Read Luke 7:1-10
I Trust You Jesus!
One day, Jesus went to Capernaum. There was a centurion’s servant, whom he valued highly, who is sick and about to die. A centurion is a Roman military man who commanded roughly 80 troops. He had heard of Jesus so he sent some elders of the Jews to him asking that Jesus come and heal his servant.
So the Jewish elders came to Jesus and pleaded with Jesus saying, “This man deserves to have you do this because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, some friends of the centurion, set by the centurion, came to Jesus saying, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. This is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. When I tell them to do something they do it.
Jesus was amazed at the Romans faith and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in israel.” When the men, whom the centurion had sent, returned to the house, they found the servant healed.
What I find interesting is the soldier, a centurion of a high position, was not like most Roman military men.
1. The centurion was a great leader. Often leaders ruled with arrogance and with a hard hand, not caring about how others felt. But this centurion was greatly moved with compassion for his servant who was sick and dying.
How often am I moved with compassion for others regardless of who they are and their background?
2. Often there was great dissension and hate between the Romans and the Jews. But this Roman centurion respected the Jews and their religion. The elders give evidence of such respect when they tell Jesus, this centurion deserves to have his servant healed because he loves our nation and built our synagogue. This was totally unheard of and rare between Romans and Jews.
The centurion had the reputation of being a man of integrity as did Jesus for that is what drew the Roman centurion to reach out to Jesus, a Jew. What’s our reputation when it comes to how we love and treat others?
3. The centurion understood a respect for authority. He had heard of Jesus and his miracles and saw him as a man of AUTHORITY. He knew he could trust Jesus.
Do we see Jesus as a true man of authority as the centurion did? “Jesus, just say the word and I know I can trust you.” Do we truly believe that no one or nothing outranks Jesus and whatever he says we know we can trust him? If he says I’ll be with you always, do we trust him. When Jesus says I will take care of you, do we trust him? Do we trust his authority to do a work in our lives, and in and through our circumstances? Jesus was amazed at the Roman’s faith. I wonder how impressed Jesus is of my faith in my everyday walk with him?
