I Am Under Authority
GNLCC 8/5/2001 2 Tim 2:1-13 Psalms 8:1-9 Text Luke 7:1-10
Have you ever been in a grocery store and had the privilege of watching a child who could be described as a little brat. The mother would say, “put that candy back’, and the kid would say, “no”, and then rip the package open. The mother would say, “that’s it don’t you get another one and I mean it.” The kid would grab something else. The mother would say, “put it back”. The kid would start screaming, and the mother would say, “be quiet and put that thing in the basket.”
Now even though the mother was an authority figure, the child did not place himself under her authority except when it suited his purposes. How many of you think you know exactly what that child needed. Keep that thought in mind as we go through today’s lesson which is found in Luke 7 verse 1-10.
Jesus had just completed the message that is known as the Sermon on the Mount. That’s the message which deals with our attitudes, our need for forgiveness, loving our enemies, examining our leaders, and obeying the word of God. He had gone up a mountain to give it to the disciples. Once leaving the mountain, he was coming back to his home in Capernaum. Now Jesus had grown up in the city of Nazareth. But the people of Nazareth had attempted to kill him just as his ministry was getting started. In order to fulfill the Scriptures, he moved out of Nazareth and lived in Capernaum.
While Jesus was up on the mountainside, there were a lot of worried looks in a family’s home. The owner of the home had a number of servants. Imagine with me that one day the owner’s child had wandered out in the yard, and there was a poisonous snake. The child was unaware of the danger. A young servant saw the danger and ran to get the child before the snake could strike. As the servant grabs the child, the snake strikes and catches the servant in the leg. Word spreads quickly as to what has happened. The owner comes running.
The owner comes to the servant with a grateful heart for saving his child’s life. He values the life of the servant as much as he values his own. But there the servant lies. The snake’s venom has left him paralyzed. His fever is rising. The owner knows something has to be done immediately. The owner is not use to being in a situation in which he feels completely helpless. He, after all, was a Roman Centurion.
A centurion was a commanding officer of a 100 men in the Roman army. The Roman army was an outside occupying army. The Roman government had invaded and conquered the land of the Jews. The centurion would have been in charge of the Roman Soldiers who had been left behind to maintain the peace and to to see to it that Roman commands were carried out. They were a kind of military police force with complete authority. As a result, many of the Jewish people hated the Romans. But this centurion was a man who looked beyond the prejudice and the hatred of the Jews directed at him, and he fell in love with their God.
Here this centurion’s servant is lying at the point of death. He has the power of Rome behind him, but that’s not much good right now. He has quite a bit of wealth, but that’s not going to make much of a difference either. He has a faith in God, and He’s heard about the ministry and the power of Jesus Christ. If only he could get a message to Jesus.
Let’s pick up the story in Luke Luke 7:2-5 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."
Let’s look at some points in this passage. The centurion was a Gentile, which means he was thought to be outside of the people special to God. The Jews did not want anything to do with the Gentiles. The racism was so great among the people that it makes our prejudice among blacks and whites look small by comparison. Yet this centurion had still managed to find God from the Jewish religion. Not only that, he even won over the Jewish elders respect and admiration by the way he lived his life under the authority of God.
He was able to get some of the Jewish elders to go and find Jesus on his behalf. Now keep in mind, many of the Jewish elders did not believe in Jesus, and were already making plans to get rid of Jesus.
Yet these Jewish elders who hated the Roman army brought themselves under this centurion’s authority. They had to swallow their pride of racism to become available for use. They also had to put aside their own dislike of Jesus and beg him for assistance. You see to be under the authority of another is always going to cost us something. None of us can be under the authority of Jesus without paying a price for it.
Now the Jewish elders approached Jesus on a works basis. They came to Jesus letting him know, this centurion deserves for you to come and heal his servant. First of all, the man loves our nation, and even more important he built our synagogue and paid for it out of his own pockets. They are reminding Jesus, they did not even have a New Life Campaign. This man came up with all the money by himself and built the building where we worship. You know you’ve even preached in the synagogue yourself.
Have you ever done that with God? You told God, “now look God at all these wonderful things I have done. I deserve for you to come and do such and such for me.” But then we have that verse in Psam 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Can you imagine how foolish we must look, on the planet earth, in the solar system, in the Milky Way Galaxy, among billions of larger galaxies, telling God, you owe me because I did this. The very air we breathe, the water we drink, the genes were possesses, and the life that we have all came freely from the love and mercy of God. Who are we that God would even take notice of us? And the amazing thing, is that God does it.
Look at the first part of verse 6. “So Jesus went with them.” Jesus had been healing multitudes of people. He was a very busy person. Yet He, the Lord of the Universe was willing to fit into his schedule a dying slave who was not Jewish nor do we even know if he believed in God. How many of you can say, “I was not in any way worthy, but one day, for some reason, God took an interest in me, and came into my life. Tell your neighbor you must be pretty important to God.
As Jesus was on his way, another group from the centurion’s household was approaching. Now some of the people in the first group probably thought immediately, “It’s too late, the servant must already be dead. They are coming to tell us to just forget the whole thing. I didn’t think Jesus would make that much of a difference anyways.” Do you know it is possible to talk ourselves out of a miracle from God just by jumping to conclusions Things are not always what they appear to be. What we think may be really bad news coming our way, can really be an opportunity to see our faith in the Lord grow.
Look closely at the real message which is coming from the second group from the centurion. Luke 7:6-8 So Jesus went with them. 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. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For 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."
Now we get a good glimpse of this centurion. He sent two delegations to Jesus not to impress Jesus with the idea that He was somebody important and owed a favor. He recognized who Jesus truly was, and thought of himself as being unworthy to even stand in Jesus’ presence.
There is something about falling in love with God which causes two things to happen. The more we love God, the more we recognize how unworthy we are of the love of God, and second the more we love God, the more we realize how little we actually are giving back to Him. Here is a man who built an entire church sanctuary. If somebody asked him why he did it, he probably would have responded, “there was a need, and I had the resources, how could I not do it.” He did not feel God became indebted to Him.
This man was an official of the Roman Empire, and a spokesperson on behalf of the Emperor Ceasar. Rome was the greatest power of its day. People of high standing and local political leaders seeking political influence would have been begging to get inside the centurion’s home. His house was the seat of power, yet he tells Jesus, “Lord, I am not worthy to have to have you come under my roof, that is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.” My friends here is where true faith begins. When you look at yourself, and you look at Jesus, you recognize, without God’s grace, I cannot be made worthy. Coming from a military background, He saw Jesus as a Supreme Commander in Chief, and himself as nothing more than a defeated captured slave. Can you imagine a defeated captured slave demanding to see the top General of the Conquering army.
This man’s faith in Jesus is rooted in his understanding of authority. He recognizes that everything in all of the world is under the authority of Christ including sickness and disease. He recognizes also that even with his position of limited authority, the word he speaks carries a lot of weight. If he says come, somebody comes. If he says go, somebody goes. If he says do this or do that, it gets down.
This centurion has provided us with a picture of what it means to know Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives. There are many people who want to accept Jesus as a Savior as one who died for their sins, but the essence of Christianity is to become a disciple who declares Jesus is Lord of my life. To have Jesus as Lord, means to be under his authority and to line up with His life.
I can remember back in grade school doing an experiment with a magnet and some tiny piles of metal on a piece of paper. Those little pieces of metal would be all over the page lying in a host of directions. But once you put a magnet under the page, all the pieces of metal began facing in the direction. The more you tapped the page, the more in line the pieces began to line up in the direction of the magnet. Pretty soon all those pieces of metal would be lined up. They had each come under the authority of the magnet underneath the page. If you moved the magnet, they too would all move. If you could speak to those pieces of metal and said, “why are you acting like that” the response would be, “we are under the magnet’s authority.”
When we invite Jesus into our lives, we are recognizing the authority that Jesus has over our lives. Remember the brat in the beginning who did not recognize his mother’s authority except when it suited him. Well we try to do that sometimes with God, and always to our own hurt. Our motto should be, “I too am under authority.”
When God tells us to come, do we come. Come get to know Me and read My word. Could we pledge ourselves to get to know God by reading the bible for at least 10 minutes a day starting in the New Testament. That’s the only way we are going to learn the Scriptures to increase our faith. Is anyone here really that busy, that we can’t find 10 minutes. Would you like me to pray that God make a way for you to have it.
Can God say go to us and we go? Go tell her you were sorry. Go swallow your pride and ask for another chance. Go tell him that you love him. Go back and hang in there. A disciple understands it is in his or her best interest to obey the word of the Lord; Even when it is a painful word. God may tell us, “come out of that relationship-that’s not my plan for you.” Can we say we are under God’s authority with our time priorities? Can we say we are under God’s authority with the way we spend our money? Can we way we are under God’s authority with the way we live at home? All areas of our lives have to be brought under the authority of Jesus Christ, or he is not our Lord and we are just as much in danger of the fires of hell as any other lost person. Jesus does not compromise his position as commander in chief.
The centurion recognized, whatever the Lord spoke, would be turned into action. He said Jesus, “if you just speak the word, my servant will be healed.” He knew when God said Let there be light, there was light. When God said, let the land produce living creatures according to their kind it was so. All of nature obeyed the word of God. He knew if Jesus said, “sickness go from that body” that sickness would be gone. The centurion understood that no matter what our condition in this life, it is only one God word away from being changed. When we line ourselves up with the will of God, God will do some amazing things for us.
Jesus had not run into anybody who understood faith to simply be an extension of recognizing Jesus’ authority over all things. When you understand faith to be an extension of Jesus’ authority, it instills trust and confidence . It demonstrates that faith and obedience are locked together. The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was amazed at the centurion and told the people, “I have not found this kind of great faith in any of God’s people.”
The book of Matthew lets us know, Jesus told the group, “go and it will be done just as you believed.” When they got back into the house, they found nothing but joy. The servant who had been paralyzed and near death, was up walking around. The centurion was probably on his knees in praise and thankfulness to God.
Jesus never did enter the centurion’s home. He simply spoke the word. As King of Kings and Lord of Lords, nature and the demonic forces had to obey him. When Jesus spoke to the wind and sea to stop raging, they did. When Jesus spoke to demons and commanded them to leave a person, they did. The only part of creation that disobeys Jesus in the bible are people. It’s people who do not recognize Jesus’ authority. God tolerates it, because he offers people something greater than all the rest of creation. He gives them free choice to choose it or to reject it.
One day all of humanity is going to bow its knee and declare that Jesus is Lord. For some, it will be a moment of deep remorse and regret as they face the penalty for not recognizing his authority sooner. For others it will be a bold declaration and affirmation of joy, because they had been declaring it all along. 2 Tim. 2:11-13 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; 12if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; 13if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
We are all under authority today. Who is telling us to come? Who is telling us to go? Who is it that we really are obeying. Is it our word, or the word of the Lord.
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick 8/5/2001
Psalm 8:1-9 2 Tim. 2:1-13 Text Luke 7:1-10
A. When One Is Not Under Authority
1. The Grocery Store, Mother, Brat & Battle
2. No You May Not, Stop It, Not Again
3. Under Authority Only When It Suits Purpose
4. You Know What’s Needed
B. The Context Of Luke 7:1-10
1. Jesus Completed Sermon On The Mountain
2. Message—Attitudes, Forgiveness, Enemies Etc
6. Come Out Of That Relationship—Not My Will
7. Authority—Priorities, Time, Money, Home
8. Like Magnet—All Areas To Be Lining Up
K. The Centurion Believed In Power Of The Word
1. Let There Be—And There Was
2. Let The Sickness Go—It Would Be Gone
3. All Conditions One God Word Away
4. Lining With God’s Will To Open Possibilities
L. Jesus, First Time Encounter Faith & Authority
1. Jesus’ Authority Over All Makes Faith Possible
2. Authority—Trusts, Confidence
3. Authority—Links Faith & Obedience
4. Jesus I Have Not Found Such Great Faith
5. Matthew—Go And It Will Be Done
6. Arrived Back—Servant Up, Centurion Praising
7. Never Entered The Home—Spoke The Word
M. The Power Of Christ To Speak
1. King Of Kings & Lord Of Lords
2. Nature & Demons Obey Only People Resist
3. Free Choice Because Of Special Offering
4. All Are Going To Put Under Authority
5. Some With Regret—Some Great Joy
2 Tim. 2:11-13 This is a true saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.
6. We Are All Under Authority Today
7. Who Is Giving Commands To Come & Go
8. Who Are We Obeying
9. Jesus Will Not Share His Place With Another
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick 8/5/2001
Psalm 8:1-9 2 Tim. 2:1-13 Text Luke 7:1-10
A. When One Is Not Under Authority
1. The Grocery Store, Mother, Brat & Battle
2. No You May Not, Stop It, Not Again
3. Under Authority Only When It Suits Purpose
4. You Know What’s Needed
B. The Context Of Luke 7:1-10
1. Jesus Completed Sermon On The Mountain
2. Message—Attitudes, Forgiveness, Enemies Etc
3. Going To Capernaum –Nazareth—Capernaum
4. Attempt On Life—Fulfill Scriptures
C. The Owner & The Accident
1. Child, Snake, Snake
2. Grateful Ownet, Paralyzed & Sick Servant
3. Not Used To Being Helpless
4. Roman Centurion—100 men Roman Army
5. Occupying Army, Invasion- Peace, Interests
6. Military Police—Hated By Jews
7. Despite Prejudice—Found God
8. Near Death-Not Rome, Not Wealth, Jesus
D. Trying To Get To Jesus
Luke 7:2-5
Now the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish leaders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4So they earnestly begged Jesus to come with them and help the man. "If anyone deserves your help, it is he," they said, 5"for he loves the Jews and even built a synagogue for us."
1. The Centurion Was A Gentile-Outside
2. Tremendous Racism --Jews & Gentiles
3. Found God In Jewish Religion-Won Over
4. Elders After Jesus But—Yielded To Officer
5. Swallowed Pride Racism-Ignored Agenda
6. Cost Involved To Be Under Authority
E. Jewish Elders Come To Jesus On Works Basis
1. He Deserves It- Loves The Nation
2. Built The Synagogue—No New Life Campaign
3. Paid For It All—You Preached There
4. Ever Reminded God Of What We Did
Psalm 8:3-4 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you have set in place—what are mortals that you should think of us,mere humans that you should care for us?
5. How We Look, Planet, Solar System, Galaxy
6. God You Owe-Air, Water, Genes, Life Gifts
7. God’s Love—Why Take Notice—But Does
F. Jesus The Lord Of The Universe- Not Too Busy
1. Room For Dying Slave—Unknown Background
2. Recognize Unworthy, But Jesus Came To You
3. Must Be Pretty Important
4. Second Delegation Coming—Bad News
5. Not Jumping To Conclusion—Robbery
6. Thing Not What They Appear
Luke 7:6-8
So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8I know because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ’Go,’ and they go, or ’Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ’Do this or that,’ they do it."
G. The Humility Of The Centurion
1. Two Delegations Not To Impress- Unworthy
2. Falling In Love With God Produces Two Things
3. Greater Unworthiness—More Generous Heart
4. Why Build A Synagogue You Can’t Use
5. Need, Resources, Love, No Debt
6. All Sought Audience With Roman Officer
7. High Class, Politicians—Could We Talk
8. Lord Not Worthy To Have You In
H. Faith Begins With The Need For Grace
1. Military Background Supreme Commander—
Captured Slave—What Right To See
2. Faith Rooted In Understand Authority
3. His Limited Words Carried Weight, Come Go
I. Picture Of The Lordship Of Jesus Christ
1. Wanting Jesus As Savior, But Not As Lord
2. Grades School, Metal Filings, Paper Magnet
3. Loose Until The Magnet Applied—Line Up
4. Coming Under The Authority Of Magnet
5. Accepting Jesus- Authority—Brat In Store
6. Motto, I Too Am One Under Authority
J. The Marks Of A Disciple
1. Come, Get To Know Me & My Word
2. Just A 10 Minute Pledge
3. Go ? Sorry, Swallow Pride, 2nd Chance,
4. Love You, Hang In There
5. Disciple Best Interest To Obey
