“Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.” (Luke 7:1–10)

As the story unfolds in our passage Jesus has entered into the city of Capernaum where he was met by a Roman army officer who commanded one hundred men. No doubt, as a soldier of Rome the army officer has seen his share of bloodshed and violence. He knew that people get hurt and they suffer. Still, in the providence of God the heart of this centurion had not grown hard. There was a measure of loving kindness for his servant who laid at home sick of the palsy. The paralysis could have occurred because of several causes.

It could have come because of inflammation of the brain or spinal cord. In the East this is common in infancy, and in many cases leads to partial paralysis of the shoulder, arm, one or both legs. Sometimes the nerve of speech or hearing is damaged.

The paralysis could have been caused by an injury to the spinal column. Each year many people are paralyzed as their spinal column is injured due to a car accident, falling from a horse, jumping into a pool or crashing on a motorcycle or bike.

Paralysis can also be caused from the pressure from curvature of the spine, or from tumors.

Whatever the cause of the paralysis, the servant was desperately sick and the centurion wanted Jesus to make him well. As soon as the request of the soldier was made known to Jesus, the Lord said without hesitation, “I will come and heal him.”

The compassion of Christ and His willingness to come and help the centurion’s servant did not seem to surprise the officer. In fact, the centurion had been thinking about what his response would be if the Lord decided to help the servant. The centurion knew that he was unworthy of divine favor and he confesses his unworthiness. “Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof” (Luke 7:6).

 The centurion also knew that in Jesus all the power of the godhead bodily dwelt. Therefore, it was not necessary for the Lord to move physically to the point of need, “but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed” (Luke 7:7).

The centurion explained to Jesus the logic that led to his understanding of what Jesus Christ could do from a distance. He too was a man of authority. He spoke and something was done. Jesus had ultimate authority. He could merely speak and His word would be done. It was enough.

The centurion had thought the matter through to a logical conclusion. It is always a blessed moment when our daily life can lead us to meditate upon and come to understand better our great God. All the day long we have the opportunity to think of Christ.

When we arise in the morning we see He is the Light of the World.

Going through a door reminds us He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Going to eat, the Christian remembers that Christ is the Bread of Life.

When thirsty, the thought can come that Jesus is the Fountain of Living Water.

In the great outdoors, a sturdy tree reminds the saint there is an old rugged cross to love.

A look at a flower brings to mind that Jesus is the Rose of Sharon. He is the Lily of the Valley.

Retiring at night, we can lie down and look up into the black sky and remember that Jesus is the Star of David.

From his own position in life the centurion came to know the Lord better by meditation. When Jesus heard the wisdom and the truth spoken by the centurion He was amazed. Faith always impresses and pleases the Lord. To others Jesus spoke, and He said, “I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Luke 7:9).

The compliment of the Roman centurion became an indictment on the nation of Israel. In Israel there should have been much faith, by many people, for the nation had the Law, and the prophets. The people had as their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There was a great religious heritage, but little faith. Using the centurion as an illustration Jesus proceeded to make a prophetic spiritual application according to the parallel passage in Matthew’s Gospel.

“There is coming a time,” said Jesus, “when many shall come from the East and the West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 8:11).

What Jesus predicted has come to pass. It is even now true. Those of us from the East and from the West, those of us who are Gentiles according to the flesh, have come to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. We can do this because there is an essential unity among God’s people. We can do this because we are the spiritual heirs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by faith in Christ. Galatians 3:7, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.”

The children of the kingdom have been cast into outer darkness as Christ also predicted. Matthew 8:12, “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The spiritual judicial judgment of God upon national Israel began officially in AD 70 and continues to the present hour. Romans 11:25 teaches plainly that spiritual darkness engulfs the Jewish nation that once had the opportunity to worship the King of Glory. Now, apart from regeneration, the children of the kingdom are cast into the outer darkness.

The phrase “outer darkness” occurs three times in the gospel of Matthew. It occurs in Matthew 8:12; 22:13 and in 25:30. In the original the phrase is preceded by the definite article. Jesus said that the children of the kingdom should be cast into the outer darkness referring to a specific place.

The outer darkness was familiar to the Jewish mind. The imagery surrounds a banquet. If a person were to come to a banquet hall without the proper dress, that person would be cast into the outer darkness. The outer darkness was the area farther away than the immediate darkness next to the banquet hall. The darkness around the banquet hall would not be as dense as the area that lay beyond.

The Bible teaches that the ultimate outer darkness is hell, the place of eternal judgment. A lot of people do not want to believe in hell. Someone once said to Billy Graham, “I hate the very thought of hell.” Mr. Graham replied, “So do I. And I hate the sin that sends people there.”

Jesus said “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13: 41-42). He also said, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). If we are to accept the teachings of Jesus we must accept what He says about sin, judgment, and hell.

The Bible teaches there are at least three kinds of hell. First, there is the hell of the human heart revealed in the doctrine of natural depravity. Many people believe and teach that human nature is essentially good, but the Bible teaches that human nature is basically evil. By nature people are selfish, sinful, and destructive. The first words learned might be “mommy” or “daddy,” but the next word is “mine.” The Bible says, “the wicked are like the troubled sea” (Isa. 57:20). Have you watched the sea when it cannot rest? The waters cast up mire and dirt. There is a great oceanic agitation. Human nature is like the sea. The muck and mire of the human heart is cast up and there is no peace in the heart. Jesus said, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth…” (John 14:27). Only Christ can give a person peace of heart and forgiveness of sin. Only Christ can take away the guilt and shame an agitated soul produces due to hell in the heart.

Second, the Bible teaches that hell is around us. The TV program American Justice tells many stories of people who hurt others. One serial killer in Wichita, Kansas, called himself B.T.K. standing for Bind, Torture, Kill. But there is more than violence in our society. There is impurity and unchasity. One of the most perverse films every made is called Brokeback Mountain. In 2006 it was honored with prestigious awards, including the Golden Globe. Every effort is being made to make homosexuality acceptable to society. The Bible says, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11-12). There is pleasure in unrighteousness. The principle of pleasure is what drives individuals to behave like puppets on a string, making souls do that which is wicked, and sensual, and devoid of decency and self respect.

Third, there is a literal hell that awaits all who die without repenting and without saving grace by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible does not teach there is a place called purgatory. The Catholic Church gave the name Purgatory to a final purification of the elect during the Council of Florence in 1439 and the Council of Trent in 1563. However, the Bible teaches something more alarming. The Bible teaches people either go to heaven or hell at the moment of death. Speaking to the thief on the cross, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42). In contrast, “Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1:25).

Jesus used three words to describe hell. First, He used the word death in John 8:51. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” Revelation 20: 6 reveals there is a “second death” in hell. Death speaks of a separation from the life of God. Second, Jesus used the word outer darkness (Matt. 8:12). And then Jesus used the word “fire” (Mark 9:43-44).

The Christian walks in the Light of the Glory of God in time and in eternity, but all who reject Jesus Christ will know the dense outer darkness associated with the fire of hell. There is a present darkness of the heart without the knowledge of the glorious gospel. There is also the eternal darkness of the pit.

To those who first heard Jesus give this warning it must have been frightening.

A place of outer darkness!

A place of weeping and gnashing of teeth!

A place where there is no spiritual or physical light!

“No, Lord! No! Do not teach such a thing!”

But Jesus must teach the truth. There is such a place of horror. No one has to go to hell, but all who are outside the kingdom of heaven will suffer the fate of the sons of Satan and the children of this world. The difference between heaven and hell, the difference between life and death, the difference between light and darkness, is faith in Jesus Christ.

The centurion had faith. The Bible says that the just shall live by faith. In matchless grace Jesus said unto the centurion, “I will heal your servant. Go thy way; and as thou has believed so be it done unto thee” (Matt. 8:13). The biblical testimony is that in the selfsame hour, the servant was healed. “And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick” (Luke 7:10). Herein is the principle of blessing by association. Because of the faith of another, health came to a sick servant.

There is a practical application of this passage. In the grace of God the church still has the opportunity to have faith and so to help others. In as far as we exercise our gospel privileges, and our gospel duties, we take part in the ministry of healing. Therefore, let us pray for each other. Let those who are sick call for anointing by the Elders. The Bible says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (Jas. 5:14-15).

Let Christians have great faith so that Jesus Christ will still perform miracles in our midst. But most of all let the church take the healing message of the gospel to a spiritually sick and needy world. Amen.