Luke 7:1-10
That’s What I’m Talking About
Jesus had just finished preaching to His disciples and the multitudes
to teach them what the life of a dedicated Christian should be like.
\\#Luke 7:1\\ says when He finished, Jesus walked into Capernaum and
soon thereafter, the Jewish elders met Jesus on the behalf of a
Gentile friend. \\#Luke 7:9\\ reveals that before the conversation
is over, Jesus will turn these leaders and the centurion’s servants
around to the crowd and something to the effect of, "Now that’s what
I’m talking about!"
Let me tell you about the centurion. I believe he is the wisest man
to come to Jesus in Jesus’ earthly ministry. That’s a big statement.
A lot of people came to Jesus in His worldly ministry.
The Magi or Wise Men came at Jesus’ birth. They were wise enough to
travel hundreds of miles to find a King they did not know for certain
lived—and they found Him. They were very wise. Nicodemus, the Rabbi
of Israel, recognized, believed, and followed Jesus. He was very
wise. Jesus’ own disciples, put their lives on hold to follow Jesus
from hamlet to hamlet when few others even knew Jesus’ name. They
were very wise.
But of all those who came to Jesus in His earthly ministry, I believe
this man was the wisest. Let me explain why.
I. He was the wisest Because he cared about others.
Luke 7:2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who
was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
A. This time was vastly different from our time.
1. Our country with its Constitution has helped to teach much
of the world truth, i.e. "All men are created equal."
2. However, that truth was either not known or practiced in
Jesus’ day.
B. The relationship between the centurion and his Jewish servant
cut across two classes that were not normally crossed.
1. Master and servant class - I do not know if the centurion
owned the servant of if he was working for him, but
regardless, there was the potential for a lot of
animosity.
2. Roman and Jewish class - Most Jews hated the Romans because
they occupied their land.
C. But the Bible says that the servant was "dear" to the
centurion.
1. The word "dear" means "honorable, precious, in reputation."
2. "Dear" does not seem to mean that the centurion thought of
the servant as mere property.
3. It seems to imply emotion: a companionship, a friendship.
D. To be honest, that kind of relationship cut across both of
those classes.
1. I don’t think it was common or normal.
2. It is definitely not a relationship that the Jewish servant
could have establish.
3. It had to be one created or at the least allowed by the
centurion.
4. So this Roman master was one who realized that worth is not
based on a person’s class or situation in life.
5. Whether he was a Bible believer or not, he had a Bible
believer’s concept - A person’s worth comes because human
beings are created by God in God’s image and are therefore
all are worth something to the God who created them.
6. That is a lot of wisdom for today! And I know it was a lot
of wisdom for then.
II. He was the wisest because he esteemed the Jews.
Luke 7:5 For he loveth our nation….
A. Again, we have two diverse classes of people and an emotional
bond.
1. Israel was God’s people.
2. The centurion was a Gentile and belonged to the group that
conquered and occupied Israel.
B. History:
1. Israel had sinned and been removed from God’s place of
blessing almost 600 years ago (586 BC).
2. Since that time, Israel had been ruled over by the
Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and now the
Romans.
3. Yet this centurion, stationed in Israel, was still wise
enough to obey a truth about the Jews that seemed lost
long ago.
Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him
that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.
4. And despite evidence to the contrary, the centurion
loved and honored God’s people.
5. That is more wisdom than most people in America have today.
C. Israel is under the same judgment today they were then.
1. The 1948 reestablishment of Israel is not the fulfilled
prophecy of restoration.
2. Israel is still not worshipping God.
3. As of yet, they are not completely entitled to the land.
4. They are probably guilty doing some wrong things over the
years, but they are still God’s people and God still
blesses those that bless them and curses those who curse
them.
III. He was the wisest because he esteemed the God of Israel, Yahweh.
Luke 7:5 …and he hath built us a synagogue.
A. This had to be done before Jesus began His ministry.
1. This man was a centurion, a captain over 100.
2. That was an officer in the army but it was not a position
to requisition funds from Rome.
3. The centurion did this out of his own pocket.
a. Apparently, he himself has some wealth.
b. Whether much or little we do not know, but he used
either some or all of it to honor Jehovah and to help
the Jews worship God.
B. This gift did not go unnoticed by the Jews.
1. \\#Luke 7:3\\ , it was Jewish elders (rulers) of Israel
pleading for this man’s request, saying that he was
worthy.
2. I believe the centurion was a Jewish convert, but either
way, he had to be very wise.
a. If he had come to trust the God of the Old Testament,
he was indeed for Yahweh is the only God and salvation
is His alone to give.
b. If he had not come to trust the God of the Old
Testament, the centurion was wise enough to know how
to get them on his side.
C. Let me be clear.
1. No gift can buy a person salvation. Salvation is not for
sale.
2. However, God still honors those in this life that will
honor Him.
1Sam 2:30 …for them that honour me I will
honour, and they that despise me shall be
lightly esteemed.
3. Whether the centurion was a personal believer in Yahweh or
not, he was a wise man.
IV. He was wisest because he recognized God’s Son.
Luke 7:3 And when he heard of Jesus….
A. The Bible does not tell us exactly what the centurion heard,
but based on the centurion’s expectations of Jesus, he must
have heard a lot about Jesus.
B. But is really interesting is not what he HEARD but what he
BELIEVED.
1. The man’s position indicates that he was not a simpleton,
yet at hearing about Jesus, he believed.
2. The centurion lacked three things that the Jewish people
had.
a. He wasn’t Jewish.
b. He did not have their teaching and upbringing
concerning the Jewish Messiah.
c. He had not met Jesus.
3. Yet, he believed enough to ask for Jesus’ help and MORE.
4. That is a lot of faith for a non-Jew to have in the Jewish
God!
a. Indeed, it is more than most Jews had.
b. This man was a believer in Christ.
c. I do not know if he had surrendered to Christ, but
there is no doubt he was a believer.
d. He may not have been saved, but he was wise enough to
be on the correct path.
V. He was wisest because he humbled himself.
A. In the eyes of Rome, the Centurion was a powerful, influential,
man but to a Jew, he had three strikes against him.
1. He was Gentile.
2. He was Roman.
3. He was an occupying soldier.
B. The centurion wisely sent others to represent him.
1. \#7:3\\ He sent elders on his behalf.
2. \\#7:6\\ He sent friends his behalf.
Luke 7:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he
was now not far from the house, the centurion
sent friends to him….
C. The centurion explained why he did not come himself.
Luke 7:6 …for I am not worthy….
1. He did not come because he was too busy or because he did
not deem his servant or Jesus worth the time, but because
he did not deem himself worthy.
2. There is both a humility and a wisdom about this man.
D. A person who must brag on himself, his work, or his talent is
lacking character—even if his brag is accurate.
Proverbs 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and
not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine
own lips.
E. This man was wise in that he saw himself humbly. He did not
have to laud his position, his works, or his gifts. He sought
only the welfare of his friend and went it about it the wisest
way he could.
F. The Bible places a great value on humility.
Psalms 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath
he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he
knoweth afar off.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand
made, and all those things have been, saith the
LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him
that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and
trembleth at my word.
Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall
be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall
be exalted.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he
saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace
unto the humble.
1Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be
subject one to another, and be clothed with
humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble.
1. The story is told of the young preacher called to his first
church and preaching his first sermon there. He prepared
and considered his sermon to be a work of art. He entered
the pulpit only to become confused and addled. He left the
message unfinished and humiliated. It was then an older
saint counselled him, "If you had entered the pulpit the
way you left, you might have left the pulpit the way you
entered."
2. Don’t waste your time bragging about yesterday’s
accomplishments or boasting about tomorrow’s intentions.
3. Just do what needs to be done to the best of your ability
and let your work and character speak for itself.
VI. He was wisest because he understood authority.
Luke 7:6 … Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am
not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my
roof:
7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to
come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant
shall be healed.
8 For I also am a man set under authority,
having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go,
and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh;
and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
A. Here was a man not only in authority but one who understood it.
(I wish I had understood authority many years ago.)
B. Authority consists of several major traits.
1. Authority has a directive from his authority.
2. Authority establishes a plan to accomplish that directive.
3. Authority directs those under his authority in that path.
4. Authority checks on those on the path.
5. Authority rewards those under his authority.
C. The centurion’s understanding of authority coupled with his
recognition of who Jesus was, the Son of God, gave him this
great mark of wisdom.
1. The centurion understood that Jesus did not have to be
present to heal his servant.
2. He only had to speak the word.
3. That’s faith beyond what anyone else in Jesus’ entire
earthly ministry had.
a. In fact, it may be beyond some of ours.
b. This truth is how you and I live by faith. We do not
get to see Jesus or have Him physically present, but
that does not limit what He can do. Jesus has
authority. If He says it, it will happen!
VIII. Wisdom earns rewards.
A. This man’s wisdom gave him such faith that Jesus praised him.
1. Jesus took the man’s servant, the one who had brought the
centurion’s message, turned him to the crowd and praised
the centurion.
2. This kind of faith in Christ was exactly what Jesus wanted
in His disciples.
a. No bragging.
b. No arrogance.
c. Just a unfettered assurance that God WILL.
3. Look at the progression that this man’s wisdom and faith
climbed.
a. He first believed that Jesus was able to heal.
b. Then he believed Jesus could heal his servant.
c. And then to believed that Jesus would heal his servant.
d. He went one more step and believed Jesus would heal
his servant with His word alone.
e. And then he went to the last step to believe that Jesus
would heal his servant with word alone from any
distance.
4. Here is why I believe the man was the wisest that came to
Jesus.
Luke 7:9 …I say unto you, I have not found so
great faith, no, not in Israel.
B. But the centurion also received the reward that he wanted.
Luke 7:10 And they that were sent, returning to
the house, found the servant whole that had been
sick.
Before we studied the Sermon in the Plain, we were noting some of the
great displays of Jesus’ power.
1. \\#Luke 4:30-37\\ Jesus, Lord over Sickness and Demons
2. \\#Luke 5:1-11\\ Jesus, the Personal Lord
3. \\#Luke 5:12-16\\ Jesus, the Lord Who Cares
4. \\#Luke 5:17-26\\ Jesus, the Forgiver of Sin
5. \\#Luke 27-35\\ Jesus, the Lover of People
6. \\#Luke 6:1-5\\ Jesus, Lord over the Sabbath
Now we see Jesus has power over distance!
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
