Amy C Walters

Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant | Luke 7:1-10

We continue to look at what kind of faith amazes Jesus from the story of the Centurion in Luke 7. We explore the contrast between how the Jewish elders approach Jesus and how the group of friends approach him, noting that amazing faith is humble.

This is the second of three posts exploring what amazing faith looks like through the story of the Centurion in Luke 7. Post one revealed that amazing faith doesn’t insist on one’s rights. And today, we’ll focus on the Centurion’s humility. 

When the elders of the Jews come to Jesus and plead earnestly with him on the Centurion’s behalf, they say, “This man deserves to have you do this because he loves our nation and he has built our synagogue.” The Jewish elders approach Jesus by saying, “Yes, he’s a Gentile, but he deserves it. He deserves your help because here’s his resume of good things that he has done for us.” 

Jesus goes with them, but when he is not far from the house, another group comes out from the Centurion. This is a group of friends, and this group has a different message. “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof…but say the word, and let my servant be healed.” 

Both groups came from the Centurion to ask for Jesus’ help, but they have different attitudes and approaches. 

First, the friends, speaking on the Centurion’s behalf, begin with, “Lord.” It’s like calling Jesus master. The Jewish elders don’t use that title. 

Another contrast centers around worthiness or being deserving. The Jewish elders tell Jesus, “This man deserves to have you do this.” But the friends deliver a message that says, “I don’t deserve to have you come to me.” Complete opposites. The Jewish elders plead their case on the basis of what this man deserves and what he has done. But the Centurion, through his friends, pleads his case on the basis of his needs and Jesus’ power. 

Such a difference: to say, I don’t deserve this, I am unworthy, but you are powerful. That is the contrast between law and grace. This is a very picture of the gospel. You see, we tend to approach God on the basis of the good things that we have done. “God, you have to forgive us. You have to let us into heaven because look at the good things we’ve done for you. We’ve loved your nation. We built your synagogue. We go to church. We do these good things. We help the poor. We deserve for you to show us your favor.” That’s what law says.

But the way of faith comes in humility and says, “God, we don’t deserve you to show us your favor. We are not worthy. You are Lord, Master. We serve you. You have what we need, and we cannot get it anywhere else. We don’t deserve it, but we come humbly to ask you for it.”  

Humility plays a vital role in responding to the gospel. And we see this through the example of the Centurion. 

Our key truth for today is that amazing faith is humble. It doesn’t approach Jesus saying, “You have to do this for me because I did this for you.”  Amazing faith says, “Jesus, I’ve done nothing to deserve this, but I ask you for it because you are powerful.” 

This idea of what we “deserve” is so dangerous. It’s something that has seeped so deep into our culture. This idea of what we’ve earned, what is coming to us, what we deserve.

We hear commercials all day long that tell us, “Go out and get it. You deserve it! You deserve this good thing. You deserve to take a break. You earned it.” 

This is such a dangerous idea to let live in our hearts and minds, because it is so contrary to the gospel. The idea of the gospel tells us that what we really deserve because of our sin is eternal judgment and separation from Christ. That is what we have earned by our sin. And no amount of good deeds can tip the scales in our favor. 

What Jesus gives to us is what we don’t deserve: his grace, his unmerited favor. And grace is so much more powerful than what we earned and what we deserved. We don’t have to prove ourselves to get it. He just gives it. But we have to let go of the idea that we have earned or deserve it.