Faith in Jesus

Our words and actions tell the world a story about who Jesus is, and we need to regularly ask ourselves if that story is representative of his character or our own.

If we are going to make Jesus known, it is of the utmost importance that we do so through the power of the Holy Spirit as we abide.

We ended last week with the understanding that it is only by abiding that we can be the people and the church God wants.

It is only through abiding that we can be “good fruit.”

And as Carey pointed out at the end, when we are pressed by life, the juices that flow will reveal what kind of fruit we are.

This was a strong challenge for the disciples, and it is a strong one for us.

Today, we are beginning a new section where Luke returns to telling stories about Jesus.

Jesus is going to continue to reveal to his disciples and to the masses that he is God’s son through his words, actions, and love for all people.

Keep in mind that Luke didn’t write his book in chronological order but rather in a way that would help his Gentile readers understand the life and ministry of Jesus.

There was a tip of the hat, so to speak, about the Kingdom of God back in Luke 4:43.

Luke 4:43 CSB

43 But he said to them, “It is necessary for me to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke doesn’t detail what the “kingdom of God” is, but now he begins to show us what Jesus was talking about.

These next two stories that will be covered over the next two weeks will show us what is new and what is good about it.

This first story, in particular, was of great importance to Luke because of Luke’s heritage.

If you will remember from our introduction to this book, Luke is a Gentile.

In this story, we see Jesus doing something amazing for someone not of the Jewish faith.

This is the beginning of Jesus revealing that he didn’t come just for the Hebrew people but for all people.

Let’s read this story together and notice that verse one is a transitional verse showing that the focus is moving from the Sermon on the Plane to this story.

Luke 7:1–10 CSB

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.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when he was not far 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.” 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.

Man, what a story!

It is no accident that Luke follows up Jesus teaching the disciples with this story.

As we just read, the person requesting help from Jesus was a Roman Centurion.

Get in your mind for a moment what we discussed about how Israel felt about the Romans.

They were an oppressing nation that came in, took over, put in new leadership (Herod The Great and his son who were not Hebrew), the Roman leadership (Pontius Pilate), and enforced heavy taxes.

So, not only was this man, not a Hebrew, but he was a member of the nation and an officer in the army that was oppressing them!

Regardless of who he was, this man had heard of Jesus and what he could do for people.

So, he sends some of the local elders to ask Jesus to help his servant.

By the way, these elders are not Pharisees, Sadducees, or Scribes.

They were the older men in that community who were in leadership because of their age and wisdom.

Luke 7:2–3 CSB

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.

People from all walks of life will call on and be heard by Jesus.

Luke goes out of his way to make sure that his readers understand who it was that Jesus was helping.

He wants us to see that the person's job, heritage, upbringing, or culture will not prevent them from calling on Jesus.

Life Group Question: Is there anyone in your life that you think is beyond saving?

Life Group Question: What has led you to believe that and how does Jesus’ actions refute that belief?

Because of who this man worked for and what his job was, there would be plenty of reasons for these elders to deny this request, but they don’t.

Luke 7:4–5 CSB

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.”

Even though he was an officer, he was good to the people he had been put over.

It is pretty impressive that these men spoke so well of him.

So, they go to Jesus and ask that he come and heal this man’s servant.

Jesus surprises them all when he agrees to go.

Luke 7:6–7 CSB

6 Jesus went with them, and when he was not far 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.

This interaction is quite interesting.

The man knows that Jesus can help because of the testimony he has heard from others.

So he asks others to go and ask Jesus if he will come.

Did y’all ever do this as a kid?

I did it a ton.

Rather than asking my parents if I could spend the night at my cousins house, I would have my cousin ask my parents.

I did this because the chances were greater that my parents would say yes.

It’s harder to say no to someone else’s child than it is to your own.

This is more or less what is happening in this story that Luke is telling.

The elders ask, Jesus agrees, and they head to the man's house.

Before they arrive, the man sees them coming and goes out to meet them.

This shows how much this Roman officer understood their culture.

He knew that if Jesus entered his house, he would be ceremonially unclean.

The officer did something that was surprising to even Jesus.

He asks that Jesus would say the word, and he knew, he believed, that it would happen.

Something amazingly significant just happened, and I’m afraid that we will blow past this too fast.

Jesus just strutted, maybe even moonwalked, across a boundary that no one knew could or would be crossed.

Jesus just worked outside the nation of Israel.

No one saw this coming because it was believed that the Messiah would come to free the nation, not bless others.

Jesus didn’t set boundaries around one group of people.

He just showed that the gospel is for all people!

I want you to take a minute and think of a person you know that would be impossible for God to reach.

Whoever that person is or what they have done or been through doesn’t limit God’s ability to work in their life.

Because Jesus doesn’t limit who can call on him, we shouldn’t either!

We often limit what God can do and will do based on our assumptions about other people.

God is not limited by our assumptions, but our assumptions limit what we can see God doing.

If we think someone is unreachable and we don’t pay attention to what God may be doing in their life, we are definitely going to miss God’s activity.

You never see what you aren’t looking for!

Luke shows in this part of the passage that these men have taken the time to get to know this Roman.

They are interceding on behalf of someone that they know and respect.

They had invested enough time in this man to know that what he said was true, AND their hearts were motivated to do something.

We are the ones interceding and making the introductions.

At two different times in this story, people are speaking to Jesus on behalf of this Roman officer.

This is often how the relationship between Jesus and an unbeliever begins.

We know someone who doesn’t have a relationship with Jesus, and we have the opportunity to intercede on their behalf.

This is a normal process we use in everyday life.

We know two people who don’t know each other and we introduce them.

It is even common for us to tell them about each other prior to their meeting.

I can’t tell you how often Ben Nugent-Peterson has told me about someone, and then say, “you need to meet this person, y’all have so much in common.”

So far he has been correct.

I meet the person, and we hit it off and have great conversations.

This is exactly what is happening in this story.

These elders know the Roman; the Roman has heard of Jesus, and he asks the elders to go out, find Jesus, and make this request.

The elders make the initial contact, which facilitates God being able to work in this man’s life.

We get to do this with people regularly.

We also have the opportunity to do this in the spiritual world by praying for the people we know who don’t know Jesus.

I’ve mentioned recently that I’m reading a book by KB called Dangerous Jesus.

This week, I was challenged by something he said, and it made me ask the question that I’m going to pass on to you.

Life Group Question: How often do you find yourself interceding for people who don’t know Jesus?

I was reading a Charles Spurgeon sermon on intercession this week.

Listen to what he says about what intercession reveals about the person.

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXVI Samuel: An Example of Intercession (No. 1,537)

When the heart is enlarged in believing supplication for others, all doubts about personal acceptance with God may cease; he who prompts us to love has certainly given us that love, and what better proof of his favour do we desire? It is a great advance upon anxiety for our own salvation when we have risen out of the narrowness of dread about ourselves into the broader region of care for a brother’s soul.

I know that many believers struggle on and off about their salvation.

In a works-based culture, we often look at our lives, hear sermons about how we ought to respond to Jesus, and then question the authenticity of our salvation.

Spurgeon is saying that if you are regularly concerned for the salvation of others and are praying for them, you can rest assured that your salvation is secure.

The love required for us to pray this way comes from God alone.

This is the “good fruit” of an abiding believer.

Spurgeon then further describes what is happening in that person’s life.

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, Vol. XXVI Samuel: An Example of Intercession (No. 1,537)

Moreover, it shows an enlarged heart, a participation in the spirit of love, and a growing likeness to Christ. Earnest longings for the good of those around us show that we are beginning to take our right position towards our fellow men, and are no longer living as if we were ourselves the sole end and aim of our own existence. Intercessory prayer is an act of communion with Christ, for Jesus pleads for the sons of men. It is a part of his priestly office to make intercession for his people.

When we are interceding, it is proof that we are growing to be more like Christ.

Christ intercedes for us, and when we join him, it proves the abiding relationship that Jesus wants us to have.

Interceding and introducing people to Jesus is the mark of a growing and healthy relationship with Jesus.

We learned about this last week.

Remember Carey talking about squeezing fruit?

Look back at part of last week's passage where Jesus illustrates this kind of relationship.

Luke 6:47–48 CSB

47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built.

Life Group Question: How can interceding for others change our hearts?

Because of the intercession of these elders, the way is being made for Jesus to reveal his Kingdom.

Jesus receives the invitation from these men and goes to this house.

This is the moment that Jesus decides to cross the barrier of what is known.

He is responding to what he sees in this officer’s life.

God responds to faith with His exclusive activity.

Luke 7:7–8 CSB

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.”

This man, who has never personally met Jesus or seen his work, responds with awe-inspiring faith!

Listen, I don’t mean to throw shade, but do we exhibit that kind of faith in our lives?

Life Group Question: How often do we take what Jesus has done at face value and place our trust in it one hundred percent?

Do y’all see how big of a deal this is?

This man just did something that the disciples haven’t even done.

Well, look; Jesus says it.

Luke 7:9 CSB

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.”

Can we all agree that if something we have done amazes Jesus, we have just had an incredible moment?

I don’t know about you guys, but I feel a bit ashamed about my level of faith when I think about what this man just did.

I have spent two-thirds of my life proclaiming to be a believer, and I can count on one hand the times I’ve had this kind of faith.

What is faith?

Faith is trust and reliance upon God.

Proverbs 3:5–6 CSB

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

“in all your ways, know him...”

Abiding in Jesus is not only an act of faith.

It is what builds faith.

Think about Abram, who later became Abraham.

Genesis 15:6 NLT

6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

Why did Abram choose to believe God?

He and his wife were old and without a single child, and God tells him he will have descendants that are more numerous than the stars.

So, how did he believe?

He chose to!

We rely on God, starting with the small things, and God builds our faith as we trust him more and more.

And what response do we get from God as we trust him?

Life Group Question: What has God done in your life that proves his faithfulness?

Life Group Question: How can you apply that experience to current of future faith challenges?

Luke 7:10 CSB

10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

God does what He says he will do and what only he can do.

What is it in your life that requires more faith?

How do you even begin when the odds seem stacked against you?

How did Abram begin?

He began by making a choice.

He chose to believe what God said based on God’s character, not his own ability.

Who do you need to pray for that will require more faith?

Who is the person or persons that Jesus has put on your heart and mind?

Understand and believe today, right now, that God is more than able to bring that person to know him.

Luke shares this story at this point in his gospel to show the power and breadth of Jesus’ ministry.

He shows that there is nothing God can’t do, and no one is excluded.

God can and is willing to work in anyone’s life regardless of what they have done or are doing.

All that is required is that we ask and then believe that God will do what he said he would do.

I want to open the altar this morning as we close in worship.

If there is something in your life you want me or the elders to pray with you about, or if you want to come and pray alone, the altar will be open.

Please take the time this morning to address the areas of your life where you want or need more faith.

Make a choice this morning to believe that God can do what He has said he will do.

Don’t make that choice based on my direction or your ability to make anything happen.

Choose to believe that God is more than able to do anything he desires.

I’m going to pray briefly, and the altar is open.

Let’s pray.

Announcements:

David and Julie’s house church

Offering