Jesus and the Centurion

Although Jesus was sent to the house of Israel, He did have some interaction with Gentiles – – and the centurion was a great example for all of us, as Jesus confirms – v.10 – let’s look at the lessons in this story.

Matthew 8:5–13 ESV

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man 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.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

I) Compassion – vs.5-6

Of the centurion for his servant – – it is more than an inactive sympathy –

Luke 10:30–37 ESV

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

James 2:15–16 ESV

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

Lack of compassion from David and the rich man of the story – – David had been inconsistent (hypocritical) in his practice

2 Samuel 12:1–5 ESV

And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die,

We must seek to do good, especially our brethren and the helpless, whenever we can – ;

Galatians 6:10 ESV

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

James 1:27 ESV

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

II) Humility – v.8

From an unlikely source, since as a centurion, he was a powerful man

It is considering ourselves to have a lower rank (position), and elevating others – ;

Matthew 5:3 ESV

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 18:13–14 ESV

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

III) Authority – vs.8-9

The right to rule – – Jesus was given all authority when He left this world after fulfilling His ministry, a concept that the centurion comprehends better than the Jews

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

In the words of Jesus – – which requires we subject ourselves to the Bible as the absolute rule over our lives

John 12:48 ESV

The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

IV) Faith – v.10

From a Gentile in greater amount than the Jews, who had much more evidence to produce such confidence in God –

Luke 10:13–16 ESV

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

In Jesus and His word; which is what we need to have faith in today

Concl: There are other lessons that we can learn from this story, such as the inclusion in God’s kingdom of all men, and the limitless power of Jesus over time and distance. But focusing on the centurion teaches us important attitudes for us to have in the kingdom.