I appreciate Paul thanking Teresa
for coming because if she didn't, I would probably be here with
one shoe, no tie. She's so gracious to pack for
me. She does everything for me. I'm
telling on myself, I know, but I'm thankful for it. Been together
31 years next month. And she deserves a medal for
putting up with me that long. I appreciate so much the brother
reading Luke chapter 7. And that's where my text will
come from tonight. What a beautiful story this is
of God's mercy and grace. That's what we're here to hear
about, isn't it? The mercy and grace of God to undeserving sinners. The Apostle Paul said in his
first letter to the church at Corinth, he said, For you see
your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,
not many mighty, not many noble, are called. There are not many. But Paul did not say any. That little word, M, Precious. So tonight I want to talk to
you about a certain centurion. I'm sure you've noticed many
times, too, that word certain. It means something, doesn't it?
Those of you that know Christ tonight, you are certain men
and women. God doesn't do anything by accident. He does it on purpose. He's a
God of purpose. So here we have certain centurion,
a noble man who proved to be both wise and called. Now, a centurion, as I know you
well know, was a Roman soldier who had probably as many as a
hundred men under his command. Matter of fact, the word centurion
originates from that word century. Which means a hundred, as you
well know. This man was a Gentile. But a believing Gentile. And as we will see, he was, as
I said, a certain centurion. One whom God knew before the
foundation of the world. Called him. Gave him to Christ. And in the appointed time of
love, brought him into the fold of God. Now, picking up where
our brother read in verse 2, it says, And a certain centurion's
servant, who was dear unto him, was sick and ready to die. Now here we're told that this
certain centurion had a servant that he dearly loved. How blessed
is a servant that has such a Master. I can't help but to think of
me. I have a Master who dearly loves
me, His servant. God's servants are dearly loved
by their Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. And this centurion servant
represents God's servants, the believer, in many ways actually. First, he was sick. He was sick. All those in Scripture who were
sick that the Lord healed are beautiful and true pictures of
the sin-sick sinner. The servant was so sick that
the Scripture says that he was ready to die. He was about to
die. And you and I are spiritually
what this servant was physically. And you've heard it said many
times how the sick and the diseased and the afflicted, and Scripture
represents what you and I are spiritually. I'm spiritually
what that leper was physically. I am spiritually speaking what
that impotent man that lay next to the waters at the pool of
Bethesda was physically. I can't walk. I can't run. I
have no man to put me in the water, as he said. I can't do
anything for myself. What a picture that is of me. No wonder the Apostle Paul said
in Romans 9, salvation that is not of him that willeth, nor
of him that runneth. Oh, aren't you glad? but of God
that showeth mercy. Salvations of the Lord. And the
child of God rejoices in that. You know, if I could save myself,
I'd soon be lost. But when the Lord saves a man
or a woman, they're plumb saved, as we say in Kentucky. Plumb
saved. I suppose they say that in Texas
too. That's where I learned. He'll have mercy on whom he'll
have mercy. And he'll have compassion on
whom he'll have compassion. I heard a wonderful definition
recently for that word, compassion. If I remember correctly, it was
given by a young girl around the age of 10 or 12 years old. When asked what compassion was,
She simply stated, your pain in my heart. Isn't that precious? That's what compassion is. Your
pain in my heart. And our Lord, my, He had compassion,
didn't He? Oh, my. I'm spiritually what
that man with the withered hand was physically. I can't work. I can't do anything spiritually
for myself. My hand is withered and it's
useless. And I am in my heart before God
Almighty what that madman of Yadera was in the flesh. Crazy. Out of my own mind. I'm diseased in my soul the same
as the woman with the issue of blood. was in her body. And when you read Scripture about
all the blind, all the deaf, all the dumb, all the demon-possessed,
the lame, the impotent, the leprous people, you're seeing what each
and every one of us are by nature in our fallen and in our depraved
condition. Isaiah well described our condition,
didn't he, in Isaiah chapter 1. Why should you be stricken
anymore? He said this. This really struck
me. Ye will revolt more and more. Why? Why do we? Why do we revolt? Why do we fight against God's
goodness? Because the whole head is sick.
The whole heart's faint. From the sole of the foot even
into the head, there's no soundness in it. But wounds and bruises
and putrefying sores that have not been closed, neither bound
up, neither mollified with ointment. I heard a woman say one time,
well, that's just graphic. It's not graphic enough when
describing our condition before a thrice holy God. Now, this centurion's servant
was near death, but for you and I, we're already dead in trespasses
and sin before Christ ever redeemed us. And maybe there's one here
tonight that is still dead. You can do nothing to heal yourself,
make yourself well, make yourself alive, You did. And unless the
Lord come to you as He did Lazarus and command you to come forth,
you'll perish under the wrath of God and be eternally damned. God's call is effectual, isn't
it? He said, Lazarus. He called him
by name. I think about that often. One
day in God's appointed time of love, He said, David, come forth. And I came forth. Sam came forth. Mindy came forth. And His call
is always effectual. Maybe you're asking, what hope
then do I have? How can I see to it that Christ
gives me life? Well, we find the answer right
here in verse 3. Look at it. And when he heard
of Jesus, isn't that where we find it? Hearing of Him. Hearing who He is and what He's
done. For no account, our pastor, Brother
Maurice, used to say, dead dog sinners. That's what we are. Dead dog sinners. Has God given
you an interest in hearing of the Savior? God has to give the
interest. God has to cause us to be interested
in hearing. Have you seen that where you
spend eternity depends on what you hear concerning Christ? Brother Henry will remember Ms.
Coleman from Madisonville very well. You endorsed both. Just
a wonderful lady. She lived to be in her early
nineties. She was at church every service.
She just didn't miss. She would always usually fix
meals for Henry, Brother Scott, Brother Shanks, whoever came.
And I believe it was Brother Henry that asked her one time,
said, Ms. Coleman, you're nearly 90 years old at that time and
I know there's times you don't feel well. She said, what? But you never miss church. Why? And she said, I'm responsible
for what I don't hear. Just the same as I'm responsible
for what I hear. What we hear of Christ is a matter
of life and death. What think ye of Christ? There's
no more urgent question asked in the Scriptures. Whose Son
is He? That's the most urgent question
I could ask you this evening. What do you think of Christ?
Whose Son is He? He's the Son of God and He's
God the Son. Most everyone in religion, you
know, I've thought about this a lot lately, maybe except for
the Jewish nation who deny that He's the Messiah at all, would
agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Talk to just about
any religious person in the world, and you would say, who is Jesus? And they'd say, well, He's the
Son of God. But the same ones would not agree at all that He's
God the Son. There's a difference. He's the
Son of God, but He's God. He's God the Son. And Jesus Christ
is not only the Son of God, He's God the Son. You remember when
our Lord, well, Philip said unto our Lord, he said, show us the
Father and it will suffice us. We'll be satisfied. Show us the
Father. And he said, Philip, have I been
with you so long? Have you not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen
the Father. And how sayest thou then, shallest
the Father? If you've seen Christ, my friends,
you've seen God. Again, Brother Cody Gruber, missionary
in Mexico, you all know him well. I had the privilege, Teresa and
I, of going with Paul and Mindy this year earlier What a life-changing
trip that was for me. But Brother Cody was telling
me about a young girl there in Mexico who desired to be baptized. A young girl. Ten or twelve. I'm not sure how
old. And Cody asked her what I thought
was a very good question. A very simple question. He said,
Why do you want to be baptized? I wish I'd have thought to ask
that to a few people. And you know what she said? I'll
never forget it. She said, because I've seen that
Jesus is God, I want to confess Him. He's God. Friends, it was
no ordinary man that died upon the cross to pay your sin debt. It was God. That shows us a little
of our horrific sin, doesn't it? That it took the blood of
God to wash us clean. Oh, never forget that if you've
seen... Our Lord said, if you've seen
Me, you've seen the Father. Only real sinners, real sinners
want to hear about the remedy of sin. The well have no need
of a physician, but those that are sick. This servant was sick. Now, we're not told how that
this centurion heard of Jesus, but we're told that he heard
of Jesus. Perhaps he had been present to hear the sermon our
Lord preached in Luke 6 sometime in your Leisure time, you may
want to read that chapter. Maybe he had heard the report
of the Gospel from someone else. How he heard is really not important.
But I tell you what is important and absolutely vital. He heard
of Jesus. I don't know how, but God sent
the Word of the glorious Gospel to this man. And his actions
prove it, as we'll see. God the Holy Spirit gave him
a hearing ear. Gave him a seeing eye and a believing
heart. That's what we need, isn't it? I don't know how much he knew,
but I do know who he knew. It says he heard of Jesus. He heard. He really heard. He
knew the Lord Jesus Christ because God had given him ears to hear.
Now, the only way any sinner can ever have eternal life is
by knowing God. This is life eternal, the Lord
said. But thou might know the only
true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. The only way
you can know God is in Christ. No man knoweth the Son but the
Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son. And
He to Whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." This takes a divine
revelation. We don't just wake up and say,
I'm going to decide to believe today. No, God does a work of
grace in a man's heart. And if you have an interest in
the things of God, God's already done a work of grace. The only
way you can know Christ and believe on Him unto eternal life is by
the preaching and the hearing of the Gospel. That's just God's
ordained means. That's why what this man does
week after week is so vital. He's telling you the truth about
God. And as I told you last night,
no greater blessing to a believer than that, than a man that tells
you the truth. I told you how much He loves
you. Let me tell you something, He
loves the Lord Jesus Christ. I love to just sit around and
talk with Brother Paul. I remember many years ago, Brother
Henry and Brother Scott were at Tim James' conference and
we all stayed in the old El Camino motel. You remember that? It
didn't have a phone or nothing else. But the highlight was Brother
Henry and Brother Scott sitting out. And we all just sat out
there and listened to them talk. And it was like, oh, it was such
a blessing to listen to them. They loved God. That's the conversation
that believers have. We fellowship around our relationship
with Christ. And Paul said, I'm not ashamed
of the Gospel of Christ. It's the power of God unto salvation. To everyone that believeth, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek. We know that faith cometh
by hearing. And hearing what? By the Word
of God. Now, verse 3-5, and when he heard
of Jesus, he said unto He sent unto him the elders of the Jews,
beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And
they came to Jesus, and they besought Him instantly, saying
that He was worthy for whom He should do this. And they said,
For He loveth our nation, and He hath built us a synagogue." Important that you notice who
this man sent to our Lord. He sent the elders of the Jews.
And I remind you, this man was a Roman soldier. He was a Gentile
whom the Jews naturally hated. And even though they were under
the rule of the Romans, they came to the Lord Jesus Christ
saying some pretty kind and impressive words concerning this Roman Gentile. The centurion had proved to be
a man of remarkable character. He was no doubt a gracious, generous,
and a kind man. We're told that he loved his
servant dearly. He loved his neighbors. The Jews
said, he loveth our nation. Why, he even built us a synagogue,
a place to worship at his own expense. And the Jews, as I said,
who normally hated the Roman Gentiles, I thought so much of
this man that they said, he's worthy to be helped. Now, this man had done some good
things. And had proved to be what we
in this world call a good man. But our Lord said there's none
good, no not one. There's only one good and that's
God. But that is not what moved our
Lord to help him. Those things didn't impress our
Lord. They didn't make Him think that
this centurion was worthy. If that was the case, then salvation
could easily be by works, couldn't it? He's a good man. He's generous. He's kind. He's
charitable. He loves our nation. There are many moral people in
this world, friends. Sadly, some much more moral than
I am, but none is worthy of our Lord's attention in and of themselves. There are many men and women
who this world would call good. But God declares that there is
none good. No, not one. There are many who
have given large amounts of money Do charitable things to help
others. But God doesn't need anything
from anyone. What moved the Lord Jesus Christ
was nothing more than grace and mercy to an elect child of God. A centurion chosen before the
foundation of the world. Look at verse 6. Then Jesus went
with them. Jesus went with them. He went
because He must go. I must need to go through Samaria. I must need to pass by the house
of five porches, the pool at Bethesda. I must need to cross
the waters to meet a madman who lives in the tomb. He must go with him. Our Lord
would have mercy on whom He would have mercy. And He's going to
have mercy on this man. And when He was now not far from
the house, verse 6, the centurion sent prayers to Him, saying unto
Him, Lord, trouble not Thyself. I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy. that thou should enter under
my roof." That's how sinners come to Christ. Isn't it? Lord,
I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy to be in Your
presence. Don't trouble Yourself. I'm too
ashamed of myself to even look in Your eyes or upon Your face. I'm not worthy that You should
come under my roof. Remember now what the Jews had
said. They said he was worthy. But
not him. He said, I'm not worthy. Now
listen, let men brag on men. Just let them brag on men. They're
going to brag on men. But believing sinners have been
made known by God that they are not. John the Baptist. The very one
that our Lord Himself said, among them that are born of women,
there is not risen a greater than John the Baptist. What did
John say about himself? He said, there cometh one mightier than
I, one mightier than I after me, and the latchet of whose
shoes I'm not worthy to stoop down and unloose." Jesus said, among women, no greater
man than this. But what was his opinion of himself?
Not worthy to even tie his shoes. Wipe the dust from his feet.
Moses said, I've got a stammering tongue. Not worthy to speak for you.
God said, you go and you tell Pharaoh to let My people go. David said, who am I? What about old Mephibosheth?
Boy, he fell a great fall, didn't he? That's another picture of
us. He fell a great fall. He was lame on both of his feet.
And He said, what is thy servant that thou should lookest upon
such a dead dog as I? Isaiah, when he saw the Lord
high and lifted up, what did he say? Woe is me! Woe is me! I'm unclean. I'm a man of unclean
lips. And everybody around me is in
the same condition. Peter, when he first met the
Lord, he said, Lord, depart from me. Why? Because he knew what
he was. Lord, depart from me. I'm not
worthy to be in Your presence. Paul said, I'm less than the
least. The Apostle Paul wrote the majority
of the New Testament. He said, I'm less than the least. The chief of sinners. Oh, a child of God sees they're
not worthy. No matter what men might say
about them. Unprofitable servants. When you've done all that's required
of you. Still unprofitable servants.
Now, verse 7 says, Wherefore, neither thought I myself worthy
to come unto thee. Now, I want you to notice these
next words. But say in a word. Just say in
a word. and my servant shall be healed."
Man, is that faith? Just saying a word. Oh, what
words of faith! But saying a word, and my servant
shall be healed. Oh, that God would be pleased
to give me that kind of faith. Don't you desire that kind of
faith? True faith says to God, the Son only speak the Word and
it shall be. God said, let there be light.
What does the Scripture say? And there was light. God said, let the waters under
the heaven be gathered together into one place and let the dry
land appear. And it was so. It's the Word
from the Master. Psalm 33 verse 6 says, "...by
the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host
of them by the breath of His mouth." Psalm 33 verse 9 says,
"...for He spake, and it was done." He commanded, and it stood fast. Just a word. Let them praise
the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. Do you know what this centurion
was really saying? Now, if you don't hear anything
else I say tonight, I want you to hear this. This centurion
was saying this. He was saying, Lord, You are
God. That's what he was saying. But
speak a word. Just speak a word. And My servant
shall be. All you've got to do is just
say it. You don't have to come into My house. You don't have
to touch Him. You don't have to lay your hands
on Him. You just speak the Word. Because you're God. You're God. He knew Christ was God and that
God was sovereign. He knew that the same God who
was in the heavens and did whatsoever He pleased was now standing on
the very earth that He had created. And He stood before this man's
servants and He said, I'm not worthy for you to come in My
house. But if you just say the Word, My servant will be healed. Now look what he says next. This
proves it to be so in verse 8. He said, For I also am a man
set under authority. Remember, he was a centurion. He was a Roman soldier. He had
many men under him. And he said just that, having
under me soldiers. And he said, I say unto one,
go, and he goes. And to another, come, and he
cometh. And did My servant do this? And
he doeth it. He knew something about authority. But he knew the Lord of glory
was the final authority in all things. He works all things together
for good to them that love God, who that Thee called according
to His purpose. Because He controls all things.
Isn't it no hard thing for God to cause all things to work together
for mine and your good when He controls everything? No hard
task for our Lord, is it? No. The centurion said, I've
got under me soldiers, but all are under your authority. You're God. I say, go, and they
go. And to another, I say, come,
and they come. I say, do, and My servant does. Just say a word. That's all you
have to do. Just say a word and My servant
shall. He shall be healed. Our Lord
raised the dead. As I said earlier, He said, Lazarus,
come forth. He didn't go up to the tomb and
lay his hands on the tomb and do a lot of religious ceremony.
No, he just said, Lazarus, come forth. And he came forth. Look down at verses 12. Look at two or three verses here
with me. what happened immediately following our story tonight. It says, Now when he came nigh
to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried
out, the only son of his mother. And she was a widow, and much
people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he
had what? Compassion. He had compassion on her. Her
pain was in his heart. And he said unto her, weep not.
Why would you say unto someone who had lost their only son? This young man was the only help
that she had. She had no other. Without him,
she was in big trouble. Weep not. Why would he say that?
You know why. Read on. And he came and he touched
the bar of the coffin, and they that bear him stood still, and
he said..." He said it. He just spoke a word. And what did he say? He said,
"...young man, I say unto thee, arise." And what happened? And he that was dead said, and begin to speak." That's God. And He delivered
him to his mother. Now back in verse 9, when Jesus
heard these things, the confession this man made, what he had just
said about being a man under authority, when he heard these
things, He marveled at him. And he turned him about and he
said unto the people that followed him, he said, I say unto you
that I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. Israel, God's chosen people,
those who had been promised the Messiah. I had seen it in the
Old Testament Scriptures. I haven't found this kind of
faith in my own nation, among my own people. But here a Roman
Gentile soldier has heard the truth. He knows who I am. I haven't
found so great a faith. What is faith? Faith has to have
an object. Men today have made faith just
to be everything but what it really is. Oh, if you just have
faith, you can do this and you can do that. That's not what
faith is. Faith is in a person. Now, only twice did we see the
Lord Jesus Christ in Scripture marveling at something. I found
that amazing. statement, he marveled at him,
even more remarkable to me, two times in Scripture. In Mark 6,
you don't have to turn there, but we're told that our Savior
marveled at the unbelief of his kinsmen. He marveled at their
unbelief. And here he marvels at the faith
of a Roman centurion. Oh, what can be more marvelous
than the fact that the Son of God marveled? Now, in Mark 6,
the word marvel implies astonishing sorrow. It has a different meaning. But here the same word implies
great admiration. May God teach us. Now listen,
may God teach each and every one of us to place admiration
where our Lord did. Not upon the things of the world. Not on the things that men seek
by nature. But upon the grace of God and
men. Our Lord Jesus was never impressed,
never ever impressed by a person's possessions, by their position,
by their power, their fortune, fame, or family. Never once.
Remember that rich young ruler that came to him? Lord, what
must I do to be a good master? He said, nothing but good by
God. What must I do? He told him to do three things. And he said, well, I've done
all those since my youth. You reckon he had it? Well, I'll
tell you this much. Our Lord flat out admired faith. What grace! He gives faith. And then he admires the man who
exercises what he's given. Oh, what was the result of this
man's faith? Well, verse 10 says, And they
that were sent returning to the house found the servant whole
that had been sick. What a miracle our Lord did this
day. Without even seeing the centurion
servant, as I said, without a touch from his hand, our Lord restores
full health to a dying man. That's what God does for all
His people. All His. All His sheep. All His elect. In the beginning, God spoke the
universe into existence. And when chosen sinners are saved,
it will require the same omnipotent Word. In the beginning, the Almighty
said, let there be light. And there was light. And in the
appointed time of love, the same great God said to my cold, dead
heart, let there be light. And there was light. Oh, that's a miracle. God formed man out of the dust
of the ground. And the Scripture said He breathed
into him the breath of life. That's exactly what He did for
me. That's what He did for you who
trust in Him. That's what He does for all His
elect sheep. He breathes into them the breath
of life. Oh, by His Spirit, He breathes
into us life. He speaks to say a word. But say a word. and the disease
of sin departs." Now, what a God! What a God! But say in a word,
speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. Now, there may
be one of you here tonight, I don't know your heart no more than
you know mine. But I'm not going to assume all
of you are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ. The same message that saves sinners
is the same message that comforts believers, isn't it? The same message. We don't have
a message for the lost and a message for God's people. It's all the
same message. The same message that saves the
lost comforts the saved. But if you're here without Christ,
know this, It only takes but a word from Him to give you life. Do you trust Him? Let me ask
you that question again. What think ye of Christ? Whose
Son is He? Well, He's the Son of God and
He's God's Son. And He says whom He wills, how
He wills, when He wills. Our God's in the heavens and
He's done whatsoever He's pleased. May God make it so with you who
are yet without Christ. May God make it so. Only He can.
Only He can. Thank you, Brother Paul.