Sermon Text: Luke 7:1-10
Sermon Title: The Man Who Made the Master Marvel
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-17
Introduction
The sermon title this morning is “The Man Who Made the Master Marvel.” Both Luke (Luke 7:9) and Matthew (Matthew 8:10) use the Greek word thaumazo (thou-mad'-zo) which we translate "marveled" or "amazed" to describe Jesus' response to the centurion's faith. The only other time Jesus used this word is in Mark 6:6, when he marvels at the lack of faith in the people of Nazareth.
Jesus, the "founder and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2), marveled at the faith he found in a man.
This leads us to what you need to know this morning: “And without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6a).
The centurion was one of the most unlikely people to amaze Jesus. He was a Gentile. Doubtless he had a pagan upbringing. He was a Roman, stationed in Palestine to subject the Jews to the Emperor's rule. He was a man of war. He achieved the rank of centurion by distinguishing himself above others in the brutal Roman martial arts. Not exactly the résumé you'd expect for becoming one of the Bible's great heroes of faith.
How do you make the Son of God marvel? How did this unlikely suspect cause God to be amazed? Well, let’s examine this story and see.
Context
The subject of the passage is faith. The connection between Luke 6:47-49 and our story in Luke 7:1-10 is obvious. The way you dig down deep and build a house that can withstand the trials of this life and the final judgment of God is by digging with the shovel of faith.
Read Luke 7:1-10
The Definition of Faith
Faith is defined in this passage as humble reliance on Jesus to release His power by the means of His Word in accordance with His will. The centurion did not need to see Jesus. The centurion trusted in the power of God’s Word.
The Development of Faith
Faith is a gift from God. You cannot have faith if it is not given to you. Faith is most often developed in the soil of crisis.
Luke tells us the servant was sick and at the point of death. Who has Jesus helped so far? In Luke 4 He healed a man with an unclean demon, Simon’s mother-in-law who had a high fever, and many who were sick with various diseases. In Luke 5 Jesus helped a business gone bust, cleansed a leper, and healed a paralytic. In Luke 6 Jesus healed a man with a withered hand and now He comes to help a paralyzed man (Matthew 8:6) who was nearing death.
Faith is usually built in faith-shaking moments.
Lighting comes out of a cloudy sky; it doesn’t come out of the blue. Illumination and faith usually don’t come out of the blue; many times they come from a cloudy sky. You begin to dig down deep and ask hard questions in the hard times. The bad times don’t create the need, they reveal it (Timothy Keller in his sermon “Faith in God”).
You see, everyone has faith. But saving faith/dig down deep faith is a gift from God. It is in times of crisis that we call on Jesus, trusting in God’s Word, and by grace, transfer our trust from the various idols in this world to Christ. Nobody in the world is indifferent. You cannot deeply believe in Jesus without deeply believing in something else. Saving faith is a transfer of trust, hope, treasure, and identity in Jesus Christ.
Faith is humble reliance on Jesus to release His power by the means of His Word in accordance with His will.
The elders of the Jews were most likely synagogue leaders or civil leaders (Luke uses the word presbyterous to describe them). The question is obvious. Why in the world are Jewish leaders going to bat for a Gentile Roman soldier? The Jewish leaders give two reasons: he loves our nation and he is the one who built us our synagogue.
Here is a Gentile who respects Jewish worship and has affection for the people. A contemporary illustration might be of an anthropologist, ambassador, or soldier sent to a foreign land who grows to respect and love that nations culture and people. [1]
The Display of Faith
Faith is given to the humble.
In the midst of crisis or ease, we are responsible to humble ourselves, trusting that God will give us grace. A two-word definition of humility is dependence and submission. “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:5b-7).
Look at the difference in the paradigm of thinking.
- The Jewish elders: Because he loves our nation and built our synagogue, he merits (is worthy) your action.
- Centurion: I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. The humble do not presume (v. 7) upon God. Centurions were well paid. The average soldier made $1500, while the average Centurion made $120,000. The rich Centurion did not offer money or merit, but humbled himself in submission and dependence.
Because it is hard to submit and depend in faith-shaking moments, we often feel like we lack sufficient faith. It isn’t the strength of your faith, but the substance of your faith that matters. Remember, contextually, this passage flows from Jesus’ illustration in Luke 6:47-49.
Read Mark 9:20-29. How much faith did the man in Mark 9 need? How much faith did the Centurion need? They both needed the same amount: enough to call on Jesus.
Timothy Keller uses an illustration of two rock climbers. One is scared to death about jumping over a three foot hole between two rocks and one couldn’t have been more certain. One trusted the rock and one was afraid. Both men jumped and both were safe. Who was saved? The man who believed in the right rock.
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
The Centurion illustrates his understanding of faith in these verses.
It is a profound insight that the Centurion possesses and expresses: even though physically absent, Jesus can show his presence effectively. This lesson is a key one for Luke’s readers, who no longer have Jesus’ physical, visible presence. The centurion is under another’s authority, but nonetheless is in charge of his own forces. [1]
Jesus then turned to the crowd and rebuked Israel for their unbelief (see the extended rebuke in Matthew 8:11-12). In essence, Jesus says, “Learn from this.” What is it Jesus commends as unique? This unique faith recognizes Jesus’ authority and the power of His Word, not only over illness, but also in the face of his physical absence. [1]
The Gospel of Jesus Christ transcends ethnic boundaries (Jew and Gentile) and social boundaries (a rich soldier and a poor teacher).
Sources
- Brock, Darrell. Luke 1:1-9:50. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
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