Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

A. Concern For Others, Even Servants1. Jesus seems to have relished the opportunity to shake up the staid and stuffy Jewish leaders ofhis day, self-righteous hypocrites who looked down their noses at everyone else and held Gentiles in uttercontempta. our Lord genuinely cared about the souls of those Gentiles and also the Jews who werebeing misled by the scribes and Pharisees, so he took every opportunity to expose their shortcomings andfocus the people’s attention on God’s will and the coming kingdomb. when he offers to travel into the house of the centurion with the paralyzed servant, even thecenturion recognizes such a move would scandalize the Jews2. but the spirit of this centurion and Christ are one, in that both are concerned about the welfareof others, even servantsa. it is important that we think about more than just how things will affect me (Philippians2:1-4)b. even to the point that I find a way to prefer others ahead of myself (Romans 12:9-16)3. it can be harder to care for the person who is inferior to us in some way or moment in life andwe can be tempted to treat them rudely or with contempt (cf. those who wait on us in businesses or serveunder us in the military or at work or follow us in school)a. remember that those kinds of distinctions are artificial and temporary and if you are bent onexploiting them, it is usually because you are filled with pride and a sense of inferiority on another levelb. we are not here to be served, but to serve, as much as the centurion sought Jesus to heal theman suffering in his house (cf. James 2:1-9)B. Recognition of Authority is Great Faith1. it was when this same centurion explained to Jesus that he understood the Lord’s authority thatChrist exclaimed, “I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”2. understanding authority is taking Christ at his word and submitting to his will as a soldierobeys his sergeant; submission to his authority is not just evidence of faith–it is faith! (Matthew 7:21-27)a. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15)b. John heard him say that and taught about it later in his life (First John 2:3-6)3. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him (cf. Hebrews 5:9), so saving faithincludes the matter of accepting his authority even when it interferes with your own notions so that youcan abide in him4. the gospels and the remainder of the New Testament form the complete revelation of theauthority this centurion recognized, and which will occasion great faith in your life also when youacknowledge and accept it for yourselfC. Rejection of Christ Brings Torment1. the same passage culminates in a stern rebuke to the seemingly religious Jews who hatedJesus–while many Gentiles would enter the kingdom by faith, many Jews would be left out because oftheir self-righteousness2. rejecting Christ occurs when men refuse to believe he is the Son of God, but it also occurswhen apparent believers dismiss his authority in their lives (cf. Second Thessalonians 1:1-10)a. some know of God but resist obeying the gospel because public confession or baptism maybring embarrassment, or because repentance and repudiation of sin are too high a costb. yet Jesus suffered worse ridicule and paid a higher price than we will ever know; how canwe possibly feel justified in denying him in any way? (Matthew 10:32-33c. serving the Man who carried your cross for you should be no burden (First John 5:1-5)D. Jesus Can Heal1. it must have been wonderful to witness the miracles done by Jesus Christ during his earthlyministry; not the pseudo-miracles of the fake faith healers today, but genuine, instantaneous miracles2. such miracles were designed to confirm the claims of Christ and then the divine origin of theword his apostles revealed; they are no longer needed today because that purpose has been fulfilled3. yet we still desire that our sick be healed (James 5:13-16)a. even in the age of miracles, not all sicknesses were healed (cf. Timothy needed wine for hisfrequent stomach infirmities and Epaphroditus was ill as well)96! Jeff S. Smith