Sunday School: Faith of a Centurion

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When we meet in person, we share our joys and concerns with each other. If you have prayer requests to share, you can add them to the comments on this post. When you are ready, you may use the prayer below to get started:

​Lord, we see so much need around us — needs for our world and our country, needs for our churches and our friends, even our personal needs. Sometimes it is overwhelming.
Help us not to get so caught up in the problems and struggles of life that we fail to look to you and to understand that you have the power, even now, to meet every need. When you seem distant, remind us that you are with us and that you indeed hear and answer our prayers, if we continue to look to you and to trust in you. And so we bring all our needs to you this morning, and we ask for your peace and healing. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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Today's lesson is on Luke 7:1-10. 

​Lesson context
Today’s lesson is set in the village of Capernaum, which served as something of a headquarters for Jesus’s ministry in Galilee. Its importance can be seen in the fact that it is mentioned 16 times in the New Testament. In fact, five of Jesus’s inner circle of 12 disciples were living in Capernaum when Jesus called them to follow him. Four of them were fishermen and one was a tax collector.

​According to our lesson, the village probably had no more than a few hundred residents. However, it was a thriving regional hub of industry and commerce. This was because it was on a lake that was productive for the fishing industry and, secondly, because was situated on a main road for traveling throughout the region. It was important enough that Rome had stationed some of its soldiers there.

​Desperate need (verses 1-5)
Chapter 6 of Luke ends with Jesus concluding his so-called Sermon on the Plain. As our lesson begins, Jesus moves from the level place where was speaking to a crowd and he enters Capernaum.

Pretty quickly, it seems, word of his arrival spread across the village. A Roman centurion  heard about Jesus’s arrival and sent some Jewish elders to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant. Each centurion commanded about 80 men, although some commanded more. The rank was normally the highest a man could achieve if he was not a member of Roman ruling class family. Becoming a centurion was a path to wealth and status for an ordinary citizen soldier who had proved himself in lower ranks over the course of 15 or 20 years.

This centurion seems to have achieved some status. He had a servant, likely a slave who had been captured during one of his military campaigns. Slavery in Rome was not like slavery in early American history. Slaves in the Roman Empire did not always serve as slaves their entire lives and were not always treated poorly or exploited. The centurion seems to have valued his servant not just for his work but also as a person.
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The centurion also had a good reputation in the Jewish community because of his love for their religion. He had even used his wealth and position to build the Jewish synagogue at Capernaum. Instead of approaching Jesus himself, therefore, he sends the elders, perhaps thinking Jesus might respond more favorably to them.

Unmatched faith (verses 6 to 10)
Capernaum was not a large city, either in terms of its population or is area. Crossing from one end to the other would not have taken more than 15 minutes. The walk would have been a short one.

Jesus went with the elders, but as they neared the house, the centurion sent some friends to meet Jesus and to tell him that he did not need to enter the house. His message to Jesus was that he respected Jesus so much that he did not feel worthy to have him come into his house. However, he also said that he had faith that Jesus could heal his servant by simply saying the word.

This was a display of humility by a man who, on an earthly level, had power over Jesus and the Jewish people. It may also have shown an understanding of the negative implications for a Jew to enter the home of a Gentile. It would have meant the Jew was defiled. (See Acts 10:27-29)

The centurion used his experience as an officer to explain his view of Jesus’s authority. The centurion (as we have already seen in the story) has authority to send others to act on his behalf without having to do it himself. Jesus, however, has authority on much higher level — authority to command that people be healed or that demons come out of people. Jesus does not have to be physically present for that to happen.

When Jesus hears the message he is amazed and tells the people that he has not seen such faith even among the people of Israel. In nearly every other case, people are amazed at Jesus’s teachings and works, but here Luke tells us that Jesus is amazed at the centurion and his faith. That is undoubtedly because he displayed humility and compassion but also an understanding of Jesus’s true status and power. The centurion implicitly trusted that Jesus could and would heal his servant. As far as Luke is concerned, the centurion’s faith is the greatest miracle in this passage.
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The centurion’s trust in Jesus was not in vain. When his friends returned to the house, they found the servant was well. This is one of three stories in the Gospels in which Jesus healed people without being physically present with them. The others are found in Matthew 15:21-28 and John 4:46-54.

​Conclusion
When we offer up intercessory prayer for the healing of a friend or family member, are we exercising the faith of the centurion? Without a doubt, any forthcoming healing will be a “remote healing” since Jesus is not here in the flesh, so that is not the issue.

The issue, instead, is one of believing in Jesus’ authority. That’s the essence of what we might call “Centurion Faith.” Our intercessory prayers must have more than a “maybe” or “hope so” tone. When we fix our eyes of Jesus, we demonstrate “Centurion Faith” that God will answer our prayers. When we are distracted from him and wring our hands in despair, nothing good happens (Matthew 14:25-31). Jesus taught, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (21:22).
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The centurion’s background speaks loudly. He had cultivated friendships within his community for years. He had treated his neighbors with respect and honor, not pulling his rank as a Roman officer to get his way. In many ways, the significant gap between the Jews and Gentiles of Jesus’ day was bridged on that day in Capernaum. The centurion had used his wealth and influence to protect the Jews and provide a gathering place for their study of Scripture. He played “the long game” in the most sincere and authentic manner possible. When his household was in need, his character and actions were remembered. Can the same be said of ours?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, our lives constantly need for your support and healing. Our churches and homes need your presence. May we honor you in all ways and never doubt. May we have a simple faith like the centurion! We pray in the name of Jesus, your Son. Amen.

​Questions for discussion

• In what ways can our congregation act as a go-between in connecting resources to those in need? How might we partner with other congregations to do this?
• How can we show humility as we come to God in prayer?
• How can you use the positions of leadership in which God has placed you to worship and serve God?
• How can you demonstrate “great faith” in your neighborhood? In your city? In your country?
• How can we have “Centurion Faith” when it seems that God doesn’t answer our prayers in our preferred or expected way?

Benediction
Today's benediction is from the King James Version.

Next week's lesson will be on Luke 7:36-39, 44-50.