1 00:00:02,335 --> 00:00:05,005 Luke seven one through ten. 2 00:00:05,005 --> 00:00:08,008 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, 3 00:00:08,208 --> 00:00:09,659 he entered Capernaum. 4 00:00:09,659 --> 00:00:12,212 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick, 5 00:00:12,212 --> 00:00:15,198 and at the point of death, and was highly valued by him. 6 00:00:15,932 --> 00:00:19,953 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, 7 00:00:20,370 --> 00:00:23,073 asking him to come and heal his servant. 8 00:00:23,073 --> 00:00:25,742 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him 9 00:00:25,742 --> 00:00:29,362 earnestly, saying, he is worthy to have you do this for him. 10 00:00:29,779 --> 00:00:32,782 For he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us. 11 00:00:32,782 --> 00:00:33,917 Our synagogue. 12 00:00:33,917 --> 00:00:37,070 And Jesus went with them when he was not far from the house. 13 00:00:37,070 --> 00:00:41,808 The centurion sent friends, saying to him, Lord, do not trouble yourself, 14 00:00:42,108 --> 00:00:44,661 for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 15 00:00:44,661 --> 00:00:46,830 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. 16 00:00:46,830 --> 00:00:49,833 But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 17 00:00:50,033 --> 00:00:53,787 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. 18 00:00:54,421 --> 00:00:58,141 And I say to one, go, and he goes, and to another come. 19 00:00:58,374 --> 00:01:01,728 And he comes into my servant, do this, and he does it. 20 00:01:02,095 --> 00:01:04,397 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him. 21 00:01:04,397 --> 00:01:07,016 And turning to the crowd that followed him, said, 22 00:01:07,016 --> 00:01:10,220 I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith. 23 00:01:10,370 --> 00:01:14,057 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the 24 00:01:14,057 --> 00:01:14,958 servant, well. 25 00:01:18,528 --> 00:01:19,429 What if I 26 00:01:19,429 --> 00:01:22,549 told you that one thing you almost 27 00:01:22,549 --> 00:01:25,552 never want to be said about you 28 00:01:25,952 --> 00:01:28,888 is actually the key to you 29 00:01:28,888 --> 00:01:34,310 encountering and experiencing and growing in a relationship with God? 30 00:01:34,344 --> 00:01:38,248 The thing that you absolutely do not want to be true of you 31 00:01:38,748 --> 00:01:41,301 is actually the key. 32 00:01:41,301 --> 00:01:44,420 What I have in mind here is helplessness. 33 00:01:44,637 --> 00:01:46,940 That's what we're talking about this weekend. 34 00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:47,957 Helplessness. 35 00:01:47,957 --> 00:01:51,027 It's probably true that one of the things you at least once 36 00:01:51,027 --> 00:01:54,197 said about you is that you are helpless, 37 00:01:54,647 --> 00:01:58,685 that you're needy, that you can't take care of yourself. 38 00:01:58,701 --> 00:02:00,353 You're not self-sufficient. 39 00:02:00,353 --> 00:02:03,423 I mean, we don't say this out loud because we're 40 00:02:03,423 --> 00:02:06,409 polite people, but needy people, 41 00:02:06,476 --> 00:02:10,647 people who can't take care of themselves and kind of drive us crazy. 42 00:02:11,147 --> 00:02:12,532 We don't want to be them. 43 00:02:12,532 --> 00:02:16,519 That's why one of the most American religious statements 44 00:02:16,553 --> 00:02:19,556 is the belief that God helps those 45 00:02:20,340 --> 00:02:24,377 who help themselves see, you know it because it makes sense to us, because 46 00:02:24,511 --> 00:02:29,098 we assume if we don't like needy people, maybe God doesn't either. 47 00:02:29,098 --> 00:02:30,416 But actually the passage 48 00:02:30,416 --> 00:02:33,603 we're going to look at this weekend tells us it's the opposite. 49 00:02:34,103 --> 00:02:36,723 Only the needy, only 50 00:02:36,723 --> 00:02:40,009 the helpless actually get to experience God. 51 00:02:40,009 --> 00:02:43,680 That in this series on Jesus the Redeemer, we're looking in 52 00:02:43,847 --> 00:02:47,417 the Gospel of Luke how Jesus sets us free from different things. 53 00:02:47,667 --> 00:02:49,786 Helplessness is a little unique. 54 00:02:49,786 --> 00:02:52,105 He can set us free from helplessness. 55 00:02:52,105 --> 00:02:56,743 But first he wants to lead us into helplessness. 56 00:02:56,759 --> 00:02:58,678 That's what I want to show you this weekend. 57 00:02:58,678 --> 00:03:03,132 If you have a Bible with you, take it out and open it to Luke chapter seven. 58 00:03:03,149 --> 00:03:05,401 We're going to look at the first ten verses. 59 00:03:05,401 --> 00:03:08,388 Take out your phone, your tablet, however you want to get there. 60 00:03:08,721 --> 00:03:12,442 Hey, if you're here and you didn't think to bring a Bible or maybe aren't 61 00:03:12,592 --> 00:03:15,862 super familiar with the Bible, first of all, I'm so glad you're here. 62 00:03:16,045 --> 00:03:18,898 It's a great weekend for you to be here, and everything that happens 63 00:03:18,898 --> 00:03:23,102 this weekend is as much for you as it is for me. 64 00:03:23,186 --> 00:03:23,987 The words 65 00:03:23,987 --> 00:03:26,990 I reference will be on the screen behind me, but if you want to hold 66 00:03:27,023 --> 00:03:30,026 something in your hand, there's a Bible in the pew in front of you. 67 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:32,478 Here in the West service or in the back of the room 68 00:03:32,478 --> 00:03:35,281 in East service, and actually preach from that Bible 69 00:03:35,281 --> 00:03:38,451 so that I can tell you today's reading is on page 811. 70 00:03:38,451 --> 00:03:42,622 So if you want to participate in that way, pull that out open to 811. 71 00:03:42,622 --> 00:03:45,742 But however you're getting there, let me hold out to you an outline. 72 00:03:46,075 --> 00:03:48,261 I'm going to use to guide our time together. 73 00:03:48,261 --> 00:03:50,163 Three very simple points. 74 00:03:50,163 --> 00:03:52,465 And they go like this I want to talk about the need, 75 00:03:53,483 --> 00:03:54,751 the source and the 76 00:03:54,751 --> 00:03:58,588 question, the need, the source and the question. 77 00:03:58,788 --> 00:04:01,557 All right. Let's start with the first one, the need. 78 00:04:01,557 --> 00:04:03,927 This story is about a guy 79 00:04:03,927 --> 00:04:06,930 that I really think you're going to like. 80 00:04:07,113 --> 00:04:09,332 He's just called the Centurion. 81 00:04:09,332 --> 00:04:11,067 He is a soldier. 82 00:04:11,067 --> 00:04:13,970 And when you think of this guy, you're probably thinking 83 00:04:13,970 --> 00:04:17,073 of a guy who was one of those funny hats and a red cape and, 84 00:04:17,457 --> 00:04:20,777 and a spear, you know, the typical Roman soldier. 85 00:04:20,777 --> 00:04:23,630 And I guess he probably had all those things. 86 00:04:23,630 --> 00:04:24,781 But this guy was. 87 00:04:24,781 --> 00:04:26,366 He was more than that. 88 00:04:26,366 --> 00:04:29,102 The word centurion implies 89 00:04:29,102 --> 00:04:33,623 that he had at least a hundred men in his command. 90 00:04:33,623 --> 00:04:37,193 Centurion century 100. That's the reference. 91 00:04:37,277 --> 00:04:38,911 He commanded 100 men. 92 00:04:38,911 --> 00:04:42,115 Centurions were noncommissioned officers. 93 00:04:42,348 --> 00:04:45,969 Meaning, he had worked his way up from a basic 94 00:04:45,985 --> 00:04:49,022 soldier to now commanding 100 guys. 95 00:04:49,022 --> 00:04:52,008 There's only one way to do that, by the way. 96 00:04:52,141 --> 00:04:54,444 He was really good in battle. 97 00:04:54,444 --> 00:04:55,712 He was courageous. 98 00:04:55,712 --> 00:04:56,696 He was tough. 99 00:04:56,696 --> 00:04:59,699 He could definitely have taken you in a fight. 100 00:05:00,049 --> 00:05:01,284 That's who he was. 101 00:05:01,284 --> 00:05:04,771 He was a man's man, a guy's guy, an action hero. 102 00:05:04,787 --> 00:05:07,674 He was a soldier of great renown. 103 00:05:07,674 --> 00:05:09,509 He was an officer, a commander. 104 00:05:09,509 --> 00:05:13,429 And centurions made about 15 times 105 00:05:13,613 --> 00:05:16,616 the annual salary of a regular soldier. 106 00:05:16,699 --> 00:05:18,768 So he's doing pretty good for himself. 107 00:05:18,768 --> 00:05:22,638 I mean, this guy is not just tough and smart and capable. 108 00:05:22,772 --> 00:05:23,956 He's wealthy. 109 00:05:23,956 --> 00:05:27,860 He is an officer in the most powerful army in the whole world. 110 00:05:27,894 --> 00:05:30,146 He would be a member at the club. 111 00:05:30,146 --> 00:05:33,049 You wish you could be a member at. 112 00:05:33,049 --> 00:05:34,550 He would drive a great car. 113 00:05:34,550 --> 00:05:36,686 He would live in a great neighborhood. 114 00:05:36,686 --> 00:05:40,656 He's one of those guys that would ooze wealth and success. 115 00:05:40,673 --> 00:05:42,658 The kind of guy you half admire? 116 00:05:42,658 --> 00:05:43,076 Half. 117 00:05:43,076 --> 00:05:46,079 Hey, that's who this guy is. 118 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,282 But also, he was politically savvy. 119 00:05:49,532 --> 00:05:53,986 When he sends emissaries to Jesus to ask Jesus for help. 120 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,123 He sends Jewish messengers. 121 00:05:57,123 --> 00:06:00,293 That's because Jesus was Jewish, and this guy is a Roman. 122 00:06:00,293 --> 00:06:01,461 He's an oppressor. 123 00:06:01,461 --> 00:06:05,398 The Romans are oppressing the Jews at this point in history. 124 00:06:05,398 --> 00:06:09,869 And so he's not sure if a Jewish guy is going to want to help a Roman soldier. 125 00:06:09,869 --> 00:06:12,205 So he sends Jewish messengers. 126 00:06:12,205 --> 00:06:15,925 And what they tell Jesus is, hey, you need to help this guy. 127 00:06:15,958 --> 00:06:17,910 He's one of the good ones. 128 00:06:17,910 --> 00:06:20,747 He actually built our synagogue, 129 00:06:20,747 --> 00:06:26,269 which means this guy is savvy about the fundraisers he goes to, right? 130 00:06:26,335 --> 00:06:28,037 He gives the right check. 131 00:06:28,037 --> 00:06:30,206 That one hit a little close to home. You guys. 132 00:06:30,206 --> 00:06:31,641 You guys chuckled at that. 133 00:06:31,641 --> 00:06:34,277 He sends the right check to the right charity. 134 00:06:34,277 --> 00:06:37,663 When you go by the Jewish synagogue, his name is on the cornerstone 135 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:41,401 thanks to Roman Centurion from Luke chapter seven. 136 00:06:41,401 --> 00:06:43,669 He's that kind of guy. He. 137 00:06:43,669 --> 00:06:46,889 These are people he's oppressing who are vouching for him. 138 00:06:46,889 --> 00:06:48,708 That's how savvy he is. 139 00:06:48,708 --> 00:06:52,078 Okay, so with all that in mind, let's now read 140 00:06:52,078 --> 00:06:55,131 the first couple of verses, Luke chapter seven, verse one. 141 00:06:55,148 --> 00:06:56,582 Here's what it says. 142 00:06:56,582 --> 00:07:00,837 After he had finished all his sayings, the he here, by the way, is Jesus 143 00:07:01,337 --> 00:07:04,340 in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum. 144 00:07:04,757 --> 00:07:07,160 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick, 145 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:10,379 and at the point of death he was highly valued by him. 146 00:07:10,847 --> 00:07:13,850 And when the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him 147 00:07:13,850 --> 00:07:17,420 elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 148 00:07:17,420 --> 00:07:21,290 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, 149 00:07:21,290 --> 00:07:24,677 he is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation. 150 00:07:24,677 --> 00:07:26,996 He's the one who built us our synagogue. 151 00:07:26,996 --> 00:07:29,699 Think I want you to see is this guy is smart. 152 00:07:29,699 --> 00:07:30,750 He is talented. 153 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:33,769 He is tough. He is capable, guys guy. 154 00:07:33,836 --> 00:07:38,608 He's savvy, he's self-sufficient, and he is utterly and completely helpless. 155 00:07:40,726 --> 00:07:42,295 He has a servant who is sick. 156 00:07:42,295 --> 00:07:45,598 Now, in the original language, this implies not just any servant, but 157 00:07:45,598 --> 00:07:46,983 a young boy. 158 00:07:46,983 --> 00:07:51,821 He has a young boy who who he owns, who works for him, who is sick. 159 00:07:51,838 --> 00:07:57,710 In Matthew's version of this story, he says the centurion says he is suffering 160 00:07:58,010 --> 00:08:02,298 terribly, meaning he's watching this young boy die. 161 00:08:02,548 --> 00:08:06,352 If you were a young boy who is suffering and dying, 162 00:08:06,352 --> 00:08:07,136 and you work for 163 00:08:07,136 --> 00:08:11,007 one of the most powerful men in the world, when you looked up at that man 164 00:08:11,007 --> 00:08:14,010 in your dying, what would you say to him? 165 00:08:14,927 --> 00:08:17,547 Surely you can help me, 166 00:08:17,547 --> 00:08:19,398 sir. You're so powerful. 167 00:08:19,398 --> 00:08:20,783 You're so rich. 168 00:08:20,783 --> 00:08:23,219 You're so smart, you're so savvy. 169 00:08:23,219 --> 00:08:25,888 You're so capable. Sir, please. 170 00:08:25,888 --> 00:08:26,789 I'm dying. 171 00:08:26,789 --> 00:08:29,859 Please help me with this guy. 172 00:08:29,876 --> 00:08:31,227 Couldn't. 173 00:08:31,227 --> 00:08:34,997 Because money didn't fix this influence didn't fix this success 174 00:08:35,131 --> 00:08:38,417 professionally doesn't fix this club membership. 175 00:08:38,568 --> 00:08:41,687 Fundraising checks couldn't solve this. 176 00:08:41,687 --> 00:08:43,940 Here's the thing. You like this Centurion. 177 00:08:43,940 --> 00:08:45,358 I know you do. 178 00:08:45,358 --> 00:08:46,859 Some of you are this guy. 179 00:08:46,859 --> 00:08:49,645 Others of you are trying to become this guy. 180 00:08:49,645 --> 00:08:51,180 He's everything we value. 181 00:08:51,180 --> 00:08:53,432 He's as American as you can get. 182 00:08:53,432 --> 00:08:55,818 2000 years before there was an America. 183 00:08:57,870 --> 00:08:59,121 And he's utterly helpless. 184 00:08:59,121 --> 00:09:03,709 You see, this story is teaching us right off the bat that no matter who you are, 185 00:09:04,944 --> 00:09:09,682 no matter how rich, how powerful, how successful, how savvy, how 186 00:09:09,682 --> 00:09:13,970 self-sufficient, you will inevitably come to a moment in life 187 00:09:13,970 --> 00:09:16,973 where you are utterly helpless. 188 00:09:18,140 --> 00:09:19,909 But what I want you to see is that maybe 189 00:09:19,909 --> 00:09:22,912 that's not a bad thing. 190 00:09:23,129 --> 00:09:25,731 I mean, I know in moments of helplessness 191 00:09:25,731 --> 00:09:28,067 we tend to say things like, God, where are you? 192 00:09:28,067 --> 00:09:29,101 God, don't you care? 193 00:09:29,101 --> 00:09:31,337 God, don't you see? God, what are you doing? 194 00:09:31,337 --> 00:09:34,457 It's okay to say those things, but I want you to keep in mind that 195 00:09:34,457 --> 00:09:38,761 if this story never happens, we still have the Gospel of Luke, right? 196 00:09:38,911 --> 00:09:42,231 If this story never happens, Jesus is still going to live senselessly, 197 00:09:42,348 --> 00:09:45,651 die sacrificially, and rise victoriously. 198 00:09:45,751 --> 00:09:49,188 This story doesn't change what happens with Jesus. 199 00:09:49,188 --> 00:09:53,242 It just make sure the centurion doesn't miss Jesus. 200 00:09:54,977 --> 00:09:56,512 Do you see that 201 00:09:56,512 --> 00:10:01,100 without this moment of helplessness, this guy isn't part of the story of Jesus? 202 00:10:01,584 --> 00:10:06,989 Without helplessness, we might live our whole lives without reference to God. 203 00:10:06,989 --> 00:10:10,876 Without helplessness, we may never ask God, where are you? 204 00:10:10,910 --> 00:10:13,829 We may never ask God, do you see me? God? 205 00:10:13,829 --> 00:10:14,630 Do you care? 206 00:10:14,630 --> 00:10:18,317 What if helplessness isn't a reason to doubt God? 207 00:10:18,467 --> 00:10:21,804 What if helplessness is a reason to believe 208 00:10:21,804 --> 00:10:24,807 that God maybe is getting your attention? 209 00:10:25,908 --> 00:10:27,927 That was true for this guy. 210 00:10:27,927 --> 00:10:30,980 But if it's true for him, why couldn't it be true for you? 211 00:10:30,980 --> 00:10:34,250 And isn't it true that in your experiences with helplessness, 212 00:10:35,001 --> 00:10:38,004 usually you find yourself reaching for God? 213 00:10:38,087 --> 00:10:40,556 Really, no matter how you think of yourself, an atheist, 214 00:10:40,556 --> 00:10:43,609 religious, Christian, whatever you might call yourself, in those moments, 215 00:10:43,609 --> 00:10:46,112 you try something like, hey God, if you're out there, 216 00:10:47,163 --> 00:10:48,898 would you help? 217 00:10:48,898 --> 00:10:52,618 Because those moments awaken us to the reality of God. 218 00:10:52,618 --> 00:10:57,990 They awaken us to the idea that maybe we could be part of the story of God, 219 00:10:57,990 --> 00:11:00,976 but man do they pass quickly. 220 00:11:01,260 --> 00:11:03,479 Most of us are familiar with that cycle, right? 221 00:11:03,479 --> 00:11:06,298 You get low in a moment of helplessness. You pray to God. 222 00:11:06,298 --> 00:11:07,850 The moment passes, you move on. 223 00:11:07,850 --> 00:11:11,187 Makes me think of the story of the guy who's late for an appointment, 224 00:11:11,454 --> 00:11:14,540 and he's driving around the parking lot trying to find a spot. 225 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:17,843 So finally he says, God, if you'll give me a parking spot, 226 00:11:17,843 --> 00:11:21,230 I will go to church every day for a year 227 00:11:21,597 --> 00:11:23,816 and the spot opens up in the front and he goes, nevermind. 228 00:11:23,816 --> 00:11:26,819 God found one. 229 00:11:29,188 --> 00:11:31,590 Tell me you can't identify with that. 230 00:11:33,059 --> 00:11:35,094 Friends, I want you to understand that 231 00:11:35,094 --> 00:11:39,482 helplessness is what ultimately is going to include this guy in the story of Jesus. 232 00:11:39,482 --> 00:11:44,103 It is ultimately what's going to include this young boy and the story of of Jesus. 233 00:11:44,253 --> 00:11:47,239 What is your current problem? 234 00:11:50,209 --> 00:11:52,378 Is not the sign that God doesn't care 235 00:11:52,378 --> 00:11:56,215 what if it is the way he is bringing you into his story? 236 00:11:56,332 --> 00:12:00,453 What if that marriage that is crumbling, that rebellious teenager, the 237 00:12:00,636 --> 00:12:05,725 the search for a jobs, the desire to kick that addiction? 238 00:12:05,725 --> 00:12:09,211 What if the problem that maybe even for the first time in a long time 239 00:12:09,211 --> 00:12:11,897 brought you here this weekend is like Romans. 240 00:12:11,897 --> 00:12:16,402 I mean, Luke seven and the Roman soldier is just God bringing you into his story. 241 00:12:17,870 --> 00:12:20,272 What if neediness is not a bad thing? 242 00:12:21,357 --> 00:12:22,558 Well, the only way that could 243 00:12:22,558 --> 00:12:26,629 be true for my second point is if there's a source 244 00:12:27,329 --> 00:12:30,349 that you can go to to meet that need, 245 00:12:30,683 --> 00:12:36,689 this guy reaches out to Jesus and he's asking two fundamental questions, right? 246 00:12:36,689 --> 00:12:40,259 The same two questions that you and I wrestle with in our moment of neediness. 247 00:12:40,259 --> 00:12:44,814 And that is, can God help me and will God help me? 248 00:12:44,897 --> 00:12:47,783 The first is a question of power, a question of ability. 249 00:12:47,783 --> 00:12:50,553 The second is maybe a question of interest. 250 00:12:50,553 --> 00:12:53,789 Is there a God? And if so, can he help? 251 00:12:53,789 --> 00:12:57,726 And even if he can help, is he inclined to help? 252 00:12:57,743 --> 00:13:00,062 I don't know if you've ever thought about it, but when you cry out 253 00:13:00,062 --> 00:13:03,716 to God in your moment of helplessness, that's what you're really asking. 254 00:13:04,283 --> 00:13:07,353 This guy, by the way, is utterly convinced of the first one. 255 00:13:07,586 --> 00:13:10,623 He never doubt Jesus. His ability to heal. 256 00:13:10,623 --> 00:13:12,441 He's heard about Jesus. 257 00:13:12,441 --> 00:13:17,663 The the Bible says somehow he's he's heard about stories of Jesus doing miracles. 258 00:13:17,746 --> 00:13:18,864 He never wavers. 259 00:13:18,864 --> 00:13:21,500 That's why Jesus says he has such great faith. 260 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,335 He knows Jesus can do it. 261 00:13:23,335 --> 00:13:25,921 He isn't sure Jesus will do it. 262 00:13:25,921 --> 00:13:29,492 That's why he sends Jewish guys to vouch for him. 263 00:13:29,692 --> 00:13:31,193 Let me ask you in your current 264 00:13:31,193 --> 00:13:34,613 understanding of God, do you believe he can help people? 265 00:13:34,613 --> 00:13:35,848 Do you believe he will? 266 00:13:37,733 --> 00:13:38,701 That's why you have to see 267 00:13:38,701 --> 00:13:43,172 that verse six in just a few short words is life changing if you let it be. 268 00:13:43,405 --> 00:13:46,609 Verse six says this And Jesus went 269 00:13:47,726 --> 00:13:50,162 with them. 270 00:13:50,162 --> 00:13:51,413 You know, it's entirely possible. 271 00:13:51,413 --> 00:13:54,800 This guy sends Jewish guys to Jesus and says, hey, will you help? 272 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,152 And Jesus says, no. 273 00:13:57,152 --> 00:14:00,139 It's entirely possible that Jesus says, not for a Roman, 274 00:14:00,990 --> 00:14:03,993 not for a soldier, not for an oppressor. 275 00:14:04,009 --> 00:14:06,228 I got other sick people to take care of. 276 00:14:06,228 --> 00:14:08,063 I'm too tired. 277 00:14:08,063 --> 00:14:11,033 You're too bad. 278 00:14:11,033 --> 00:14:12,418 But he doesn't. 279 00:14:12,418 --> 00:14:15,054 The Bible just says, and he went with them. 280 00:14:15,054 --> 00:14:17,907 You see, Jesus is an invitation to this idea. 281 00:14:17,907 --> 00:14:23,028 There is a God who can help you and that God is interested in helping you. 282 00:14:23,028 --> 00:14:25,281 God can and God will. 283 00:14:25,281 --> 00:14:30,536 This story is an invitation for you in your neediness for me, 284 00:14:30,686 --> 00:14:33,689 in my helplessness to go to God. 285 00:14:34,373 --> 00:14:37,643 It's an invitation to bring that rebellious teenager to 286 00:14:37,676 --> 00:14:41,030 to bring your broken marriage, your addiction, whatever it is 287 00:14:41,030 --> 00:14:45,801 that you're facing, to bring it to God and say, God, I'm hopeful that you can. 288 00:14:45,985 --> 00:14:47,636 I'm hopeful that you will. 289 00:14:47,636 --> 00:14:51,690 Jesus says, this guy has great faith, but he's only fully convinced 290 00:14:51,690 --> 00:14:53,576 of the first one. The second one he's iffy on. 291 00:14:56,395 --> 00:14:58,314 But he knows this. 292 00:14:58,314 --> 00:15:01,700 What I can't do for myself, I believe Jesus can. 293 00:15:01,700 --> 00:15:04,370 Do you think that? Let me put it to you this way. 294 00:15:04,370 --> 00:15:06,622 You know I have five kids. How could you not know that? 295 00:15:06,622 --> 00:15:09,024 I talk about it all the time, 296 00:15:09,024 --> 00:15:11,961 but in my family, I am the know guy. 297 00:15:11,961 --> 00:15:13,228 Do you know what I mean? 298 00:15:13,228 --> 00:15:16,231 Like, if you want to. Yes. You go to mom. 299 00:15:16,248 --> 00:15:17,099 If you want to know. 300 00:15:17,099 --> 00:15:19,702 I don't know why you would, but if you do, you come to me. 301 00:15:19,702 --> 00:15:22,471 Especially when it comes to money, okay? 302 00:15:22,471 --> 00:15:23,455 Especially when it comes. 303 00:15:23,455 --> 00:15:27,176 I love to say no to things involving money. 304 00:15:27,176 --> 00:15:30,145 I tell my kids all the time, I'm trying to say yes to college, 305 00:15:30,145 --> 00:15:31,697 so I'm saying no to ice cream. 306 00:15:31,697 --> 00:15:33,866 Okay, I can't say yes to both. 307 00:15:33,866 --> 00:15:36,869 I, I'm I'm always saying no. 308 00:15:37,102 --> 00:15:41,090 So I imagine sometimes my kids are discussing 309 00:15:41,090 --> 00:15:44,159 how best to approach me in their moment of need. 310 00:15:44,543 --> 00:15:48,263 Like one kid is saying to another, like, mom said, I have to ask dad. 311 00:15:48,263 --> 00:15:49,732 I don't really want to. 312 00:15:50,733 --> 00:15:53,118 And I imagine that sometimes, maybe not always. 313 00:15:53,118 --> 00:15:56,221 Sometimes one kid decides to vouch for me. 314 00:15:56,238 --> 00:15:59,241 Okay, and how do you think they would do that? 315 00:15:59,725 --> 00:16:02,628 Well, they would point to all the things I've done in the past, right? 316 00:16:02,628 --> 00:16:04,530 They would say, no, no, no, it's good you should ask that. 317 00:16:04,530 --> 00:16:08,267 When I needed this for lacrosse, remember he came through. 318 00:16:08,717 --> 00:16:10,052 Remember when we were on vacation? 319 00:16:10,052 --> 00:16:12,121 It was really hot. We all wanted lemonade. And he. 320 00:16:12,121 --> 00:16:14,189 This doesn't sound like me at all, by the way. 321 00:16:14,189 --> 00:16:16,008 And he got it for us. 322 00:16:16,008 --> 00:16:20,429 Like, you can go to dad sometimes, you know, here he likes to do stuff for us. 323 00:16:20,429 --> 00:16:21,063 You can go to dad. 324 00:16:21,063 --> 00:16:22,014 They would be saying, 325 00:16:22,014 --> 00:16:25,701 hey, let me tell you the stories I've experience in order to give you courage, 326 00:16:25,801 --> 00:16:28,554 the dad can and will. Friends hear me on this? 327 00:16:28,554 --> 00:16:29,822 Hear me on this? 328 00:16:29,822 --> 00:16:31,640 That's exactly what the gospels are. 329 00:16:33,842 --> 00:16:35,060 I know, I know, guys like me 330 00:16:35,060 --> 00:16:36,929 are always telling you to read the Bible, read the Bible, 331 00:16:36,929 --> 00:16:38,747 and sometimes you just think we're telling you 332 00:16:38,747 --> 00:16:42,151 to read it for its own sake, like there's a merit badge in heaven. 333 00:16:42,151 --> 00:16:45,137 And if you read enough, you get it. 334 00:16:45,204 --> 00:16:46,789 But what I'm telling you is 335 00:16:46,789 --> 00:16:50,242 the gospels, the stories of Jesus, the miracles 336 00:16:50,242 --> 00:16:54,530 of Jesus, the affection of Jesus, the Jesus who shows us a God 337 00:16:54,646 --> 00:17:00,469 who can help us and will help us are there because they are God Himself, 338 00:17:00,569 --> 00:17:04,223 giving you reasons to come to him in your moment of need. 339 00:17:07,042 --> 00:17:08,177 That's why you got to see these 340 00:17:08,177 --> 00:17:12,681 these couple of words and Jesus went with them, is an invitation to you. 341 00:17:13,082 --> 00:17:13,982 At the end of the service. 342 00:17:13,982 --> 00:17:17,119 We'll have a prayer team down here and they'll be ready to pray with you. 343 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,639 Listen, if Jesus would go with this guy, why wouldn't he go with you? 344 00:17:21,623 --> 00:17:22,141 Bring your 345 00:17:22,141 --> 00:17:25,160 problems, bring your concerns, bring your struggles. 346 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:26,061 Bring your questions. 347 00:17:26,061 --> 00:17:31,617 Because the Bible tells us there's a God who can and will help us. 348 00:17:33,018 --> 00:17:37,022 And I know what you're thinking, which is why that's my third point. 349 00:17:37,022 --> 00:17:39,508 The question 350 00:17:39,508 --> 00:17:42,511 I know the question that's on your mind. 351 00:17:43,729 --> 00:17:46,014 But what if he doesn't? 352 00:17:46,014 --> 00:17:47,966 That's been on my mind, too this week. 353 00:17:47,966 --> 00:17:50,969 You know, people sometimes ask me, Zach, what is preaching like? 354 00:17:51,170 --> 00:17:53,939 And I always say that it's like you have a test every week. 355 00:17:53,939 --> 00:17:56,041 You remember in school when you had a test coming up, 356 00:17:56,041 --> 00:17:58,861 it's like, I have a test every Thursday and Sunday, and 357 00:17:58,861 --> 00:18:01,580 and sometimes I'm studying, sometimes I'm not studying, 358 00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:04,383 but I always feel like I should be studying, right? 359 00:18:04,383 --> 00:18:08,387 Like like I may not be all the way prepared, which is why I love that Pastor 360 00:18:08,387 --> 00:18:12,624 Joe and I tend to take turns every other week because I'm never more 361 00:18:12,624 --> 00:18:16,195 relaxed than Sunday afternoon after I just preached. 362 00:18:16,645 --> 00:18:19,648 Okay, because I got a little bit of time for the next test. 363 00:18:19,915 --> 00:18:23,102 Not this past Sunday, though, because I'm preaching two weeks in a row. 364 00:18:24,052 --> 00:18:24,770 So this past 365 00:18:24,770 --> 00:18:27,990 Sunday I went to a Cavs game with some of my friends, which was great. 366 00:18:28,757 --> 00:18:31,410 But while we're there, at least part of my brain 367 00:18:31,410 --> 00:18:35,430 is working on the sermon because Thursday is always coming. 368 00:18:35,430 --> 00:18:37,800 Okay, so my head is kind of spinning, 369 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:39,535 and I know I'm going to preach on helplessness. 370 00:18:39,535 --> 00:18:40,652 And I'm thinking through, 371 00:18:40,652 --> 00:18:43,622 you know, in between watching the Portland Trailblazers be helpless 372 00:18:43,622 --> 00:18:47,726 in defeating the Cavaliers, I'm wrestling with this question of helplessness. 373 00:18:47,726 --> 00:18:50,028 And at this game, there was a giveaway. 374 00:18:50,028 --> 00:18:51,330 They were giving away a bobblehead. 375 00:18:51,330 --> 00:18:52,498 And I'm looking at my bobblehead. 376 00:18:52,498 --> 00:18:54,333 And it hit me, 377 00:18:54,333 --> 00:18:57,319 because this bobblehead is not of a player. 378 00:18:57,603 --> 00:19:00,572 This is of Nick Gilbert. 379 00:19:00,572 --> 00:19:02,574 Dan Gilbert son 380 00:19:02,574 --> 00:19:04,793 Dan Gilbert is the owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. 381 00:19:04,793 --> 00:19:06,862 Nick Gilbert is his son who has passed away. 382 00:19:08,147 --> 00:19:10,616 He had, fatal disease. 383 00:19:10,616 --> 00:19:13,218 And the bobblehead is pointing to the incredible foundation 384 00:19:13,218 --> 00:19:15,871 they've established, support research for that disease. 385 00:19:15,871 --> 00:19:18,590 A really cool thing. Really great way of honoring him. 386 00:19:18,590 --> 00:19:20,609 But it hit me all of a sudden, I'm looking at this 387 00:19:20,609 --> 00:19:22,377 and I'm going, I wonder if the Gilberts were here 388 00:19:22,377 --> 00:19:25,380 this weekend, how they would hear this sermon. 389 00:19:29,668 --> 00:19:31,737 Hey, helplessness is a good thing 390 00:19:31,737 --> 00:19:34,857 because when you go to Jesus, he can and will help you. 391 00:19:34,857 --> 00:19:37,860 You don't think the Gilberts prayed? 392 00:19:38,460 --> 00:19:41,446 I mean, I don't know if they're religious, but even if they're not, 393 00:19:41,697 --> 00:19:43,799 you know, they prayed, 394 00:19:43,799 --> 00:19:45,684 you know, they prayed. 395 00:19:45,684 --> 00:19:48,503 And the thing is, it's not just about their story and their bobblehead. 396 00:19:48,503 --> 00:19:50,522 You probably have your own 397 00:19:50,522 --> 00:19:52,641 bobblehead, 398 00:19:52,641 --> 00:19:54,693 your own moment where you went 399 00:19:54,693 --> 00:19:58,430 to God in your neediness and you believed or 400 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:02,568 tried to believe that he could help you and he would help you, and he didn't. 401 00:20:02,568 --> 00:20:05,571 And maybe even if you haven't had that moment, what's been holding 402 00:20:05,571 --> 00:20:10,259 you back from really buying into this message is, what if he doesn't? 403 00:20:10,259 --> 00:20:15,714 Because the deep question of our hearts is, if I go to God in my helplessness, 404 00:20:15,898 --> 00:20:18,417 if if he if I believe he can help me 405 00:20:18,417 --> 00:20:22,187 and he will help me and he doesn't help me, what does that mean? 406 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:27,409 Does he love me? 407 00:20:27,409 --> 00:20:31,113 Do you know what's interesting is that in this story, God does come through. 408 00:20:31,113 --> 00:20:33,382 In this story, Jesus does do the miracle. 409 00:20:33,382 --> 00:20:35,484 The little boy is healed. 410 00:20:35,484 --> 00:20:39,738 But you know what's also interesting to me is that even though this centurion 411 00:20:39,738 --> 00:20:43,292 gets what he asks for, he's wrestling with the same question. 412 00:20:44,059 --> 00:20:44,793 Let me show you this. 413 00:20:44,793 --> 00:20:46,378 It's a fascinating thing in the passage. 414 00:20:46,378 --> 00:20:47,930 Let's pick it up again in verse six. 415 00:20:47,930 --> 00:20:49,248 And Jesus went with them. 416 00:20:49,248 --> 00:20:52,968 And when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, 417 00:20:52,968 --> 00:20:55,938 saying to him, Lord, do not trouble yourself, for 418 00:20:55,938 --> 00:20:58,740 I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 419 00:20:58,740 --> 00:21:01,159 Therefore I did not presume to come to you, 420 00:21:01,159 --> 00:21:04,279 but say the word, let my servant be healed, for 421 00:21:04,279 --> 00:21:07,699 I too am a man set under authority with soldiers under me. 422 00:21:07,699 --> 00:21:10,652 And I say to one, go, and he goes into another, come. 423 00:21:10,652 --> 00:21:13,288 And he comes into my servant, do this, and he does it. 424 00:21:13,288 --> 00:21:17,459 I want you to see the amazing reality here that will show you your heart and mind. 425 00:21:17,643 --> 00:21:21,596 This guy is utterly convinced that Jesus can heal his servant. 426 00:21:21,713 --> 00:21:23,582 He is utterly convinced 427 00:21:23,582 --> 00:21:27,502 that Jesus can bring this little boy back from almost the dead. 428 00:21:27,536 --> 00:21:29,538 The one thing he could never believe 429 00:21:30,539 --> 00:21:33,542 is that Jesus would love him. 430 00:21:35,610 --> 00:21:37,229 It is easier to believe 431 00:21:37,229 --> 00:21:40,232 God can heal you than love you. 432 00:21:43,168 --> 00:21:44,486 Because this guy's a soldier. 433 00:21:44,486 --> 00:21:47,222 You don't think he has guilt. 434 00:21:47,222 --> 00:21:48,507 You don't think he has shame. 435 00:21:48,507 --> 00:21:51,510 You think you can give enough money 436 00:21:51,927 --> 00:21:55,347 to ease your conscience of being an oppressor? 437 00:21:55,347 --> 00:21:58,350 Even if the people you oppress decide you're good? 438 00:22:00,152 --> 00:22:01,103 This guy says Jesus. 439 00:22:01,103 --> 00:22:04,523 It never even entered my mind that you would come to my house. 440 00:22:05,841 --> 00:22:08,193 But you see, that's the greatest miracle 441 00:22:08,193 --> 00:22:11,179 Jesus is going to do in Luke seven. 442 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:15,450 You can't understand the story until you see that the greatest miracle 443 00:22:15,450 --> 00:22:19,971 Jesus is going to do for this centurion and for this little boy, is not healing. 444 00:22:19,971 --> 00:22:20,689 This boy. 445 00:22:20,689 --> 00:22:24,476 The greatest miracle he's going to do is he's going to tell this centurion, 446 00:22:24,476 --> 00:22:26,094 I have come to do more than that. 447 00:22:26,094 --> 00:22:28,797 I've come to live sinless in your place. 448 00:22:28,797 --> 00:22:33,168 If you go to the cross and become the soldier, become the oppressor, 449 00:22:33,201 --> 00:22:37,372 become the violent man, become the guy with the anger problem, 450 00:22:37,372 --> 00:22:41,576 and to come up under the wrath and judgment of God and to give my life 451 00:22:41,576 --> 00:22:44,579 as a sacrifice for your sin, to die 452 00:22:44,579 --> 00:22:47,933 three days later, to rise from the dead, ascend into heaven. 453 00:22:47,999 --> 00:22:52,137 And when God speaks your name on the day of judgment, I will vouch for you. 454 00:22:52,137 --> 00:22:54,389 If you could talk to the centurion right now in heaven. 455 00:22:54,389 --> 00:22:56,491 And you said to him, what's the most incredible thing 456 00:22:56,491 --> 00:22:57,859 God has ever done for you? 457 00:22:57,859 --> 00:23:00,362 He wouldn't even think of mentioning the story. 458 00:23:03,799 --> 00:23:04,649 Because this is the second 459 00:23:04,649 --> 00:23:07,652 most incredible thing God ever did for him. 460 00:23:08,837 --> 00:23:10,439 Because in Jesus, God 461 00:23:10,439 --> 00:23:13,442 convinced the centurion 462 00:23:13,558 --> 00:23:15,077 that he loves him. 463 00:23:15,077 --> 00:23:17,763 This guy has faith, but it's too small 464 00:23:17,763 --> 00:23:21,333 faith for miracles, not faith for the miracle of God's love. 465 00:23:21,450 --> 00:23:24,920 Listen, friends, Jesus came so that you would know God loves you 466 00:23:26,271 --> 00:23:29,875 regardless of whether he gives you the miracle or not. 467 00:23:30,475 --> 00:23:33,445 You see, the great news of the gospel is that we don't measure God's love. 468 00:23:33,445 --> 00:23:38,550 And whether he answers our prayer with a yes like in Luke seven or with a 469 00:23:38,550 --> 00:23:43,638 no like in this story or so many others, who knows why God does what he does. 470 00:23:43,638 --> 00:23:46,641 I wouldn't even try to guess 471 00:23:47,392 --> 00:23:48,710 his ways are beyond me. 472 00:23:48,710 --> 00:23:49,678 But I can tell you the one thing 473 00:23:49,678 --> 00:23:53,265 we never have to guess about, and that is whether he loves us. 474 00:23:53,281 --> 00:23:56,284 You see, your ultimate helplessness and mine 475 00:23:56,401 --> 00:24:00,172 is not our rebellious teenager, or our marriage or our sickness. 476 00:24:00,572 --> 00:24:04,192 It is the separation we experience between ourselves and God. 477 00:24:06,928 --> 00:24:09,931 And if we go to Jesus, 478 00:24:09,948 --> 00:24:12,951 he will cleanse us, 479 00:24:12,984 --> 00:24:17,372 forgive us, love us, and connect us to God. 480 00:24:17,372 --> 00:24:21,743 What if the helplessness that brought you in this weekend 481 00:24:22,461 --> 00:24:26,898 is the beginning of your intersection with that God? 482 00:24:27,048 --> 00:24:29,568 Let me pray for us. Father God, 483 00:24:29,568 --> 00:24:32,571 thank you for the story of the centurion. 484 00:24:32,671 --> 00:24:35,123 It is a story for Northeast Ohio. 485 00:24:35,123 --> 00:24:38,126 It is a story for the suburbs. 486 00:24:39,327 --> 00:24:41,546 Rich, successful, 487 00:24:41,546 --> 00:24:44,850 good looking, savvy people 488 00:24:44,850 --> 00:24:49,671 still are utterly helpless in life's most crucial moments, 489 00:24:49,671 --> 00:24:53,758 still utterly helpless before your judgment. 490 00:24:54,025 --> 00:24:55,460 Which is why you sent Jesus. 491 00:24:55,460 --> 00:25:00,382 God, help us to see our helplessness and help us to take it to Jesus. 492 00:25:00,382 --> 00:25:05,153 The one source who can answer the deepest question of our hearts 493 00:25:06,388 --> 00:25:08,340 and his name we pray. Amen.