Yielding Faith

We continue our studies in faith today with a look at a man of whose faith Jesus said: “I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” That kind of faith is certainly worth taking at.

Jesus is still early in his ministry, in Galilee in the region where previous conquests had settled many non-Jewish peoples.  Wherever Jesus went crowds followed for various reasons, just as they do with celebrities today.  Some just wanted to see.  Some just wanted to GET something.  Some wanted to learn.  Some wanted to be entertained.  Some wanted to ensnare him with their favorite political party.

But, generally, people felt drawn to Jesus because they sensed his compassion for them, and they sensed that he had an authority and “air” about him as no other teacher.  But for whatever the reason peopled were following Jesus. 

The term rendered following can simply mean to accompany. It can also signify joining with a person in the sense of becoming a disciple.  So some were “also with’s” and some were seeking to become disciples, or students of what Jesus was teaching.  

We like to say that people were “following Jesus” as if he were a “rock star”, and it’s certainly true, BUT more  importantly people were following what Jesus taught–a “combination of the old teachings with a new and common-sense twist.”  And they recognized the special authority with which this teacher taught.  Faith recognizes and acknowledges Jesus’ authority. People trust Jesus’ teachings, and his authority…not just his person.  They weren’t JUST “groupies.”

The thing about authority is that it comes from a from auctor meaning "master, leader, author".  Authority comes from someone who HAS authority. For example, even the strongest police officer cannot stop a speeding car, but that same police officer can command law-abiding citizens to apply their brakes of that moving car to slow down, pull over, or stop. Why?  Because we yield to the authority of the ones to whom it is delegated.  In this example, the people, who, through our constitutions passed the authority to the state legislatures, who developed laws to pass that authority to the police.  If you wonder why criminals and thugs don’t respect the police, it is because the criminals and thugs have no respect for people.  Period.

In Jesus’ case God’s authority was passed to him.  After all, God pronounced “this is my son in whom I am well pleased.” So Jesus “owned” his authority and used it go carry out the purposes of God: calling humanity back into a relationship with God.  

To many, Jesus appeared to be an unusual authority figure.  He still does. But surprisingly a non-Jewish individual recognized his authority more strongly than any Jew, and  that is what we look at today:  Faith acknowledges the authority of Jesus. From Luke 7:1-10

Luke 7: 1-5

1 When he had concluded saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, requesting him to come and save the life of his servant. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.”

Capernaum was situated on the northwest shore of Lake Gennesaret, or the sea of Galilee. Some of Jesus’ disciples, including Peter, Andrew, and Matthew, lived in the village. 

Sometimes the greatest lessons come from the most unlikely people.  This is certainly true in Luke’s account of the healing of the centurions ’ servant.  All indications pointed to the fact that this centurion was a Gentile, an authority in the Roman hierarchy, and most likely a Roman citizen.

Centurions were Roman officers who had authority over 100 soldiers. These were typically career soldiers. But this centurion may not have been serving directly in a Roman military capacity.  He may have been a regional Gentile who was well known. He may have been in the service of Herod Antipas, who used gentile soldiers in his “own army.”  As a regional vassal of Rome, Antipas would not have been afforded a standing army of his own.  But when Antipas divorced the Arabian princess who was his first wife, in about AD 28-29, she went home to her father, the king of Nabatea.  The divorce led each side to build up their military strength in case hostilities broke out over the divorce.  The King of Nabatea defeated Antipas in AD 36 and three years later Herod Agrippa got his uncle exiled by accusing Antipas, among other things, of possession of 19,000 troops. It may be that this Centurion was of the “local” people rather than a distant Roman military man.

Centurions were promoted for being an exemplary soldier, and were expected to become a strict commander of his subordinates.  The were to be in the front leading their troops by example. In a Roman legion, centuries were grouped into cohorts and commanded by their senior-most centurion. The prestigious first cohort was led by the most senior centurion in the legion and was its fourth-in-command who was next in line for promotion.

Centurions who appear in the New Testament are generally presented in a favorable light.  A centurion, who witnessed Jesus‘s death identified him as the son of God. The conversion of a centurion, Cornelius, marks the initiation of the early church’s outreach to the gentile world. Centurion Julius treated Paul kindly as the apostle sailed as a prisoner to Rome.

Typically the Jews despised the Romans and their leaders, but this centurion stood out among the rest.  The Jewish leaders wanted to make sure Jesus had the backstory of this centurion.  Though Jesus never asked, “Why should I go help”,  they answered the question before he could even ask because they assumed it was coming anyway.

Well, this centurion had heard about Jesus.  One of the centurion’s servants was deathly ill and he sent some “Jewish elders” to Jesus to request him to come and heal the servant.  Matthew described the centurion’s servant as paralyzed and in terrible agony. The Jewish elders noted to Jesus that because the centurion “loves our nation” and because “he has built us a synagogue” he was worthy of having his request listened to. 

They “pleaded” with Jesus. Pleaded literally meant to call to one’s side. A related noun is often translated or written in English as Paraclete. Jesus used the term to designate the comforter or counselor he promised to send following his ascension. The Holy Spirit who permanently dwells within us as believers. He is not only intercedes for us, but also encourages comfort and instruct us.  But why would the Jewish leaders earnestly beg Jesus to come to the aid of a gentile? 

These Jewish elders recognize this centurion is different.  He cared for the Jews and had used his own resources to build a synagogue.  Another indication that he may have been a regional “rich man” who supported the Jews and Herod Antipas’ army.  We might analogize it similarly to our “southern colonials” from the civil war era.  Every rich man who could field an army was a “colonel.”   Maybe because this centurion was a regional rich man who had funded a synagogue and, perhaps, an army of 80-100 men for Antipas we might liken it to saying “Colonel Sanders requests that you come and heal one of his employees.  He is worthy of consideration because he built us a church AND he is Colonel!”  Just a VERY rough and possibly inaccurate analogy.

The bottom line was that this centurion, in what ever capacity he served, was considered “good” by the Jewish community because he was nice and built them a synagogue.  This was their standard of goodness – be good and do good.  Jesus’ standard, however, is be God’s and do good.

In the next verses, we see that faith recognizes the authority of Jesus.

Luke 7: 6-8

6 Jesus went with them, and when he was notfar from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

Before Jesus could even get to the centurion’s house he sent his friends to respectfully intercept him and notify Jesus that they understood that they were unworthy of having Jesus come into their house, and unworthy of even making the request of Jesus himself.

They called Jesus Lord, a title signifying that a person has power or authority.  Sometimes this is translated as master. Sometimes it meant nothing more than sir.  But in any instance it was a sign of respectfulness.  Here when they note I am not worthy. The Greek term rendered worthy differs from the one in verse four. The word in verse six means sufficient in ability, or fit in character. The centurian expressed his sense of unfitness for Jesus to even to enter his House.  This centurion thought that Jesus, as a Jew, would regard himself as defiled if he entered a gentile home. It is a fitting example of the social and religious gulf that existed between Jews and gentiles in the first century.

The centurion recognized that Jesus did not even need to be present with his servant in order to heal him. Jesus only needed to pronounce the healing word for the servant to be cured. With this statement, the centurion expressed absolute faith in Jesus. Genuine faith recognizes that Lord can heal without rituals, special, ointments, monetary gifts, or even touch.

The word healed refers to physical healings, and is used 15 times in the book of Luke and Acts.  And some contexts, however, it seems to convey the deeper spiritual meaning of forgiveness of sin or salvation.  The word rendered authority also means power, privilege, and right. Just as this centurion can exercise certain powers because he had received delegated authority from someone above him, so Jesus had greater power and could give orders to heal his servant in God‘s name. This is what yielding in faith means, actively recognizing who has all authority and power. 

In the next verses, we see that Jesus is pleased when we express faith.

Luke 7: 9-10

9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

Luke presented the centurion as a representative of believing gentiles, who stood in stark contrast to unbelieving Jews.

Jesus prized this quality in the centurion– the ability to believe God would do what he promised. Such faith far exceeded the stance of the Jewish leaders, who knew Jesus could heal, but who refused to follow him.  The term identifying Israel may refer to the individual first named Israel, to a community of his descendants, or finally to the land area inhabited by the community.

This Roman Centurion amazed Jesus with his faith.  The word amaze is literally referring to the bewilderment of a maze.  In a maze one is left to wonder “Now where do I go.”  Jesus said “I have not found so great a faith even in Israel” and as such was “amazed at him.”  When you have been teaching people who won’t be taught, how amazing IS it to come across someone who already knows the teaching?!  I think it was a “WOW!  HE get’s it” moment for Jesus that led to the thought of “now what do I teach with THIS?”

If we want to please, truly please, our heavenly father, we must yield to faith. Yielding faith isn’t discarded when storms gather in the western sky. It isn’t waiting for the perfect situation. A yielding faith is a ready faith that stands the trials of a chaotic season. In this world of uncertainty, as nations rage and fools rule the day, we can be certain that God is looking for people of faith, who are willing to overcome and enter an all consuming, relentless pursuit of Jesus.

The good news about yielding and faith is that when we draw near to God in faith, he promises a great reward. This reward supersedes the flimsy assurances, our world offers. Our life on earth outside of Christ has no guarantee of success. But with Christ, even what appears to be failure will be vanquished. This really is the story of the gospel: Jesus didn’t come to earth as a conquering hero to dispel his enemies with a ball of lightning. Jesus personified faith, even amid his own apparent demise. But it’s not the end of the story is it? 

Jesus invites us into the same faith that raised him from the dead so that we can be more than conquerors both here on earth, and throughout eternity.  Faith acknowledges the authority of Jesus.