The centurion’s Faith

Title Ideas:A Centurion Believed Jesus could heal [his servant].Jesus honored a [foreign] military officer [soldier boss].Jesus healed a sick person from far away.Do you trust in Jesus’ power?

[About 2000 years ago,] a powerful kingdom called Rome was ruling over the Jews in their Israel land. A Roman army was the police force in Israel. A centurion was an officer [boss] commanding 100 soldiers.

Jesus came to a town [village] where there was a centurion leading Roman soldiers. This centurion had a servant who had become sick; he was suffering, and could not move.

Someone told the centurion about Jesus, so the centurion said to some Israelite [Jewish] leaders, “Please, go see Jesus, and ask him to come here and heal my servant.”

Those leaders came to Jesus and said to him, “That centurion is a worthy [a good] man. He loves our [Israelite] nation. He even built for us our synagogue. So please, do this for him.”

So, Jesus started walking towards the centurion’s house. When the centurion saw Jesus coming, he sent some friends to meet Jesus, and to say to him,

“Sir! [Lord!] Do not trouble [bother] yourself more, for I am not worthy for you to come [go] into my house. That is why I myself did not come see you. If you will [only] give the order, then God will heal my servant.

“I also am a man under a king’s power [and I have authority]. I obey commands and I give [say] commands to other men. When I say Go, they go. When I say Come, they come. When I say to my servant, Do this, he does so.”

When Jesus heard the words [from the centurion], he was amazed. He turned [faced] towards those who were walking with him, and said, “This Roman has more [stronger] faith than anyone whom I have found [met] amongst the Israelites.”

Jesus said, “One day [in the future] God will rule as King over Israel [and the world]. He will invite many Gentile [foreigners] from many other countries [people groups], to come take part in a big feast with our ancestors [first parents] in God’s kingdom.

“And Israelites who do not believe in me will not be there. Instead, angels will throw them into a dark place, where they will weep and cry out because of pain [suffering].”

Then Jesus sent some people [messengers] to tell the centurion, “God will heal your servant, because you believed in me.”

The messengers went to the centurion’s house. When they came there, they observed that the servant was [already] well [healed; up and about]!