13. The Saviour's Great Salvation (Luke 7:1-35)
Notes
Transcript
Luke’s goal throughout this Gospel is that his we would have certainty concerning the salvation that Jesus Christ has accomplished (Taylor). In other words, Luke defines and defends this message of salvation in order that we may confidently accurately declare it to the world.
We now come to a new section in Luke’s Gospel, here in Chapters 7 & 8, which has as its primary subject the matter of salvation. In these chapters we will see the
The Nature of Salvation
The Response to Salvation
The Essence of Salvation
Luke wants us to be certain about the nature of this salvation that Jesus has come to bring, to be certain about the wrong and right response to this salvation, and to be certain about the essence of this salvation: how great a salvation!
We start out in our section today in verses 1-17 with Two Great Salvation Miracles - Jesus Saves from Disease and Death: the healing of the centurion’s servant, and the raising of the widow of Nain’s son from the dead.
We then will see in verses 18-35 Responses to the Saviour’s Salvation.
Jesus Saves From Disease and Death, 1-17
Jesus Saves From Disease and Death, 1-17
Responding to the Saviour’s Salvation, 18-35
Responding to the Saviour’s Salvation, 18-35
Pray....
Jesus Saves From Disease and Death, 1-17
Jesus Saves from Disease, 1-10
Jesus Saves from Death, 11-17
Jesus Saves from Disease, 1-10
A Walk with God: Luke 30. The Centurion’s Display of Faith (Luke 7:1–10)
This centurion had a servant, and it is obvious that the centurion cared very deeply for his servant: his attitude to him is not one of patronizing contempt, but love. He was upset when he discovered that the servant was sick, even to the point of death.
The centurion had never met Jesus. He only knew of Jesus’ reputation. But when he heard of Jesus he begged elders of the Jews to intercede on his behalf and see if it would be possible for Jesus to come and minister to his desperately ill servant.
One of Luke’s great concerns in writing this book is to demonstrate that Christ’s ministry was not only to the Jews, but was meant for the Gentiles as well. So Luke’s Gospel account includes many encounters that took place between Jesus and Gentiles.
The Jewish leaders did just as the centurion asked, and pleaded with Him earnestly —
4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him,
5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”
4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”
In their eyes, he has earned trust and merit with God. They declare that he is worthy of this favour.
But notice, a second group approaches Jesus who has started towards the house. Friends of the centurion who had been sent to Jesus, with this verbatim request:
6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
Notice the declaration he makes about himself: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you.
Here we see the absolute contrast between the apparent worthiness and the actual un-worthiness of a man. Everyone else thought the centurion deserved whatever help he needed. He was a good man. He cared for his servants. He gave a lot of money to the local congregation. Surely such a man was entitled to some kind of special consideration! But by the grace of God, the centurion saw himself as he really was. He knew that he was not worthy at all—not compared to Jesus. He was not even worthy to be under the same roof! (Ryken)
How do you see Jesus, and how do you see yourself? The two questions are connected, because when we see Jesus as he really is—in all his splendor - His holiness, majesty, and power—we also see our true spiritual need. The thing we need to see about ourselves is that we are sinners in desperate need of God’s grace. And when we see ourselves as we really are—the way that God sees us, in all the unworthiness of our sin—we see the supreme worthiness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ is the worthy Son of God. He is the beginning and the end, the Creator of the universe, the one by whom and for whom all things were made. He is the mighty and supreme ruler of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the holy Lamb of God, who was slain for our sins on the cross, who was raised from the dead for our justification, and who now deserves all honor, blessing, glory, and power.
If that is who Jesus is, then who are we? The answer is that we are needy sinners who do not even deserve the grace of God. We must never forget the unworthiness of our sinful nature or the unrighteousness of the sins that we commit against God.
If we are proud of who we are and what we have accomplished, then we will not be saved, because “God opposes the proud” (1 Peter 5:5). But God also gives grace to the humble, and when we admit that we do not even deserve to be saved, to know the least of His favours, we are ready to receive God’s mercy in Christ. We are ready to say, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner. I am not even worthy to come into your presence. But I believe the promise of your word, that in the blood of your cross, there is enough grace for me.” (Ryken)
English Standard Version Chapter 7
But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 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.”
What an incredible statement of faith! This centurion understands the nature of authority. He knew it was not necessary for Jesus to enter the house. All he needed to do was say the word!
Here was a man who knew somehow that in Christ he was dealing with One who exercised consummate lordship. This centurion has power and authority as a member of the occupying forces. His authority flowed to him from Caesar. When he spoke it was as if the Emperor Tiberius himself where speaking. But he recognizes that his power pales in utter insignificance before that authority yielded by Christ.
English Standard Version Chapter 7
9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
Notice the Reaction
When Jesus heard what confidence the centurion had in the authority of his word, he was totally amazed. There are only two times in the Gospels when Jesus is said to experience this kind of astonishment. The first is when his family and friends rejected him at Nazareth. The Scripture says, “he marveled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:6). This time it is not unbelief that amazed him, but belief: “When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith’ ” (Luke 7:9). (Ryken)
Jesus was astonished by the faith and understanding that he found in this man. He had not been born and raised in the synagogue, he had not been steeped in the Old Testament. He was a stranger to the covenant, a foreigner, an alien. And what little He knew of God and His Word and what he had heard about Jesus, well, he had done the math.
He understood authority, and he understood that Jesus had it. He understood that Jesus had a kind of authority that gave him the ability to have power over life and over death. This centurion, based on what he had heard about Jesus, believed in this Jesus. This same Jesus who would reveal himself later on, after his resurrection, in Revelation with words like these: ‘I am the Alpha and Omega’ (Rev. 1:8). ‘I have the keys of hell and death’ (Rev. 1:18). He has the power, the authority over life itself. (Sproul)
Jesus says in Matthew’s account that many more like him will respond with faith and will come and join in God’s great feast ( Matthew 8:11).
11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,
[12] But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, [13] who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ESV) [right=authority]
Just like him, men and women by the mercy and grace of God have approached with the eyes of faith; they have perceived their need and recognize that Jesus alone has the authority that can meet their need, and they come to him in faith. Those who don’t will find themselves on the outside, tormented, in hell. The authority of Jesus, that authority over all things in heaven and earth has been given to him, confronts us. That is Luke’s intention: what will you do with this Jesus? Our only comfort, our only hope, our only peace, will be found in this One who has all authority.
b. Jesus Saves From Death, 11-17
Widow’s son: We are told that she is a widow, and this was her only son who had died. He was here sole support, her “insurance policy” as it were, for her old age. This adds to the heartbreak we should feel already at hearing this.
Jesus stops the procession to the burial site and touches the body. To come in contact with a dead body was to risk personal defilement that would require a very rigorous procedure of ritual cleansing.
But here Jesus violates the expectations of the Pharisees. He does this on several occasions in Scripture, never violating, of course, the moral law of the Old Testament, but using this as an occasion to teach something of the correct interpretation of the Law of God.
He shows Himself to have power over life and death itself!
Notice the reaction -
16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”
Having witnessed this miracle, ‘fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God’ (v. 16). Can you imagine the shock and awe that swept over this crowd as they witnessed the dead man sit up and begin to speak?
Certain things are in the category that only God can bring about, such as bringing something out of nothing, or bringing life out of death. So this multitude when they saw this event unfold before them, the only conclusion they could come to, and they came to it instantly, was that this is a work of God: ‘and they began glorifying God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us.” ’ (Sproul)
There were very rare, isolated instances in the Old Testament where people had been raised from the dead by the power of God, through the prophets. And so here, when they see somebody raising somebody from the dead, the immediate inference they make is that this man must be a great prophet. Indeed he was a prophet, but more than a prophet. (Sproul)
But let’s finish what the people said: ‘God has visited his people.’
The word “visited” here is that of an official visit by a King, who comes to distribute blessings and curse, justice and mercy. The idea of God visiting his people is something that had its roots planted very deeply in the Old Testament. The prophets had said on several occasions that in the last days, God would visit his people. Think back to the early songs at the beginning of the book of Luke, sung by Mary, Zechariah, Simeon and others. In those songs, more than once, there was the statement that God, in the coming of this baby, was visiting his people. (Sproul)
But notice that this wasn’t enough to convince the people that Jesus was God. They certainly recognized that this was a work that only God could accomplish, but they had a historical reference at that point.
Jesus Saves From Disease and Death, 1-17
Responding to the Saviour’s Salvation, 18-35
2. Responding to the Saviour’s Salvation, 18-35
a. Are You The One? 18-23
b. Jesus’ Response, 24-30
c. Weighing the Response to Jesus, 30-35
Are You The One? 18-23
At this point in Jesus’s ministry, John the Baptist is in prison for having upset Herod and his wife over pointing out that their marriage was unbiblical.
While in prison, John has had time to reflect on his calling and ministry, and the focus of that ministry being the forerunner of Messiah.
With the coming forward of Jesus, some may have had doubts regarding whether Jesus was truly the Anointed One, or merely a great prophet. To the minds of many, He didn’t fit their notions of what Messiah would be and do. And it appears that John may have had doubts arising in his mind as well.
While John may have had his doubts, and the life of faith will indeed have such low points, John did the right thing in his doubt: he sent to Jesus for answer. We must be life the man who cried out to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
He sent two of his followers to Jesus with the question: “are you the One, or do we look for another?”
It is as if Jesus told these fellows who were sent from John — stand over here — I’ll get to you after a bit. And then Jesus proceeds to show that He indeed is Messiah
English Standard Version Chapter 7
21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight.
And then He quotes Scripture concerning Messiah and what He has come to do:
22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.
23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Isa. 35:5- 6; Is. 61:1
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
It is as if He is telling them: compare what I do with the Scripture’s description of the ministry of Messiah. Here are the prophecies, here are the proofs I offer. You do the math!
14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Jesus’ Response, 24-30
He validates John’s ministry which points to Him, to Jesus, as Messiah. He was regarded with esteem as a prophet of God by the people.
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.
If indeed what John said was true and about Whom it is said is true, then the Kingdom of God has come! The ones who are despised in the eyes of the so called “righteous,” who have had new hearts given them — who because of this change wrought by God in them have submitted to John’s baptism, a baptism symbolising repentance, are declared to be greater than John the Baptist in receiving the blessings first-hand! The Pharisees and teachers of the law have rejected God’s saving work! They thought themselves too good to submit to the admission in baptism of their sins and need of cleansing by God. But those who were despised, He has brought near!
Weighing the Response to Jesus, 30-35
Jesus, therefore, was likening this generation to an obstinate and stubborn child who is always going against the rest of the group. He goes on to show this obstinacy by comparing their responses to himself and to John the Baptist:
33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Do you see what Jesus is saying? Some people just will not be pleased. John came in austerity, with a rigid, disciplined asceticism. They didn’t like that, and condemned his behaviour as demonic. Jesus, on the other hand, participated in the social life of the people, rubbing shoulders with tax collectors and going to feasts, parties, and so on. They didn’t like that either, and called him a glutton and wine-bibber. Worst of all, they accused him of associating with sinners.
Jesus was saying, therefore, that we should trust in him for salvation. This is the point of verse 23: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” These words also came from Isaiah. When Isaiah prophesied about the coming Savior, he said,
14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”
These are troubling verses. They mean that even when God comes to bring salvation, some people will reject him. They will stumble over the rock of salvation. They will be offended by the very idea that they need Jesus to be their Savior.
Jesus was warning and us—not to be offended by his saving work. Do not stumble over Jesus because he is not meeting your expectations, or because you are having spiritual doubts, or because you are disappointed with God. Do not get the wrong idea about Jesus, as John did. He is the one. If we try to find another savior, we will never be saved at all. But if we accept Jesus and what he has done for us in dying on the cross and rising from the dead, he will bless us with everlasting salvation. God has given us this promise: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (Rom. 9:33). Trust in Jesus and you will never be ashamed, not even on the day of judgment. (Ryken)
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