Great Faith Seen In Respect For Authority Series

Great Faith Seen in Respect for Authority

Submission to Human Authority Part IV

3/17/02

We want to Begin this morning by reading a Story in Luke 7:1-10

7:1Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue." 6Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I also am a man placed under authority, having 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." 9When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" 10And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

NKJV

In Verse 9 we find Jesus Impressed by the faith demonstrated by this Gentile soldier-

So much so that He Points it out to Crowd around Him.

What was it about this man that drew this commendation from Jesus?

Verse 9 begins with these words “When Jesus heard these things…”

What things?

The Message this Centurion had just given.

I want us to take a few minutes and look at that message closely.

It begins in verse 6 with a humble Recognition by this Centurion of his own Limitations “…for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.”

Here is a man – Not Exalting himself, but humbling himself.

Not Selling himself

Not claiming to be the head and not the tail

Not Asserting his own self-importance

but Acknowledging before all his own Unworthiness.

This is Not an Approach of Presumption but of honest Faith-faith in the goodness of Another.

This is the kind of Mindset that gets through to God.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

There is no pretension here – no vain show.

Remember in I Samuel 15 when King Saul had disobeyed God.

God at that time rejected him from being king of Israel

And Samuel spoke that to him.

What did King Saul do? Asked Samuel to stay with him to honor him before the people to make things look good by all appearances(making a good impression before others).

Genuine faith deals with reality and owns up to its own limitation.“…for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.”

In verse 5 others had spoken very highly of this centurion.

He was an honorable man.But he himself knew who he was before the Lord of Glory.

Coming to God Begins Here.

It begins by being honest about who we are.)

Are you worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Are you without sin?

Can you stand eye to eye with the Creator of the universe?

“Two men went to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

KJV (Luke 18:10-14)

Do you come to God today Acknowledging your sin?

Do you come like this Centurion saying “Lord, I’m not worthy that you should enter under my roof…”

That’s the kind of approach that gets God’s ear.

Not only does this centurion acknowledge his place, his limitations, his unworthiness

But in the same sentence he shows Respect to the Lord Jesus.

He perceives & acknowledges Jesus’ Authority!

Humility is positioned to Discern true Authority- Pride is often blinded to it.

This man sees something of who Jesus really is-

Notice in Verse 6 he calls Him “Lord” (That is Significant)

In that one word is a Submission to authority.

Coming to Jesus is about coming under authority-{submitting to His Lordship}