I Only Need The Word

In Matthew and Luke there is the episode recorded for us about a centurion who had a servant that was ill. He was suffering terribly the bible says with Luke’s account saying he was near death. Jesus agrees to come and heal the servant. Yet the centurion says that he is not worthy of having Jesus come into his house. This is a very remarkable statement. For starters you must keep in mind who this man was. A centurion was an officer in the Roman army. The word comes from the Latin  word centuria meaning a 100 man unit (where we get our word “century” from for a 100 years).So he would lead a unit of roughly a hundred men. So this person was a leader. He had clout. Status. He was respected and feared. Thomas Philipps in his book on military history said of the centurion: “A centurion was required to meet strict physical, tactical, and leadership standards, embodying the ideals of a Roman officer. They were chosen for their exceptional size, strength, and dexterity, particularly in throwing missile weapons and demonstrating expertise in the use of the sword and shield. Proficiency in all military exercises was essential to their role. Beyond physical capability, a centurion needed to possess key personal traits such as vigilance, temperance, and energy, ensuring they were always alert, self-controlled, and active in fulfilling their duties. Obedience and discipline were paramount, as a centurion was expected to execute orders promptly and efficiently, prioritizing action over unnecessary discussion. They were also responsible for maintaining strict discipline among their soldiers, ensuring that their troops were clean, well-dressed, and presented a professional appearance at all times. Additionally, they oversaw the upkeep of weapons, requiring them to be polished, rubbed, and kept in excellent condition. In essence, the centurion was the embodiment of Roman military ideals, combining physical prowess, discipline, and leadership while enforcing these high standards among their men.” I.E. This soldier was somebody and he was no dummy.

Yet here he is saying he is not worthy to have Jesus come into his house. This goes to show the sober-mindedness of this soldier. He had a realistic outlook on who he really was and who Jesus was. Imagine if you had an opportunity to have Jesus, in the flesh, come and sit in your living room? To sit and talk and to ask anything of Him?! Who would pass that up? It reminds me of the famous actor Paul Rudd, who was being interviewed for an upcoming movie he was in. And he was asked if he could spend a day with anyone in history. And he was like “Anyone in history? I know my answer…Jesus Christ!” and the other actors sitting there with him started laughing hysterically thinking he was joking. Because Paul Rudd is not a christian by any means. And seeing his movies you would know he’s not even a very religious person.  He says to his coworkers laughter: “Laugh all you want, and it seems like it would be a wrong thing to say, He existed! So wouldn't you want to spend some time with him and go: ‘Jesus…whats the deal?” So even the ungodly would love to spend some time with Him and ask some questions. But this soldier says no! He, in his humility, says I am not worthy! This just goes to show the honest, realistic understanding this soldier had of who Jesus really was: the Son of God! The King of Kings! Would we have that wherewithal? Would we have that humility? Would we have that sober-mindedness? Do we currently have that honor and reverence for our king?

But that is not all that is amazing about this soldier. This isn’t even the part that made Jesus happy! We also see what sound faith he had! After telling Jesus He did not have to come into his home, he then says “...only say the word…” Meaning; just tell me you will and that will be enough! Think about that. His servant is in horrible pain. He may be dying. And all this centurion wants is a word?! Wouldn’t you want a little more? Maybe touching his forehead? Some oil? Lightning bolts from the sky? A prayer? Something tangible? But no, he only wanted a word from Jesus. Now this may seem pretty simplistic. I mean we are talking about Jesus Christ. The Man of God. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Immanuel. Our Savior! But let me ask you something: is His word enough for you? Is all you will need is for Him to tell you and you’ll believe Him? Then what about when He tells you things in the bible? You know…His word! When He tells you that He will never leave you, that He knows what you are going through, that He has forgiven you, that He loves you, that all you need is Him, to not be anxious, get angry, lust, lie, to fear not, that He is greater in you than anything you’ll face in the world, to not build treasures here on earth, to witness, to serve, to give, to be patient, to love your neighbor as yourself, to be meek, to seek Him, to fast, to pray, to give to the needy, to keep your word, love your enemies, to not hide your light and to love Him more than anything else in your life; are those words enough for you to listen? Is Him saying that good enough for you to obey? Is the fact that He is Lord and God and He is the one telling you, enough to believe? Or do we always want more? Is His word not enough? What do your actions say? In Matthew 16 they wanted a sign from Jesus before they believed Him. Jesus told them that an evil and adulterous generation looks for signs. But this centurion only needed the word. And if we say we have faith in Him, then that is all we should need too. This is why Jesus marveled at this man and said, “...with no one in Israel have I found such faith.” Will He find such faith with us?