The Way (Be Whole Series) - Luke 7

 

A Centurion came to Jesus hoping that He would heal his servant; understanding authority, he told Jesus," say the word, and I know my servant will be healed." Jesus said, "not even in Israel have I found such great faith."

Where does such faith develop? By Hearing (Romans 10:17). The Centurion had heard about the miracles of Jesus and his act of faith in the authority of Jesus proved that he believed. If we struggle with fear and doubt we need to counter these thoughts by studying scripture and listening

to testimonies in the areas we are weak. If we speak the Word of God when we are tested, faith will arise and we will overcome.

Jesus saw a funeral procession with a widow in deep mourning as her only son passed away, He was moved with compassion and raised the dead.

Being whole in Christ is being filled with His heart of compassion. We see people as God sees them, we feel their pain, and we are moved to minister to them in the area of their need. When our eyes are focused on ourselves we are consumed with our needs not those of others. We pass people by without even the thought of caring towards them.

Messengers now came to Jesus with a message from John the baptist to ask 'Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?' Jesus answered with a report of the miracles He had performed. The lost comment He said to them was "blessed is anyone who does not take offense at Me."

Jesus brings out the reason behind John's question when He explained that "John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, a friend of tax collectors and sinners."

John and Jesus were so different, and John was doubting if Jesus truly was the Messiah. The call of John was to prepare the way, the call of Jesus is to be the Way. When we are whole we are complete in who we are as individuals in Christ we don't have to be a copy carbon of anyone. Our body has many different parts which function completely differently from the others. Being in unity does not mean becoming like each other it means celebrating the uniqueness of Christ in one another and growing in that grace together. Scripturally, we are to judge each other only by the fruit.

The last story in Luke 7 is about the woman with the alabaster box. Jesus was having dinner at one of the Pharisee's homes and the woman is known as a sinner began to wet His feet with her tears, she wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume." The Pharisees now scrutinized Jesus, "what kind of Prophet is this..."

Jesus responds with the Parable of the Two Debtors which teaches the power of forgiveness. "For this reason I say. to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little."

Those who are whole have no limitation of whom they love and show forgiveness for. they walk in the fullness of God's unconditional love. Religious people may try to be so high and mighty with their judgmental attitudes but they are actually worse off than anyone else for they think they are righteous but they are actually more wretched than anyone else.