Encountering
Jesus
Bible Passage –
Luke 7:1-10
Focal Passage – Luke 7:2-3 “There
a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to
die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent elders of the Jews to him, asking
him to come and heal his servant.”
I
have read this passage several times over the years. The points I saw most
often were Jesus performed another miracle and the Roman centurion had great
faith. Indeed, that is what Jesus said in verse nine: “When Jesus heard this,
He was amazed at him (the centurion), and turning to the crowd following Him,
He said, ‘I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.’” These
are undoubtedly great points to consider and are most easy to recognize.
Today
as I read this passage, verses two and three made an impression on me. “Why,”
you ask, “does the fact that a Roman and Jews going to Christ interest you?”
First, Romans were the rulers and, often, the oppressors of the Jews. A
centurion was a man who had authority over 100 men in the Roman army. He was
accountable to another man who had authority over him. When a centurion gave a
command, the men under his command obeyed.
The
second thing we should notice is that the people the centurion sent to summon
Jesus were Jewish elders. The word from which Jewish elders comes is presbuteros. This word, for the Jews
meant the Sanhedrin. Let me remind you of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin consisted
of chief priests, heads of the twenty-four classes of priests, elders, men of
age and experience, scribes, lawyers and those learned in the Jewish law (http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sanhedrin/).
These men were well educated in Jewish law. They were a judicial body like a
supreme court and an administrative council.
What
is significant in these two verses is that a Roman would seek the help of
Jewish elders and Jewish elders, learned men that they were, held the Roman
centurion in honor and wanted to help him. Both the Roman centurion and Jewish elders
were men of authority. They commanded respect and honor. The Jewish leaders
taught their people to obey the LORD God, yet they looked up to this Roman. The
Roman enforced the imperial laws, yet he asked the Jewish leaders for help.
That these two groups would look to the other for help, compassion, and
understanding is significant.
What
is even more significant is that the Jewish elders would deign to recognize and
approach Jesus as having power to heal. These same elders along with the
Pharisees sought to trick Jesus so they could arrest him because He had too large
a following. Jesus, to them, was a radical against whom they must teach. To the
Roman, Jesus was a potential trouble-maker. The Romans highly regarded their
way of life. They coined a term to define it – the Pax Romana. Peace was their
goal in the lands they conquered and ruled. So for the Romans, Jesus was a potential
dissenter or riot-maker. The Romans kept a close eye on Him to make sure His
followers and the people who opposed Him did not descend into unruliness.
From
this, you realize the Roman centurion and Jewish elders working together was
unusual as was their seeking Jesus for His power to heal. By admitting Jesus had
power to heal and that He healed the servant, they unconsciously admitted He
had power from Yahweh God. If that was true, then He was either the Son of God,
as Jesus confessed, or a priest/prophet. Either way, the story ended with the
centurion’s slave being healed without Jesus’ presence, just His words.
This
makes me consider: Does God working in my life encourage people to seek Him? In
what I do, will people encounter something of Jesus? From what I say, do people
ask what I believe? You understand, each of us encounter people from different
faiths and lifestyles. Is there something about your life – your words,
actions, and worship different from theirs so that they encounter Jesus in you?
At some point, the Roman centurion learned about
Jesus. When his favored servant became seriously ill, he knew nothing else would
heal him. The centurion chose to put his faith in Jesus because of the testimony
of other people. The Jewish leaders without doubt learned about Jesus. They did
not want to believe in Him, but they wanted to help their benefactor, the Roman
centurion. What they received was evidence once again of Jesus’ power. At some
point, these two groups received information about Jesus. The Roman chose to
believe and Jesus said He had not seen such great faith “even in Israel.”
We
each encountered Jesus, either from testimony or firsthand experience like
physical help in one’s life. Before Jesus returns to earth, everyone will have
the opportunity to hear about Him. If you have not heard of Jesus before, you
now have. How will you respond to Him – in faith or in unbelief. Others of us heard
about and experienced Him. We became believers. Is God working in and through
your life to impact people so they ask who is your God or why do you speak of
act in the way you do? People can encounter Jesus through the lives of others.
Will you allow Him to meet people through you? The Roman chose to believe. His beloved servant lived. Do you choose to
believe so others can be touched, too? Are you giving credit and glory to God
for what He is doing in and through your life so others will know of Jesus?
Are people able to encounter Jesus
through you?
