He Is Worthy

He is Worthy is an expository sermon by Earl White.

Luke 7:1-10

Luke 7:4, "And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:"

Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. There is never an appeal for salvation based on one’s worthiness. This is an unusual case and it was not an appeal on the basis of worthiness for salvation.

The people said "he is worthy" but he himself felt differently. This is brought our in Luke 7:6, "Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:"

It is one thing for people to think you are worthy and quite another for you to think yourself worthy. Pride cometh before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. This centurion was not motivated by pride but by an humble faith.

We do not know how this man came to know Jesus. He may have seen Him on an occasion, or, he may have seen someone that Jesus had worked a miracle on. But he had evident confidence in Jesus and His power to heal. Let’s notice a few things that must have motivated him to send for Jesus to heal his servant.

I. First of all, He believed in Israel’s God.

This is evident in that he had built them a synagogue for worship and the reading of the scroll.

II. Second, he had faith. He had a faith that Jesus commended.

Luke 7:9, "When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." Here is a Gentile being commended for his faith. Never once did Jesus commend His disciple for their great faith.

III. Third, he understood that Jesus was operating under authority.

He used himself to compare himself to Jesus. This is brought out in Luke 7:8, "For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." When he said, “I also am a man set under authority.

He is acknowledging that Jesus is a man under authority. This is brought out in John 17:2, "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." Again in verse 18: "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world."

The centurion saw this a long time before His disciples did. When the centurion brought this out, Jesus was amazed and commended him for his faith.

Conclusion: Truly this man was worthy though he did not think himself so. We need to seek to be worthy, not in our own eyes, but in the eyes of others. Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

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