When was the last time you were truly “amazed” by something or someone? This past Monday, I watched my Detroit Lions beat the Seattle Seahawks. What made this game particularly “amazing” on one level was the fact that the Lions quarterback finished the game with a perfect pass-completion percentage of 18/18—something that’s never been done in NFL history. The athleticism, accuracy, and skill were amazing to watch for both fans and sports enthusiasts. But when we actually think about it, what makes something “amazing”? This is clearly subjective, but generally speaking, to deem something “amazing,” we would consider it to be extraordinary, overwhelming to the senses or emotions, a rarity, or perhaps supernatural. There is only one time in Scripture where Jesus is said to have “marveled” over something in a good way. Luke records Jesus being in awe (amazed) over the faith of a Roman soldier (Lk 7:9). What this man demonstrated was truly astonishing when you think about it. The story takes place when this Roman Centurion seeks the help of Jesus after one of his slaves becomes deathly ill. He had every reason to avoid Jesus and seek the help of modern-day physicians. He was a Gentile, he was a Roman, he was a ranking officer, and he was a man of means. But despite all this, the Centurion saw only one reason why he might not meet with Jesus. Luke tells us that he recognized his spiritual brokenness—“Lord, do not trouble Yourself further, for I am not worthy for You to come under my roof.” Instead, he asked Jesus to heal his slave with simply a spoken word. This commander of a hundred men, a soldier’s soldier, and a seasoned warrior surrendered his pride and will and came to Jesus in broken humility. In this week’s sermon, we will explore how this Centurion demonstrated the marks of a true believer—a living example of someone who lived out the Sermon on the Mount. In the end, what the Centurion saw as disqualifying him from coming to Jesus was, in fact, what qualified him to begin with. May we guard our hearts against thinking we deserve God’s blessing because of our performance or status, but may we also guard ourselves against believing the lie that says we are too sinful for God’s merciful forgiveness. Go to Jesus in faith and know His amazing love and life-sustaining grace. –Pastor Nate
Sunday at Liberty
9AM: African American Baptists
10AM: Pastor Nate–A Soldier Who Surrenders–Luke 7:1-17 (sermon notes)
6PM: Evening Gathering at the Schaeffers’
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