A man’s faith, a Sovereign Lord
Bible Text: Luke 7:1-17 | Preacher: Andrew Love | Series: Luke’s Gospel | Introduction
Looking at two different miracles – with two different emphases
The Centurion’s Servant
The Raising of the Son of the Widow of Nain
Going to bring out two different truths:
The Bible is a balanced book
We as sinful people are often unbalanced
Examples
Two truths:
v1-10: a need for faith
A pagan man who had greater faith than all of Israel
v11-17:
No calling out in faith
The Sovereignty of God
Two truths:
One emphasises man, our responsibly to believe
The other emphasises God’s work, His Sovereignty
Christianity is all about God (and what He has done in the Lord Jesus Christ)
The Bible presents a balanced view
We must have a balanced view
God’s Sovereignty and man’s responsibility
Overview:
A man’s faith (v1-10)
A Sovereign Lord (v11-17)
A man’s faith
Who was the Roman Centurion?
A great man of wealth and power
He had many servants
He had soldiers
He was stationed in Capernaum
Jesus performed many miracles in Capernaum
Sadly they were an unbelieving town
His faith stands out in a place of blindness and unbelief
A gentile
It was strange that a gentile showed such love towards the Jewish people
They were enemies – the Jews hated the Romans
The gentiles despised the Jewish people
He calls upon the elders of the synagogue to go to Jesus
They say he has built them a synagogue
He had rejected polytheism
Maybe he had joined the synagogue
As people we make generalisations – we are often wrong
We see common grace
The centurion is acting long before he met Jesus
Example of Corneilius
We are all sinners
He loves his servant
Many would love their family – how many would bother about a servant?
He has heard about and believes in Jesus
He had such great faith (v9)
The Roman Centurion had come to faith in Jesus
He had not had the privilege of a Jewish training/upbringing
Yet God had chosen him for salvation
His occupation did not bar him from faith
Where do we find great faith today?
Not necessarily in the religious establishment
Not restricted to any profession
Not restricted to those who are gifted in the Scriptures
Faith in a Person
Not faith in a dogma – but faith in a person – the Lord Jesus Christ
What he had heard about Jesus he believed with all his heart
Examples
He believed that Jesus only needed to speak a word and His servant would be healed
A humble faith – he did not feel worthy to go to Jesus
Challenge:
Are we looking for proof or testing God?
Do we say that the word of God is not enough?
Cry out to God and ask for such a faith!
Believe in the Word of God
A Sovereign Lord
A widow
She has lost her husband
She has lost her only son
Can we imagine the grief?
Her past is bad, her future is very bleak
The funeral
An immediate funeral
Jesus had likely walked 40 miles
He has compassion
Jesus has great compassion on people
Jesus touches the person
He is Lord of the law
He speaks with great power
“Arise”
Only the Son of God can do this
The man is raised from the dead
He really was dead
Like Lazarus
Jesus has mighty power
A stupendous miracle
No-one had prayed or cried to Jesus
Not like with the Centurion
No action of man
The Sovereign act of God
Great fear came upon them
They didn’t have a faith
It appeared that their hearts were not changed
A picture of salvation
A sinner dead in trespass and sin
We are far off from God, in darkness
We are spiritually dead
We need the movement of God towards us
God sends Jesus Christ
We cannot be saved by the law – we needed a Saviour
There are always two sides to truth
God has sent Jesus
We must call upon God and have faith in Jesus Christ
John 3:16-18
Challenge:
Do you believe in Jesus Christ?
Do you believe the word of God
Have you entrusted your life to Jesus?