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A story about discipleship by Ann Gorham
The Centurion
Part II
The Centurion writes…
Week 6, Day 1
Hi, It’s me, the centurion soldier here. This has been the most important week of my life. The thing is, because this week has been so amazing, I know all the rest of my life will be amazing. I’ve met the man, Jesus. He came near my house just to heal my dear, dear servant. My servant is up on his feet doing all the things he loves to do for me, and more. I’ve been telling him everything I know about Jesus. We don’t’ stop talking every minute I am home! He had been so, so sick. I was worried. I hated to see him in the pain he was in and in the humiliation of not being able to do anything for himself. He was dying, for sure. When I asked Jesus to heal him He did exactly that! He didn’t even see my servant! He just told the sicknesses to leave my dear friend’s body! I knew that Jesus would do it! He did! My dear servant was up dancing around my house and running back and forth to the gate just to welcome me when I returned! Can you imagine?
Week 6, Day 2
Please, let me ramble from one thing to the next. It’s not like me to ramble but I have so, so many different thoughts going through my head and I just have to tell you what they are!
When I was a boy, about 13 or 14 years old, my grandfather asked me to help him with a new building project he was starting. I had to continue my studies in the mornings but most days I was free in the afternoons so after my mid day meal, I headed over to my grandfather’s new property. It was good land but had never been built on before. He had already moved quite a lot of the earth around so he could put his new house, his barn, and the workrooms just where he wanted them. The water well, the new water ways, and the draining system went in quite quickly. But the foundation for the house took forever! I had no idea why Grandfather was so determined to make me keep digging! I thought we might be digging for gold!
Week 6, Day 3
No, Grandfather said we weren’t looking for anything to take out of the ground, except of course for all that dirt and all those rocks, which of course I had to take to the other side of the property where Grandfather was creating a new hill. He said we had to dig until we got all the way through the soil and loose rock (some of it wasn’t very loose) until we found the firm bedrock.
That was a great day when my shovel hit the bedrock! Of course I then had to clear ALL the dirt off that bedrock , the space and size that the floor of the big house would take. I’ll never forget those weeks of work. Digging. Hauling dirt. Digging. Hauling dirt. Digging. Hauling dirt!
Week 6 Day 4
When we got that all smoothed out, Grandfather called in the expert builders who would design and build the foundation. I got to help but and it went pretty fast, compared to all the digging time. Still, it wasn’t super fast. I was used to seeing houses go up pretty rapidly. One of my friends’ houses was completely built in 3 or 4 days! Not here at my Grandfather’s. He kept saying that this house was going to last forever. If it was going to last forever, it would have to be done right! Right meant a good foundation, laid on solid bedrock and built just exactly the way the fine engineers designed it. Grandfather’s words were deep inside of me by the time we started seeing the house rise above the ground level, believe me!
Week 6, Day 5
I keep thinking about this job with my Grandfather’s house. That was many years ago now. That house was built on the sloping hill above the sea. It was such a beautiful location, especially when the weather was good. Do you know something? The weather is sometimes very bad. When the storms come in off that sea, the wind and rain slam against that house as if it’s angry its there! My grandfather was absolutely right! His house had to be built on a great foundation. Then it would stand up to those big storms. It’s still a great house and I so much enjoy the days I get to be there with my family.
Why am I telling you about my Grandfather’s house and my weeks of digging dirt? I tell you because Jesus talked about the very same thing the day before he healed my servant. He really got my attention. He told a story. When I heard the story, I knew that I would follow Jesus for the rest of my life!
Week 7, Day 1
Jesus has been around for a few days. The first time I saw him was a day I was sent to control the big crowds that were following him. Most of the people were great. They were so interested to hear what Jesus said and watch the many, many ways he healed the sick, even crazy people that they did not want to cause any trouble. I was a little embarrassed by some of the leaders of the synagogues around here. I really respect these men so much. They are good men. They know the scriptures inside and out. They have been good to me and allowed me to participate in the teaching and discussions. I’ve learned a lot and I know that God is real. He’s the one who created the earth. He is the only true God. The Jews have shown me who God is and that He is real.
But, some of them get pretty argumentative around Jesus. It’s like they’re afraid of Him.
Week 7, Day 2
Remember that I am a Roman soldier, stationed here in Israel. My army bosses are a little nervous about these crowds too. That’s why I was sent to keep an eye on things.
Jesus says some amazing things to all the crowds. He really seems to care about them, too. He even lets the children hang around him. He lets the sick, ugly people touch him. He lets the women touch him. He looks at them straight in the eye, touches them, and heals them! It’s really hard for the Jews to see him that way with women and with sick people because they have a lot of laws that prohibit them from so many things. I get mixed up trying to keep the laws straight but I do respect them because they are good people and they live peacefully and take care of each other. As I said, the biggest thing is that they have shown me is that their God is real.
Week 7, Day 3
I told you I’ve been stationed here in Israel for quite awhile. I really did not want to come here. But, when I was sent here, I hadn’t been in the army very long. I had good education before coming into the army so I could do a lot of things. But, I had no seniority so like most of the other low-ranking men I was picked to go to Israel where most respectable Romans didn’t want to go.
When I arrived here, I decided to make the best of it. Something in me also really wanted to know what made these Jews different. Why did they have only one God? Why did they want to worship him the way they did? How could they know so much about their God? So, I started digging! Yes, I say digging! With those Jewish people’s help, I started digging to find the answers. Somehow, I knew I would get something I could depend on. I did. I found out that their God is the only true God and He is real.
When Jesus started talking about digging deeply to make a good foundation, He got my attention!
Week 7, Day 4
Yes, Jesus got my attention! Immediately, I knew that I had been digging through the many words of teaching from the synagogue leaders for many months. I knew I had hit bedrock! I found out that the Jewish God was real. Since then, I’ve been reading the scriptures with their help to interpret them. I’m still not very good in Hebrew. I ask all sorts of questions and listen to other’s questions and answers. Then we discuss them. I’ve been learning and learning and learning!
Even this week, I’ve been finding out where Jesus is every day! Even when I wasn’t on duty to watch the crowds, I’ve rushed out to where he is when I’m finished with my other duties. I’ve listened to every thing he says. I’ve watched so many people get healed. Even some really crazy guys have become normal as soon as he tells demons to leave them! So, I know that I’ve been doing some more digging! This time I’ve been digging through Jesus’ words and the incredible miracles He’s doing! I’m thinking, thinking, thinking all the time!
Week 7, Day 5
This is exactly what He said the other day: “And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?
Everyone coming to Me and hearing My Words, and doing them, I will show you to whom he is like:” Then he went on to tell about the two men who both built houses. The one with the good foundation stayed strong even when the storm came. The man who built on a sloppy foundation ended up with a flattened house when the storm came!
Jesus really got my attention. I knew that I had been listening, listening, listening. Digging, digging, digging. Inside myself, I was even calling Him, “Lord”, as I listened to Him and had imaginary conversations with Him. Still, I didn’t know what to do!
When I got home, my servant was worse than I had ever seen him. I knew he could die anytime. Then I knew what to do! I had been listening to Jesus and seeing Him work. I knew I wanted to follow Him but I didn’t know what that meant! Now, I knew. If I was going to believe Him, I had to act on it. I had to ask Jesus to heal my servant! That’s what it meant to call Jesus, “Lord.” Listen to what He, Jesus of Nazareth, my Lord, and do the things he says. I thought about how to do it, how to find Him, how to ask Him. Then, I had the idea to ask my friends from the synagogue to go ask Him to heal my servant.
Week 8, Day 1
My servant is doing great! He’s getting all his work done and we still have lots of time to talk about all the things Jesus is doing! He’s going with me now to listen to Jesus.
Let me tell you more about last week. Jesus was telling the crowd about good fruit that comes from good trees. He talked about the tree as a great way to warn us not to judge each other. Maybe He didn’t want us to judge Him either. I’m not sure but I think so because He said that blind people can’t show blind people the way to go without falling into the ditch. I think He really wanted all of us to stop looking around finding fault with Him and each other. Well, I’m still chewing on all of that.
What I want to tell you now is that when He said that only good trees can bear good fruit, I nearly yelled out to Him, “Lord, I want to bear only good fruit!” My goodness, it came from somewhere deep inside me!
Week 8, Day 2
Yes, absolutely, I knew that I wanted only to be a good tree bearing good fruit. He went further, deeper. Listen to this! He said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
“Lord,” I spoke, out loud this time, “You and only you are good. Somehow, I know that. So, what I want is to be is like you. I only want to have an abundant good treasure in my heart.” Then, I knew that already, my heart was being filled up with good. It was His word. It’s like all His words were the same as being Him! The moment I absolutely knew that God is real was the moment I heard that He created the world and everything that is in it by speaking His will with His word.
That day with Jesus, I knew deep down inside me that He was the same. I didn’t understand it but He was just like God. He was the same as His powerful words!
Week 8, Day 3
Are you following me here? I really hope so. All this about Jesus is so alive in me and I know that if I just tell you about it, you, too will believe in Jesus! You, will want to follow Him everywhere and do what He talks about.
Jesus must have heard me somehow, even though I really didn’t yell out my desire and decision to make only good fruit, only have good treasure in my heart so that only good stuff comes out. He must have heard me because the very, very next thing He said to all of us was his challenge to us. At least, I heard it as a challenge, as well as an answer. That’s when He asked us that incredible question, “But why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and not do the things which I say?”
I knew He was talking straight to me. My heart and my mind were so, so full of Jesus and His words when I went home that night. I knew that in these last months He had been filling my treasure house with His scriptures about God and about Him. Just my desire to bear good fruit, good treasure was proof to me that God was working in me.
Week 8, Day 4
Jesus calls it Faith. I really don’t know much about that word yet, but I’m sure I’ll learn!
I’m sure my servant has this faith now. He’s been telling everyone we know about what has happened to us. Me too! Some don’t want to hear. That’s a little hard for me. But, most really want to see Jesus and hear Him. Every day I have people come to my house, asking me to take them with me! Some are Jews. Some are other Romans, even some Greeks and other foreigners I have never met. It’s amazing. All I can say is, it’s Jesus!
Have to run … people are waiting.
Week 8, Day 5
Oh, I didn’t’ tell you something else that happened. I’m so thankful I decided to follow Jesus! The funny thing is that my senior captain in the army told me to take his place the next day and go to the town of Nain. It’s not so far from here, but certainly a good long ride, and a longer walk. It’s a bit east and a bit south of here in a different region. My assignment was to go with the crowds, which had already begun to travel to Nain. You guessed it, they heard Jesus was going there so they filled their baskets and started out before dawn. He and his closest disciples were already on their way.
We did not even get past the Nain city gates before Jesus told a dead man to get up! The dead man did what Jesus told him to do! He got up and started talking! I saw Jesus when he first met the dead man’s mother. It was like he knew her pain. At least that’s how I read Him. He told her not to weep, turned to the dead man in his coffin and told him to get up. He gave the son to the mother again. It reminded me of the mid-wife giving a baby son to his mother. Jesus gave a new chance on life to that man!
I’m telling everyone I know about what Jesus is saying and doing! At this point that’s as much as I know about following Him. I am sure I’ll learn what it is to be his disciple, one filled with His faith.
Part I
Week 1, Day 1
Tullus, the name of one my childhood heroes came to my mind yesterday. My goodness, I haven’t thought of Tullus for years and years. Who was he? Well, Tullus was one of many heroes I knew well during my childhood. Others were Kit Carson and Jim Bridger, famous western scouts and mountain men, Davy Crockett, “King of the Wild Frontier”, Laura Ingalls Wilder, a pioneer child whose family moved from home to home establishing the western borders of the expanding United States, Nancy Drew, adventurous mystery solver, and Robin Hood, and Heidi. Some of my heroes had been real people with real adventures. Others were fictional characters with fictional adventures. Real or fictional, they were part of my early childhood reading adventures. Tullus was a fictional Roman soldier who performed mighty heroic deeds every week in my Sunday school comic paper.
Week 1, Day 2
According to my memory, Tullus had become a Christian while stationed in Israel during the time of Christ. As the stories continued, Tullus was transferred to many posts in the great Roman Empire, but he wasn’t a normal soldier. Rather, he was a faithful friend to other Christians and helped them in times of terrible persecution. Wherever he went, he was also like the apostles and disciples, bringing many gentiles to salvation. In spite of the great persecution, the church expanded to the limits of the Roman Empire and beyond! Tullus was right in the middle of all the action!
He was a Roman soldier. More importantly he was a Christian Soldier, one of those I wanted to become as we often sang the famous hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers….”
Week 1, Day 3.
The young people of our church have been encountering Jesus and His real adventures of life. The Gospel of Luke has been our foundational account as it is written by the physician, Luke, who wrote to Theophilus. He faithfully and chronologically documented the movements of Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry. Working also with the other three Gospels, we have studied the harmonizing accounts of the adventures and teachings of Jesus. Jesus is a masterful story teller sometimes weaving fictional parables and characters together to draw his listeners in to His thinking. However, nearly all the adventures Jesus lives while on earth are filled with every day, living people. Recently, we encountered the Roman Centurion in Luke 7, 1-10 and Matt 8. 5-13. As I have read and re-read the stories of this man and Jesus, I have found a man who may have become one of the first gentile disciples! With that thought I suddenly remembered Tullus!
Week 1, Day 4.
We don’t know much about the centurion soldier. However, because we know a bit about history, we know that this was a soldier who had charge of 100 other soldiers. He was a Roman, and being a soldier, he was also a Roman citizen. He might have been a citizen by family birth. I understand that if he was not already a Roman citizen by birth or by purchase, he became a citizen when he became a soldier.
Neither Luke nor Matthew give us background information about the centurion. However, we are encouraged as Christians to become students of the word, to meditate on the word, to let the word dwell richly in us, and to encourage one another to grow in the word. It is very helpful to know the history and culture of the times so that we can more accurately understand what the word describes.
Week 1, Day 5
History of the time of Jesus tells us that Israel was part of the powerful expanding Roman Empire. We could say that Israel was an occupied territory and the soldiers part of the occupation forces. Though soldiers were trained for battle, many performed practical work of the empire such as road and bridge building, water, irrigation, sewage systems, and other necessary infrastructures of a developing and sophisticated society. They were also peace-keeping soldiers. For the most part, the Jews were governed by their own Jewish leaders, these leaders working under the authority of Rome. King Herod, part Jew, part gentile, was one of these leaders. Tax collectors were often Jewish men working for the Roman government. Herod was not loved by the Jews; neither were tax collectors. Taxes were high. Most Jews were very poor. The Jews were desperately looking for their prophesied savior to come rescue them from the Romans. It is probably safe to say that many of the Roman soldiers were also distrusted and disliked by the Jews.
Week 2, Day 1
What does scripture tell us about the centurion? Luke tells us that he has authority, maybe favor with the Jews as he sent the Jewish elders to Jesus. Whether it was simply the kind of respect that accompanies governmental authority, or whether it was a respect that had to do with the man himself, the Jewish elders did come to Jesus on behalf of the centurion. They pleaded with Jesus, strongly begging Him to go to the centurion’s home to heal the soldier’s sick servant. They told Jesus that the centurion deserved the attention from Jesus, adding that the soldier loved their people and had even built them a synagogue! Good works were highly important to the Jews. We remember that the Pharisees argued with Jesus, even tested Him, demanding that the tiniest points of law, the Talmud as well as the Torah, be kept by anyone who said they followed God. Whatever made the centurion good in the eyes of the Jewish elders, they thought he deserved Jesus’ help.
Week 2, Day 2
We might be able to assume some more information about the centurion from what the Jews tell Jesus. First, he was probably a fairly wealthy man as he was rich enough to build a synagogue for them. Second, we might be able to assume that he was a believer in God, the LORD God who Jews worshipped. History tells us that throughout much of Jewish history there have been gentile believers. Some of them converted and became fully accepted Jews. Others did not go that far because it would have meant taking on the ceremonial washings and for the men circumcision. However they were allowed to take limited part in Jewish society, even the men sitting with the men and the women with the women in the synagogue gatherings. At least in some periods of history, they were also protected by God if they chose to live in peace and belief with the Jews.
As I think about this centurion, I am very inclined to think that he might have in fact been a believer! Mind you, not a Christian yet of course, but a Jewish believer!
Week 2, Day 3
Let me give you some more possibilities about the lifestyle of this centurion soldier who has become famous throughout Christianity!
He apparently lived in Capernaum.
He had at least one faithful servant who was dear to him. This servant was sick, paralyzed, near to death.
If our centurion was a believer, or at least a friend of the Jewish believers, he may have become a good student of the scriptures and the law. He may have been sitting in the synagogue among the Jews for some years, listening to the many speakers, the reading of scriptures, even taking part in the question, answer, and discussion type of learning that was common in the life of the synagogue. He had respect among the Jewish elders. The synagogue assembly or congregation was made up of the community of believers. They met regularly to read and discuss the scriptures and the law. They also governed themselves, under the authority of their elders, in every day cultural things. Frankly, I can easily imagine that this centurion had become a trusted and respected member of this Jewish community!
Week 2, Day 4
The soldier may have had one or a variety of jobs. He may have been an engineer, designing and overseeing the building of roads or aqua ducts. He may have been very familiar with every aspect of the daily life of the region. He may have been a military policeman in charge of crowd control! Who knows but he may have been assigned to maintain order among all these multitudes of people who were following this amazing Jesus!
We might truly be able to say that he was already a disciple of the Jewish faith, having already given himself to learn the ways of God. If so, he may have become like the Jews, looking ahead with hope and expectation for the Messiah, the redeemer who was prophesied again and again in scripture.
Can you give some thought and meditation to this story found in Luke 7 and Matt 8?
Week 2, Day 5
Yes, I am adding my imaginative thoughts, my thoughts that have grown as I meditated upon these scriptures! Please, believe me that it is not necessary to agree with me! Still, it is a very real possibility that I have been given an idea about this man. Maybe he was just one of many gentiles who were being drawn to Jesus of Nazareth!
Jesus told people at the beginning that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand”, that He “must preach the kingdom of God.”
Don’t you think that as the infinitely great kingdom of God was so close to being released on earth that great, great preparations were being made not only in the heavens, but on earth? Don’t you think that this great following of Jesus Christ was also drawing the gentiles, even in these first days of Jesus’ ministry?
Week 3,Day 1
We know that the great birth, growth, and expansion of the Church used the earthly realm of the Roman Empire, going on to the rest of the world in the centuries that followed its failure and fall. I can believe that even at that time, gentiles doing Roman Empire business in Israel were being drawn to the Kingdom of God’s dear son!
Let’s skip ahead in the story to read what Jesus says about this man. Luke reports that Jesus speaks to the crowd that had gathered, saying, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.!” Matthew tells it in nearly the same way, saying that Jesus turned to those who followed saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
This is Jesus personal response to the man’s desire and request that Jesus heal his servant.
Week 3, Day 2
Because Jesus was so impressed with this man, I’m sure it is important for us to pay attention to what led up to His amazement.
We remember that Matthew writes his gospel story to the Jews, again and again showing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ the prophets have prophesied about. He can assume that his readers will understand much of the culture and the difficulties of the times. He cuts right through to the part where it seemed that the centurion himself talks to Jesus.
When we read the two accounts, we could think that the details contradict themselves from one account to the other. However, I don’t think they do. Rather, they fit quite well.
We remember that Luke writes to a friend, Theophilus. We don’t know much about this friend but we can assume from the words Luke uses to describe what he is setting out to do, and from the way he addresses “most excellent Theophilus” that Theophilus is a Roman or a Greek of some dignity or position who has expressed a great desire to know the details of the man Jesus. I assume from the last phrase of Luke’s that he has become a believer.
Week 3, Day 3
Luke introduces this account to his friend with these wonderful words, found in verses 1-4. “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” Luke doesn’t’ stop his report to Theophilus with with Jesus’ ascension. Rather, he adds part 2, the sequel when he continues on to describe the incredible story of the Acts of the Apostles and the birth of the church!
Week 3, Day 4
We won’t go on now to read Luke’s greeting to Theophilus we find in The Acts of the Apostles but do remember that both of these accounts give witness of Luke’s faithfulness to the life of Jesus here on earth.
Perhaps Theophilus was given his wonderful name from birth; perhaps God gave it to him later. Either way, it’s a great name! Lover of God! His very name tells us something of his desire to know everything about Jesus and the early church!
I want to remind you that while Matthew was writing to Jews who would very much understand the old scriptures as well as the culture and times there in Israel and Judea, Theophilus may have needed more information for background. I, for one, am very thankful that Theophilus asked Luke to take the time and effort to write a detailed and accurate history of Jesus’ earthly life and the birth of the His Church! I like following Jesus through those 3 plus years. One event went on to the next. He said and did certain things after others. The chronology helps me picture and understand what happened.
Week 3, Day 5
I suggest that Matthew’s readers would have had a pretty good idea of how the centurion lived while doing his job in Capernaum. They would understand that he. would have wisely asked Jews to approach Jesus. Have you noticed or thought about the next thing the centurion says to Jesus? “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof?” First he pleads with Jesus to come; then he tells him not to come in to his house because he is not worthy! Perhaps the soldier had two reasons for speaking in this way to Jesus. Firstly, he would have understood that Jewish custom did not look favorably on a Jewish man going in to the house of a gentile. In fact, in some cases, it was forbidden. Remember that to a Jew, the gentile was unclean. Going in to his house, touching his things, his servant, would have made the Jewish man unclean. Perhaps the centurion sincerely wanted to have Jesus come right in to his house and touch his beloved servant the way he had already touched so many sick people! Perhaps he had already prayed about the problem he knew the Jews would have. Perhaps God gave him the solution and peace! Surely the man had faith that Jesus would heal his servant!
Week 4, Day 1
Secondly, he shows a certain attitude. Perhaps when you read Matthew’s account of the man’s pleading with Jesus, you will be gripped with the unpretentious plea of the centurion for his dear servant.
Perhaps the soldier’s attitude of humility was the reason for speaking this way to the Lord. Surely, I believe he was humble, and being humble in the face of Jesus, he submitted himself and his needs to Jesus, trusting Him and accepting whatever Jesus chose to do! I learn something here from this man’s humility as he approached Jesus! It goes something like this in my thinking: I am a strong and able person. I like myself. I’m fine with who I am. I have strengths and weaknesses. But, it’s not about me. It’s about You, Jesus Christ, God’s Own Son. You are the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings. You are my Lord. You love us. You love me. You care for me. You take care of me. I need You to heal my friend. Please, Lord, I ask you to heal my friend. Thank you, Lord.
Week 4, Day 2
Matthew’s readers also would have understood an important thing about the soldier’s authority. When he sent someone to do something for him, it was the same as going himself. They went with his name and his authority with them and behind them. Therefore, whether he went himself or sent the Jewish elders or friends, it would have been the same. They went in his name, as an ambassador speaks in the name of the country he represents.
In a similar manner, we as Christians, hear, speak, and do many things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
When we read Luke’s account, we might assume that the centurion never even had face-to-face contact with Jesus. When we read Matthew’s account it was face-to-face from the beginning! Pretty interesting!
Week 4, Day 3
Either way, whether the centurion sent people to speak for him or he went himself, I really like Jesus’ quick response in Matthew: “I will come and heal him.” Isn’t that consistent with everything else we see Jesus do when it comes to healing? Several times we see him heal first and teach after.
It seems that from the centurion’s perspective, there was nothing that got in his way of asking for Jesus to pray for his servant.
It seems that from Jesus’ perspective, there was nothing that got in His way of going to heal the servant.
It was clean, pure, expectant faith in Jesus. It was clean, pure, love and power flowing from Jesus.
Week 4, Day 4
Perhaps, in deed, God had given the centurion a plan for how he could ask Jesus to heal his servant. He acknowledged Jesus’ authority to heal the sick. He acknowledged the authority he totally believed that Jesus had over the sickness, disease, and the inevitable death! He explained to Jesus that he could compare the authority Jesus had by understanding the authority he had to tell his soldiers and servants what to do. He also knew that his soldiers and servants would do what he told them to do. He knew that because of the authority Jesus had, sickness and death would have to leave when Jesus told it to leave!
The centurion understood his own domain. Perhaps he had some understanding of Jesus’ domain, Jesus’ Kingdom, The King’s domain!
I do think this man had really thought about the way Jesus would come and heal the servant!
Week 4, Day 5
Let me suggest something else about how the centurion had the great faith in Jesus to heal his servant. Was the centurion soldier becoming a disciple even before his servant became deathly ill?
Let’s retrace the chronological steps of Jesus. Perhaps the centurion had been part of the crowds just the day before. Maybe he had been on duty as a soldier. Maybe he had simply been part of the crowds of people who had heard of the things Jesus was doing. Maybe he had gone to watch and listen. If this man had been an active member of the Jewish community, sincerely searching the scriptures, he may have really wondered who this Jesus was. When he listened to the many amazing things Jesus told the crowds about the kingdom of heaven, he may have been filled with wonder, with joy, with hope, and much more curiosity. Maybe he was filled with faith. Maybe he determined in his heart to follow Jesus wherever he went. Many people did do just that.
Week 5, Day 1
This centurion was a different kind of man!
The Sadducees that listened to Jesus had trouble with his theology. Not believing in life after death and being of the upper class and more interested in social/political issues they thought it wise to compromise with Rome. The Pharisees had trouble with Jesus not strictly following the law. They sincerely believed that they must follow every jot and tittle of the law to please God. Their sincere belief nearly required and drove them to suspect Jesus who quickly challenged their practices that were holy to them. The zealots wanted to hear words of a revolutionary coming to free them from Roman power.
Perhaps the centurion man, not being a natural Jew or even a cultural or religious Jew had genuinely searched the scriptures and found who He believed to be true God. Perhaps his mind and heart were free to hear what Jesus said without being afraid of Jesus or afraid of the Jews. Maybe, in fact, he found himself trusting Jesus. Maybe he had listened to Jesus just the afternoon before when Jesus spoke and challenged the people in the crowd.
Week 5, Day 2
Perhaps the centurion had heard Jesus speak just the previous day. He deeply desired to be “..a good man who out of the good treasure of his heart would bring forth good…” (Luke 6.43). Maybe he already found himself calling Jesus, “Lord”, if silently in his mind, when he heard Jesus challenge those who might call him, “Lord”, not doing the things which Jesus said. (Luke 6.46-49. Maybe he seriously listened and took in to himself the story that Jesus told when he described the man who calls Jesus, “Lord”, NOT doing the things, which Jesus said. Maybe he was an engineer who understood very well how important it was to build houses, bridges, roads or anything else on good, solid foundations, knowing the storms would come to shake it and pound on it. Maybe in his heart and mind, he vowed to be the man who would hear Jesus speak and do what He heard Jesus say.
Keep in mind that when we read Luke’s account, we can be quite assured that the events we read about on one page precede the events written about on the next page.
I can easily imagine that this centurion soldier had these words of Jesus on his mind as he returned to his sick servant at home.
Week 5, Day 3
Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith! Let’s look at the simple facts here.
A centurion soldier cared very much for his servant.
The servant was deathly ill.
The soldier had heard about Jesus.
His servant needed to be healed.
Jesus was the answer to the need.
He asked Jesus to heal his dear servant.
He knew that the sickness had to obey Jesus and leave.
He believed that Jesus would heal his servant.
His servant was healed.
Imagine the headlines that day: Jesus of Nazareth heals Roman soldier’s paralyzed servant when he asks Him to do it! Who is this man, Jesus?
Week 5, Day 4
I’d like to think about the humility the centurion soldier seemed to have. Luke says the servant was dear to him. That word, “dear” would also tell us that the servant was honored, esteemed, and valuable to the centurion. In those days, we hear that some servants became “bond” servants to their masters. Those bond servants loved their masters and gave their lives to serve them. They voluntarily gave the rest of their lives to serve their master because they loved and respected them.
In return, the master also honored and thought highly of their bond servant, trusting him greatly. They also agreed to take care of the needs of their servant.
Perhaps the centurion knew about humility from watching his own servant minister to his needs with respect, honor, and love. Perhaps he acknowledged the spirit of a humble servant in the servant who was sick. He understood too, that that humble servant depended on him to take care of him.
Week 5, Day 5
Perhaps, having heard much about Jesus, perhaps even coming to a desire to follow after Jesus, the centurion soldier also understood that his relationship to Jesus needed to be like his servant’s relationship to him. I believe he chose to humble himself as a servant humbles himself to his master.
Perhaps it was this humility in him which also positioned him to freely ask Jesus for healing, expecting that he would receive it.
Perhaps he had already listened to Jesus speak in the previous days. Perhaps, he had called him, “Lord” in his heart and in his mind. Perhaps he had decided to listen to Jesus words and do what the words asked. Perhaps he had humbled himself wanting greatly to be a good man producing good fruit. Perhaps he had humbled himself to the rock solid foundation he believed Jesus and His word to be.
As the centurion said to Jesus, “I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.”
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