32. The Centurion's Faith

Text: Matt 8.5-13

As I was meditating on this passage, several things struck me. First, the very high view or regard that the centurion had of the Lord Jesus. Second, the humility of the centurion. Third, the compassion of the centurion. Fourthly, the authority of the Lord Jesus. Fifthly, the Lord's approbation of the centurion's faith.

First, how do we regard the Lord Jesus? Modern evangelical preaching is largely to blame for reducing our Lord to the status of a divine 'errand boy'. So much stress is made on Jesus as Saviour, without emphasizing that Jesus is Lord. We utter some Sunday School formula and consider ourselves 'saved forevermore', without having any witness of the indwelling Spirit. It is all outward, a mere show. No wonder there is no impact upon the world by evangelical Christians. Jesus is Lord. He is the great and almighty God. He is the Creator of the universe. He is right now a King seated upon the throne in heaven, and worshipped by a host of angels. And, yes, He is Saviour, whose 'so great salvation' is a continuing experience. Once saved we are saved forevermore; but there is the salvation of our souls, there is growth unto maturity, there is a reward and a prize in a high calling which many fail to consider.

How much we need to exalt Him! And if we exalt Him, we need to exalt His Word. The Holy Scriptures are the written Word of God, just as Jesus Christ is the living Word. How necessary then to read the Word of God upon our knees! This is a divine Word, and many have given their lives for it! But we are so casual about the Bible. We do not realize that it has come to us, over the centuries, at great cost.

Secondly, the humility of the centurion. Luke dwells on this aspect much more. The centurion considers himself unworthy to come to Christ, Luke 7.7. He says, 'Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof.' We are too familiar with God. We have no sense of His awesome holiness. We need those crisis-moments of revelation that Isaiah, Job and Peter had. We need to be humbled in the dust before this great and glorious God.

Thirdly, the compassion of the centurion. Most often, our prayers are centred around our self. Very rarely are we concerned about others. Here is a Roman soldier, accustomed to military brutality, and yet having a heart of concern for his personal slave. He implores the Lord Jesus; the prayer comes from deep within. He suffers with his suffering servant.

Fourthly, the authority of the Lord Jesus. The centurion knows what is authority. They say that only those who come under authority know what authority is; but this is learnt by painful experience. We are so proud and stiff-necked. We will not bow before Christ. Very rarely do we consider the Holy Spirit as Lord of our lives. We mock the Spirit by indulging in insane laughter, by talking gibberish, by having weird dreams and visions, and attributing all this to the Holy, yes the Holy, Spirit.

'Say the word'. Lord, speak to me. There is power in the word of God; there is great power in the still small voice of the Lord. And the Lord says, 'Go you way; let it be done to you as you have believed.' This is real faith, faith that is combined with humility and reverence for the Lord.

The Lord says, 'Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.' Didn't Israel know the Scriptures? Did they not faithfully attend the Temple, and observe the feasts and follow the ordinances and the Law? But, in the end, those very chosen people of God crucified Christ. Beware of familiarity. Beware of taking things for granted. The Word is a two-edged sword that cuts both ways. Let is first cut deeply into our heart.