My one sermon, something I believe very passionately, is that we have misconstrued our understanding of "faith." I talked about this last Wednesday, during the devotion time at dinner.
Today's reading from Luke 7:1-17 brought me back to this theme. Here we read the story of the centurion with a sick slave. He sends word to Jesus to ask him to come. While Jesus is still a way off the centurion sends word that he is not worthy to have Jesus enter his home; all he asks is that Jesus say the word and he knows the slave will be made well. Jesus commends his faith - "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
There is no mention of what the centurion believes. There is no record of what he has confessed. What we have is a man who trusts in Jesus. His "faith" was his confidence that Jesus would do the compassionate thing.
One of the problems in believing fewer things is that I don't have the answers I had when I was younger. Yesterday's discussion regarding what happens to us when we die might have been met (in my younger years) with confident statements about the afterlife. Yesterday, all I could say is that "God has been so good to me, I have confidence God will also be gracious to me after my death." I have fewer answers; I have a great deal more trust.
When you spend your days learning and discovering, it is difficult not to seek answers in your spiritual life as well. I understand that. I don't want to ignore how difficult it can be to switch gears when you gather as God's children. But if my one sermon could find a finger-hold in your heart, it might begin a transition from faith as believing that which others find it impossible to believe, to faith as a deep trust and confidence in God's goodness. If I can begin that in you, then my life and my ministry would have met a worthy goal.
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