A CENTURION’S FAITH
7 – God’s Purpose
PREPARE TO MEET GOD
Times of sickness and trials are when people most often reach out to God (v. 2). What tends to motivate you to seek Jesus?
Do you feel entitled for God to bless you and answer your prayers, or are you keenly aware of your unworthiness to expect anything from God (v. 6)?
How is your faith causing others to be blessed (vv. 9–10)?
Jesus surprised even the one sent to prepare his way (vv. 18–23). Does God ever act in ways that surprise or trouble you?
How genuinely grateful are you for what God has done for you (vv. 36–50)?
If God gives to you according to your faith, what might you expect to receive (v. 50)?
Going to be lovely to hear some answers.
DID YOU NOTICE?
The centurion would have been a Gentile, yet he valued his servant, who may have
been Jewish, and went to great lengths on his behalf (v. 2).
A person of authority should be quick to recognize and yield to someone of greater authority (v. 8).
For a widow to lose her only son would be devastating (v. 12). Women did not typically work, and they depended on their husbands or family to care for them in their old age. By raising the boy back to life, Jesus was saving the woman from destitution as well as loneliness.
Having been imprisoned by the wicked King Herod, John may have wondered why Jesus had not yet launched his kingdom and addressed societal wrongs such as John’s imprisonment (vv. 18–19). A word from Jesus helped John view his circumstances from God’s perspective.
Wisdom is not proven by what people say but by what happens when people put into practice what was said (v. 35).
When you see your sin clearly, you will come to appreciate your Savior greatly (vv. 36–50). Letting down a woman’s hair was seen as scandalous. Kissing someone’s feet was an extreme example of humble gratitude (see Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3).
7 – God’s Purpose
PREPARE TO MEET GOD
Times of sickness and trials are when people most often reach out to God (v. 2). What tends to motivate you to seek Jesus?
Do you feel entitled for God to bless you and answer your prayers, or are you keenly aware of your unworthiness to expect anything from God (v. 6)?
How is your faith causing others to be blessed (vv. 9–10)?
Jesus surprised even the one sent to prepare his way (vv. 18–23). Does God ever act in ways that surprise or trouble you?
How genuinely grateful are you for what God has done for you (vv. 36–50)?
If God gives to you according to your faith, what might you expect to receive (v. 50)?
Going to be lovely to hear some answers.
DID YOU NOTICE?
The centurion would have been a Gentile, yet he valued his servant, who may have
been Jewish, and went to great lengths on his behalf (v. 2).
A person of authority should be quick to recognize and yield to someone of greater authority (v. 8).
For a widow to lose her only son would be devastating (v. 12). Women did not typically work, and they depended on their husbands or family to care for them in their old age. By raising the boy back to life, Jesus was saving the woman from destitution as well as loneliness.
Having been imprisoned by the wicked King Herod, John may have wondered why Jesus had not yet launched his kingdom and addressed societal wrongs such as John’s imprisonment (vv. 18–19). A word from Jesus helped John view his circumstances from God’s perspective.
Wisdom is not proven by what people say but by what happens when people put into practice what was said (v. 35).
When you see your sin clearly, you will come to appreciate your Savior greatly (vv. 36–50). Letting down a woman’s hair was seen as scandalous. Kissing someone’s feet was an extreme example of humble gratitude (see Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3).
All I can add is those who least deserve love are the ones who need it most.