Luke 7 – 8
A Roman “centurion” becomes the focus of verse 7:6 when he humbly asks Jesus not to worry about his problems:
And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
None of us are worthy, but Jesus still comes under our roof despite our sins and drifting nature. Think about it, most of the Jewish people were crowding him trying to get a piece of the action. This man realizes who Jesus is and turns from him. That is why in verse 7:9 Jesus responds the way he did:
When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
I wish I could humbly approach Jesus and not just assume he’s my “mate” and just wants to have a beer with me. Heck he may be, but we should never assume that and humble ourselves before him.
Verse 7:47 gets into why the centurion may have been more humble that the Jewish people:
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
In this story a woman we assume to be a “strumpet” washes Jesus’ feet with tears and ointment. The people get upset that Jesus would associate with someone of her caliber. I find many Christians like myself who were saved at a young age become jealous of the passion many have when they are saved after a hard life. A friend Matthew comes to mind, his stories of his past and the redeeming blood of Jesus. Granted he was a great story teller, but one could become jealous about the passion he had.
No we just wake up, pray and go to work. He lived on both sides of the tracks and passionately loves Jesus now. Vernie actually wanted to “live” or turn to a hard life so she too could feel his passion. This is what the woman must have experienced when she was forgiven by Jesus, pure passion and love! Don’t get me wrong, this is not the life you want to aspire to before being saved. I drifted a bunch in and after college, but my return did not fill me with passion from his forgiveness. No I just felt more shame for drifting like I did, I know I am forgiven but should never have taken the path I knew was wrong.
Matthew did not know, where I did and that is the difference. If you are already saved, don’t leave to “sow your wild oats” but live passionately for God each and every day.
Verse 8:37 is the last one I want to take a quick look at:
Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.
This is where the naked possessed man by the tomb was saved. He had many demons called “Legion” and Jesus cast them out into the herd of pigs. These pigs then committed mass suicide! I imagine the people were not only afraid of Jesus’ power, but also afraid of what “livelihood” He would destroy next. I mean sure the Jews did not eat pork, but that heard was someone’s business and Jesus destroyed it to save some crazy man. What would your response be if Osama Bin Laden was saved, but to do so it destroyed your livelihood? (and yes I know Osama is dead, but it’s my extreme example)