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The loving concern of a Gentile centurion's ill servant,
is a model of how God would have us treat each other.
This great faith rewarded with healing at a distance.
In joy we must share our wealth and love across the races.


Only a few times in the life of Jesus is it recorded that he complimented someone. Today in the Capernaum story of healing at a distance, we have perhaps the strongest one of all. And it was about not a rabbi or disciple or priest or even his mother or Peter's mother-in-law. It was for a Centurion! Listen: "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel" (Luke 7:9b).

Certainly the focus and heart of this story is not a healing at a distance or even that it was a slave who was healed. The story centers around an attitude, the attitude of a Roman centurion garrisoned in Capernaum and sympathetic to Jews. This amazed Jesus and no doubt Luke who wrote it down for our astonishment.

Here's how it went, according to Luke and Matthew as well. A small group of town elders came to Jesus and asked if he would work one of his healing miracles on the slave of a local Roman who treated them well and even built the church for the town. So Jesus set out for the Centurion's house, but before he got there, the Centurion sent another messenger to say it wasn't necessary to come into the house of a Roman (something forbidden for Jews) but just to say the word and he knew his dear slave would be okay. That's when Jesus said this was such an amazing fellow -- he had better faith than anyone he'd met so far in all of Israel. At that moment the slave who was so important to his Centurion master was healed.

In most stories of healing, we like to go right to the marvelous thing that happened for the one who was ill. In this case it's about attitude, I believe, which Luke wanted us to see and understand.

I remember a plumber I liked very much who used to call his cocktail time "attitude adjustment time." This story so commends certain attitudes of this Roman soldier, perhaps this sermon time can be an attitude adjustment time for you and me. Luke would really like that.

Slaves in that day were thought of as tools, disposable when no longer useful. The master had complete authority over them. It was the very different attitude of this "God-fearer" Gentile who sent the request. He loved his long-time servant. His servant's suffering was his suffering. He couldn't bear the thought of losing this person who had given so much of his life in loving service to him -- so came the unusual request and successful reward for caring and asking.

This really calls for attitude adjustment. While we don't have slaves anymore, many of us do have those who serve us in one fashion or another. Some here are employers, others manage employees, still others simply exercise the power necessary to keep folks under their supervision. This Capernaum long-distance healing of a slave tells us we ought to have a sense of loving stewardship as we carry out our responsibilities which put us in charge of others' welfare and very existence. The foreman, the supervisor, the CEO, board members, and union stewards all ought to see their vocation as a ministry to their people for whom they have charge. It's what Jesus commended when he said to those following nearby, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel" (Luke 7:9b). The challenge here is to adjust our attitude to carry out those principles of behaviors Jesus asks for in church to our supervisor's positions all week. It is there we put these into radical practice in real life: be kind one to another, turn the other cheek, pray for your enemies, and go the extra mile. Now that's radical attitude change! By the way, there are modern new management theories now being taught which claim this is a more productive way to treat employees anyway.

Here's another attitude that was so different. Not only did this Centurion care compassionately about his slave, he also loved the Jewish people. That's different. Usually the Jews hated the Romans who occupied their land; and in turn, the Romans hated the Jews who had such strange practices like not eating good pork, loafing on the Sabbath, and believing only they had the correct religion. This Roman was so wrapped up in the Jewish Capernaum community he built their church. No wonder the town elders came with this request on his behalf, and no wonder Jesus gaped in amazement as he headed off to see if he could help.

One of the saddest elements in our sinful human nature is prejudice and race hatred. It is at the root of many of our horrible wars; it continues to tear communities asunder; and it perverts the way God created us to be and how God would have us enjoy the richness of the diversity of creation. I personally believe it is one of the most effective ways the demonic force against God and good still permeates our humanity. Ethnic cleansing, job discrimination, civil rights abuse, subtle housing regulations, and on and on the list could go. And often it is strongest in God's church!

Why is it that our very nature seems to seduce us to act in this way? It seems we want to feel we are better than another color, class, gender, nationality, or religion. We seem to get our sense of worthiness by putting someone else below us. It is demonic. Jesus will have none of it -- and neither did a humble Capernaum Centurion whom Jesus so admired. He loved his slave. He loved the local Jews. And he deeply respected a Jewish Galilean named Jesus.

The miracle here is that a Jew cared about a Gentile and a Gentile loved a Jew! That takes real attitude adjustment.

There is yet another attitude to be admired here. It's the confident faith this Roman had in Jesus. He sent word that he knew what it was like to have authority and Jesus had a lot more than he did. So he needn't even bother coming to the house. Just say the word and he was confident the beloved slave would be well again. He was sure Jesus didn't need touch, use clay and spit, see in person, pray over, or anything prescribed by the Jewish law -- "just say it, Jesus, and my slave will be fine!" -- and he was!

Faith does make a difference, doesn't it? I wonder how many Capernaum sick weren't healed that day because no one had the faith to request it? If ever there was a story of the miraculous which encouraged us to pray for the sick, it's this one. If we believe, God is able to do wonderful things not only for us, but wonderfully so for those we care about who may not even know Jesus. Here is our mandate, to ask. Here is an affirmation to pray for others regardless of their faith, or lack of it.

When in Neuendettelsau, Germany, recently I received the devastating news that cousin Gretel from Schmalenberg had been in a horrible car accident. Pastor Moser called me with the news that she had thirteen broken bones and a broken neck and was near death in a hospital in Mannheim. As an American pastor, I told them I would come at once to pray by her bedside. To my surprise, Uncle August and husband Peter agreed I should not come. I was so hurt by their attitude. Then I learned that, at least in the Rhein/Pfaltz, when a priest came to the hospital to pray it meant the patient would die. So they didn't want me to frighten my favorite German cousin. She lives now, thank God. I must one day soon tell her about this miracle of asking for recovery and getting it. And I must somehow introduce a far different attitude about prayer, its purpose, and the wonderful possibilities that are available with faith.

For every story there must be another side than the one which is the more obvious. I call it the flip side. In this story there are two less familiar melodies I'd like to play for you on the flip side of the ancient record. These are how we treat and what we believe about other religions, and the financial stewardship of giving away wealth as the Centurion did.

There never have been any people so shamefully treated, so misunderstood, so persecuted, so hated as the Jews. We Christians have contributed, or at least remained silent, while horrible crimes against them were committed. Our own reformer, Martin Luther, said hateful things about them we wish he had never said or written down. We must be ashamed. The shadow of the Holocaust in Germany where I wrote this sermon is still a dreadful stain on our practice of discipleship.

In this story Jesus, a Jew, heals a Roman pagan's servant. The Roman servant loved and had faith in the Jew. That's the attitude we must make. Because we believe that for us the new covenant to be in Christ is the only way to salvation, we have forgotten that Jews have always been a very favorite people to God. They, too, have a promise, a covenant with God. It's not as comforting or grace-filled as ours, but it's valid and we ought to respect and affirm their covenant for them just as we affirm ours for ourselves. We also must examine what and how we teach about the life of Jesus in our Sunday School, Christian Education classes, and Bible studies. We could be, without realizing it, putting dislike for Jews into the minds of our children and older adults. I'm not sure how certain that belief is in our Christian theology and I am sure there are many who will rail against it by quoting verses only from the New Testament. Perhaps it's not yet the official teaching of our denomination, either. In the light of this miracle story, it seems so right to me. Enough putting down of other religions or denominations. Let's see like Jesus instead, what we can be amazed with about their faith. As the world becomes more and more a global village, we must make this change in attitude. Not to do so is a luxury we cannot afford, we who believe there is a God who wants to watch over us.

Perhaps it's time to admit that all religions are very, very important attempts to describe God and represent God in this world. So we must be patient, respectful, and Jesus-loving for all.

Isn't there in this flip side of the miracle something almost missed? This fellow, not a Jew, in a Jewish town donated the synagogue. How marvelous and miraculous. Already he was reaping the unexpected harvest of his benevolence. Of course the elders would ask Jesus for help on his behalf. They said to Jesus, "This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue" (Luke 7:4b).

I recall visiting a very old Bible woman named Mama Gardner in Liberia, West Africa. She took us to an ugly, little mud and bamboo hut with a crooked cross on top. It was the village Christian church. The structure looked like it could accommodate about twelve to fourteen people. The old woman held out her arthritic hands and said, "I built it with my own hands. I told the people that where I live there will be a church." Suddenly the little edifice took on the appearance of a great cathedral! The Capernaum Centurion must have been of a similar determination and had gained the same respect.

Here is the encouragement we need to share our wealth, to see that the money we have earned and accumulated is not hoarded, but given away for the continuation of miracles in our day and in future generations. When we donate money to the church and its ministry around the world, there is such benefit to those who receive it. But there is also that unexpected blessing to the giver that always comes in great measure. As a congregation of believers we don't very often give enough of what we have to make the deed very meaningful to those who benefit or to ourselves. So we limp along, never knowing the profound joy which the Centurion who gave the people of Capernaum their synagogue knew.

If you are too frightened to do the sharing right now, think about your will and the words in it which will say one day: "He (she) loved our nation and has built our synagogue" (Luke 7:5). For the cause of elimination of world hunger, for desperately needed help for refugees, for the education of pastors, for Christian colleges, for the establishment of new congregations, and for sending missionaries to our partner churches around the world are only a few of the ways we can be like this man who gave so much to the Jews of Capernaum.

It need not be dramatic gifts either that can adjust our attitudes. The regular offerings at worship along with additional needs for the local ministry and church building are always a way to give -- and to do it not because we are pressured, but in a way that brings joy and satisfaction all around.

We've found a lot in this rather simple story. There is this marvelous scene where Jesus compliments a Roman Centurion for his attitude toward his servant and the Jews, race and religious bigotry, faith in Jesus, and the handling of our money. Along with my favorite plumber, this has been quite an attitude adjustment time.

Let's not forget the healed servant. We rejoice in that as well. Luke simply puts it, "Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well" (Luke 7:10). Let's now return to our houses with attitudes adjusted that we might also find wellness.