Gospel Surprise

June 2, 2013
Second Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 7:1-10
[The faith of the Roman centurion]
After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”
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. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set 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.”
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.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Jesus was surprised. We read in today’s Gospel, ‘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.”’ There are other surprises in this Gospel story for us to look at today also.

The first surprise is that the man who requested help from Jesus was not a Jew. He was a Roman soldier, a centurion. Usually Jews thought that their religion was only for the Jews. Salvation and God’s help was only for themselves. There are some prayers and stories in the Old Testament that show God’s love for everyone, but usually Jews thought that only they were the Chosen Nation. And so it surprising in this story that the elders of the Jews pleaded with Jesus to help this foreigner, a Gentile. They said, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” This too is surprising that a foreigner would love the Jews, even respecting their religion enough to build a synagogue. He may have done it as PR, community relations, but I think he honestly did love the Jews. This is shown by the concern and love that he had for his servant. This is surprising because this servant was his slave. The Greek New Testament uses the word “slave,” which most modern translations weaken to “servant.” It is surprising because slaves were like cattle or tools, things that could be used and discarded. But this army officer was worried about his slave and wanted to get help for him.

After the elders of the Jews pleaded with Jesus, Jesus went with them towards the house of the centurion. This would be surprising for any Jew but Jesus. Jews did not want to have any contact with an unclean foreigner. They would not want to enter his house because then they would have to do a special cleansing ritual afterwards. Some Jews would be surprised that Jesus would not fear ritual uncleanness. But you and I are not surprised. Jesus talked to sinners and tax collectors and prostitutes and he told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus heard about a man who was dying and went to help him. Jesus did not care about the man’s social status, his nationality, or even his religion. This is one of the most surprising aspects of God’s love. God loves sinners. Likewise, Jesus did not help the centurion because he was a good man who loved the Jews and built their synagogue. That was nice of him to do that, but it did not make him worthy of Jesus’ help. The Jewish elders were wrong. Jesus helped him because the servant was sick.

Then comes the part where even Jesus is surprised. The centurion sent messengers to tell Jesus not to come to his house, saying, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.” Here we see two things: his humility and his faith in Jesus. Jesus saw his faith. ‘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.”’

Christianity is filled with surprises: There is Christmas, that God would become a human person; Easter, that God would die on the cross and then rise on the third day; and Pentecost, that the Holy Spirit would bring faith and power and authority to proclaim the Gospel to the whole world. There is the surprise that in Jesus Christ, God would love us, have mercy on us, and would forgive us our sin. The world is surprised when Christians really do practice what they preach. The world is not surprised, but disappointed when Christians do not practice what they preach. Personally, sometimes I am surprised, even amazed, that God has not given up on a sinner like me. Actually, God has kept his promise that he made when I was baptized. In baptism God promised to be my Father, my Brother and Redeemer, and my Guide and Forgiver. That is God’s promise for you, too. Everyday God surprises us with miracles of love and forgiveness and acceptance and peace.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church

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