Text: Luke 7:1-17
Event(s): The centurion’s servant is healed; Jesus raises the widow’s son from the dead
Luke 7:2 “a centurion’s servant was sick” In reading the parallel account of this event in Matthew, we learn this servant was paralyzed.
Luke 7:4 “the one for whom He should do this was deserving” Jesus didn’t heal because people were deserving; His grace extended far above that. Many times, this is our same approach in prayer and we don’t even realize it. We hesitate to pray big, bold prayers because we don’t think we deserve the answer we’re looking for. Or we throw the prayer out there, but restrain ourselves from hoping too big so that we don’t get disappointed. No judging; we’ve all done it. But when we start to feel that way, let us realize that our focus is more on us and our shortcomings than on who He is and His goodness.
Luke 7:7 “but say the word, and my servant will be healed” as a Roman centurion, this man knew how delegated authority worked because he new that if he ever commanded one of his soldiers, his word carried with it the weight and strength of the entire Roman empire. For him to give a command to one of his soldiers was as if the Emperor were to give the command himself. And if a soldier were to disobey him, it would be as if he was disobeying Caesar. So in seeing Jesus, he knew that Jesus’ authority was God’s authority and therefore, Jesus’ word was God’s Word. So if Jesus said a word, that word carried with it the weight and strength of the entire Kingdom of Heaven and God Himself. Now, consider that because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection – to those of us who believe – that same authority has been delegated. Mind blowing.
Luke 7:14 In studying the Gospels chronologically, we learn this was actually the first account of Jesus raising someone from the dead.
Today’s Takeaway: How confidently do we walk in the authority that has been delegated to us? Authority, or the Greek word, exousia, refers to the right to use power, to take action, to issue commands, and to respond in obedience. Authority is proximity-centric; meaning we grow more in our authority the closer we are in relationship with God. With the great commission came authority, or exousia (Matthew 28:18-20). With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit came power, or dunamis (Acts 1:7-8). Both come by relationship. Let us stir up our desire to grow in this more.
Authority comes in the commission, power comes in the encounter. -Bill Johnson
Additional (optional) reading: The parallel passage of the centurion’s servant being healed can be found in Matthew 8:5-13. Luke is the only Gospel that records the raising of the widow’s son from the dead.
Linda G Riddle 