Are you a servant under authority? Who are you accountable to? Are you willing to live under the authority of The Risen Christ? In doing that will you be obedient to the human authority He places you under? Do you see the Authority you are under as ‘God Ordained’? An extension of God?
Are you good with God healing you & ones you love for HIS reasons & in HIS timing?
Do you believe He has authority over life & death? Do you recognize that the miracle of salvation, moving from eternally being dead to being eternally alive with God, is totally under God’s authority?
Today’s Scripture passage answers these questions and points us to how we should live under authority and accountable.
1When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.
- Post Sermon on The Mount: expectations of Christ’s followers is set
- Why would he value a replaceable slave?
3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.
- This man has had revelation about who God is, who His people were…
- Sensitivity to the work of God (Holy Spirit)
- Recognition of God’s people and a desire to bless them
- Person of Peace / Friend of God (The Unlikely Someone God Uses)
- Jesus is responsive to that kind of openness to God, He will come see that
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
- The massive humility of the Centurion is important (humility before Christ)
- He knows who He is and Who God is (created & Creator)
- The Centurion is tuned into God’s total control (even ‘remote control’)
8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
- His understanding of authority is his reality in the government / military/ God
- Why does God use this example instead of Jewish religious authority?
- He understands that if God is in control he has those He operates thru
- Scripture teaching that God uses human authority structures to enact His Will
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
- Is Jesus really amazed or does He act that way to make His point?
- The amazing thing is that this guys totally gets it (God has revealed it to him)
- He points it out to the crowd
- Great Faith is living like God is in control!
- Great Faith is living like everything is an extension of His authority!
The Grace of God’s authority and accountability: We need it! Left to our own devices…we default to rebellion. His control is best for us; Christ wants what is best for us, always
11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
- Jesus is traveling, bringing the reality of God’s presence to many
- Scripture states a ‘Large Crowd’ went along with Jesus (not typical)
- This was a death that hurt the community, a sonless widow
- A large crowd was actively mourning and supporting the widow
- Jesus had an opportunity to impact 2 separate & distinct ‘large crowds’
13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then He went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
- Personal approach to the mother, this is really for her (disenfranchised)
- Sneak peak of the ‘The Kingdom’…every tear will be wiped away!
- Everyone stopped! Jesus says: ‘I say’ as in ‘God says’
- The boy talking proves he is ‘Fully Restored’…given back to his Mother!
- All is made right for someone who had only God to depend on
16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.
- ‘Filled’ denotes being overwhelmed with and consumed by ‘Reverent Worship’
- ‘A Great Prophet’ in their context, is one fully operating in God’s power
- The embodiment of God’s presence coming to physically help HIS people
- They almost get it right…
- Bringing someone back from the dead is the biggest miracle possible
- That is what happens every time God saves one of us; MASSIVE MIRACLE!
Application Questions:
Based on your bank account and your schedule; are there actions you take that are not under the authority of the Jesus Christ?
Do your recognize the human authority structure God has set you under, or are you answerable only to Jesus Himself?
Why might God want you to obediently operate under an authority you have doubts about?
Why does Jesus’ heart go out to this particular widow and raise her son from death?