|
|
Summer 1995
by: Michael Tao
In Luke chapter seven, there is a Roman centurion who loved the Jews, and even used his own money to build a synagogue for them. This is very unusual, taking charge of one hundred Roman soliders, a centurion could be vicious and dominating; however this centurion consistently demonstrated a kind, gentle, and thoughtful temperament. When one of his servants was sick unto death, this centurion could have commanded Jesus to come over. But instead he went to the elders of the Jews and begged them to speak to Jesus for help, he was probably concerned that he might stir up a rumor against Jesus if a gentile officer came to Him directly. There were all sorts of rumors going around about Jesus already.
These Jews found Jesus without delay, because this centurion had been so kind to the Jews, and cared for them. It is not easy to love a nation which is under your feet, this centurion loved the lower estate.
When Jesus got close to the house of the centurion, the centurion sent his friends to speak to Jesus, saying that he was not worthy to have Jesus come to his house, neither could he imagine that he was worthy to come to Jesus. He said that he understood what power Jesus has, all Jesus had to do is to "say in a word", then his servant could be healed. Jesus marvelled at him, and said: "I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel" (Luke 7:9). This centurion's faith was accepted by Christ - a centurion Christian!
Christ only marvelled twice in the Bible, and here it is due to the great faith of a gentile. It is clear enough that this centurion was saved, otherwise such faith was not worthy to be commended by Christ. This centurion could see himself as a sinner, and was not worthy to face God. Believers should always have the feeling of unworthiness toward God. It is not because who we are, and what we have done that we deserve God. We have no rights to demand anything from him. It is by Grace, which is a free gift.
The next event happened in a contrary manner (Luke 7:11-18). Jesus and his disciples went to a city. When they got close to the gate of this city, they met a large crowd of people. A widow lost her only son to death, and they were going to bury the dead out of the city. At that time, the name of Jesus spread to almost every human ear, yet among this Jewish crowd, no one would tell this heart broken widow that Jesus could help. They certainly had heard of all sorts of miracles that Christ worked, however when the problems became theirs, they lost their faith. They might have argued within themselves: "I don't think Christ can help this time; this one here is too big for Him, or too small (a widow's son?) to deserve His attention". When Christ walked near to them, this widow was about to pass by her very last opportunity, and continued to follow a dead body to the graveyard, in deepest sorrow.
This is a picture of the world. By unbelief, men do not follow God, they follow the spiritually dead ones to the common destiny in very deep sorrow. What hope did this crowd have? None at all. However Christ did not take the easy way out, He went straight to the dead. Christ seeks the lost, He has compassion on them, He stops their sorrow, He tells them as He told this widow - "weep not". Christ reached out His hand to touch the coffin, and told the dead to arise. The dead man arose. Christ knew the only way to comfort the widow was to resurrect her dead son, and He did so to comfort her. This physical miracle is to prove that He can do whatever He pleases. If Christ can rise the physically dead, He certainly can resurrect the spiritually dead as He promises. In John 14:6, Christ says, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me"; there is only one way out for sinners.
After the resurrection of this widows son, the scripture tells us: "And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us, and, That God hath visited his people". This big crowd acknowledged the miracle was from a prophet. Christ to them was from God, but not God.
With the message from and the baptism from John the Baptist, many Jews were expecting the soon coming of Messiah. However when facing Christ, they accepted His miracles but not His identity. With His foreknowledge, Jesus knew about their unbelief, yet this did not stop His compassion(v.13).
Today there are no more visible miracles because according to the records in the Bible, miracles have little help in man's faith. Today we trust Christ by faith, the faith that once this gentile centurion had. Men think they should only believe what they see, however John 20:29 says, "...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.", 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight".
