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Luke 7 "Great Faith"

Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. and when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, "for he loves our nation, and has built for us a synagogue." Then Jesus went with them. and when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, do this, and he does it." When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. (Luke 7:1-10)

Jesus told the crowd that day that this Roman soldier's faith was greater than any He had found in Israel. What made his faith great? Hebrews 11:1 gives us the definition of faith. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith is believing in things for which you do not have proof, but as we will see from this centurion it is more than that as well. Let's take a look at what this man did.
First the centurion went to the Jewish elders of the town and asked them to go to Jesus and plead his case to Him. The reason why he did this was because he did not even think himself worthy to come to Jesus. Next, even before Jesus could make it to the man's house he sent servants to stop Him on the way, because he did not think himself worthy that Jesus should enter under his roof. Finally, he suggested to Jesus that He simply say the word, because he knew that Jesus had authority to heal, just like he had authority to command his soldiers and servants.
What did the centurion believe? He believed that Jesus was worthy of much more honor than himself. But the centurion was a man of power, commanding Roman soldiers and Jesus was simply a Jew without rights or privilige. And the centurion believed that Jesus had the authority to heal, even though he had never seen it done. John Wimber who just died of cancer last year tells of an interesting phenomenon that happened at the Vineyard church. The Vineyard and John Wimber were used mightily by God to heal many people and when they first gathered in a school gymnasium they found that because of the lack of air-conditioning if they gathered around someone for prayer and laid hands on that person it could get very hot for the person being prayed for. So instead of actually touching the person John asked the people who prayed to just stretch out their hands toward the person being prayed for. John noticed years later that he would see people who had learned to pray for the sick at Vineyard, who had gone back to various parts of the world still stretching out their hands but not touching the person. You see people want to believe that God can heal, but they also subconsciously hold onto the technique. They believe that God will heal if you pray a certain way, or at a certain place, or with a certain person or at a certain time. But you see this is not faith in God it is faith in the technique. It is so easy to get off track. You see if we have faith in the technique then we start to expect that if we pray rightly then God has to heal. But John Wimber is proof that God will not be manipulated this way. Here is a man that was used by God to bring healing to so many and yet he himself dies of cancer at an early age. You better believe that there were thousands of people praying for him. But it was God's will to take that man of God home at that time. The centurion was not interested in Jesus' technique. He was not trusting in Jesus to say the right words or hold his hand a special way. He believed in Jesus, not the technique. He trusted in Jesus not the words. He knew that if Jesus wanted to do so, his servant would be healed.
The centurion believed without evidence and then acted on that belief. This is what made his faith great. My father has a mutual fund in which he saves his money. There are many different kinds of mutual funds available today, some are designed to invest in new companies that look like they will grow fast. Others are designed to invest in old companies that are very stable to provide income for retirees. The problem of course is that the more potential for growth there is, the more potential for loss there is as well. So my father, like most investors, ≥hedges his bets≤ He always puts a percentage of his investment in bonds, which tend to do well when the stocks do poorly. This way, if the stocks don't do as well as we hoped, we do not lose everything. We try to do this with God as well though. We say, "I believe you God, I know that You will provide for me" and yet we worry about our jobs. We say, "I believe you God, that You have a spouse planned for me." And then we worry that unless we marry someone who is not a Christian we will never find the right person. We say, "I believe you Lord, that if I bring my needs to You in prayer you will answer." And yet we run around trying everything but prayer. Folks this is hedging your bet. If you really believe that Jesus is God , maker of heaven and earth, merciful and mighty, and that He is alive, raised from the dead, sitting at the right hand of the Father constantly interceding for us, then like the centurion, act like it.

We saw that Hebrews 11 defines faith as believing in things that are not seen, things hoped for but without proof. Let's be clear about what we need to take on faith, and what we do have proof of. Let's start with God. Really we do not have to take God's existence on faith. You see since the creation of the world God has revealed Himself, He has given us the evidence that we need that He exists. First in this very earth itself. All cultures and peoples around the world have come to the conclusion that there must be a higher power, someone supernatural that is responsible for creating the world. But then there is also the record of God's working with man in the Bible. We have hundreds of different accounts from different people in different times and places testifying that God exists. So you cannot say that there is no evidence. So we do not take the existence of God on faith. How about Jesus? We have the record of history that tells us that Jesus Christ lived and died in Palestine about 200 years ago during the reign of Ceasar Augustus and the governorship of Pontius Pilate. History also tells us of the miracles that He did, and of course the church that rose up after Him. So Jesus as well is perfectly well documented. No faith required. Let's take this one step further. What about the claims that Jesus is the Son of God? That He was born of the virgin Mary. That He was raised from the dead on the third day and that He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God? Well if we took the case into a court of law we would have to take into account the written testimony of Matthew and Luke who both affirmed the virgin birth and Mark and John who joined them in testifying of the resurrection. Not only that but we would have to add to them the testimonies of all the apostles who died violent deaths as martyrs rather than denying the truth of these claims. Not only this but we would also need to look at the countless experiences people have had through the centuries with the risen Lord. So we cannot say that Jesus Christ is only hoped for, simply wishful thinking, a fantasy without evidence at all. Many of the greatest men of history lived their lives as testimony to the truth of Jesus Christ. So even believing that Jesus is God and that He is alive really does not take faith. What then do we need faith for? What requires faith? Remember it is by faith that we are saved. Faith in what? What must we believe even though we cannot see it, what must we hold onto even though the evidence seems to point the other way? Turn with me to Romans 10, in verse 8 Paul says, "But what does it say?" The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." What we need faith for, is that this God, who is so perfect and righteous, this Jesus who is so pure and wise, would come into my life. That He would love me. That He would save me. That He would help me. That is what requires faith. That I can pray today and God really hears me. That God really sees my problems and cares about me. That I can really depend on Him in all situations. This is what requires faith. Believe today that He does love you. Believe today that God will save you, confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that He is alive and you will be saved.

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointd them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it." "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and other fifty. and when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you, Go in peace." (Luke 36-50)

What faith did this woman have? Did she believe in the virgin birth and the resurrection? I doubt that she knew the circumstances of Jesus's birth and Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. No her faith was much more simple. She believed that Jesus would forgive her. The evidence was not in her favor. You see this woman had many sins. Everyone in town knew that she was a woman who sold her body. Everyone knew that she cared more about the pleasures of life than anything else. Her hope must have been thin, most Jewish rabbi's would not allow themselves to be touched by a woman at all, let alone a woman of her reputation. And yet she believed that Jesus was different, that He saw her pain, her heart that had been broken so many times that the scars had hardened over and yet still hurt. She believed that He could save her. Do you believe that Jesus can save you or like the Pharisee are you looking at Jesus to see what you might gain from the association? Are you down at the feet of Jesus Christ washing him with your tears, or are you sitting at the head of the table judging Him. Folks, it does not take faith to find out the truth about Jesus. It does take faith to receive that truth, that He loves you, and to allow that truth to change your life.
Jesus said to the Pharisee, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." If you want to live a life full of love. If you want to love as Jesus loves, go and worship at His feet, thank Jesus for forgiving you even when you did nothing to deserve it. Thank Jesus for saving you from your many sins, and your love will grow.