Centurion
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Jesus immediately set out for the officer’s home; but, pressed
by the multitude, He advanced slowly. The news of His coming
preceded Him, and the centurion, in his self-distrust, sent Him the
message, “Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou
shouldest enter under my roof.” But the Saviour kept on His way,
and the centurion, venturing at last to approach Him, completed the
message, saying, “Neither thought I myself worthy to come unto
Thee;” “but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For
I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to
this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and
to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.” As I represent the power of
Rome, and my soldiers recognize my authority as supreme, so dost
Thou represent the power of the Infinite God, and all created things
obey Thy word. Thou canst command the disease to depart, and it
shall obey Thee. Thou canst summon Thy heavenly messengers, and
they shall impart healing virtue. Speak but the word, and my servant
shall be healed.
“When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned
Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto
you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” And to the
centurion He said, “As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And
his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
The Jewish elders who recommended the centurion to Christ had
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shown how far they were from possessing the spirit of the gospel. They
did not recognize that our great need is our only claim on God’s mercy.
In their self-righteousness they commended the centurion because
of the favor he had shown to “our nation.” But the centurion said of
himself, “I am not worthy.” His heart had been touched by the grace of
Christ. He saw his own unworthiness; yet he feared not to ask help. He
trusted not to his own goodness; his argument was his great need. His
faith took hold upon Christ in His true character. He did not believe in
Him merely as a worker of miracles, but as the friend and Saviour of
mankind.
It is thus that every sinner may come to Christ. “Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He
saved us.”
Titus 3:5
. When Satan tells you that you are a sinner, and
cannot hope to receive blessing from God, tell him that Christ came
into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to