It Makes All The Difference

by R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Category: General | Nov 1986

A Roman officer, a dying servant, Jewish elders, and the Lord Jesus, all participated in a dramatic event at Capernaum. The officer expressed to the Jews his deep anxiety for a valued employee; the elders responded by pleading with Jesus to heal the servant; the sick man lay helpless, awaiting death. Then, a simple sentence spoken by the Roman centurion proved to be the key to the miracle which followed. "I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof ... but say the word, and my servant shall be healed", pleaded this man (Luke 7:1-10). What implicit faith he showed in the spoken word of the Lord! For a Gentile this was indeed remarkable, and is a lesson to us today. The Jew knew from the ancient oracles that, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth...For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Psalm 33:6,9). The Jew knew that God said, "Let there be light, and there was light" (Gen. 1:3) and, "He commanded, and they were created" (Ps. 148:5).

God's people knew that creation was literally spoken into existence by the Word of God, but whether they em6raced this by faith is another matter. The Gentile Roman, however, may not have had the same access to this knowledge. He would have been raised among idol worshippers, a fact which serves to add dimension to his faith. He would not understand by faith, as we do, that the worlds have been framed by the word of God (Heb. 11:3); or, in reference to Jesus, "He was in the world, the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not" (John 1:10). Nevertheless he manifested a believing faith which requested the Lord not to come to his house because of his unworthiness, but from where He was standing, whatever the distance away, to "say the word, and my servant shall be healed". He was acknowledging that only the Creator could do such a thing; and consciously or unconsciously he was acknowledging that Jesus was the Creator, God. He was also a man used to human authority (Luke 7:8), which in turn enabled him to recognize divine authority in Jesus.

Christians can learn from the centurion the importance, value and power of the spoken word from the Lord. Paul, in his writings, helps us too. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom" he says to the Colossians (3:16). "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season" he exhorts Timothy (2 Tim. 4:2). "God.. in His own seasons manifested His word in the

message" he told Titus (1:2,3). Whether we preach, speak privately, or write, the power is in God's word. The well prepared message is to secure the listener's ear; the illustration to open the door of the mind; but it is the seed, which is the Word of God, that brings life, eternal life. So, speak the word! It makes all the difference!

R. Darke, Victoria, B.C., Canada | Nov 1986
General