Centurion Matthew 8 :5-13, Luke 7 1-10,
I had been a centurion in Capernaum for two years when my faithful servant Julius became ill. Julius had been with my household for many years and was an old man, but he still prided himself on being my personal servant and my friend. He had been at my side during battle and had nursed me back to health after injury. We had travelled many miles together and shared meals, stories, adventures and tragedy together. Julius was my right hand man and I couldnt imagine life without his constant steady companionship. So when he became ill I was gravely concerned.
For several days Julius had been suffering with a fever. He couldnt keep any food down and was barely drinking anything. He was burning up and the apothecary had made up a poultice for his chest which seemed to be having no effect. I had sat by his bed for three nights, trying to keep him cool and listening to his delirious ranting as he tossed and turned, sleepless and distressed. I was exhausted and despairing. I could not bear the thought that I was going to lose my friend.
Then one of my housemaids sought me out saying that there was a prophet in town who was healing everyone who came to him. She said that he was teaching about God's kingdom coming - a kingdom where sickness and death were defeated and God's rule of life and love and holiness reigned. She said she had seen with her own eyes a leper be made completely well just by this Jesus speaking to him and telling him to be clean. As she spoke, my maid was animated in a way I had never seen before. She seemed deeply moved by whatever she had witnessed and she begged me to take Julius to see this prophet. She believed that Julius could be healed in the same way that the leper had been. I had never heard of anyone being healed of leprosy before.... but I trusted Sarai my housemaid and I was desperate to help Julius who was suffering horribly.
I sent a message to my neighbour Jonathon who was an elder in the local synagogue and asked him if he could possibly approach this prophet Jesus on my behalf and ask him if he would speak healing to my servant. Jonathon, on receiving my message, came round to see me and ask what was going on. He recognised how gravely ill Julius was and immediately agreed to go and find Jesus and ask him to help.
An hour later I saw a crowd coming towards my house across the fields. I was somewhat taken aback at the large numbers of people following this Jesus chap. There appeared to be women and children and men of all sorts of social standing all crowding around an ordinary looking young man who came striding across the fields towards me. I sent out my houseboy to tell Jesus that he really didn't need to come, he just needed to say the word, like he had said that healing word to the leper. I knew that if Jesus had the authority to command bodies to heal and diseases to go, then he was clearly in command of forces beyond the natural. As a commander myself I understood something of how authority works. As I watched from the upper room window I saw Jesus stop, speak to my houseboy and then turn and talk to his followers. He then turned back towards our house, lifted his hands and said something. I couldn't make out the words from that distance but my guess was that he was praying. He stood for several minutes with his hands and face raised to heaven, during which time I descended from the upper floor and left my house to go out and meet him. When I stood in front of Jesus he opened his eyes from prayer, smiled at me and put his arm round me. Then he turned me to show me to his followers and said ' Look at this Roman here. He understands that I have authority to command. I can command sickness and storms. I speak and things happen. He understand this because he too is a man who speaks and makes things happen. You see him as your enemy and oppressor, but I tell you heaven is going to be full of people like him. People who believe me and believe in me. This is a man of great faith '
I felt genuine warmth and appreciation from Jesus as he spoke - and I confess I blushed at his high praise. His words made me feel a mixture of pride and humility. All of a sudden I wanted to bow my knee before this Jewish Rabbi as though he were a great Roman general or emperor.
I looked up at the window of Julius's bedroom and saw, looking down on us , the figure of Julius, waving, grinning from ear to ear and quite clearly completely healed from all traces of fever.
For several days Julius had been suffering with a fever. He couldnt keep any food down and was barely drinking anything. He was burning up and the apothecary had made up a poultice for his chest which seemed to be having no effect. I had sat by his bed for three nights, trying to keep him cool and listening to his delirious ranting as he tossed and turned, sleepless and distressed. I was exhausted and despairing. I could not bear the thought that I was going to lose my friend.
Then one of my housemaids sought me out saying that there was a prophet in town who was healing everyone who came to him. She said that he was teaching about God's kingdom coming - a kingdom where sickness and death were defeated and God's rule of life and love and holiness reigned. She said she had seen with her own eyes a leper be made completely well just by this Jesus speaking to him and telling him to be clean. As she spoke, my maid was animated in a way I had never seen before. She seemed deeply moved by whatever she had witnessed and she begged me to take Julius to see this prophet. She believed that Julius could be healed in the same way that the leper had been. I had never heard of anyone being healed of leprosy before.... but I trusted Sarai my housemaid and I was desperate to help Julius who was suffering horribly.
I sent a message to my neighbour Jonathon who was an elder in the local synagogue and asked him if he could possibly approach this prophet Jesus on my behalf and ask him if he would speak healing to my servant. Jonathon, on receiving my message, came round to see me and ask what was going on. He recognised how gravely ill Julius was and immediately agreed to go and find Jesus and ask him to help.
An hour later I saw a crowd coming towards my house across the fields. I was somewhat taken aback at the large numbers of people following this Jesus chap. There appeared to be women and children and men of all sorts of social standing all crowding around an ordinary looking young man who came striding across the fields towards me. I sent out my houseboy to tell Jesus that he really didn't need to come, he just needed to say the word, like he had said that healing word to the leper. I knew that if Jesus had the authority to command bodies to heal and diseases to go, then he was clearly in command of forces beyond the natural. As a commander myself I understood something of how authority works. As I watched from the upper room window I saw Jesus stop, speak to my houseboy and then turn and talk to his followers. He then turned back towards our house, lifted his hands and said something. I couldn't make out the words from that distance but my guess was that he was praying. He stood for several minutes with his hands and face raised to heaven, during which time I descended from the upper floor and left my house to go out and meet him. When I stood in front of Jesus he opened his eyes from prayer, smiled at me and put his arm round me. Then he turned me to show me to his followers and said ' Look at this Roman here. He understands that I have authority to command. I can command sickness and storms. I speak and things happen. He understand this because he too is a man who speaks and makes things happen. You see him as your enemy and oppressor, but I tell you heaven is going to be full of people like him. People who believe me and believe in me. This is a man of great faith '
I felt genuine warmth and appreciation from Jesus as he spoke - and I confess I blushed at his high praise. His words made me feel a mixture of pride and humility. All of a sudden I wanted to bow my knee before this Jewish Rabbi as though he were a great Roman general or emperor.
I looked up at the window of Julius's bedroom and saw, looking down on us , the figure of Julius, waving, grinning from ear to ear and quite clearly completely healed from all traces of fever.
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