5When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
Was he really that important?
A servant is the one who is sick, lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly. A servant. He’s not a commander of an army. He’s not a big political leader or business owner. There likely isn’t anything about this servant in which the world would notice – intellect, power, riches, beauty, or talent.
If he added value, it was to only a few people. And now that he’s paralyzed, hasn’t he lost his value? What good is a servant who can’t serve?
The Nazi’s had a designation for such a man, “Lebensunwertes Leben” or “life unworthy of life.” A lot of societies had or have similar motto’s. If you can’t contribute to their society, if you’re suffering terribly and causing others who care for you to suffer terribly, you shouldn’t be allowed to drain society with your living.
The young, the old, the disabled in body or mind, and the poor were regular candidates for this designation.
That leper who came up to Jesus in the first part of our Gospel reading, there’s no way he would make it. He couldn’t contribute in a way they thought was valuable and he was a danger to infecting others. Suffering terribly.
So, was that servant really that important?
We know for sure everyone the servants master, the centurion was important in a lot of people’s eyes. He was a man under authority and has authority himself. He says to one “Go,” and he goes, and to another “come,” and he comes and to his servant, “do this,” and he does it.
And yet, this centurion understood where his worthiness ended.
He said, “I’m not worthy to have you, Jesus, come under my roof.”
So the Centurion understands Jesus’ worthiness. And he believes Jesus has authority with His Word.
The centurion believes that Jesus only has to say the word and his servant will be healed.
Only say the Word, Jesus.
And Jesus recognizes this for what it is: amazing faith in the centurion.
I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.
So, people of faith, let’s gather her today and ask how important that servant was, really. And how important others are, really and how important you are, really.
Are we worthy of life?
As people of faith, we right in asking this question right here, in the presence of Jesus, recognizing Jesus is important and Jesus is worthy and His Word has authority, so if His Word says something, then it is.
And that’s so important to remember: who do we ask this question to.
Am I worthy? Are they worthy?
Because if you ask yourself, you might get one of two answers.
You might say, “I am pretty important. I add a lot to a lot of people. I’m pretty good and serve and help many and I’m valuable to them. I’m feeling pretty good. I’m certainly a lot more important than others.”
Or you might say in despair, “I don’t know what I do. I’m not very good. I mess up a lot. I don’t know how I contribute. I’m suffering terribly. I’m causing others to suffer terribly. It might even be better if I wasn’t here.”
If we look to the answer of this question from ourselves, we will find either pride or despair. And we will likely swing between the two depending on the day or hour, how important we’re feeling, how much good or bad we think we’re doing, or how terribly we believe we’re suffering.
So, let’s not ask ourselves.
And we’ve already begun to consider what happens if we ask our society?
A lot of bad answers and dangers and injustices come from asking society.
As people of faith, sometimes great faith and sometimes little faith, let’s ask where faith looks – to Jesus and His Word.
Are you worthy?
In one sense, no. But stick with me.
The centurion says to Jesus, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.” He knows it isn’t about his goodness, what he adds, what he doesn’t add, how’s feeling.
He doesn’t stop there, but he does start there.
So let’s start there.
We are not worthy for the things we pray nor have we deserved them.
We are not worthy to have Jesus give us life, forgiveness, daily bread,
Body, soul, eyes, ears all my members,
Protection from all evil and eternal salvation. We don’t earn it. We’re not good enough.
As servants, we don’t serve well enough.
We confess our unworthiness, yes. Deserving of being cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth for our times of rebellion and unbelief, yes.
We are not worthy to have Jesus come under this roof – we can start there, but we can’t stop there.
Because Jesus’ Word does not stop there.
Only say the Word, Jesus.
And His Word says you are here because God created you.
Made you in His image.
Only say the Word, Jesus.
Highly valued by God as a mysterious gift to His world and to others.
Not because of what you do, but because of what He says you are.
Fearfully and wonderfully made.
Everyone is this world.
It is the Lord who gives life, and the Lord who takes life away.
Are you valuable, are you worthy?
Only say the Word, Jesus.
And His Word points us out from ourselves and unto Jesus who is worthy, as the Lamb of God who was slain and by His blood has ransomed a people for God, from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev. 5).
You have a temporal and eternal life worthy of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
**Your Jesus suffered terribly to make you His and you are. You are His.
Only say the Word Jesus and His Word says,
“You are my servant,
I have chosen you and not cast you off”
Only say the Word Jesus and His Word says,
I have created you, I have formed, I have redeemed you by my blood;
So only say the Word Jesus and I will be a person of stronger faith in You and stronger love and service for my neighbor and His Word says
10 fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Is. 41 & 43)
He is the reason you and everyone have value and worth and importance
Nothing can take that away, not age, sickness, poverty, disability, status, and even death.
Jesus and His Word put you under His authority, His protection, and His order.
We’re not worthy to have him come under this roof, but we’re thankful that He does.
We’re not worthy to have life, temporal or eternal, but we’re thankful He gives.
Only say the Word, Jesus. And help us be people of strong faith to believe You.