Jesus-commending Faith-1

믿음은 바라는 것들의 실상이요 보지 못하는 것들의 증거니 ² 선진들이 이로써 증거를 얻었느니라 ³ 믿음으로 모든 세계가 하나님의 말씀으로 지어진 줄을 우리가 아나니 보이는 것은 나타난 것으로 말미암아 된 것이 아니니라…⁵ 믿음으로 에녹은 죽음을 보지 않고 옮기웠으니 하나님이 저를 옮기심으로 다시 보이지 아니하니라 저는 옮기우기 전에 하나님을 기쁘시게 하는 자라 하는 증거를 받았느니라 ⁶ 믿음이 없이는 기쁘시게 못하나니 하나님께 나아가는 자는 반드시 그가 계신 것과 또한 그가 자기를 찾는 자들에게 상 주시는 이심을 믿어야 할찌니라. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. ² For by it the people of old received their commendation. ³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible….⁵ By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Heb. 11:1-6)

⁵ 예수께서 가버나움에 들어가시니 한 백부장이 나아와 간구하여 ⁶ 가로되 주여 내 하인이 중풍병으로 집에 누워 몹시 괴로와하나이다 ⁷ 가라사대 내가 가서 고쳐 주리라 ⁸ 백부장이 대답하여 가로되 주여 내 집에 들어오심을 나는 감당치 못하겠사오니 다만 말씀으로만 하옵소서 그러면 내 하인이 낫겠삽나이다 ⁹ 나도 남의 수하에 있는 사람이요 내 아래도 군사가 있으니 이더러 가라 하면 가고 저 더러 오라 하면 오고 내 종 더러 이것을 하라 하면 하나이다 ¹⁰ 예수께서 들으시고 기이히 여겨 좇는 자들에게 이르시되 내가 진실로 너희에게 이르노니 이스라엘 중 아무에게서도 이만한 믿음을 만나보지 못하였노라 ¹¹ 또 너희에게 이르노니 동서로부터 많은 사람이 이르러 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱과 함께 천국에 앉으려니와 ¹² 나라의 본 자손들은 바깥 어두운데 쫓겨나 거기서 울며 이를 갊이 있으리라 ¹³ 예수께서 백부장에게 이르시되 가라 네 믿은 대로 될찌어다 하시니 그 시로 하인이 나으니라. ⁵ When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ⁶ "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly." ⁷ And he said to him, "I will come and heal him." ⁸ But the centurion replied, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." ¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ¹³ And to the centurion Jesus said, "Go; let it be done for you as you have believed." And the servant was healed at that very moment. (Matt. 8:5-13)

FCF: We have a tendency of doubt and unbelief as Jesus’ healing power.

주제: 예수님은 만물을 다스리는 권세를 지니셨기에 하나님을 기쁘시게 하려면 예수님에 대한 믿음을 실천해야 합니다.

Theme: Because Jesus has divine authority over all creation, we must practice faith in Jesus to please God.

Introduction: When I hear people confess their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, I feel so thrilled and grateful to God for their confession of faith. Also, I feel a wonder in their confession of faith. Nothing about faith is natural, but rather supernatural. A few months ago, I heard of a testimony of a former spiritual medium. Every salvation testimony is amazing and wonderful. Furthermore, the conversion stories of those least likely to come to faith in Christ such as converts from former Buddhist monks, Islamic Imams, former gangsters, former celebrities, former communists, or spiritual mediums, are more exciting. We often suppose such people are unreachable.

The spiritual medium mentioned above had practiced spiritism for 32 years. She was severely sick when she was in middle school. Doctors couldn’t find why she was so sick. She was medically fine, but was very ill mysteriously. A witch saw her and said, “She should receive a ghost.” In this case, a ghost is evil. Since she didn’t want to be a witch, she refused at first. She continued to get worse. So, her mother received it on behalf of her and became a spiritual medium. Then, her daughter was healthy again. However, in her early twenties, she fell ill again. She had to receive an evil spirit and become a witch. Indeed, there were several spiritual mediums in her family. Her younger brother, her old sister, and some of her relatives were spiritual mediums. She thought of being a witch as her fate. So, she served evil spirits for years, making livelihood out of it. She became famous, having several disciples under her tutelage. A lot of people frequented her for sorcery, witchcraft, etc.

One day, she decided to visit a place of prayer in a deep mountain and receive new ghosts. While praying, she saw a cross in her vision, which she couldn’t believe. The cross was a symbol of Christianity. She was seeing the cross clearly and felt peace of mind in her heart. So, she decided to visit a church in Busan, Korea. She heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the day she visited the church for the first time, she met with her aunt and her aunt’s daughter. She felt God’s special guidance. Later she was watching a Christian TV channel in which a pastor was praying for people. She called that TV station and was able to talk with him about salvation. She introduced herself as a witch. She wanted to receive Christ into her heart. But she didn’t know how to do it. So, she asked him to help her out. He led her through a sinner’s prayer. While praying after him, she was crying profusely as she repented of her sin and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and Lord. She was miraculously converted from spiritism to Christianity.

As a result, evil spirits attacked her. Eventually, they left her. Now, she is suffering lupus, for which she is so grateful, because she has become a child of God. Since then, she has been spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. She led her older sister, who was also a witch, to Christ. Since she has tasted the unconditional, redemptive love of Christ, she can’t return to her old idolatrous paganism. We see here the triumph of Christ’s love on the cross over evil spiritism. We see God’s mighty and gracious work in her wonderful conversion. When we hear amazing conversion stories of those least likely to believe in Jesus Christ, we marvel at God’s amazing grace and their wonderful faith.

I see something similar in the Gentile centurion in the text who beseeched the Lord to heal his paralyzed servant. Jesus marveled at his faith and praised him as follows: 이스라엘 중 아무에게서도 이만한 믿음을 만나보지 못하였노라 ¹¹ 또 너희에게 이르노니 동서로부터 많은 사람이 이르러 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱과 함께 천국에 앉으려니와 ¹² 나라의 본 자손들은 바깥 어두운데 쫓겨나 거기서 울며 이를 갊이 있으리라. , "Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus assumes the faith of the centurion was a saving faith. The story doesn’t teach the truth we should be like the centurion. Rather, the whole story calls our attention to the following truth: Jesus has divine authority over all creation. The centurion believed Jesus not only as the divine Healer but also the divine authority over time and space. His faith so pleased Jesus Christ that He blessed him and answered his request as he believed. We learn here that we should practice faith in Jesus Christ in order to please God. As we delve into this topic, I would like to see what kind of faith the centurion had toward Jesus. I have three applicational points. But I will be dealing with the first, which is… 

I.              민족적 테두리를 초월하는 예수님께 대한 믿음을 실천하라.

Practice faith in Jesus that exceeds your ethnic boundaries.

The centurion was regarded as a Gentile who served idols. He was regarded as a pagan who was excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, the covenant with God. He was regarded as a dog. So, the Jews didn’t have a fellowship with them, worrying about ritual defilement. Such a Gentile man came to confess faith in Jesus a Jewish itinerant preacher. While the majority of the Jews hated and rejected Jesus out of suspicion, anger, and jealousy, this unknown Gentile man, whom we do not have much information, came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his paralytic servant by word. Jesus said that He would come and heal him. But the centurion humbly said His word would be enough for his healing instead of coming under his roof. Listen to what he said, 주여 내 집에 들어오심을 나는 감당치 못하겠사오니 다만 말씀으로만 하옵소서 그러면 내 하인이 낫겠삽나이다 ⁹ 나도 남의 수하에 있는 사람이요 내 아래도 군사가 있으니 이더러 가라 하면 가고 저 더러 오라 하면 오고 내 종 더러 이것을 하라 하면 하나이다. "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." He was a military man who knew the importance of authority. He carried out the command of his superiors. He issued his word of command by the authority delegated from the Roman emperor. His servants were to obey his words because of his authority.

From such an experience in the military, the centurion recognized Jesus’ authority over diseases. He trusted His word of command would be enough to bring healing to his suffering servant. Distance or time was irrelevant as far as Jesus’ authoritative word was concerned. His authority goes beyond time and space. The centurion’s faith reminds us of what Yahweh said to Isaiah:

⁸ 여호와의 말씀에 내 생각은 너희 생각과 다르며 내 길은 너희 길과 달라서 ⁹ 하늘이 땅보다 높음 같이 내 길은 너희 길보다 높으며 내 생각은 너희 생각보다 높으니라 ¹⁰ 비와 눈이 하늘에서 내려서는 다시 그리로 가지 않고 토지를 적시어서 싹이 나게 하며 열매가 맺게 하여 파종하는 자에게 종자를 주며 먹는 자에게 양식을 줌과 같이 ¹¹ 내 입에서 나가는 말도 헛되이 내게로 돌아오지 아니하고 나의 뜻을 이루며 나의 명하여 보낸 일에 형통하리라. ⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isa. 55:8-11). Though we do not know how much the centurion understood the person and work of Jesus Christ, we can say that the centurion trusted Jesus’ ruling authority over all things. So, Jesus marveled at his faith.

While commending the faith of the centurion, Jesus noted, “with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” His disciples had no such great faith as his. Their faith was no match with his. And there had been no Jew whose faith was comparable to that of the centurion at that time. In fact, it was quite expected that His own people should have faith in Jesus as their long awaited Messiah. However, they rejected Him because He came from a humble background. He was a son of the carpenter, which was lowly in social standing. So, His townspeople refused to believe in Him. Mark records it this way:  ² 안식일이 되어 회당에서 가르치시니 많은 사람이 듣고 놀라 가로되 이 사람이 어디서 이런 것을 얻었느뇨 이 사람의 받은 지혜와 그 손으로 이루어지는 이런 권능이 어찌됨이뇨 ³ 이 사람이 마리아의 아들 목수가 아니냐 야고보와 요셉과 유다와 시몬의 형제가 아니냐 그 누이들이 우리와 함께 여기 있지 아니하냐 하고 예수를 배척한지라 ⁴ 예수께서 저희에게 이르시되 선지자가 자기 고향과 자기 친척과 자기 집 외에서는 존경을 받지 않음이 없느니라 하시며 ⁵ 거기서는 아무 권능도 행하실 수 없어 다만 소수의 병인에게 안수하여 고치실 뿐이었고 ⁶ 저희의 믿지 않음을 이상히 여기셨더라 이에 모든 촌에 두루 다니시며 가르치시더라. He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching (Mk. 6:1-6).

Even though they marveled at Jesus’ wisdom and power, his own townspeople and neighborhood dwellers refused to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. They continued to seek signs from Jesus, so that they would believe in Him. However, the Lord denounced their willful rejection of Him this way: ²⁰ 예수께서 권능을 가장 많이 베푸신 고을들이 회개치 아니하므로 그 때에 책망하시되 ²¹ 화가 있을찐저 고라신아 화가 있을찐저 벳새다야 너희에게서 행한 모든 권능을 두로와 시돈에서 행하였더면 저희가 벌써 베옷을 입고 재에 앉아 회개하였으리라 ²² 내가 너희에게 이르노니 심판날에 두로와 시돈이 너희보다 견디기 쉬우리라 ²³ 가버나움아 네가 하늘에까지 높아지겠느냐 음부에까지 낮아지리라 네게서 행한 모든 권능을 소돔에서 행하였더면 그 성이 오늘날까지 있었으리라 ²⁴ 내가 너희에게 이르노니 심판 날에 소돔 땅이 너보다 견디기 쉬우리라 하시니라 (Matt. 11:20-24 KRV)²⁰ Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

 ²¹ "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you" (Matt. 11:20-24).

                  Jesus had done wonders and miracles in His hometown and its neighboring towns. However, the Jews chose not to believe Him as their Christ because He came from a humble background. Their prejudice prevented them from saving faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus performed miracles more than enough to show them He was the Son of God, the Anointed One, that is, their promised Messiah. Even though they had witnessed them, they still wavered in trusting Him. They were like their faithless ancestors who tested and complained against Yahweh instead of trusting Him through the wilderness wanderings. So, Jesus had to turn to other cites to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, having pronounced God’s judgment for their rejection of Jesus.

On the contrary, the centurion trusted Jesus as the authority over all things. He expected Jesus to heal his paralytic servant by word. He believed Jesus didn’t need to come under the roof of his house to heal his servant. He simply trusted that Jesus could say the word of healing for his ill servant to be made whole. Matthew notes Jesus was astonished at such great faith of this centurion. The same Greek word was used of His marvel at the unbelief of His townspeople. Jesus marveled both at the faith of the centurion and the unbelief of His own people. Ironically, the person who was least likely to believe trusted Jesus, whereas people who were most expected to believe Jesus distrusted Him.  

What made a difference between them? Theologically speaking, his faith was a miracle and gift of God. Humanly speaking, the centurion, unlike the townspeople of Jesus and people of Capernaum, Bethsaida, and Chorazin, chose to practice faith in Jesus as the authority over all things, including time and space. Jesus had authority to control all things, including human illnesses. Everything was under His control. So, He simply needed to say whatever He wills to happen, that will come to happen. His word was powerful enough to fulfill its intent. In other words, His word was divine. As God created all things by His Word, so Jesus was able to do all things by His word. In fact, John declared Jesus as “Word” in the beginning (Jn. 1:1). Unlike the townspeople of Jesus, this Gentile man had faith in Jesus as the One divine who had sufficient power to do anything for His glory. He didn’t have the law of God whereby he could study the coming of the promised Messiah. He didn’t bear the sign of circumcision, which was a physical marker of God’s elect, the covenant people of Yahweh.

This centurion may have been hired by Herod Antipas. He may have come from Lebanon or Syria. He was a field officer who had authority over 100 soldiers. He carried out the king’s command in Capernaum, which was a thriving commercial fishing town. The place he worked as a centurion was busy with commerce and trade. It was a city mixed with Jews and Gentiles. It had a tax collecting office for Rome. It was a city where Jesus performed a lot of miracles, for example, His healing of Jarius’ daughter (Matt. 9:18-26), feeding of 5000 men (Jn. 6), catching of a miraculous amount of fish (Jn. 21:4-14), healing of a demon possessed man (Mk. 1:4-14), healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Matt. 8:14-15), healing of a paralytic (Matt. 9:2-8), and healing the woman with the issue of blood (Mk. 5:21-43). He taught many times in the synagogue in Capernaum. It was in Capernaum that He proclaimed Himself to be “the living Bread that came down from heaven” (Jn. 6:26-59). He taught humility, stumbling blocks, and forgiveness (Matt. 18).

During His healing and teaching ministries, most probably, this Gentile centurion came to trust Jesus as the divine authority over all things. He may have heard Jesus healed a son of the subject of the king by word. That was why he was able to ask Him to simply say the word for the healing of his paralytic servant. Even though he didn’t have the guide of the law of God and bear the sign of the covenant, that is, circumcision, he put trust in Jesus. In contrast, His own fellow Jews rejected Him even though they had the light of the law of God. They were blind, whereas the centurion was able to see Jesus as the Son of God. What made a difference between the two? First, it was God’s grace working within the heart of the centurion. The faith of the centurion in Jesus was a gift of God. Unbelief of His townspeople was an outcome of their pride against Jesus.

Jesus, having cursed Capernaum for unbelief, said this: 천지의 주재이신 아버지여 이것을 지혜롭고 슬기 있는 자들에게는 숨기시고 어린 아이들에게는 나타내심을 감사하나이다 ²⁶ 옳소이다 이렇게 된 것이 아버지의 뜻이니이다 ²⁷ 내 아버지께서 모든 것을 내게 주셨으니 아버지 외에는 아들을 아는 자가 없고 아들과 또 아들의 소원대로 계시를 받는 자 외에는 아버지를 아는 자가 없느니라 ²⁸ 수고하고 무거운 짐진 자들아 다 내게로 오라 내가 너희를 쉬게 하리라. ²⁵ At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶ yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:25-28).

Ironically, this Gentile centurion was chosen by God even though he was a Gentile who served idols. The fact that he believed in Jesus was evidence of his election. On the contrary, the Jews, who believed they were God’s elect, the descendants of Abraham, by birth and race, were disqualified for entry into the kingdom of God. Their unbelief was evidence of their disqualification for heaven. Here is what Jesus said, ¹¹ 또 너희에게 이르노니 동서로부터 많은 사람이 이르러 아브라함과 이삭과 야곱과 함께 천국에 앉으려니와 ¹² 나라의 본 자손들은 바깥 어두운데 쫓겨나 거기서 울며 이를 갊이 있으리라. ¹¹ I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, ¹² while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus made this statement to His Jewish followers. Jesus told them entry into heaven is not by race, but by faith, not by birth, but by rebirth. “The sons of the kingdom” refer to Jews who claimed to be God’s elect by birth. But they will be rejected from the entrance to heaven because they rejected Jesus the Son of the living God, that is, the Messiah. These Jews must have been astonished when Jesus praised the Gentile centurion for his faith and warned the Jews against unbelief.

During the apostolic period, the same issue reappeared. Some Jewish Christians demanded the Gentile Christians to receive circumcision so that they could be saved. But Paul condemned their gospel as a false gospel. Whether Jews or Gentiles, they are justified by grace through faith in Christ. The centurion was not justified by his works, but by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ great commission is for the entire world, including the people of Israel. Listen to what Jesus said: ¹⁸ 예수께서 나아와 일러 가라사대 하늘과 땅의 모든 권세를 내게 주셨으니 ¹⁹ 그러므로 너희는 가서 모든 족속으로 제자를 삼아 아버지와 아들과 성령의 이름으로 세례를 주고 ²⁰ 내가 너희에게 분부한 모든 것을 가르쳐 지키게 하라 볼찌어다 내가 세상 끝날까지 너희와 항상 함께 있으리라 하시니라. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:18-20). The apostles carried out the great commission, starting from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth (Acts. 1:8). The book of Acts records the expansion of the gospel of salvation from Jews to Gentiles.

Against the missionary efforts of the apostles, Jews tried to add their ethnic boundary markers, God’s law and circumcision to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The first Jerusalem Council had to clarify the sufficiency of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is never bound by race, nationality, gender, or culture. Even the Jews today reject and condemn Jesus. Some Jews in Brooklyn, NY, said, “Was Jesus dead on the cross?” Did He rise again from the dead?” “Will He come again?” One Rabbi asked these questions to a Christian minister who went there to share the gospel with the Jews. The Christian minister said, “Yes” to all of them. He said, “If Jesus comes again, we will crucify Him again.” They still reject Him because a man can’t be God according to their theology. Jews then and now still refuse to accept Jesus as their Messiah.

But whoever receives Him into the heart shall be given the right to be children of God. Listen to what the apostle John says: ¹¹ 자기 땅에 오매 자기 백성이 영접지 아니하였으나 ¹² 영접하는 자 곧 그 이름을 믿는 자들에게는 하나님의 자녀가 되는 권세를 주셨으니 ¹³ 이는 혈통으로나 육정으로나 사람의 뜻으로 나지 아니하고 오직 하나님께로서 난 자들이니라 ¹⁴ 말씀이 육신이 되어 우리 가운데 거하시매 우리가 그 영광을 보니 아버지의 독생자의 영광이요 은혜와 진리가 충만하더라. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:11-14).

Unlike the Jews, we Christians believe that Jesus is perfect Man and perfect God that He is our Savior sufficient to redeem us from sin and its curses. As Jesus said, Jesus has all authority given by God the Father. We must practice faith in Jesus to please God. We must spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people regardless of race, gender, or nationality. We will be amazed when we see a Jew converted from Judaism to Christianity. We will be amazed when we see a Muslim converted from Islam to Christianity. We will be amazed when we see any sinner, any heinous criminal, any race trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord. The joy of watching a sinner repenting of sin and believing Jesus as Savior is tremendous. Jesus certainly knew it, saying in His parable, 내가 너희에게 이르노니 이와 같이 죄인 하나가 회개하면 하늘에서는 회개할 것 없는 의인 아흔 아홉을 인하여 기뻐하는 것보다 더하리라. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Lk. 15:7).

Like the centurion, in fact, we are all Gentile believers. But we often forget this fact and act like the Jews in Jesus’ day who were so arrogant and exclusivistic to unbelievers. We treat unbelievers as heinous Gentiles. We boast about our faith, even though we came to believe in Jesus by grace. Like the Jews, we claim to see all things. We must humble ourselves by always remembering we are saved by grace, not by works. There is nothing we can glory in but Jesus Christ. We should be different from the arrogant Jews who rejected Jesus Christ. Jesus once said, 내가 심판하러 이 세상에 왔으니 보지 못하는 자들은 보게 하고 보는 자들은 소경되게 하려 함이라 하시니 ⁴⁰ 바리새인 중에 예수와 함께 있던 자들이 이 말씀을 듣고 가로되 우리도 소경인가 ⁴¹ 예수께서 가라사대 너희가 소경 되었더면 죄가 없으려니와 본다고 하니 너희 죄가 그저 있느니라. "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." ⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains (Jn. 9:39-41).

We must trust not our election, but our Lord Jesus Christ alone. Faith by nature makes us humble before God. So, we must say along with Paul as follows: 그러나 나의 나 된 것은 하나님의 은혜로 된 것이니 내게 주신 그의 은혜가 헛되지 아니하여 내가 모든 사도보다 더 많이 수고하였으나 내가 아니요 오직 나와 함께하신 하나님의 은혜로라. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me (1 Cor. 15:10). So, the fact we believe Jesus as our Savior is a gracious miracle of God. Jesus was far distant from us in time and space. Jesus wrote no book. He had no academic credentials. He had no physical attractiveness. He was a friend with sinners, prostitutes, and tax collectors. He owned nothing for His own comfort and convivence. But He claimed to be God. He died for the remission of sin and rose again from the dead for our justification. Believing Him as God takes a miracle of God. Martin Luther said, 말 구유에서 태어나시고 나무 위에서 죽으신 주님 외에는 다른 하나님이 없습니다. No other God have I but Thee; born in a manger, died on a tree. Despite all this, if you trust Jesus as the divine authority over all, your faith is a miracle of God.

So, your story testifies to the grace of God. God’s grace is sufficient enough to save any sinner from all over the world. Anyone can trust Him as his or her own Savior if the Holy Spirit grants him or her the regenerating grace. His crucifixion and resurrection are not only historical facts, but also redemptive acts for sinners. God’s infinite grace was granted to the centurion so that he was able to trust Jesus Christ as God’s authority over all things. The hymnwriter sings of God’s wonderful grace as follows: 1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord, Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt! Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured–There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt. Refrain: Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin! 2 Sin and despair, like the sea-waves cold, Threaten the soul with infinite loss; Grace that is greater– yes, grace untold–Points to the Refuge, the mighty Cross. [Refrain] 3. Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe! All who are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive? [Refrain]

Surely, the authority of Jesus Christ is sufficient enough to save those who believe in Jesus from eternal condemnation. We should not put our national, cultural, religious pride before the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some Christians put a stumbling block to the gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and by Christ alone. We should never mix the gospel of Jesus with something else, such as mysticism, nationalism, philosophy, or psychology. The fact that the Gentile centurion came to believe Jesus as divine authority was a miracle. How could he believe in Jesus? He was a Gentile sinner. No Jews expected the centurion has such amazing faith, which the Lord commended. The healing story of the centurion’s paralytic servant draws our attention not to the fact of healing at a distance, but to the wonder of the centurion’s faith and God’s grace for his faith. Jesus praised him for his faith. He pronounced a healing upon the crippled servant of the centurion as the centurion expected. It was not because of the greatness, intensity, or genuineness of his faith, but through his faith in Jesus as divine authority. His faith was a means whereby Jesus worked for the healing of his servant.

So, he was to glory in Jesus, not in his faith. Charles Spurgeon said, “You are to believe in Jesus. Now, forget the believing, and think only of Jesus. If I wanted to love a person, it would be useless for me to sit in my room and say, “I will try to love such-and-such a person.” You cannot pump love up out of your heart in that way. But suppose that person is exceedingly beautiful, has a delightful character, and has lived a charming life. Well, I gaze on that person’s face, I hear the story of his life, and I feel that, what I could not make myself do, I do without attempting to make myself do it. Love comes of itself. “If a man were to give all the wealth of his house for love, he would be utterly be scorned” (Song 8:7). So it is with faith. Speaking naturally, it comes by itself, through the work of the Spirit of God, from the force of the evidence that is presented to the mind. “Faith comes by hearing” (Rom 10:17). Look, then, more at what is to be believed than at the mere act of believing.” We are not to praise the greatness of someone’s faith, but to praise Jesus Christ the God of that person.  

Paul is right in saying the following, ²⁶ 형제들아 너희를 부르심을 보라 육체를 따라 지혜 있는 자가 많지 아니하며 능한 자가 많지 아니하며 문벌 좋은 자가 많지 아니하도다 ²⁷ 그러나 하나님께서 세상의 미련한 것들을 택하사 지혜 있는 자들을 부끄럽게 하려 하시고 세상의 약한 것들을 택하사 강한 것들을 부끄럽게 하려 하시며 ²⁸ 하나님께서 세상의 천한 것들과 멸시 받는 것들과 없는 것들을 택하사 있는 것들을 폐하려 하시나니 ²⁹ 이는 아무 육체라도 하나님 앞에서 자랑하지 못하게 하려 하심이라. ²⁶ For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being might boast in the presence of God (1 Cor. 1:26-29).

Conclusion: Surely, faith is a miracle of God. Also, it is a gift of God. We can’t manufacture faith by own will or power. Theologically speaking, faith is given to us by grace so that we have come to believe in Jesus as our Savior and Savior (Eph. 2:8-9). Humanly speaking, we ourselves believe in Jesus Christ, not God believes on behalf of us. The subject of our faith is us, and the object of our faith is God. It is we that believe in God. At the same time, our faith is given by the work of the Holy Spirit. Faith refers to our effort, work, attitude, or disposition in relation to God and our entire life in Christ under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit.

By faith, we are saved from sin and death and led into heaven. By faith, we get to know and worship God, and do the work of God. By faith, we endure trials in life, defeat the temptations of Satan, and do the impossible. By faith, we experience God’s healing and carry out the will of God. By faith, we receive God’s grace and blessings. By faith, we overcome sin and practice God’s righteousness. By faith, we are convinced we are children of God. By faith, we overcome and transform the world. By faith, we get over despair and experience God’s comfort. By faith, we proclaim the gospel of Christ to the whole world and lead people to Christ. By faith, we seek the filling of the Holy Spirit and bear His fruit. By faith, we love even our enemies and forgive them. By faith, we anticipate God and hope in heaven. By faith, we walk with God and foretaste heaven on earth. By faith, we study, work, and raise our children. By faith, we pray and wait for divine answer. By faith, we offer our offerings and practice almsgiving. By faith, we live a God-entrusted life as God’s stewards. By faith, we act in reliance on God and commit all things to Him. By faith, we experience the beginning, process, and consummation of our salvation. Without faith, we do nothing.

Without faith, therefore, we can’t please God. When we draw near to Him, we must believe that God exists and rewards those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6). However, many Christians assume that they believe in God and seek Him even though they perfunctorily and heartlessly follow the rituals of worship in the church. God looks at the heart and knows perfectly whether we truly trust Him or not. Faith is not a spiritual accessory for bragging. We must practice faith already given to us in every area of life. If we don’t practice it, our faith goes powerless and ill. We must daily take the nourishing food of God’s Word and the exercise of prayer. We must exercise faith in order to fulfill the will of God and glorify God. Such faith is a God-pleasing faith.

Unlike many Israelites who had seen the numerous miracles of Yahweh and yet refused to trust Him for the entrance into the Promised Land, this Gentile centurion trusted Jesus as divine authority over all things. So, he came to ask Him to say a word for the healing of his crippled servant. He was included in God’s salvation. Indeed, it is God’s will to include both Jews and Gentiles in the kingdom of God. Like Rahab the Gentile harlot and Ruth the Moabitess, this centurion deserved to be included in the Hall of Faith by God’s grace. We surely wonder how these Gentiles came to trust God. We also wonder how we have come to trust Jesus as Savior and Lord, the One who has divine authority over all things. We can surely commit all things, including our diseases and our beloved ones’ diseases, to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith.

Faith is surly an act of the Holy Spirit within our souls. So, it is given by grace. We praise God for His sufficient grace. Like John Newton, we should sing, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.” All the stories of faith praise God for His amazing grace. By God’s enabling grace, we must practice faith in Jesus to please God with all our hearts. Let me leave you with the following Scripture: ⁶ 믿음이 없이는 기쁘시게 못하나니 하나님께 나아가는 자는 반드시 그가 계신 것과 또한 그가 자기를 찾는 자들에게 상 주시는 이심을 믿어야 할찌니라. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Heb. 11:6).

Benediction: ²⁴ 여호와는 네게 복을 주시고 너를 지키시기를 원하며 ²⁵ 여호와는 그 얼굴로 네게 비취사 은혜 베푸시기를 원하며 ²⁶ 여호와는 그 얼굴을 네게로 향하여 드사 평강 주시기를 원하노라. The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.