So God can use prostitutes, huh? Those aren't the only people He can use. There is more than one time in the Bible that God uses a "heathen" to show us "Christians" how things should be done. Take, for instance, the story of the Roman centurion found in Luke chapter 7.
I am amazed at this story. It never ceases to surprise me. Jesus spent His days surrounded by Jews, Pharisees, and Sadducees. These were people who knew the law, they knew the Bible, and (supposedly) they knew God. They lived every day with Jesus Himself, the Son of God, living among them. You would think that if anyone had faith, it would be them.
But it was not a Pharisee whom Jesus declared to have the most faith in Israel. It was not a Sadducee. Significantly, it was not even one of Jesus' own disciples. It was a Roman centurion. A gentile. How could that be? How could an unbelieving outsider have more faith in Jesus than the Jews who had been learning about Jesus almost since birth?
It's so easy to feel "holier-than-thou" when we're around other people, especially non-believers. I know that I certainly fall victim to that attitude more often than I care to admit. But sometimes, those aforementioned non-believers have the most to teach us about what it means to live like a Christian, to live a life trusting in the Lord. What kind of faith do you have? Is it like the Israelites, who constantly demanded proof of God's sovereignty, and turned their backs on Him at the first sign of the slightest inconvenience? Or is it like the Roman centurion, who trusted God even before He had done anything for him?
I am amazed at this story. It never ceases to surprise me. Jesus spent His days surrounded by Jews, Pharisees, and Sadducees. These were people who knew the law, they knew the Bible, and (supposedly) they knew God. They lived every day with Jesus Himself, the Son of God, living among them. You would think that if anyone had faith, it would be them.
But it was not a Pharisee whom Jesus declared to have the most faith in Israel. It was not a Sadducee. Significantly, it was not even one of Jesus' own disciples. It was a Roman centurion. A gentile. How could that be? How could an unbelieving outsider have more faith in Jesus than the Jews who had been learning about Jesus almost since birth?
It's so easy to feel "holier-than-thou" when we're around other people, especially non-believers. I know that I certainly fall victim to that attitude more often than I care to admit. But sometimes, those aforementioned non-believers have the most to teach us about what it means to live like a Christian, to live a life trusting in the Lord. What kind of faith do you have? Is it like the Israelites, who constantly demanded proof of God's sovereignty, and turned their backs on Him at the first sign of the slightest inconvenience? Or is it like the Roman centurion, who trusted God even before He had done anything for him?
Luke 7:1-10
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, He entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with Him, "This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue." 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to Him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have You come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 9 When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following Him, He said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel." 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
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