Living Like A Centurion
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Many of us know the story found in Luk 7, which we’ll be reading.
This is the story about a roman centurion who has a sick servant and so he sends word to yeshua asking him to heal his servant to which Yeshua agrees, and the servant is healed.
But it wasn’t simply the healing that stands out in the story, we learn that it was the way the centurion asked for the healing that impressed Yeshua, and this is why the story stands out.
I find it intersting that he remains nameless. he is marvelled at by yeshua and his reputation of faith is known by millions today and yet he remains nameless. almost as if to say you the reader too can be this nameless centurion.
So, I’d like us to not just read it but to really think about applying the lessons found in this story to our lives so Yeshua may marvel at our faith.
This is why i’ve titled this message living like a centurion, because we learn from this centurion an important lesson about faith.
This story is found in two of the synoptic gospels - Mat 8 and Luke 7 and we’ll be drawing on both.
Capernuem
When Yeshua finished all His drash in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.
The first thing we read is that this event took place in Caperneum.
This is what’s beuatiful about our faith - it is rooted in real places, events and time. This is what has the ring of authenticity and truth - our faith is a historical faith and that is important.
I’ve said it before but it is worth repeating, we dont have blind faith, we have a faith rooted in history and evidence. Our God doesn’t expect us to blindly believe, he expects us to look at the evidence and his works as say ‘certainly this God is the true God’.
This is why we repeat the liturgy like micamocha - it is a remembrance of the works and deliverance God has performed.
And here we see the Word of God in the flesh living and moving in Capernaum.
The name Capernaum comes from the hebrew ‘caphar nahum’ - which means village of nahum or village of comfort.
In the first century, Capernaum was a center of commerce. Fishing and trade were important, and the town was a Roman tax polling station.
On one Shabbat, Yeshua taught in the syngaogue there.
And they went into Capernaum. Right away, on Shabbat, He entered the synagogue and began to teach. And they were astounded at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority and not as the Torah scholars.
In that synagogue a man with an unclean spirit was healed and Yeshua’s fame spread throughout Galilee.
And right after that, they left the synaoguge walking to Peter’s house and Yehusa healed Peter’s mother-in-law.
He healed her and then after ‘the sun had set’, meaning after Shabbat, the city began to bring all who were sick and demon possessed.
So it was a place that Yeshua did many miracles.
And this is why we read later on in Luke 10.15
And you, Capernaum? You won’t be lifted up to heaven, will you? No, you will go down as far as Sheol.
You said in your heart: “I will ascend to heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north. I will ascend above the high places of the clouds— I will make myself like Elyon.” Yet you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest parts of the Pit.
To the daniel students - this passage in isaiah is a taunt against the king of Babylon. You will recall that Isaiah wrote well before Babylon’s rule and Nebuchadezzar’s invasion - Isaiah wrote in the 700’s and Daniel was taken in the first wave of captives in 605bc.
Because of the many miracles done in Capernaum and their rejeciton of him, a strong judgement was prophesied and prononunced on the inhabitants of this city.
The Centurion
The Centurion
The centurion was a roman officer, likely of 80 to 100 soldiers, so he had some status but was middle ranked.
Despite his status in the Roman empire, we can learn that there is a lot to like about this man - we get a sense of his character.
For one, he cared for his sick dying slave.
In the Greco Roman world many owned slaves - it was not uncommon.
It was a system in which slaves could own property, earn money, and buy their freedom. So this isn’t the North American slave trade of the recent past.
But at the end of the day the centurion didn’t have to care, yet he did care. His slave was dying and he wanted the best for him.
This is the first lesson we can learn from this centurion - caring for those under our influence.
We read that when the centurion heard of Yeshua he sent word to him.
He sent the elders of the Jewish community, who would have been essentially the rulers of the local religious community.
This Gentile Roman centurion, whose servant was dying, heard of Yeshua’s reputation, but knowing that Yeshua is Jewish, he suspects perhaps that this Jewish rabbi would not be interested in reaching out to help a Gentile soldier.
Again, we see a godly characteristic of this man. He has a certain humility to him. A Roman captian with the power to oppress and demand, and yet implores and humbles himself.
So, to get the attention of Yeshua, he goes first of all to the leaders of the Jewish community, and begs them to intercede on his behalf and see if it would be possible for Yeshua to come and minister to his servant.
So the second thing we learn is that this centurion is humble.
The third thing we learn about his character is that he is a godly man and we see that in verse 4.
When they came to Yeshua, they begged Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this,
You might wonder ‘what in verse 4 demonstrates that the centurion was godly?’.
I believe he is godly because the leaders of the local Jewish community not only do what the centurion asks, but they earnestly do it. They plead with Yeshua.
You see the elders love this man. And if the elders love this man, it is because he has demonstrated love for them.
We of course read in verse 5 that he built a Synagogue for the town and his reptuaiton - on the mouth of the elders - is that he loves our nation.
So this centurion who is on the side of the foreign oppressor, isn’t simply neutral to the Jewish cause, he is pro-the Jewish cause. He wants the people to flourish with their God.
The institution of the Synagogue was an important feature of Jewish life and culture—both in Judaea and the cities of the Diaspora.
The synagogue in the Second Temple period was much more than a religious institution - it was the center of communal life - and in some cases had guest rooms and water facilities for travelers.
Synagogues have been found with inscriptions on them, ocassioantly thanking gentile donours as ‘worthy’ and ‘god fearing’.
This inscription dates to the first century A.D., and it dedicates a synagogue in Jerusalem.
In this inscription, Theodotus, a ruler of the synagogue, and the son and grandson of synagogue rulers, built the synagogue for three things: 1) the reading of the Torah, 2) the teaching of the commandments, and 3) as a guest house for travelers.
This inscription proves significant because it provides a description of the synagogue practices within the land of Israel during the first century A.D.
What a testimony for this unnamed centurion. He lives in a context where disdain for the Jews is not uncommon yet he decides to support the Jewish nation.
This of course is not far from our context today and we’d do well to support our Jewish brothers without compromising our convictions about Yeshua.
Yeshua’s Response
Yeshua’s Response
Now Yeshua started to go with them; and when He wasn’t far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to Him, “Master, do not trouble Yourself, for I’m not worthy for You to come under my roof.
Speaking of yeshua, we are told in verse 6 that yeshua went with them.
Yeshua was on his way to heal the servant.
Why would yeshua go? Yeshua was in high demand - crowds have been following and imploring him. His time was precious.
Elsewhere Yeshua commands disciples not to go to the gentiles but only the lost sheep of the house Israel. In anotehr place he tells the Canaanite woman ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’.
So did Yehusa decide to go here because a centurion called him? Or did he go because the lost sheep of the house of Israel pleaded for him to go?
No doubt he went because of the latter. The centurion had obtained what he desired through his humilty - salvation came through his humility. This is indeed a biblical principle.
This is what we saw with the Caanite woman as well - she was not offended by Yeshua’s words when he said it was not rigth to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs - instead she accepted her status but also accepted that the true God had the power to change it.
These are all the marks of humily that lead to answered prayer.
Some of you may be asking for answers to prayer and this is a good reminder to first check your humility - have you remained humble before God?
Have you accepted your portion in life with thanksgiving and gratitude, while recgonizing that in His hand is the pwoer to change it in an instant?
And look what the centurion says next - ‘Lord’. The centurion, captian of the migthy roman army, called this itinerate Jewish rabbi ‘lord’.
“Lord do not trouble yourself further for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.”
Notice that on the one hand the elders are saying ‘he is worthy and deserves this’ and on the other hand the centurion says of himself ‘I am not worthy’.
This truly is a sober understanding of one’s state before a holy God.
The centurion isn’t defining his worth from the world surrounding him. He is taking his worth from God’s definition.
But it may also reflect once again his understanding that as a gentile his house is unclean to religious jews. We saw this with Peter in the book of Acts if you recall.
We see a clear pattern in the various gentiles that Luke presents as obtaining something from Yeshua - nothing is more important than the goal.
Not pride, not status, not social position, not financial position, not relationships, nothing. Nothing is more important for this centurion than saving his servant.
Some of you may be asking why aren’t I receiving spiritual or emotional healing, and yet you have unforgiveness is in your heart.
Some of you may be asking why aren’t I receiving financial sustenance to keep me afloat and yet you’ve placed your social status or relationships ahead of your status in God or relationship with God.
Some of you may be asking why hasn’t God healed my heart from lonliness by giving me a companion and yet He’s saying there are elements in your life you that you need to give up first that can only be solved with you and me 1 on 1.
What I’m saying it is if you haven’t taken it to the Father with an attitude of humility recognizing you are not worthy, then you have skipped a step.
Take it to the Father in prayer and ask for His guidance and for Him to open up His word to you so you can understand what He requires.
And and attitude of humility means you need to be prepared for an answer like - “that’s not what I have for you right now. Trust me.”
But it’s not just humiliity that needs to preceed the healing, faith also needs to preceed it.
That is why I didn’t consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word and let my servant be healed.
In verse 7 he says ‘but just say the word and my servant will be healed’.
Picture this - everyone else is rushing to touch Yeshua, people are bringing their loved ones for miles from surrounding villages, power is going out from Yeshua with just a touch, and yet this man recognizes who he is dealing with.
Just say the word lord.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
This is faith in action. Faith is living out what we hope to happen because we believe in the one who stands behind that hope.
Faith is believing the Word of God, or to put it another way, Faith is beleiving the God of the Word.
And that means living today as if you know what tommorrow will bring. Faith is an action. This is what the men of old did - they acted upon the word.
Hebrews is saying there is a delay between what is seen and what is unseen - and the bridge to that gap are the promises of God that came out of His mouth.
The word of declaraiton comes first, the reality of that word follows in time.
This centurion believed Yeshua could sipmly say the word and healing would follow.
This comment causes yeshua to marvel.
For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
The centurion recognizes that Yeshua has been sent by a higher authority just as he as a centurion has power because the authority given to him.
He’s acknowleding that Yeshua is sent by God and that the authority of the God of creation rests upon Yeshua.
The centurion is using a kal v chomer Jewish legal principle. From the light to the heavy. If the lesser is true, how much more is the greater true.
He’s saying to Yeshua - “If I as a centurion under authority dervied from an earthly power can effect action to my suboridinates because of that authority ‘HOW MUCH MORE’ can you under the true power in heaven, effect action to your subordinates because of that authority.”
Just as the centurion orders his slave to do something, and he does it, the centurion acknowledges Yeshua’s authority over him and his household to be ordered and to do it in reverence and fear.
It is no wonder Yeshua marveled at this man’s faith. This centruion truly understood what it means to beleive in the word of the lord.
This is of cousre the lesson for you - how can you demonstrate today that you beleive in the word of the lord like this man did.
When yeshua said ‘seek first the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness and all these things will be added’ do you act in a way that shows you believe that?
When Yeshua says ‘all authority in heaven and earth is given to me - go therefore and make disciples …’ do you believe that all auathroity is truly given to Him? Do you speak and live with conviction and faith?
I want you to ask yourself this quesiton - what would your life look like or what would you change if you lived like this centurion?
What would your life look like if you believed all authority was Yeshua’s? What would you do different?
Would you worry less about your lover knowing that your duty is to be faithful to God, and let God take care of the rest?
Would you not be depressed about being single knowing that God could give you a companion tomorrow if He wanted, but for now has a different focus assigned to you?
Would you stress less about your boss, your coworkers, your economoic stability, etc etc knowing that God simply spoke and it came to be.
Would you fight less? Would you get angry less?
The centurion is teahcing us that all authority is Yeshua’s.
All authority. All authority. All authority. All authority. All authority. All. All. All. All authority.
That’s what faith is - living your life as if all authority is His.
Obataining Your Reward
Obataining Your Reward
Then Yeshua said to the centurion, “Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you.” And the servant was healed in that same hour.
Yeshua said the word, and the man’s slave was healed. Through faith he received his request.
This centurion was a stranger to the covenant, a foreigner, an alien to the inheritance.
But he understood authority, and he understood that Yeshua had it. He had living faith.
And the text says Yeshua turned to the crowd following him — which crowd? The crowd of Capernaum.
Now when Yeshua heard this, He was amazed at him. Turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
This was essentially a rebuke. Not even in Israel have I found the type of Faith in Israel.
Capernaum would ultimatley receive a curse for her unbelief, and here we see Yeshua rebuking them that it should be Israel demonstrating this type of faith.
Now when Yeshua heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Amen, I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith! Moreover, I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and they will recline at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
But the sons of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness; in that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Yeshua said to the centurion, “Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you.” And the servant was healed in that same hour.
On one hand we rejoice that many of us have been brought from the east and the west, and will one day sit in the kingdom reclining at the table with the patriarchs.
But on the other hand we mourn for the many sons of the kingdom who will be cast out of their inheritance.
How sad and what a tragedy. This is why we must extend compassion to Israel.
Yet, the truth is that it is faith alone that breaks down the wall of separation and brings together jew and non jew - faith in Yeshua alone to be specific.
If we want to receive our inheritance, and if we want our Jewish brothers to receive their rightufl inheritance, it must be done by faith.
It is only through faith in the one who has all authority in heaven and earth.
