I wanted us to contemplate the
wonder of the verse in Acts 26 that we've been looking at and
it's the Lord Jesus talks about the reception of the faith The
work of God and the work of the church is to open eyes, to turn
people from darkness to light, and the power of Satan under
God, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and they
may receive inheritance among them, which are sanctified, and
in fact you could add the receive there, by the faith that's in
me. What a glorious expression, we
receive the faith, the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ. One
of the glorious things about the scriptures is that it's for
For so many of us, as we read it, it's like a glorious picture
book. For me, it's like a picture book.
I read it and I put myself in the picture and walk the dusty
roads of Galilee and you can picture the very events that
are happening there and the Gospels give us glorious pictures. But
twice in the Scriptures, there is once in that passage that
I often refer to regarding the faith of the Canaanite woman
the Lord Jesus Christ declared it to be great faith. One other time he speaks of great
faith and one of the things that's interesting is that both of the
recipients of this declaration by our God that these people
have great faith, both of them are Gentiles. And he raises before
the Jews the faithfulness of the Gentiles to show them and
to show us what are just glorious pictures of true faith. So if
you turn with me to Luke chapter 7 there's a parallel passage
in Matthew chapter 8 But I thought we'd just look
at this picture briefly as we began our service this morning,
then we'll go back and look at Acts 26, and the faith the Lord
declares to be in him. Now the Lord, verse 1 of chapter
7. Now when he'd ended all these
sayings, these are the sayings about where to build your house.
To build your house in this world, When he'd ended all his sayings
in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum, and
a certain centurion servant who was dear to him was sick and
ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he
sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he
would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus,
they besought him, instantly saying, that he was worthy for
whom he should do this. For he loveth our nation, and
he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And
when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent
friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself. For
I am not worthy that thou should enter under my roof. Wherefore
neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, but say in
a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man
set under authority, having under me soldiers. And I say unto one,
go, and he goeth. And to another, come, and he
cometh. And to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus
heard these things, he marvelled 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 they that were
sent returning to the house found the servant whole that had been
sick. Let's sing again. We're going
to sing, Pass Me Not, O Gracious Saviour. I hope this is the cry
of the hearts of many of us here
and watching in. Pass me not, O gracious Father,
sinful, wretched though I be. Though you might in truth condemn
me, let your mercy fall on me. Thanks, Naomi. Pass me not, O gracious Father,
sinful, wretched though I be. Though you might in truth condemn
me, let your mercy fall on me. Blood of God so everlasting,
blood of Christ so rich and free, Grace of God so strong and saving,
magnify them all in me. Cast me not, O blessed Savior,
let me hear your gracious call. I'm a guilty, helpless sinner,
Savior, at your feet I fall. Love of God so everlasting, blood
of Christ so rich and pure, Grace of God so strong and saving,
magnify them all in we. Pass me not, O mighty Spirit,
you can cause the dead to live. Speak the word of saving power,
give me faith and make me live. Love of God so everlasting, blood
of Christ so rich and free, grace of God so strong and saving,
magnify them all in me. Pass me not a poor lost sinner,
if you will, you can save me. Reach down with your hand of
mercy, save me, mother's Lord, save me. Love of God so everlasting,
blood of Christ so rich and free, grace of God so strong and saving,
magnify them all with me. Speak the word of saving power,
give me faith and make me live. What a great line that is. Without faith it's impossible
to please God. Anything that's not of faith
is sin. And so the whole glory of our
salvation comes to us simply by the mechanism that God has
ordained. Faith is a hand that receives.
Faith doesn't create anything. Faith has an object. Faith has an object that's clearly
defined. And faith is the gift of God. It's the purchase of our dear
Redeemers. faithfulness to his father is
that his children will be made faithful in him. Abraham is considered the father
of the faithful. All of the children of faith
are like Abraham. This story of the centurion is
a story of a man who heard of God, heard a word from God, as God came to visit him. And
that verse that's quoted often in the rest of the scriptures,
verse 6 of Genesis 15 is, And he believed in the Lord, and
he counted it to him for righteousness. Now he had met God. He had seen
him and God had declared to him that I am thy shield and I exceed
in great reward. But the thing that's remarkable,
he took him out, didn't he? He says, your children are going
to be as the stars of the sea. Now look toward heaven, he said
in verse 5, Genesis 15, and tell the stars if you're able to number
them. And he said, so shall thy seed be. And then the next verse says,
he believed in the Lord. He had a word from God, but he
believed in the Lord, didn't he? So to believe in the Lord
is to believe the word of the Lord, is to believe the character
of God, to find the character of God. It's trustworthy to find
that God that's revealed in the scriptures, is someone that you
can utterly rely upon. And you'll only rely upon him
when everything else is taken away from you. So let's just
go through this story and see this glorious picture that the
Lord had ordained as a means to showing what great faith is. The first thing I want you to
see is in verse 1. The genesis of great faith is that the Lord
came. He entered into Capernaum. This
is where this centurion was, right up on the north side of
Israel. A centurion is a soldier, of
course, and as Brad often reminds us of these issues, the centurion
was the one that went to the forefront. The centurion would
have been marked not only by extraordinary courage, but he
would have had the battle scars of courage marked on his face.
They didn't stand behind and direct other people. They were
the leaders. A centurion's the leader of a
hundred. And so this guy is a tough, experienced, honoured Roman soldier. He's no wimpish character, our
centurion. But Jesus came to where he was. That's exactly what our Lord
Jesus Christ does when he comes in saving mercy. He actually
comes. He comes. He comes to a place
at the time of love to meet his people. But he always comes with certain
circumstances there, doesn't he? To bring us to a place where
we have a need which is beyond any of the capacities of us. He had all the power of the Roman
Empire at his disposal. He had all of the physicians
that you could call upon. And yet verse 2 says, and a certain
centurion's servant who was dear to him was sick and ready to
die. and ready to die. Everything
else has been exhausted. This man, out of love for this
servant of his, was in desperate straits. But I love what verse
3 says. And when he heard of Jesus. When
he heard of Jesus. That's what church is about,
isn't it, brothers and sisters, isn't it? We have this sign on
our pulpit. Soon we would see Jesus. When he heard of Jesus, have
you heard of Jesus? Have you heard of this Jesus? Have you heard of him? When he heard of Jesus, he sent
unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him, beseeching him that he would
come. So when you come, I just want
you to think about this in terms of great faith, isn't it? Great
faith begins with the Lord coming to where you are. Great faith
begins, in a sense, with you hearing of Jesus. Great faith
always begins with you beseeching. You'll always come as a pleading
beggar if you're going to come to him, beseeching him. But look what the Jews say of
him. And he sent unto them the elders
of the Jews. He sent this sort of embassage
to come and plead with him, beseeching him that he would come and heal
his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly,
saying that he was worthy for whom he should do this. For he
loveth our nation, and he has built us a synagogue. remarkable
isn't it? This man had the reputation of
the Jews. We'll see in a little while what
his own reputation was. It's very different from what
the Jews thought of him. We can have the men of this world
and the religious men of this world think very, very highly
of us, but in our hearts we know something much, much more significant
and important. And then remarkably, Jesus went
with them, verse 6, and when he was now not far from the house,
the centurion sent friends to him, not the Jews, but these
are his friends, to him saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself,
For I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof. These people say I'm worthy,
but I know I'm not worthy. I know I'm not worthy. Wherefore,
neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee. But say in
a word, and my servant shall be healed. So he'd heard of Jesus,
hadn't he? He'd heard of this Jesus who
just has to speak a word. This Jesus who speaks a word
and a universe comes into existence. This Jesus who speaks a word
and a Lazarus comes forth from the grave. This Jesus who speaks
a word and the wind and the waves stop. This Jesus who speaks a
word and bread and wine are multiplied and fish are multiplied and great
crowds are... are fed, this Jesus just has
to speak a word. Let's go on and listen to what
he said. Just speak a word. For I also
am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers. And
I say it unto one, Go, and he goeth. And to another, come,
and he cometh. And to my servant, do this, and
he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things,
he marveled at him. and turned about and said unto
the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found
so great faith, no, not in Israel. When the Lord spoke of Israel,
he said, when the son of man returns, will he find faith on
the earth? Will he find faith on the earth?
Faith that has a real object, faith that in which that real
object has humbled his people, will he find faith on earth?
And the necessary answer to the question, otherwise it wouldn't
have been asked, is very, very few. But he'll find faith where
he gives faith, where he plants faith, where he has worked faith. Great faith. See, the greatest
of men are beggars in Christ's presence. And the greatest of
men never cease to be beggars in Christ's presence. And the
greatest and the most comfortable place and the most secure place
in all of this earth for every sinner, isn't it, is to be in
the presence of God and pleading with him. Pleading with him,
he came beseeching him. He came as a man humbled. The
world said he was worthy. The religious world said he was
worthy. And he says, I'm unworthy. I am not worthy. You are worthy, Lord. I am not
worthy. The Lord Jesus Christ has a worthiness
which only the humbled will see. The Lord Jesus Christ has a worthiness
that only beggars will come to appreciate. because you have
to see your utter unworthiness before you'll ever see his worthiness.
Whatever you have any worthiness in yourself, you'll never have
any need whatsoever for his worthiness. If you have one little tiny thing
of your righteousness or your doing to cling to, you'll cling
to it. You'll cling to it. The Lord
strips that he might clothe The Lord wounds that he might be
the one who heals. The Lord breaks that he might
mend. The Lord kills that he might
make alive again. The Lord had humbled this man
who had great faith. If you have great faith, that
great faith is going to have a humility about it. I'm not
worthy. I've never done anything that's worthy. I can't do anything
now that's of any meaningful worthiness whatsoever. I'm looking
alone. I'm looking alone to you, for
you, Lord Jesus Christ, to do what is completely and utterly
impossible for me or for any other man to do. It's great faith,
isn't it? what condescension our Lord says. He says I'll come and heal him
in Matthew's account. I'll come and heal him. He doesn't
say I'll come and I'll try and heal him. I'll come and I'll
offer him healing. I'll come and I'll heal him.
I'll come and I'll make him whole. There are never any ifs with
our God. His salvation and the salvation
that holds onto him with great faith just sees the Lord as absolutely
sovereign. You can do it. You just have
to say a word. You can command these people. I love what Psalm
110 says, isn't it? Thy people, thy people shall
be willing in the day of thy power. Thy people shall be willing. That word willing means that
they're volunteers. They don't come as mercenaries
to be paid and have some reward. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of thy power. And the next word says, next
part of that verse says, in the beauties of holiness from the
womb of the morning. Thou hast the Jew of thy youth. He has it. He has it. Our God. comes. Our God, when he comes, humbles. He's not worthy. What did John
the Baptist, the greatest of all born of a woman, John the
Baptist said? I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy to take the place
before him as the lowest servant possible. The lowest servant
unstrapped the sandals and washed the dusty feet of the disciples. He said, I'm not worthy. There's
no place on this earth which is low enough for me. It's remarkable,
isn't he? The Lord Jesus Christ said he
was the greatest born of a woman. The greatest born of a woman,
John the Baptist. He was greatest in many, many
remarkable ways. All the prophets said that he's
going to be like this, and he'll do this, and he'll say this,
and he'll do these things. John the Baptist was the first
of the prophets. There he is. John was the first of them, said,
you behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy to unlatch the
latch of his sandal. I'm not worthy. The true saving
faith. sees the Lord Jesus Christ as
worthy. A remarkable thing about the
scriptures is that John was the greatest born of a woman, but
he who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than him. Who was the least in the kingdom
of God? The Lord Jesus Christ is the
least in the kingdom of God. No one was ever humbled before
his God like the Lord Jesus Christ. No one descended as low as he
did. When he was made sin on Calvary's
tree, he just came and took the form of a servant. You see, you
lose nothing, brothers and sisters in Christ, you lose nothing of
your dignity. when you are reduced before the
presence of God. What's highly esteemed among
men is abomination to God. I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy. You speak. You speak and my servant
shall be healed. You just have to say a word and
my servant will be healed. Everything obeys you. You speak
a word and the world's come into existence. You speak a word and
there's darkness covers all of the deep. You speak a word. You
speak a word and this universe will be wrapped up. Such is your
glory. That word healed in Matthew's
account means to be made whole, to be set free. It's a synonym
for salvation. I'm not worthy. One of the wonderful
things about great faith isn't it? It has things about us that
only God can reveal to us about ourselves. And it has things
of the Lord Jesus Christ which only God the Spirit can reveal
to us. He had views of Christ that only
God can reveal. Isn't it remarkable? Isn't it
remarkable that the extent to which we have fallen in Adam,
that when the Lord Jesus Christ sees a simple faith, a simple
trust in the Word of God, in the power of the Word of God,
he marvelled. He marvelled, verse 9. He marvelled
when Jesus heard these things. He marvelled at him. He marvelled
at him. He wondered, he had in admiration. It's a great lesson, isn't it?
It's a great lesson in what is to be esteemed. Men walk so much by sight and
not by faith. What's esteemed by God is not
what is esteemed by men. Look how God honours this, isn't
it? He marvelled, he marvelled. You speak, says this centurion,
you speak and it'll be done. You say a word and it'll be done.
It's a glorious thing, isn't it, to be put to a place where
you are utterly dependent upon a word and a living word to do
what must be done. I have in a sense the responsibility
and in a sense the delight of bringing you in our situation
here and our brothers and sisters around the world before the Lord
in prayer. And the longer I go on and the
more I watch, the more I realize that the task set before us,
as it is with the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 26, verse 18,
to open blind eyes and set people. Everything about our task is
impossible. Everything about our task is impossible. And everything
about our task is completed and perfectly done. You've said a
word. He said the word, hasn't he?
You'll call his name Jesus. He will save his people from
their sins. Their sins are taken away. They
have eternal life. They're forever secure. You've
said a word. You've said a word. Wouldn't
it be wonderful if the Lord marveled at the faith that he gave us?
He really only marvels at what he gives. He really only marvels
at what he gives, because what he gives is a reflection of who
he is and the glory that this one just speaks a word. This
one. No wonder the Song of Solomon,
which I trust you found as delightful as I did, the Song of Solomon,
begins with a glorious description of the word of God. She said,
let him, let him kiss me. It's just before Isaiah. It's
not for nothing that the Lord has placed the Song of Solomon
just before the Gospel of Isaiah. The first petition of the Shulamite,
the church she is, in Song of Solomon is, let him kiss me with
the kisses of his mouth. Let him speak sweet words to
me, for thy love is better than mine. And at the end of this
remarkable journey, which is our journey, in this world, of
this journey through this wilderness, and she comes out of this wilderness
leaning on her beloved in verse 5. But at the end of it, she
says, Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the gardens enclosed
are his churches, aren't they? He dwells with his people, he
dwells amongst his people. The companions hearken to thy
voice. Cause me to hear it. This apostolic gospel age, for
want of a better word, began with Peter declaring to those
Jews in Jerusalem, hear me, hearken to me, listen to what I'm saying. I'm not speaking, I'm the man
just like you are, but I'm speaking the very words of God to you. You speak. You see, when God
speaks, he's present. You cannot separate the presence
of God and the word of God. You cannot separate your love
for God and your love for his word. You cannot separate the
guidance that we have by God and the word, isn't it? Your
word is a light unto my feet and a lamp unto my path. All the centurion whose great
faith caused the Lord Jesus Christ to marvel all the century and
said, you just speak a word. You just say, and it will be. You don't have to be here physically
present for exactly the same blessings to be revealed. He says, Jeremiah asks a question
that we might ask, am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and
not a God far off? He's a God everywhere, he's omniscient.
Great faith comes when the Lord comes to his people. Great faith
believes the report. That's how Isaiah begins that
famous chapter, doesn't he, in Isaiah 53? Lord, who has believed
our report? Who has believed our testimony?
Who has believed our report? And he answers the question immediately.
And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? That's who believes
the report. When God comes with power and
causes his word to be spirit and life. And it becomes a promise
that's signed and sealed and set. in the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and this world will pass away, and his words
will never pass away. It believes the report about
the Lord Jesus Christ, that he just speaks, he just speaks,
and things come to pass. Great faith comes to the Lord
sends word to him. It comes as a needy beggar. It comes as someone who is unworthy.
Great faith comes beseeching, pleading with the Lord. It comes
seeking him to speak. Great faith causes us to see
that we are unworthy. but everywhere in the scriptures
where there is a recipient of grace. When someone has received
grace, the one thing that they call out for is more grace. You
just speak again. I need you to come and reveal
yourself to me, to humble me. Humbled souls I'm made more humble
by the evidences of grace when this man heard that the Lord
Jesus was coming. He didn't need to come, he just
needed to speak a word. He says, no, no, don't you dare
come. I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof. You just
speak a word. And there's a lesson for us,
isn't it? This man, according to Matthew's
account, was a paralytic. He was a paralyzed man. To be
paralyzed is to be unable to move, to be unable to come. to be unable to fend for yourself.
We all have paralyzed friends, don't we? What a great lesson
in great faith, isn't it? That we bring our paralyzed friends. Our friends are in a place where
no one but the Lord can help them. No one but the Lord can
heal them. No one but the Lord can save
them and make them whole. We can take them to the Lord.
That's what love does, isn't it? The centurion loved, and
he took him to the Lord, and he besought the Lord. And we say, God, speak a word
only. If you speak to the hearts of
people, you reveal yourself as the living word you reveal yourself
as as you are they'll be healed they'll become they'll walk they'll
be like that crippled man at the gate beautiful in Jerusalem
all the religion of the world had done him no good for all
of his 40 odd years and what was he doing he's leaping and
praising God and going with the disciples. It says in Acts 4,
he clung to them. He clung to the fellowship of
believers. Great faith. There's one great
lesson in this centurion's picture story for us. Great faith is
not what you think about yourself. Great faith is what you think
about the Lord Jesus Christ. What think ye of Christ? This man had an extraordinarily
high view of Christ. He set before the unbelieving
Jews by the Lord Jesus Christ in this story as a picture of
great faith, as a picture of the faithlessness that Jesus
encountered amongst the Jews. May the Lord bless his words
to our heart. May he give great faith as he
alone can do. Let's have a break.