Presentation Transcript

1. Questions that guide Luke & us I propose that most of us are wrestling with three major questions: “Do I really belong among the people of God since I am so _______________?” “How am I supposed to live intimately with all these people who are so different than me?” “How do I continue Jesus’ mission to heal the sick?”

2. The marvelous faith of a centurion

   Luke 7:1-10
3. Luke arranges his material to highlight Jesus’ radical, inclusive love for all who embrace Him.

   The marvelous faith of a centurion

   Luke 7:1-10
4. TODAY’S TIP: Approach Jesus not with resume building but with humble recognition of His authority.

   The marvelous faith of a centurion

   Luke 7:1-10
5. The Geographic Flow of Luke-Acts Acts 1:8 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
6. The Geographic Flow of Luke-Acts The End of the Earth (Luke 2:1, 29-32) Galilee, Judea & Samaria (Luke 4:14-19:44) Jerusalem (Luke 19:45-Acts 6:7) Judea & Samaria (Acts 6:8-9:31) The End of the Earth (Acts 9:32-28:30)
7. Luke 7:1-3 1 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 
8. Luke 7:4-6 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 
9. Luke 7:7-8 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with 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.” 
10. Luke 7:9-10 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
11. The Centurion’s Resume Luke 7:2, 4b-5 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 4b “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6a And Jesus went with them.
12. Paul’s Resume Philippians 3:4b-64b If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
13. Ben Deaver’s Resume Decent, if I do say so myself…
14. Your Resume ???
15. Your Resume ??? Is it good enough? 
16. The Centurion’s Resume Revisited Luke 7:6b-76b When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.” 
17. The Centurion’s Resume Revisited Luke 7:6b-76b When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.”  “I got nothin’!” 
18. Paul’s Resume Revisited Philippians 3:7-9 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
19. Paul’s Resume Revisited Philippians 3:7-9 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— “I got nothin’!” 
20. Ben Deaver’s Resume Revisited “I got nothin’ either!” 
21. Your Resume Revisited “You got nothin’ either!” 
22. The Centurion’s Illustration Luke 7:8 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with 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.” 
23. A Jaunt Thru Western History Romans 1:21-22 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools…
24. Pre-modernism (Beginning to 1650) Starting Point: “In the beginning, God…” (Gen. 1:1) Divine Revelation is authoritative Who is the authority? God is. Common Worldviews: Theism Writing the commandments of God on the doorposts of your house and on your gates (Deuteronomy 6:9). Suspicion and cynicism towards a “Higher Power”
25. Modernism (1650-1950) Beginning Point: “Cogito ergo sum.” = “I think, therefore I am.” – Rene Descartes (1596-1650) Scientific Method is authoritative. Who is the authority? We are. Common Worldviews: Naturalism/Empericism Writing something clever and witty on a billboard.  Suspicion and cynicism towards “man’s progressiveness”
26. Postmodernism (1950s to 2001) Beginning Point: WWII and the rest of the 21st century bloodshed… Deconstruction of authoritative sources Who is the authority? What? There’s authority? No way! Common Worldviews: Relativism/Pantheism Writing the words "something clever and witty" on a billboard.  Suspicion and cynicism towards “everyone knows what’s best for them…”
27. Post-Postmodernism (9/11/01 - present) Beginning Point: 9/11 Who is the authority? I don’t know but I sure hope someone is… Writing a billboard on some words.  Weariness with suspicion and cynicism???
28. Post-Post-Postmodernism (???) Beginning Point: Who knows? Post-Post-Postmodernism: Nailing a herring to a wall and punching it with a racquetball from 4-5 feet away while reciting Dostoyevsky quotes.
29. C.S. Lewis in Surprised by Joy In the first place he made short work of what I have called my “chronological snobbery,” the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited. You must find why it went out of date.
30. C.S. Lewis in Surprised by Joy Was it ever refuted (and if so by whom, where, and how conclusively) or did it merely die away as fashions do? If the latter, this tells us nothing about its truth or falsehood. From seeing this, one passes to the realization that our own age is also “a period,” and certainly has, like all periods, its own characteristic illusions.
31. What is the source of authority?
32. Jesus marvels! Luke 7:9 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 
33. The Centurion Builds on Jesus’ Word Luke 6:47-48 47 “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” 
34. The Centurion Builds on Jesus’ Word Luke 6:49 49 “But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”  
35. The Centurion Builds on Jesus’ Word Luke 6:49 49 “But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”   TODAY’S TIP: Approach Jesus not with resume building but with humble recognition of His authority.
36. Jesus is the Greater Centurion!