Meeting Jesus - Expanding Comfort Zones
When I was in Middle School “paddling’s” were used as a way to discipline the knucklehead students so teachers could maintain control in the classroom.
At least once a month, the sound of one of our peers getting their bottom warmed up by a flat piece of wood would fill the halls and float into the classroom. I was paddled by every one of my homeroom teachers at least twice during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. The Principal and Vice Principal even got a little of the action.
I was paddled for fighting. I was paddled for cussing. I was paddled for telling my teacher to shut up. I was paddled for spitting spit wads, running in the hall, passing notes, and chewing gum. I was even paddled for peeing on the floor in the boy’s bathroom.
I was an idiot!
Man, in my school, the teachers could paddle until you stopped laughing. If the first “three licks” didn’t wipe the smile off my face, a second teacher would step up to the plate for their turn. Culture was different. Teachers were not only educators, but they were well trained punishment machines. So…I wanted nothing to do with my teachers outside of school.
Because of their occupations, and the age difference, teachers were the outsiders to my middle school world. In today’s passage of scripture, we encounter a man who was an outsider to the Jewish faith. Like my teacher’s in Middle School, he really was a well trained killing machine that served to keep the Jewish people in check. Because of his occupation and race, the Jewish people really wanted nothing to do with him…but as we will read, he was a little different:
Let’s read together:
Luke 7:1-10 (NLT2)
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.” 6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Let’s make sure we fully understand the context.
The Jewish people wanted nothing to do with the occupying force of the Roman Government. They resented Rome.
They hated that Rome occupied Jerusalem.
The Roman government served to remind the Jewish people of their enslavement and bondage in Egypt and Babylon.
Yet – Rome was organized. They had political leaders, soldiers, and power. So the Jewish people reluctantly lived with the occupation of the Roman guard. Because of the tension and anger, a Jewish man would never be seen inside the home, under the roof, or at the dinner table with a Roman soldier – especially one in charge of over 100 soldiers.
But Jesus knew that:
HATE BASED VALUES CANNOT PRODUCE LIFE-CHANGE
Until this miracle, Jesus had never healed anybody outside the Jewish world. Every leper, diseased, blind, lame, or deaf person that Jesus had healed had all been Jewish. Jesus was not a racist. Jesus didn’t hate people of other cultures or backgrounds…but until this moment, nobody from outside the Jewish faith had approached Jesus to ask for healing.
It wasn’t because Jesus was unwilling to cross religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds…it was simply because no one outside the Jewish culture had the FAITH to believe that Jesus could heal and transform. Jesus was willing to go against his culture because he knew that hate based values could not produce life-change.
Hating people because of the color of their skin, culture, religious views - even if that was the way you were raised – is wrong.
The white culture is different
The black culture is different
The Hispanic culture is different
Here in Myrtle Beach – we have a wonderful variety of people from different cultures. It’s beautiful and amazing. But different cultures often create confusion, misunderstandings, and division. We see evidence of this almost nightly on the news.
Can I be honest? I do not understand the cultural norms of other cultures instinctively. Nobody does. And because we do not automatically understand the cultural values and differences of others, it can lead to unintended bias and prejudice. I am grateful that Jesus lived differently and without prejudice or bias.
Jesus was not going to limit God’s love and grace to only the people who looked like him, voted like him, or prayed like him. And in this instance, Jesus wasn’t the only one who refused to allow hate, intimidation, or fear to control his life.
THE CENTURION AND JESUS DEMONSTRATE ETHNIC COOPERATION
Note some of the things that the Jewish leaders said about the Centurion.
The Jewish leaders told Jesus that he should heal his servant because the Centurion…
was worthy
He loved the Jewish nation
And he even used his own resources to build a synagogue for the Jewish people.
The Centurion was in charge of 100 Roman soldiers. He was wealthy enough to pay for a synagogue to be built. This was a man who could have been FEARED by the Jewish community because of his wealth, power and influence. This Centurion was a tough man, but instead of using his influence to bully others and force his will upon others instead of using his influence to get his way, he used his influence to bless the Jewish people.
He crossed ethnic boundaries and unwritten code-of-conduct, he crossed lines of racism and hate, to bless people not like him.
He was a tough man, with a tender heart for the community he lived. He looked around at the Jewish people and he made a decision to improve the community he lived. He used his wealth and power to make the lives of the Jewish people better.
You and I can do the same.
Rather than shrugging our shoulders and giving up – what if YOU chose to make a difference?
What if we chose a better path.
What if Beach Church became a place that helped launch churches that served different ethnicities in our community?
It would be amazing if God used our church facility as a place of worship for other ethnicities in our community. Or what if the cultural divide for you isn’t ethnic diversity – what if it is because of the age gap?
What if Senior Adults began to brainstorm ways they can use their wisdom and knowledge to bless younger generations? What if teenagers began brainstorming ways they can connect with senior adults? It could be through getting involved in our children’s ministry and student Ministry here at Beach. Or Senior adults developing relationships with Young Married couples to provide advice, wisdom, prayer, and mentoring. If we want to impact the culture around us, we have to be willing to lead conversations that begin with “What if we…” That’s when following Jesus gets crazy, messy, and fun!
We also see from the Centurions example that…
TRUE FAITH IS MARKED BY HUMILITY AND AUTHORITY
When the Centurion asked Jesus for help, he did not tell Jesus the good that he had personally done in the community. He could have. He didn’t negotiate. He didn’t tell Jesus if he healed his servant, he would build another temple.
Instead, the Centurion humbly respected the process.
After he had heard about the need of his servant, he humbly reached out to Jesus through the proper Jewish channels. He did not go directly to Jesus (he could have.) He understood that the Jewish people did not like him. He respected the lines that the Jewish people had created.
He sent a messenger to speak to the Jewish leaders. They made the decision to ask Jesus for help for the man. So they did…they sent word to Jesus that this man was unlike the other Roman’s occupying their land. He was trying to help. He was making a difference.
And they probably thought it even more respectful that he did not show up at the Synagogue one morning when Jesus was teaching. Instead, he demonstrated humility by going through the proper channels.
When the Pastor Search team was searching for a senior pastor, I had to go through the right channels. Rather than just simply sending them a link with my name and information, I had to apply through a website, answer questions, go through several interviews…
At any point I could have shrugged my shoulders and said, “If they really were interested in me – they would do it my way.”
If you have a desire to make a difference in our church, in our community, and engage the culture around us, you must be willing to demonstrate humility. Jump through the hoops to serve.
And, be confident in the AUTHORITY God has given you while you are serving.
The Centurion had so much faith Jesus was able to heal, he said Jesus didn’t even need to be present. He said, “just say the word and he will be healed.” If you serve in our community, on the mission field, on a mission trip, or serve in our kids and student ministry, believe that God has given you the authority to change lives. And if the idea of serving children and students makes you uncomfortable…make your “comfort zone” bigger.
EXPANDING YOUR COMFORT ZONE CAN BRING HOPE TO OTHERS
His servant needed help, so the centurion had to get outside his comfort zone to bring hope to him. Younger generations have changed. They are different. You will feel uncomfortable and feel a little intimidated by them. You will not understand them…
So, if you want to serve…make your comfort zone bigger.
When you step out of the areas you are most comfortable in, and begin connecting with people not like you, you are forced to lean into the Holy Spirit and trust him for guidance.
You can’t trust your gut.
You can’t trust your intuition
You have never been there before!
One way my family is going to expand our comfort zone is by traveling to Chan-Chen Mexico this summer with our church on July 26. Kristy and I have served on mission trips – but not yet with our kids! Serving on foreign mission trips helps us get out of our comfort zone in our own neighborhoods. It forces us to see beyond what we have known.
Be comfortable living at the edge of your faith.
Choose to serve with the strength God provides.