David Bahn – Reflections

After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. ² Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. ³ When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. ⁴ And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, ⁵ for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” ⁶ And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. ⁷ Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. ⁸ For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ⁹ When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” ¹⁰ And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

I love this story of the centurion. It has so much faith. So much grace. So much grist.

First the faith! The centurion heard of Jesus and sent for him to come and heal his servant. Faith comes from hearing. And hearing from the word of God. We hear all kinds of things these days—perhaps more now than ever. I can spend an hour reading the news from the various email news outlets I subscribe to each day. But the centurion’s hearing was quite different. He heard not just from the most reliable news outlet. He heard from God. Jesus is God’s Word made flesh. And the centurion hears about Jesus and believes. He believes. He realizes Jesus is the One in whom he can put his fullest trust. He will call for Jesus to come. Then he will say Jesus doesn’t need to come. He knows Jesus is over all things. He knows that one word from Jesus is one word from God. The God who spoke creation into existence can speak a word of healing and it will be so. The centurion is a man of great faith for his faith is in Jesus. God’s Son. Savior. Healer. Friend.

And what grace does Jesus have! His heart is moved by the centurion’s faith. He realizes that the centurion has honored him greatly by his faith in Jesus. He realizes that the centurion’s request honors him as the One who can do all things—including healing his servant. And Jesus—properly honored as the Son of God—responds not with a curt nod or a simple smile of appreciation. He heals the servant. No reason other than his grace. Accessed by faith. The gift of faith embraces the gift of healing. So much grace!

Then there is grist. I used to think that the centurion was all wrong with he spoke of himself as one “set under authority.” I would have thought he would have said, “I am a man with authority.” Like it was his own authority. But he is appealing by his wording to an even greater authority than his commission. He is set under the authority of Caesar. His commands are great and authoritative because they come from Caesar.

Jesus’ authority is from the Father. This man is under God’s authority. He is not speaking from his own. Just as the Holy Spirit does not speak from his own authority (cf. John 16:13). Somehow—and please don’t ask me to explain this, for this is within the mystery of the Triune Godhead—Jesus is true God, yet under the authority of the Father. His word is God’s word.

That’s why I want to be under someone’s authority when I serve. Whether it is of the church’s voters, their board or in the case of when I was senior pastor at St. John, the Mission and Ministry Council. I didn’t have authority just because I was ordained. I was acting under their authority. And they, as duly elected servants, were acting under the authority of God.

So when I pronounce absolution, I am ultimately doing so under Jesus’ authority, the One who has been given all authority (Matthew 28:18). Whenever we share the gospel we are doing so under the authority of Jesus. Whenever we forgive one another we are doing so under Jesus’ authority.

Grist. Grace. Faith. Authority. A powerful combination.