Luke 7:1-10 - The Centurion's Faith

The centurion understood, "I don't think I'm worthy to even approach you, but I know you can do something about the situation." There are people who are turning to you on a regular basis, asking for your advice. As a business mentor, I often sit across the table from other businessmen, and they say, "What do you think? What should I do here?" And after I give them my best, I always tell them, "But you don't really need that. Let's pray, so you get God's best. My wisdom is not good enough. You don't need my best ideas."

Anybody else here relate to this? My worst problems in life have come from my best thinking. Can anybody relate? Put up your hands. Be bold. Boldness gets rewarded. Great. So, what's our solution? "I think I'll go do some more good thinking to get my way out of this." Yeah, that hasn't worked too well. And then, finally, it's too much. "God, save me."

Maybe we should think less and ask more. "God, what would you have me do? How should I be praying today? What is it that you have for me today? Who do I need to speak to today? Let me be useful in your hands today."

And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. The centurion was expecting nothing less. When I put this in the hands of Jesus, something amazing is going to happen. Do you trust Him with everything? Do you realize He can move mountains you can't even begin to think about moving?

So we have to say, "Well, where does that kind of faith come from?" If you'll go to Romans 10:17 with me, you quoted it with Shane earlier, faith is built on one thing, and that's hearing the word of God. "Romans 10:17, so faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." In fact, if you back up a few verses, it goes into, "How will they call on Him in whom they've not believed? And how are they to believe in Him whom they've never heard? And how are they to hear without somebody preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?" As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news."

Every single one of us has people in our lives, people around us, that if today were the day of judgment, they would be condemned. How serious are you about interceding for them? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. If you're not ever talking about what Jesus is doing in your life, how will anyone ever know they can turn to Him?

So, I'm going to ask you this, your little homework assignment here. Take a moment and write down three names, people you know, if today was the day, they wouldn't make it. And I want you to begin to pray for them every week. Write their name, stick it on your refrigerator, your mirror, your whiteboard, wherever it is you need to be, and continue to hold them up before God because the thing I've seen over and over again, God cares more about them than you do, and He will move mountains to touch their heart. But the great thing is, you get to be a participant, a spectator, watching Him work.