Title Chan/Chan/Chan (Luke 7:1~10)
Content People must eat love. But love comes in many ways and means. It comes by means of deeds or some material or caring or service. However, no matter how many actions and materials are provided, there must be something. That's right. But among the words that supply love, the best word is praise.
There was a Polish boy with red hair. The boy wanted to become a famous pianist. The boy entered a music school to make his dream come true. One day the boy heard a very pessimistic statement from his professor. "Your fingers are too short and thick. And they lack flexibility. So, choose a different instrument." Unable to say, the boy was immersed in another instrument. The boy who learned this other instrument was no fun and lost his joy in his heart.
Then one day, at a dinner party, a boy played the piano. At the end of that day's dinner, a gentleman patted the boy on the back and said: "You have an excellent talent for the piano. Try hard." The boy was greatly encouraged by the praise of the middle-aged gentleman. From that day on, the boy began to practice the piano seven hours a day. And he grew up to be a pianist who shocked the world. This boy was called the 'piano genius' Gian Paderewski, and it was Anton Rubinstein who praised the boy and made him a world-class pianist.
Saints! A single compliment like this can sometimes change a person's destiny. Compliments with this ability do not require any money or effort at all. It's so easy to say. But the power of praise is greater than billions of dollars. It is said that praising children or young people frequently will make them do better at what they are supposed to do. It is also said that if older people receive frequent praise, they will live longer. It is said that if a wife receives frequent praise, she becomes a current wife, and if a husband receives frequent praise, it is said that the family will live happily ever after.
Saints! When have you been praised and when have you been praising others? What compliment do you remember the most? There is Tomirasda, the former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, in American professional baseball. This man left a humble record of 2 wins and 3 losses as a pitcher during his active career. Such Tomirasuda showed outstanding ability as a manager. He led the team to victory when he was the manager of the third team, and also led the team to the championship when he was the manager of the second team. As a result, he was selected as the manager of the Major Leagues. The biggest characteristic of this coach Tomirasda is praising the players. It's not just a rhetoric, it's that you're saying what the other person really wants to hear.
You need to be able to say what the other person wants to hear, so that's a real compliment. Saints! Today's text records the incident where Jesus healed a centurion's servant while he was in Capernaum. This centurion's servant was lying paralyzed, almost dead. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to beg him to heal his servant. After hearing the pleas of the Jewish elders, Jesus went to the centurion's house.
When the centurion heard that Jesus was coming to his house, he sent another messenger and said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my house. Just say the word and heal my servant." When Jesus heard these words from the centurion's friends, he marveled at the centurion's faith and praised him greatly, saying, "I have not found such great faith in Israel."
Saints! What kind of person did the centurion have to be recognized and praised not only by Jesus but also by those around him? Who is the person who is praised by Jesus? Looking through the centurion in today's Word, we would like to share the grace with you.
1. A person who loves others as his own body.
Verse 2 says, “A certain centurion’s beloved servant fell ill and died.” If we read today's words, we can see that the servant had a very deep paralysis and was on the verge of death. 'Slave' here means slave. At the time, slaves were part of the property of the house. So you can buy and you can sell. Sometimes a slave whose master did not obey could be killed or thrown away when sick. At that time, slaves were important property to the owner along with land and livestock, and they were passed on to their children. However, seeing how he worked hard to heal this servant shows how much the centurion loved that servant.
This fact is expressed in two ways in today's text. The first is the fact that the Jewish elders were sent to Jesus. At that time, Jews were very reluctant to come into contact with Gentiles. Because they thought that contact with the Gentiles would make them unclean. Jews in particular avoided contact with the Romans who now occupy their country. It was unheard of in Jewish society that the Jews, who had been entrusted by Gentiles, and the elders, who were leaders, came forward and begged so earnestly. Nevertheless, the centurion went to the elders of the Jews for help because of his servant's illness. This shows how much he loved the servant.
Saints! It is difficult for us to ask for a favor for someone else's work, but it is very difficult for us to ask for it. It is truly something that must be treated like tomorrow. This means that the centurion loved his servant as himself.
Second, servants are called servants. Verse 7 says, "Therefore, I knew that I was not worthy to come to you. Just speak the word and heal my servant." In verses 2 and 3, it was called 'servant', but in verse 7 it was called 'servant'. A servant is a slave, but the servant here means 'son' in the original text. In other words, the centurion was a servant who could be bought with any amount of money, but he cherished a servant who did not blame anyone even if he got sick and threw it away like his own son. Therefore, the centurion could not see a servant like his son dying, so he overcame social obstacles and begged Jesus.
Saints! Jesus praised this centurion. Who was this centurion? He loved his servant as himself. We must be people who love our neighbors as ourselves. Our neighbors aren't the only ones who are stronger, taller, and better than me. There are people who are weaker and less powerful than me, and there are people who are difficult and live without what they have. We must love these people. Rather, the weak and needy may need more love. I hope that you will become those who love, serve, and care for your neighbors as yourself.
2. He is a humble person.
Verse 6 says, “Jesus went with him, and the house was not far away, and the centurion sent his friends and said, “Lord, do not work hard, for I am not worthy to come into my house.” The centurion who ruled over the land of Israel at the time of Jesus had great authority. He had all administrative and judicial powers in the area the centurion ruled. The centurion, who had such great authority, did not treat Jesus with carnal and worldly eyes.
I opened my spiritual eyes and saw Jesus. And the centurion bowed his knees to the divine power and sovereignty of Jesus. The centurion knew that he could not dare face Jesus, who had divine authority, because he was accustomed to the physiology of the hierarchical relationship within the military. I humbled myself. The phrase "I can't afford it" in the text means 'I am not worthy of that'.
The centurion said that he was not worthy of having a great man like Jesus come to his house and come into his house. Saints! Heavenly Father is with the humble. He gives grace to the humble. He saves the humble. Job 22:29b says, "God saves the humble." Proverbs 3:34 says, "Truly, he scorns the scornful and shows kindness to the humble." James 4:6 says, "God saves the proud." He opposes the humble and gives grace to the humble.” But this humility is the character of Jesus. Jesus said, "I am meek and humble of heart."
Saints! God praises the humble. As John Bunyan said in 「The Progress of the Elderly」, “Those who dwell in low places have no fear of falling.” Water always flows to a lower place. Again, God's grace flows into a humble heart.
3. A person of faith.
Verse 7 says, “Speak the word, and my servant may be healed.” The phrase "just say a word" here means "if you just say a word". The centurion believed in the power of Jesus' words, that everything would be accomplished with one word of Jesus. The centurion's faith was the conviction that Jesus would be healed if he just spoke to him, even if he was far away, without having to make any physical contact with him or even come there personally.
The centurion believed that just one word from Jesus was enough. He believed that Jesus could heal mortal diseases with just the word. Saints! The Lord created the heavens and the earth with His Word. The Lord rules and guides the whole world with His Word.
Everything in the world is subject to the word of the Lord. In fact, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead through the word. Jesus calmed the wind and the sea with his words. Jesus healed the demon-possessed with the word and defeated Satan. The centurion believed without a doubt that Jesus was the Almighty God, King of kings, and Lord of all. The centurion's faith was so great that even Jesus was amazed.
Jesus praised the centurion. Those who are praised by the Lord are those of faith. Jesus does not commend the unbeliever, the proud person, and the person who does not love their neighbor and lives according to their lusts. The Lord praises those who love their neighbors as their own body, praises the humble, and praises those of faith. Now that we have been praised, we want to be praisers. So, the church wants to start a movement to write a 'prayer diary' with the participation of all members of each district. May it be an opportunity for all of us to praise each other as the Lord praises and encourages us. We hope this will be an opportunity for all of us to encourage each other. I want to be the ones who find and praise the 1% strengths rather than the 99% weaknesses.