prophet that's among us.

God has visited his people the Jew always requires a sign The Gentile does not

It's demonstrated here. But what's really demonstrated is The authority that this soldier understood the authority for God to simply speak

And it is Let's stand and have prayer together Lord thank you for these passages that allow us to go there and observe

Jesus as he walks among the people what an amazing thing to see and to contemplate in this power

This authority over everything that lives over everything that is

All things were made by him and for him and of him all things consist

May we remember that as we go forth this week Thank you for your power and the fact that you love us and you hold us in your powerful hand.