Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled 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.
Ah my beautiful Friends in Christ, can it be said of us, that we have great faith? I certainly hope so, for it’s an ongoing requirement, a necessity in following Jesus, also in making it successfully through our violent, crime ridden, ungodly world. And it’s not something that’s easily come by either. We have to suffer the pangs of tribulation over and over again, for it’s only through constant repetition, building on each circumstance can we acquire worthwhile faith. Yes my people, faith, sadly, is only built by facing problems and genuinely believing that God will bring us through them with flying colours, although in the natural, we simply can’t see how. They usually say that seeing is believing, but faith contradicts that and instead requires believing without seeing. So whom does Today’s Bit claim believed without seeing? Surprisingly it was a Gentile, a centurion, a Roman army commander. Apparently this centurion had a servant who was sick unto death’s door, but for whom he deeply cared, and on hearing that Jesus was in town, Capernaum, he sent some Jewish elders to plead with Jesus to come and heal his servant. The elders approach was to tell Jesus that the man was worthy of His attention; ‘For he LOVETH our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.’ (Luke 7:5) The scholars thought it fit to note that a centurion would indeed have ample opportunity for financial benefits from his position, but normally wouldn’t care for a lowly servant or be well disposed to the Jews. So this one was certainly different. However, while Jesus is on the way to the man’s house, his friends bring a missive for Jesus. ‘Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 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.’ (Luke 7:6-8) Oh Friends to hear that reasoning; military discipline used in association with the delegation of authority that He had from God, must have been like a breath of fresh air to Jesus, especially coming from a supposed unbeliever, and amidst all the doubt, scepticism and hostility from His own people. It was such a pleasant surprise that He couldn’t contain His excitement and turned to those with Him and raved; ‘I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.’ Yes my people, it’s that kind of faith we need to proclaim, exude and exhibit, even though it doesn’t come easily. But early believers, who suffered the certain threat of punishment, even death, did it, so why can’t we, who have it so much easier now eh? Hn! The Spirit just gave me an idea; perhaps it’s the very fact that we have it so easy now that we lack true, substantial faith, since it is only acquired through hardship. But let’s look at another example of monumental faith: a woman, a sinner, whom the scholars claim was probably a prostitute, who entered the house of well-to-do Simon, where Jesus sat at meat. Now, just entering the upper class house was a rather bold act on the woman’s part, for as it is even today, the outwardly prim and proper refuse to associate with those of reputedly loose morals, hn, except in secret. Anyway, this sinner, prostitute, upstart woman entered Simon’s house uninvited, through the front door to boot, carrying a box of alabaster ointment, went to where Jesus sat, ‘And stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.’ (Luke 7:38) Wow mih people! I doubt many of us would have had the parts to do that. To the high and mighty hypocrites that’s rather inappropriate behaviour. And in his heart, Simon considered it such. But the ever attentive Jesus read His heart and told him a parable of a creditor forgiving two debtors, one a large sum, and the other a much smaller amount, then asked him which one would be the most grateful. And Simon gave the right answer; the one who had been forgiven the most. Then Jesus castigated him with that quiet, non-provoking, but undoubtedly rebuking manner that only He possessed. ‘And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon. Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she LOVED much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same LOVETH little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.’ (Luke 7:44-50) Oh Friends, please, let us not be like the well-to-do, but rather like that poor, sinful woman who fearlessly did what her heart instructed. She was already accustomed to suffering the slings and arrows of the society so had built up a resistance to it, one more affront wouldn’t make any difference. Likewise my people, let us not be afraid or fearful and shirk any responsibility the Holy Spirit deems necessary, for it’s on those hardships that our Christian faith is not only constructed, but also elevated. Much LOVE!…FAITH…it’s built…one step at a time…each step higher than the last…
Ah my beautiful Friends in Christ, can it be said of us, that we have great faith? I certainly hope so, for it’s an ongoing requirement, a necessity in following Jesus, also in making it successfully through our violent, crime ridden, ungodly world. And it’s not something that’s easily come by either. We have to suffer the pangs of tribulation over and over again, for it’s only through constant repetition, building on each circumstance can we acquire worthwhile faith. Yes my people, faith, sadly, is only built by facing problems and genuinely believing that God will bring us through them with flying colours, although in the natural, we simply can’t see how. They usually say that seeing is believing, but faith contradicts that and instead requires believing without seeing. So whom does Today’s Bit claim believed without seeing? Surprisingly it was a Gentile, a centurion, a Roman army commander. Apparently this centurion had a servant who was sick unto death’s door, but for whom he deeply cared, and on hearing that Jesus was in town, Capernaum, he sent some Jewish elders to plead with Jesus to come and heal his servant. The elders approach was to tell Jesus that the man was worthy of His attention; ‘For he LOVETH our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.’ (Luke 7:5) The scholars thought it fit to note that a centurion would indeed have ample opportunity for financial benefits from his position, but normally wouldn’t care for a lowly servant or be well disposed to the Jews. So this one was certainly different. However, while Jesus is on the way to the man’s house, his friends bring a missive for Jesus. ‘Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: 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.’ (Luke 7:6-8) Oh Friends to hear that reasoning; military discipline used in association with the delegation of authority that He had from God, must have been like a breath of fresh air to Jesus, especially coming from a supposed unbeliever, and amidst all the doubt, scepticism and hostility from His own people. It was such a pleasant surprise that He couldn’t contain His excitement and turned to those with Him and raved; ‘I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.’ Yes my people, it’s that kind of faith we need to proclaim, exude and exhibit, even though it doesn’t come easily. But early believers, who suffered the certain threat of punishment, even death, did it, so why can’t we, who have it so much easier now eh? Hn! The Spirit just gave me an idea; perhaps it’s the very fact that we have it so easy now that we lack true, substantial faith, since it is only acquired through hardship. But let’s look at another example of monumental faith: a woman, a sinner, whom the scholars claim was probably a prostitute, who entered the house of well-to-do Simon, where Jesus sat at meat. Now, just entering the upper class house was a rather bold act on the woman’s part, for as it is even today, the outwardly prim and proper refuse to associate with those of reputedly loose morals, hn, except in secret. Anyway, this sinner, prostitute, upstart woman entered Simon’s house uninvited, through the front door to boot, carrying a box of alabaster ointment, went to where Jesus sat, ‘And stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.’ (Luke 7:38) Wow mih people! I doubt many of us would have had the parts to do that. To the high and mighty hypocrites that’s rather inappropriate behaviour. And in his heart, Simon considered it such. But the ever attentive Jesus read His heart and told him a parable of a creditor forgiving two debtors, one a large sum, and the other a much smaller amount, then asked him which one would be the most grateful. And Simon gave the right answer; the one who had been forgiven the most. Then Jesus castigated him with that quiet, non-provoking, but undoubtedly rebuking manner that only He possessed. ‘And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon. Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she LOVED much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same LOVETH little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.’ (Luke 7:44-50) Oh Friends, please, let us not be like the well-to-do, but rather like that poor, sinful woman who fearlessly did what her heart instructed. She was already accustomed to suffering the slings and arrows of the society so had built up a resistance to it, one more affront wouldn’t make any difference. Likewise my people, let us not be afraid or fearful and shirk any responsibility the Holy Spirit deems necessary, for it’s on those hardships that our Christian faith is not only constructed, but also elevated. Much LOVE!…FAITH…it’s built…one step at a time…each step higher than the last…
SCRIP-BITS 