The Power of Hearing

Luke 7 The Faith of the Centurion (NIV)

‘1 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.’

The above quoted familiar scripture portion is a rich mine full of gold nuggets. It is often used to emphasis the power of faith. However, a careful reading of the text helps us to discern
1. The power of hearing
2. The power of being under authority
3. The power of the spoken word and
4. The power of faith

Each one of them is of great importance though I would like to examine now the first point – the power of hearing.

The power of hearing In the above quoted scripture, let us consider verse 3a “The centurion heard of Jesus”. Obviously most people in Israel had heard of Jesus at one time or the other. Many reacted scoffingly while others responded with eagerness and faith.

This centurion was a roman soldier and a little background information makes it easy for us to understand better, who he was. 2000 years back, Israel as a nation was under the rule of the great Roman Empire. The Romans were known for their high organizational skills and boasted of a highly organized army. The Roman army consisted of a number of legions commanded by legionnaires. A legion consisted of 6000 soldiers. Under every legionnaire, there were 60 captains and under every captain, there were six centurions. Every centurion had 100 soldiers directly reporting to him.

This particular heathen centurion was favorably inclined towards the Jewish nation and for some unrecorded reason had even built them a synagogue.
(It is of particular interest to note here that the Jews are Jehovah’s special chosen people through whom he had vowed to bring redemption to all mankind. God had also promised to bless those who bless His people the Jews and to curse those who curse them. Here we see a member of the oppressor (Roman Empire) showing unmerited favor to the Jews and receiving great blessing directly from the hand of God. In Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite (heathen) woman seeks a miracle for her daughter and Jesus enters into an argument with her as to why he should give children’s bread to dogs. Here the woman’s unusual faith determines her fate. However, in the case of the centurion Jesus enters into no such dialogs. Though outside the old covenant, the centurion was still entitled to receive from Jesus because he had shown favor to God’s chosen people. Let us be reminded of Jesus words “Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward.- Matthew 10.41 The ‘righteous’ are all believers washed in the blood of Jesus. So let us be eager to do good not only to the under-privileged but also to the people of God who have set apart their lives to serve in God’s vineyard.)

During a period of time when neither slaves nor servants were of much value, here is a centurion who valued a servant so much that he was willing to seek favor from the Jews! (Romans considered themselves superior to Jews as the stronger and technologically forward nation. They also sort of despised what they considered as obsession of the Jews with their God. The Jews on the other hand considered themselves as the chosen people of God and expected the arrival of Messiah who would topple the cruel roman empire and rule the earth from Jerusalem. At the other end of the spectrum were the intellectual and sophisticated Greeks who were the most superstitious of the three.)

To return to our study, this particular centurion ‘had heard of Jesus’. He heard of the miracles performed by this strange Jewish rabbi. It was said that he could heal any diseases and raise dead people. He had heard that even nature (wind and the storm) obeyed Jesus’ commands. He did not just hear of such happenings as some interesting news but he gave his full attention to it. He considered the evidence and came to a then unpopular conclusion about what he heard. Unlike most other Romans and a good number of Jewish religious leaders, this centurion came to believe that Jesus was a person of high authority. In his experience, when people with authority spoke those under them obeyed. Here this Jesus evidently had authority over sickness, demons, death and nature. So despite being a Jew (a citizen of the conquered nation) Jesus proved He had more authority than even the centurion’s superiors. Obedience was something the centurion was quite familiar with. He was a man under authority (verse 8) and so implicitly obeyed his superiors’ orders. He also had men under him and they obeyed every word of his.

Therefore, when the centurion’s favorite servant was at his deathbed he pressed in his influential Jewish acquaintances to persuade Jesus to work a miracle on his behalf. Asking a Jewish rabbi to enter a heathen household was high presumption. Jews became ceremonially unclean by entering non-Jewish houses or even by close association. (E.g. The Samaritan woman at the well) This was more true in the cases of Teachers or Rabbis. Hence the Jewish elders ‘pleaded earnestly with [Jesus]’ vs 4. They put Jesus ‘into remembrance’ Isa 43.26 considering the centurion’s works for Israel. However long before Jesus and His entourage reached the centurion’s house he sends some of his friends to meet Jesus. Having realized that Jesus whom he recognized as a person of great authority (even his emperor who was considered, as a god by Romans did not have the same authority as Jesus had over the non-physical realm) was approaching his house in answer to his demand made through the Jewish elders he is smitten by remorse. He becomes deeply aware of his unworthiness to welcome one such as Jesus into his house. Therefore, he entreats Jesus not to trouble himself by coming to his house. However, he makes one of the most powerful statements of faith about Jesus. vs 7b ‘But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." In short, the centurion was saying that ‘Jesus, your physical presence is not necessary. Just your word of command is sufficient. I know and believe that you are so great in authority that your mere word is sufficient to heal my servant and return him from death.’

Jesus recognizes the depth of faith this centurion is exercising and exclaims ‘I have not found such great faith even in Israel’. Jesus is always in search of faith. He can operate only where there is faith. Jesus performed all his healing miracles based on the faith of the people. The Old Testament and the New Testament speaks of God looking for faith. Jesus even made a statement to the effect ‘when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18.8 The faith of the centurion was even greater than the faith Jesus had seen among His people, the Jews.

To recap, the centurion heard about Jesus and understood the significance of what he heard and he acted on what he understood. God who is debtor to none healed the servant of the heathen centurion. The only other incident of non-Jewish healing recorded in the NT before Jesus’ resurrection was the healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman. The woman’s unusual faith was the catalyst to this miracle.

The messiah was send to the nation of Israel. But people like this centurion and the Canaanite woman exercised great ability to discern the Truth of Jesus and thru force of faith availed the children’s bread for themselves. The key that unlocks the kingdom of God is faith and ‘faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.’ Romans 10.17 Therefore let us be always eager to hear the word of God. We can hear it through our personal reading and studying, as well as through other sources. May God open our inner ears to understand the depth of His love for us.

The Justice of Divine Judgment

I have lost count answering the question, “what about the untold millions who have never heard of Jesus Christ. Will they be also judged the same way as others?” Today I came across a devotional that dealt with the same question so here it is for your reading pleasure.

The following is a direct quote from the devotional for May 17-18, 2008 -- The Justice of Divine Judgment -- Revelation 20-11:15 “In Touch Daily Devotional” by Dr. Charles Stanley


Every person will face God on judgment day. Whenever that topic comes up, I am usually asked something like, "What about remote African tribes that will never hear about Jesus?" The concerned questioner is really wondering, How could a loving Lord send an ignorant person to hell? In other words, How can it be fair to condemn those who have never heard the gospel?

To understand how God judges, we should recognize two truths about Him. First, He's not limited. While whole groups still have no Scripture in their language, God always reaches individuals whose hearts are open to knowing Him. Men like Abraham and Moses had no spiritual training or Scriptures, and the Lord spoke to them.

Second, God reveals Himself to all people, whether or not they have access to the Bible. He demonstrates His power and attributes through creation. He also programs our conscience to understand the basic distinctions between right and wrong.

For those blessed to hear the gospel at some point, Jesus Christ is the greatest revelation of God in their life. When people stand before the Father, He'll judge them on three criteria from the amount of truth that each has been exposed, to how many opportunities there were to accept the truth and share it with others; and what was done with those opportunities. The believer's responsibility is to reach as many as possible with the gospel so that no one need ask, "What about those who've never heard of Jesus?"

Children's Bread

At our homes, whenever we prepare any delicacy we set aside the major portion for the enjoyment of our children. Often even after they have feasted we keep apart a small portion of their favorite dish so that our children may enjoy it afterward.

Jesus said “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 & Luke 11:13 From this verse it is evident that our Heavenly Father too sets aside the best heaven has to offer for His children. The best that Father God has is His Son and His Holy Spirit both of whom He has given for us. (John 3:16 and Romans 8.15)

Who are the children?
Romans 8:14-16 says
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
14….those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

According to the above Bible verses, it is those that are led by the Spirit of God and have received the Spirit of Sonship that are children of God. (It goes without saying that to be led by the Spirit of God you have to be in Christ Jesus.)

Romans 8 identifies the children of God. None can claim to be children of God because you have Abraham as your father (Jew), or because you have been born of a Christian family, or have a long lineage of God’s ministers or even because you have lived a life par excellent. No wordly claim can be made to your heavenly position.

God the father has sovereignly make known through His Word who His Children are. His word is final and the Truth. The Spirit of Truth testifies within those who are the children that they are the children of God.

Who is the children’s bread?
You read correctly. I did not mean what is the children’s bread but who. This is because according to the Word of God the children’s bread is a person. Do not take my word for it let us examine what Jesus himself had to say concerning this.

Matthew 15 relates an interesting conversation that took place between Jesus and a gentile woman. This is a very familiar passage to all students of the Bible.

Matthew 15:21- 28 21……. Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." 23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

In verses 24 and 26 Jesus speaks of himself.
Verse 24 he says that He was sent for the lost sheep of Israel. In verse 26 he says that it is not right to toss children’s bread to dogs. Jesus himself says that He is the children’s bread.

The gentile woman initially came to Jesus with the understanding that He is the Lord, a divine person and the Son of David, a royal descendant, a King. However, Jesus reveals himself to her as the children’s bread. (It was hard teaching for He spoke in parables [Matthew 13:13-14] but the woman understood unlike many Jews and so partook of the kingdom blessing. Elsewhere Jesus had said that “…….the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it”. Mt 11.12)

Within this scripture portion (Mt 15:21- 28) is hidden a great mystery of the gospel. Jesus says I am the bread that you my children are to partake of. I am available to you as nourishing food whenever you need me. You need not cry or fret. See I have given you of myself for your full and complete enjoyment. Eat of me and you will not lack anything. Even if we are the ‘gentile dogs’ “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

Jesus says I am your strength, your healer, your joy, your protector, your fortress, your shield. I am everything you need in this life. I am life. If you feed on me you will have abundant life. You need nothing apart from me. So continue to feed on me daily. I am your early morning bread and I shall sustain your throughout the day.

I am your king and I rule by feeding my children, the citizens of my kingdom with myself. You can be my people and children only if you feed on me and are nourished by me. As my children feed on me, they walk in the kingdom blessing.

Now we have seen that according to the Bible which is the ultimate word of God, Jesus is the Children’s Bread. So let us be diligent in feeding of him. From now on, I hope we would contact the Lord every day with the realization that He is the children’s bread. To eat Christ as our supply is the way to be the kingdom people in the reality of the kingdom.