Asking Jesus for help
Feb 9, 2019 10:12:34 GMT -6
Post by Gene Whitehurst on Feb 9, 2019 10:12:34 GMT -6
Read Luke 7:1-10
“Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, 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.”
A slave was near death at the compound of the Centurion. The Centurion heard that Jesus was nearby and he sent some Jewish religious leaders to ask Jesus to come to the compound to heal his slave. He soon had a change of heart and sent other friends to intercept Jesus. These messengers relayed the message from the Centurion that neither his home was worthy for Jesus to enter, not was the Centurion worthy to come to Jesus. The message included, “But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
By this we know that the Centurion believed that Jesus could heal his servant and did not have to come to the compound to do it. Further, Jesus need not be present at the side of the sick slave. Jesus was only asked to speak the word – and the slave would be healed. The language of the Centurion tells of his humility. He called Jesus, “Lord,” and thereby recognized that even though he was a Roman military official, that Jesus was of higher rank than he was.
Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd about the faith of the Centurion. “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
The text does not record Jesus speaking a ‘word’ to heal the slave. Jesus already knew what the sickness was and the healing that was needed – and simply sent healing for the slave at a distance. Nothing in the text indicates that Jesus ever went to the Centurion’s home or spoke to bring healing to the sick slave.
This story is striking. The Centurion sent a message to Jesus on behalf of a lowly servant. Jesus honored the faith of the Centurion and healed the sick slave. The Centurion did not pray or ask for anything for himself. He was interceding for another. And think about this: The slave was probably sitting up, taking nourishment, and healed before the friends returned to the house to share the good news of having met and asked Jesus for the healing. In other words, the slave probably did not know that he had been prayed for; he did not know the how or the Who about his healing. He is just a blessed recipient in this story.
Think about this: In the text, we do not see that Jesus ever met or talked to the servant who was healed. Further, he never met nor talked directly to the Centurion. Jesus received the information by messengers and healed the servant being totally absent from the scene. Further Jesus pays honor and respect concerning the Centurion to the crowd behind Jesus.
This story is about the Jesus and the Centurion. So be encouraged my friend. Even though you may have a sick or errant friend in your life, go to Jesus and pray. You do not have to involve the person being prayed for. Ask for that person’s physical or spiritual healing. Be the Centurion. Intercede for another. Even though we are unworthy, pray for that other. That other one, the sick slave, need not know of your prayers. Some may actually resent you praying for them. But go to Jesus for them. And the prayer is simple, “Jesus, …say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)
“Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, “Lord, 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.”
A slave was near death at the compound of the Centurion. The Centurion heard that Jesus was nearby and he sent some Jewish religious leaders to ask Jesus to come to the compound to heal his slave. He soon had a change of heart and sent other friends to intercept Jesus. These messengers relayed the message from the Centurion that neither his home was worthy for Jesus to enter, not was the Centurion worthy to come to Jesus. The message included, “But say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
By this we know that the Centurion believed that Jesus could heal his servant and did not have to come to the compound to do it. Further, Jesus need not be present at the side of the sick slave. Jesus was only asked to speak the word – and the slave would be healed. The language of the Centurion tells of his humility. He called Jesus, “Lord,” and thereby recognized that even though he was a Roman military official, that Jesus was of higher rank than he was.
Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd about the faith of the Centurion. “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”
The text does not record Jesus speaking a ‘word’ to heal the slave. Jesus already knew what the sickness was and the healing that was needed – and simply sent healing for the slave at a distance. Nothing in the text indicates that Jesus ever went to the Centurion’s home or spoke to bring healing to the sick slave.
This story is striking. The Centurion sent a message to Jesus on behalf of a lowly servant. Jesus honored the faith of the Centurion and healed the sick slave. The Centurion did not pray or ask for anything for himself. He was interceding for another. And think about this: The slave was probably sitting up, taking nourishment, and healed before the friends returned to the house to share the good news of having met and asked Jesus for the healing. In other words, the slave probably did not know that he had been prayed for; he did not know the how or the Who about his healing. He is just a blessed recipient in this story.
Think about this: In the text, we do not see that Jesus ever met or talked to the servant who was healed. Further, he never met nor talked directly to the Centurion. Jesus received the information by messengers and healed the servant being totally absent from the scene. Further Jesus pays honor and respect concerning the Centurion to the crowd behind Jesus.
This story is about the Jesus and the Centurion. So be encouraged my friend. Even though you may have a sick or errant friend in your life, go to Jesus and pray. You do not have to involve the person being prayed for. Ask for that person’s physical or spiritual healing. Be the Centurion. Intercede for another. Even though we are unworthy, pray for that other. That other one, the sick slave, need not know of your prayers. Some may actually resent you praying for them. But go to Jesus for them. And the prayer is simple, “Jesus, …say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2)