Miracles of Physical Healing— The Centurion’s Servant
Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
What is the most dramatic “near death” experience you’ve ever had: An accident? Illness? Showing your father a bad report card? Stock market crash?
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The Faith of a Roman Officer
Luke 7 1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer[a] was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Footnotes:
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“I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!”
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Questions of Discovery
Seeking God’s Message Then and Now
1. Describe the faith of the centurion in this story. How are Roman centurions portrayed elsewhere (see Matthew 27:26, 54; 28:4, 11-15; Acts 10:2, 23;17-18; 27:43)?
2. The Jewish elders considered the centurion worthy because of what two things? (Luke 7:1-5) On what basis did the elders request Jesus' help?
3. When Jesus was near the centurion's home, the centurion again sent others to Jesus. Why did the centurion not go to Jesus himself? (Luke 7:6-7)
4. The centurion believed Jesus could heal his servant in what way? (Luke 7:7)
5. What was the centurion's explanation for his faith? (Luke 7:8) What quality of faith is exhibited here?
6. Jesus marveled at this. What did He tell the people following him? (Luke 7:9)
7. When the people returned to the house, what did they find? (Luke 7:10)
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Describe a time when you let go and let God accomplish his purpose.
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