If we stop to think about it for a moment, most of us have seen some pretty amazing things in our lives! I remember the first time I saw the United States Navy’s Blue Angels perform at the Chicago Air and Water Show. I was astounded by the squadron of F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets shooting across the sky in a tight diamond formation and executing synchronized aerial maneuvers at over 200mph with their wings only 18 inches apart from each other. It was absolutely amazing!
I remember the first time I visited Niagara Falls. I gazed at the breathtaking beauty and felt the mesmerizing mist from the three waterfalls crashing against the rocks below. The largest of the three, Horseshoe Falls, is 2,600 feet wide, drops 188 feet, and cascades an average of 85,000 cubic feet of water per second. It is truly amazing!
Of all of the amazing things I have seen in my life, the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed happened on August 10, 2013. I had made the long drive to my hometown outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to visit my grandfather, who was rapidly dying from aggressive lung cancer. This was going to be my last ditch effort to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with him before he breathed his final breath. Since he was the person who had persecuted me for my faith more than anyone else in my life, I braced myself for one more rejection. But when I broached the topic, instead of bludgeoning me with the expected barrage of bombastic and bitter words about my God, he humbled himself before the Lord, repented from all of his sins, and professed faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. I was utterly, completely, and totally amazed!
Have you ever been amazed by something? Maybe a marvelous manifestation of natural beauty, a spectacular display of scientific ingenuity, or some divine demonstration of religious regeneration? I suspect that we all have some stories to share.
But I want to ask you a fascinating theological question: Do you think that God is ever amazed by anything? Is it possible for an omniscient omnipotent being to experience astonishment? If this was possible, what do you think could amaze God?
Well, today’s Bible story answers these questions for us. At this point, Jesus had come down from the mountain and finished his sermon on the plain, and he went back to Capernaum, the town located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee where Jesus first launched his public ministry. While in Capernaum, this Jewish teacher has an amazing encounter with a Gentile soldier. Let’s take a look!
The Centurion’s Compassion (2-6a)
As Jesus entered Capernaum, he was greeted by a delegation of Jewish civil authorities who were delivering a message from a centurion about his slave who was sick and about to die. Centurions were Roman military officers who were in charge of about 100 soldiers (it is roughly the equivalent of a Captain in the United States Army). They held significant authority and often accumulated a great deal of wealth. This particular centurion was probably stationed in Capernaum to keep the peace and oversee the collection of taxes for the Roman empire.
Most centurions had a reputation for ruling with an iron fist and were hated by the inhabitants of the towns they occupied, but this unnamed centurion was different. He loved the nation of Israel, had a cordial relationship with the Jewish town elders in Capernaum, and was friendly toward their religion. Although we do not know if he converted from Roman pantheism to Judaism, we do know that he gave a generous financial donation to the building of a local synagogue, a gesture that the citizen of Capernaum deeply appreciated. Considering the political, racial, and religions tensions of the times, it is quite extraordinary that the Jewish elders would tell Jesus that this centurion deserves to have his servant healed.
This centurion was also different in that he “highly valued” his slave and showed incredible compassion for his physical well-being—so much so that he asked the civil leaders to petition Jesus on his behalf to come and heal his servant. He had heard the stories about Jesus and knew about this Jewish teacher’s ability to heal miraculously. Indeed, it was extremely rare for a Roman centurion to express such compassion for the welfare of a slave.
This centurion’s compassion for his slave ought to make us stop and think about how we care for people who are under our authority. Business owners and bosses, do we pay our employees fairly and treat them with dignity and respect? Organizational leaders, do we highly value our volunteers and look out for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs? Others in positions of authority, to what lengths are we willing to go to show mercy and compassion to those under our care? How we treat the people who are under us is a true mark of our character!
The Centurion’s Humility (6b-8)
As Jesus approached the centurion’s house, he was met by another delegation of the centurion’s friends. The centurion commissioned them to meet Jesus on the road and deliver a very specific message: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.” (6b)
Wow! What an unbelievable display of humility! This centurion, who bore the Roman imperial insignia on his breastplate, had more power and authority than anyone else in Capernaum, and yet he didn’t let any of it go to his head. Whereas the Jewish elders told Jesus that this man deserved to have his request fulfilled, the man himself said that he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus even enter his house. He wouldn’t even come out to meet Jesus in person. He declined to make any demands, he refused to throw around his authority, and he repudiated the idea of advocating for himself. Instead, he simply asked some friends to make a request of Jesus on his behalf.
This centurion provides us with another wonderful example to follow. In addition to compassion, this Roman soldier forces us to measure our own humility. Do you know how annoying it is to hear someone brag about themselves? Have you ever been around a man who is always talking about how talented and tough he is? Have you ever been around a woman who is good looking and who knows it? Have you ever been around a teenager who can’t stop talking about themselves? It is hard to be around people like that! Don’t be that person! Be humble, and if there is anything in your life worth boasting about, let other people do it for you!
Our sinful human nature tells us to “grab the bull by the horns, fight for our rights, advocate for yourself, use what you’ve got to get what you want, after all, you deserve it!” But this humble centurion shows us a better way!
If this wasn’t amazing enough already, the centurion shows us the true depth of his humility in verses 7-8. He knew that it was not necessary to see Jesus face to face or even have Jesus enter his house for his request to be granted. He knew that all Jesus had to do was say the word and his servant would be healed. As a centurion, he had commanding officers above him and soldiers underneath him. He had the authority to command his soldiers and slaves to do anything and they had to obey. From his own experience with authority and from the stories that he had heard about the Jewish teacher, the Roman soldier recognized Jesus’ divine authority. He knew that Jesus didn’t have to be physically present to heal; all he had to do was speak the word and it would be done. True humility is knowing who we are in relation to Jesus’ authority.
Do you recognize Jesus’ divine authority? Do you know who you are in relation to his authority? Do you know that Jesus is the one who has created us? Do you know that he the one who has given us everything that we have? Do you know that all of our days were divinely ordained for us and written in his book before one of them came to be? Do you know that Jesus is the one who commands our destiny!
When we give up the egotism of striving to forge our own path in life and humbly submit to Jesus’ authority and plan, everything will fall into place and we will experience more peace and joy!
The Centurion’s Faith (9-10)
Well, at the beginning of this sermon, I asked you if it is possible for God to be amazed. We find the answer in verse 9. When Jesus heard the centurion’s words “But say the word, and my servant will be healed,” he was amazed at him. And then he went on to say, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Yes, God can be amazed. Jesus was amazed when he found more faith in this Roman centurion than anyone else in Israel.
This really is amazing when we consider that this centurion did not grow up knowing the Old Testament like his Jewish friends. Israel was God’s chosen people! They had the Law of Moses! They had the Psalms! They had the great stories of God’s faithfulness. They had the prophets who told about the coming Messiah. And yet, this gentile soldier exudes more faith than anyone else in their nation.
This just goes to show us that the greatest faith is not always found in the people and places that we most expect. Sometimes the greatest faith is found in people who have the wrong social pedigree and come from the wrong religious background.
How about you? Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ yet?
As I conclude, allow me to quickly comment on verse 10. It is no surprise that when the centurion’s friends returned after delivering the message to Jesus that they found the servant completely and miraculously healed. I wonder if the centurion’s compassion, humility, and faith had anything to do with Jesus granting his request!
You bet it does! Just think about when someone makes a request of you—if they approach you with a demanding tone or a spirit of entitlement, are likely to give them what they want? No way! On the other hand, if someone approaches you with selfless compassion and a spirit of humility, it makes you want to help them.
The same is true in our relationship with Jesus. When we demand things from Jesus or declare how deserving we are, I wouldn’t look for too many answers to our prayers. Instead, let us exhibit compassionate toward everyone, especially those under our authority! Let us embody the virtue of humility by understanding who we are under Jesus’ authority. And finally, let us exemplify an amazing faith in Jesus’ ability and authority to lead our lives!