Bible Text: Luke 7:1-10 | Preacher: Pastor Steve | Series: Abiding in the Lord
Luke 7:1 When Jesus had finished saying all this, he went back to Capernaum
Capernaum was “home base” for much of Jesus’ ministry and it was the headquarters for Roman troops in the region
Luke 7:2-3 A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his servant
God allows crisis in people’s lives in order to bring them to a stronger, closer ABIDING faith in Jesus
Abiding in the Lord means we are willing to break down barriers and become a people of God that are not EXCLUSIVE but INCLUSIVE
Luke 7:4-5 When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us
Integrity
Matthew 5:37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’
The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply…
 
It’s up to me to start living a life of integrity… Character and decency are what really count… As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I’ve learned that’s how people really do change… I’ve learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life… That also means relying on others for help. I’ve learned to seek support from my peers, other pastors… Today, I want to ask for your help.
Ephesians 4:15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church
 
Biblical Integrity
Being honest and committing to biblical moral principles; being whole and undivided as a believer; being unified in the church, solid construction; lack of corruption
Luke 7:6-7 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed
The Concept of Command Authority: Military personnel respond to and obey orders from their commanding officers. Otherwise, the military would collapse in chaos and never be able to defend itself against the enemy
Luke 7:8 For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, Go, and he goes, and to another, Come, and he comes, and to my slave, Do this, and the slave does it
Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel!
John 3:9-17 How are these things possible?
No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will
have eternal life.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
Jesus is using a word picture from Numbers 21:1-9
Verses 1-3 Israel asks for help
Verses 4-6 Israel is impatient, complaining, whining, bad attitude, self-centered, rebellious, lacking in faith
Verse 7 Israel Repents
Verses 8-9 Israel receives deliverance and healing
How quickly we forget the power of the Lord and what He has done, is doing and will do!
The serpent tries to poison, crush and consume us
John 10:10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of (THE MESSAGE)
There are many of us who are POISONED because we lack strong healthy emotional, spiritual and relationship boundaries
We have not controlled the gateways, our eyes and ears, into our mind, heart and soul, allowing negative, sinful, poisonous images, thoughts, ideas affect us!
What are we to do?
The anti-venom: to LOOK to the cross and that is what it means to ABIDE in JESUS.
…whoever believes will not die!
ABIDE – BELIEVE – TRUST – FOCUS
1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
 
Jesus Lifted Up is Our Victory
Luke 7:10 And when the captain’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Matthew wrote that his servant was healed at that very hour (Matthew 8:13), meaning he was healed immediately