First Thoughts: This centurion is extraordinary for several reasons. First, he had allied himself with the Jewish people previously by building their synagogue. Second, he doesn't come to Jesus himself since he feels he isn't worthy to be in the same space with Jesus. Third, he humbles himself not to save a family member, but the life of a slave. And finally, he recognizes Jesus' divine authority as similar to his own human authority, and reckons Jesus only needs to issue an order for an act of healing to be accomplished. We see, then, this centurion is socially just, humble, compassionate, and faithful. These are all aspects of being a true disciple of Christ, and they are all found in someone who is presumably an enemy of the Jewish people. The centurion stands as a witness to the power of God to move in anybody, including (and especially) in those whom we least expect. But to find these witnesses we need to be able to see beyond our fears and prejudices and actively seek God's revelation wherever it may occur. In other words, we need to be socially just, humble, compassionate, and faithful. Spend some time reflecting on your own growth in these areas. Where do you feel particularly strong? Where do you need to do more work? Close your time in prayer.
Teaching On Your Own: Hey everybody. Boy, do I have something to share with you! Our community theatre is doing a musical this summer, and I decided to try out. I do have an exceptional singing voice, you know. Do you guys like to sing? Anyway, a bunch of my friends from school were there. Mostly there were the children you'd expect to see -- the class clowns, the children in band and choir. But then I saw this other kid -- a really shy girl in my class who barely says anything. When it came time for her to do the singing part of the audition, I was afraid she would just panic and run off the stage or maybe not even get the words out. But when she sang, her voice was so beautiful and LOUD! She was so good, she even got the lead. Isn't that amazing? It just reminds us that our ideas about people aren't always right.
Like our lesson today about a Roman centurion who needed Jesus' help. Now centurions were soldiers, and the Romans were usually mean to Jewish people. But this centurion was different. He didn't spend his time hurting the Jewish people or pretending that he was better than they were. He helped them and even built their church for them. And when he asked Jesus for help, it wasn't for himself, but for a sick slave he had. He doesn't sound so bad, does he? When Jesus came to see him, the centurion even stopped Jesus on the road, saying that he wasn't worthy to have Jesus under his roof. But if Jesus would just say the word, he knew his servant would be healed. He actually thought Jesus was too important to come to his house, and Jesus was so powerful that even his words would heal. Jesus was so surprised with the centurion's faithfulness that he said the centurion's faith was greater than any he had found in Israel. That means the centurion was the most faithful person Jesus had ever met. Just like the shy girl was the best singer. Our God is full of surprises, huh? Guess that's why our world is so surprising!
Teaching as a Team:
Leader 2: Hi (name). Boy, do I have something to share with you! Our community theatre is doing a musical this summer, and I decided to try out. I do have an exceptional singing voice, you know.
Leader 1: Yes, I know.
Leader 2: Anyway, a bunch of my friends from school were there. Mostly there were the children you'd expect to see -- the class clowns, the children in band and choir. But then I saw this other kid -- a really shy girl in my class who barely says anything. When it came time for her to do the singing part of the audition, I was afraid she would just panic and run off the stage or maybe not even get the words out. Boy, was I surprised!
Leader 1: Why is that?
Leader 2: Because her voice was so beautiful and LOUD! She was so good, she even got the lead. Isn't that amazing?
Leader 1: Yes. It just reminds us that our ideas about people aren't always right. Like our lesson today about a Roman centurion who needed Jesus' help.
Leader 2: Hey, but weren't centurions solders and weren't the Romans mean to Jewish people?
Leader 1: This centurion was different. He didn't spend his time hurting the Jewish people or pretending that he was better than they were. He helped them and even helped build their church for them. And when he asked Jesus for help, it wasn't for himself, but for a sick slave he had.
Leader 2: He doesn't sound so bad.
Leader 1: When Jesus came to see him, the centurion even stopped Jesus on the road, saying that he wasn't worthy to have Jesus under his roof. But if Jesus would just say the word, he knew his servant would be healed.
Leader 2: Wow! He really thought Jesus was too important to come to his house?
Leader 1: And so powerful that even Jesus' words would heal. Jesus was so surprised with the centurion's faithfulness that he said the centurion's faith was greater than any he had found in Israel.
Leader 2: That means the centurion was the most faithful person Jesus had ever met. Just like the shy girl was the best singer.
Leader 1: Yes, our God is full of surprises, which is probably why our world is so surprising!
Closing Prayer: God, help us to remember that you are at work in the world in new and surprising ways. Help us to look for you everywhere we go, in every person we see, so that we don't miss out on the surprise. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this message in a home or classroom environment, review the story a bit more. Ask the children what they might expect of an enemy soldier. Now ask them what they see that's surprising about this one: How the centurion was a friend of the Jewish community, how he cared so much for a slave in his household, how he recognized Jesus' greatness even though he was only a Jewish rabbi, how he trusted Jesus to heal his slave without Jesus even entering the house, and how Jesus called him more faithful than even his fellow Jews. It's easy for us to forget that God made every person we see, and instead to see others as stereotypes. Explain that a stereotype is when we decide what a person is like based only on what we see on the outside.
For a game idea, provide the children with pictures of different people and make sure you have some variety of races, facial expressions, and socioeconomic status. Also give everybody a noise-maker (something you would find at a surprise party). Explain that every time God reveals something new to us, it's like having a surprise party. As the children look at the pictures, ask them what they might EXPECT these people to be like. Then ask them to imagine something surprising about that person God wants to show us. (For example, you might show a picture of a poor person. We might expect this person not to be able to contribute anything to society and to only want others to take care of her. But the surprise is that she actually has a home where she keeps stray animals that need shelter.) Every time the children come up with a surprising fact, let them make noise and shout "Surprise!" You could also provide each child with a "surprise party" balloon, and invite the children to decorate the balloons with ways God surprises us each day. Close with prayer.
