The Centurion Finds His Worth

  In Luke Chapter 7 there is an interesting situation, and in the midst of the interesting situation is the Lord Jesus Christ. In all of our situations, we need to see Jesus Christ in the midst; if we don’t, we will lose ourselves. Here is the passage in its entirety:

1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Did you notice the difference between how the elder’s viewed the centurion and the how the centurion viewed himself? The elders said, “This man deserves to have you do this…” and then they pointed out his “good deeds”. The Centurion, however, said, “I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof…I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.” There was a discrepancy between how others saw the Centurion and how he saw himself. Carl Rogers when teaching on our self image states that anxiety and distress is caused when there is a big difference between how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we really are. That is, three things come into play as we develop a self image. It is based on how others see us, starting with our immediate family as soon as we are born; how we see ourselves based on our own mind and everything around us; and then, there is the way we really are—the truth about us. And although the Centurion was at odds with the elders who thought he was “deserving”, he was not at all anxious because He knew enough about God to be comfortable in his view of himself. Although he felt unworthy, He knew God’s love and mercy would carry him through the situation. Jesus did not address whether the Centurion was worthy, deserving or undeserving. He instead made a statement about the Centurion’s faith. This is where we need to stay. Jesus is the object of our faith; it is not the size of our faith that matters; it is not our performance that matters; it is the object of our faith that matters; small faith in a Great God will bring us to a place of peace, rest and assurance. God got over the fact of our unworthiness at the cross; in fact, before the foundations of the earth were formed, God placed us “in Christ”. Seeing ourselves in Christ is “the way we really are—the truth about us that Rogers was looking for. Others may think things of us that are not true; we may think of ourselves in ways that are not true, but what matters is “who we really are”—the truth about us, and the truth about us is we are in Christ:

Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:20)

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God... 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
 (Col. 3)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: (2 Cor. 5)

Seeing yourself as a New Creation in Christ is essential to your spiritual growth and a healthy self image. If you put up a good enough front, others will talk well of you; if you really look at yourself in the light of God’s law which demands perfect righteousness, you will think ill of yourself and say, “I am unworthy.” Although knowing our unworthiness in light of God’s perfection is a good first step, we can’t stay there. The truth is that God considered us worthy and was crucified, buried and raised again to make us worthy. Based on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been made worthy, and possess more worth than we can ever imagine—it is a worth that creates true humility rather than false pride. *

*Tis the season, and when you sing the part in O Holy Night about the soul finding its worth, sing it like you mean it!!!