As we continue our study on faith, we come to the moment when Jesus healed the servant of the Roman Centurion.  This event is also recorded in the gospel of Matthew 8:5-13.  In Luke’s account, the Centurion sends his Jewish elder friends to speak to Jesus about his beloved servant who was ill.  In Matthew’s account of the event, the Centurion comes personally to Jesus. These are not conflicting accounts.  Through Holy Spirit inspiration, they complement each other, giving details that make the story complete. 

A Roman Centurion was a military officer in charge of 100 men.  A “cohort” of soldiers comprised six “centuries” of soldiers (600).  A “legion” of soldiers contained ten cohorts of soldiers (6,000).  Our Centurion was beloved by the Jewish leaders in Capernaum.  He loved the Jews in his jurisdiction and also had built a synagogue for them.

Jesus had just completed a sermon describing the saving of souls.  His next event after this, He would be raising a young man to life as his body was being carried to the cemetery for burial.  Here, Jesus was being asked to rescue and heal a young servant.  At His sermon, Jesus stood before the people.  At the funeral, Jesus touched the coffin, and the young man was raised and returned alive to his mother.  Here, Jesus would heal the servant by long distance.  Jesus was in the life and health and spiritual restoration business. This was His mission.  As a 12-year-old boy, Jesus told His mother Mary that this was His Father’s business. 

As soon as Jesus heard this earnest request from the Jewish elders, He began to move in the direction of the need.  Here we see the humility of the Centurion.  He felt unworthy to have Jesus in his home.  He even felt unworthy to speak to Jesus in person in Luke’s account of the event. He had others to do his speaking for him to Jesus. 

The Centurion realized that Jesus was nearing his door and he sent others to intervene so that Jesus might not defile Himself by coming into the home of a Gentile.  Simply “say the word and my servant will be healed.”  This statement reveals the deep faith that was coupled with the genuine humility of this Roman officer. 

Notice that Jesus does not say a word until verse 9.  His words reveal His amazement with the display of faith shown by the Centurion.  Not certain where I read this, but I have designated this story in the margin of my Bible as the record of “the man who amazed Jesus.”  His humility and his faith were a blessing to Jesus.  The officer also revealed his own recognition that Jesus was subject to the authority of His Heavenly Father as He taught truth and healed sicknesses and raised the dead.  The Centurion displayed humility coupled with faith as well as recognition of authority.  I believed that this Centurion understood the power of God through the life and ministry of Jesus.

At some point in this story, Jesus healed the servant without even being present in the home of the Centurion.  Luke and Matthew both reveal that Jesus is Lord over time, space and distance in the telling of this story.  

I want to be a person who amazes Jesus.  I want to approach Him with humility and faith and recognition of His authority in and through and over my life.  Yielded faith is trusting faith.  Jesus yielded to the Father and came to walk on this earth.  His willingness to do the will of His Father provided my opportunity for salvation.  My faith in that fact leads to eternal life.  I want to walk in yielded faith.

The writer of Hebrews 11:6 declares that without faith, it is impossible to please God.  Our faith in Christ is followed by approval from God. Yes, our study on faith is taken from the gospel according to Luke.  A great way to end this lesson preparation today would be to read the entire 11th chapter of Hebrews.  Forty faith-filled verses grace the “Hall of Faith-ers.” 

The plan of God has never wavered from receiving those who walked with Him by faith.  SO—if it was good enough for Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his brothers, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets and all the faith walkers of scripture—it’s good enough for…WE!!!!!