The Life of Christ

In many ways the kingdom of God parallels a well-run military unit .

• 1 Chron. 12:22 likens the people of God to the “army of God.”

• It is based upon receiving orders from on high and then following those orders.

• There is also a clearly established chain of command authority structure found within the infrastructure of the church, which God honors and works through (Heb. 13:17).

• Both the military and the church have a Commander in Chief in ultimate charge.

• Both are engaged in a “fight -to-the- finish” with an enemy.

• Both reward the soldier with honor, rather than material possessions.

• Both require the highest levels of sacrifice for the cause.

Lk. 7:9 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that was following Him, “I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.”

This is one of the only two recorded times that Jesus ever “ marveled ” and both have to do with faith!

• Here in Lk. 7:9 Jesus marveled, this time over the abundance of faith within a mere Gentile.

• In Mk. 6:6 Jesus also marveled, this time over the lack of faith in Nazareth: “And He marveled because of their unbelief….”

This Gentile’s faith was actually greater than that of any man in Israel, possibly even including His own disciples.

Mt. 8:11-12 “And I say to you, that many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Matthew records a strong judgment against Israel, which Luke strangely leaves out .

• As we remember, Luke writes to the Gentiles, while Matthew addresses the Jews.

• This word picture of men sitting down at the table to eat with Abraham has always been a description of the Jewish afterlife. Nothing could please a Jew more than to know that when he dies he will sit at the same table to dine with Abraham. • At that long table would also be all the great heroes of the Jewish faith.

• However, Jesus shocks the Hebrew world by saying that Gentiles will also sit at that same table, while many of the Jews will be denied.

• Luke doesn’t include such praise in his Gospel written to the Gentiles; the reason is because the Gentiles were not familiar with that cultural word picture.

• This declaration undoubtedly came in response to this Gentile centurion’s unusual faith.

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