Bible Study - Miracle - Hope Discovered - Luke 17 - October 16, 2011

Bible Study – Miracle – Hope Discovered – October 16, 2011

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “It’s a Miracle.”

Our scripture is Luke 7:1-17.

Hope is a wonder attribute to have. Christians hope in the care, power and leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Hope can be in a Christian’s relationship with GOD through CHRIST. Paul captured this relationship in Philippians 4:13 - 13 I am able to do all things through Him[2] who strengthens me.

This gives Christians tremendous hope but that hope must be combined with Spiritual growth and maturity. It is not testing GOD to prove that HIS power is in you. It is knowing that HIS power is in you and that you will take that step of faith when you are asked to take it. It is trusting not to act unless prompted to act by the Holy Spirit. Waiting and trusting, as well as, responding are embodied in hope.

Do you believe that GOD can heal others through you, if led to do so? Do you believe that GOD can raise the dead through you, just as CHRIST did, if led to do so? Keep in mind that GOD’S goal for Christians is for them to be made into the image of HIS ONLY SON, JESUS. Keep in mind that JESUS was 100% obedient.

So far in this series of study, we have considered the authority that JESUS had over material things when HE turned water into wine. It was a miracle with a purpose. There were six (6) large pots for the purpose of cleansing and at that time there were six (6) disciples. The servants filled the six (6) pots with water and drew out wine. JESUS’ disciples witnessed this miracle and their faith in JESUS grew. But also the servants witnessed this miracle. Miracles touch the lives of many.

Then we explored the authority of JESUS over sin and disease. JESUS honored the faith of the man who was paralyzed and his friends by forgiving the paralyzed man’s sins. The proof that he was healed Spiritually was confirmed when he was healed physically. GOD was establishing the fact that JESUS had the authority to act and prove that HE was and is the SON of GOD incarnate.

This week, we study the authority of JESUS over sickness which could result in death and HIS authority over death. We will see the authority of JESUS’ spoken word. If JESUS can heal the physically sick and raise the physically dead, HE can certainly heal and raise the Spiritually sick and Spiritually dead. Which is more important - to be raised from the physically dead to live a few more years on earth or to be raised from being spiritually dead to live eternally as a child of GOD? Let’s explore.

Let’s read Luke 7: 1-10:
A Centurion’s Faith
1 When He had concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 A • centurion’s • slave, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Him, requesting Him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for You to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a • synagogue.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when He was not far from[1] the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Him, “Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.[2] 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command.[3] I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the • slave in good health.

This miracle touched the lives of a number of people – the Jewish religious leaders, followers of JESUS, Gentile soldiers, a Gentile slave and a Gentile centurion to name a few. It is exciting to see GOD work in the lives of people. Miracles are exciting but they often fade with time.

This event is also recorded in Matthew 8:5-13. Matthew wrote his gospel to the Jews and concentrated on the faith of the Gentile centurion. Luke wrote his gospel to the Gentiles. He was giving details which emphasized the interaction and good relationship between the Gentile centurion and the Jewish religious leaders.

JESUS had concluded HIS sermon referred to as the “Sermon on the Plain” (Luke 6:17-49). This sermon was similar to the “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew chapters 5-7). HE entered Capernaum in Galilee and encountered some Jewish elders sent by a centurion. A centurion commanded 100 soldiers in the Roman army. It could have been less than 100 or more than 100 but the title gave him military status. He was highly regarded by soldiers and officers but feared by the people for whom he was responsible. He was charged with the responsibility to keep matters under control. The centurion and the soldiers he commanded were Gentiles who served in Jewish territory. This centurion had built good relationships with the Jewish community and some believe that he was possibly a Jewish proselyte. He had not been confirmed as a Jew but possibly studying to become a Jew.

The centurion’s slave was sick and about to die. The centurion had heard about JESUS. He sent some Jewish elders to request JESUS to come to save the life of his slave. The slave was alive but barely and needed immediate attention. Apparently this was strictly the idea of the centurion.

This was a bold request on behalf of the Gentile centurion. JESUS being a Jew could refuse to come. If JESUS had been a fraud, HE could have hidden behind the fact that HE was a Jew and could not go to a Gentile; most especially a Gentile’s home. But the fact that JESUS responded positively to the request revealed that JESUS was going to heal the slave and nationality did not matter. When the centurion heard that JESUS was coming, he knew that JESUS would heal his slave. A fraud would have stayed away.

So what do we know so far?

The centurion was a powerful military leader in a Jewish community. He had a slave that was sick and was about to die. Some slave owners could care less about their slaves but not this master. This reveals the centurion’s heart. He had heard about this man called JESUS, Who could heal people.

Notice that the centurion made the decision to send Jewish representatives to ask JESUS to come and heal his servant. Apparently, his servant had no input into asking JESUS to come heal him. The faith of the Gentile centurion in JESUS as a genuine man of GOD is the focus of this miracle.

We learn more about this centurion from these Jewish representatives. Even though he was a powerful military leader, he had endeared himself to the Jews in that community. They spoke well of him and all that he had done for the community. He was likely interested in the Jewish religion. How he heard about JESUS we do not know.

JESUS agreed to go to the centurion’s house. However, as they approached the house, the centurion sent friends to give JESUS an important message. The fact that JESUS had responded to his request, he knew that JESUS was genuine and he knew that Jewish religious leaders would defile themselves if they entered in the home of a Gentile. He did not want JESUS to compromise HIS religious vows and render Himself unclean and have to go through some purification process before HE could go to the aid of another person. The willingness of JESUS to go to the house of a Gentile sent a powerful message to both the Gentiles and the Jews as the facts are revealed in the following scripture:

“Lord, don’t trouble Yourself, since I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be cured.[2] 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command.[3] I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel!” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the • slave in good health.

The centurion acknowledged the authority of JESUS over the Spiritual realm just as he had authority over his area of responsibility. JESUS’ authority over the Spiritual realm also included the physical realm and acknowledged the union of GOD with this person called JESUS. Did the centurion’s connection reveal truth to the Jewish religious leaders?

If JESUS can heal the physically sick, can HE heal the Spiritually sick? Oh YES but be careful that you do not use the healing of a sickness to test GOD. We are tempted to tell GOD, if YOU will do so-and-so, I will give my life to YOU. Remember GOD knows your heart and the heart is deceitful. GOD honors faith and faith honors GOD. The faith of the centurion was evident and very impressive to JESUS.

But is faith in JESUS always mandatory? Let’s explore in our next scripture.

Let’s read Luke 7:11-15.
A Widow’s Son Raised to Life
11 Soon afterwards He was on His way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with Him. 12 Just as He neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was also with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said, “Don’t cry.” 14 Then He came up and touched the open coffin,[4] and the pallbearers stopped. And He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.[5]

After healing the centurion’s slave, JESUS left Capernaum and traveled to Nain which was about a day’s journey or 20 miles from Capernaum. After the miracle in Capernaum, JESUS had HIS disciples and a large crowd accompanying HIM. Notice that as HE neared the gate of the city a dead man was being carried out to be buried. The gate of the city was the main gathering place for people and this was no exception because a widow’s son had died.

Soon after the healing of the centurion’s slave GOD provided JESUS with another opportunity to confirm that JESUS was the promised Messiah. It is one thing to heal a person that is near death but quite another to resurrect a person already dead.

In those days and in that area, embalming was not practiced. Due to the weather conditions a dead person was buried quickly. It is likely that this widow’s son had died that day. A large crowd from the city was accompanying the widow. Mourners were hired to weep and wail to express the grief of the family. JESUS also had a large crowd accompanying HIM.

Notice that faith or a request for help in this incident was absent from anyone, except for JESUS. JESUS saw her and HIS heart was moved with compassion for her loss. She had lost her husband in death and now she had lost her son in death. We know that JESUS never disobeyed the commands of HIS FATHER. Did the FATHER tell HIM to act or did HE ask the FATHER if HE could help this poor widow? We do not know but it does give us insight into situations Christians often encounter.

We are moved with compassion to go to the aid of someone. There is the human response and there is the response prompted by the Holy Spirit. There are times when GOD is moved to work in our behalf in hopeless situations, when we do not ask or do not have the faith to ask. HE cares for us and has compassion for HIS children and those who are to become HIS children.

JESUS approached the mother and told her not to cry. That must have hit her like a bucket of cold water. Our minds fly quickly when we hear insensitive remarks. She likely thought, who is this man that is telling me not to cry? Does he not know that this is my only son in this coffin? My situation is dire and he tells me not to cry. Little did she know that she had just encountered the resurrection and the life, JESUS the Promised Messiah.

JESUS approached the coffin and the pallbearers stopped. HE touched the coffin and spoke. He said, “Young man, I tell you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.[5]

The young man responded. He sat up and began to speak. I wonder what he said. We do not know. But we can only imagine the thrill and excitement that shot through the mother and the crowd. There was great excitement as we will see in our next scripture.

Let’s read Luke 7:16-17:
16 Then fear[6] came over everyone, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited[7] His people.” 17 This report about Him went throughout Judea and all the vicinity.

Remember we have two (2) large crowds of people, the funeral procession and those accompanying JESUS. Everyone responded with, not fear as being afraid but in reverential fear or amazement or in awe of what they just witnessed. They likely thought, did my eyes deceive me or did my ears not hear what I think I just heard? Then they put two and two together and concluded this was the hand of GOD at work and they had witnessed a miracle. They saw JESUS as a prophet and that GOD had visited them and manifested Himself through JESUS. They glorified GOD. The news of what happened spread like wildfire.

JESUS heals today and people are raised from the dead today. We often try to explain them away. I had an experience many years ago. It was no near death experience but a wide awake experience. This is the shortened version.

We had been praying for a lady’s mother who had cancer. I had never met this lady’s mother, Mrs. Green. I had a business trip to Washington. DC and stayed overnight. I flew out of and back into Charlotte, NC. When I left for my meeting in DC, this lady’s mother was at home and doing okay. As I drove from Charlotte to Spartanburg, SC, all of a sudden I saw a clear picture to my right, outside of the car, high in the sky of a man and a woman walking down a path that curved to the right. A loud booming voice as I have never heard before or since stated “Mrs. Green has just passed away but she is walking with the LORD!” I began to sing and I was excited. It was a moment of being in awe of what just happened. The voice spoke again and stated, “I told you she is walking with the LORD, you pray for the family.” I did pray. I also looked at my watch. It was 3:45 PM. When I got to the plant about 4:00 PM, I asked about Mrs. Green. I was told that she was in the hospital that morning and she was resting. I told several colleagues what I had seen and their response was, “If she had died we would know about it.” About 4:30 PM Mrs. Green’s pastor’s wife called to tell us that Mrs. Green had passed away. The doctor had pronounced her dead at 4:10 PM. I chuckle when I recall this event and think but she was walking with the LORD at 3:45 PM.

As a Christian to be absent from the body is to be present with LORD. A Christian's hope is in CHRIST. HE gave HIS life that all who believe in HIM will experience the abundant life here upon earth and for all eternity.

I know of many folks who have lost their loved ones in death and long for them to be united again like this mother and son were reunited. The son that JESUS raised from the dead, died later, just as Lazarus and others who were raised from the dead. GOD had a plan and purpose for all HE does and the miracles HE allows to take place. Christians must trust in HIS sovereignty. I know it is very difficult to do but we must keep in mind that GOD did not make us for time but for eternity. Christians will be reunited in heaven for eternity.

Yes, miracles happen every day. You are a miracle. If you have never asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins and to come into your life, then do so right now. Experience the miracle of Spiritual rebirth in CHRIST. The proof that HE is the resurrection and the life is HIS resurrection. HE conquered sin and death so that all who believe in HIM will have life eternal.