In this lesson, students learn that saints are all believers on earth.
Devotion
Luke 7:9
9 When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd that was following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.”
In the Old Testament, God commanded the children of Israel to set themselves apart from the world. They were not to intermarry with gentiles. But His purpose was not to limit salvation, but to make sure that the Savior of the World would come.
When Jesus came, some of the disciples thought that Christians should only be Jewish. Throughout His ministry, Jesus showed them that He came to save all people.
Since many of us are not Jewish, if those disciples had been successful, we wouldn't be believers. But Jesus did come for all. In our lesson for today, we see that even a Roman soldier was a believer. And his faith amazed Jesus.
So all believers, Jews and gentiles, male and female, young and old are joined together with this fact. Jesus came to save us. The title of our lesson is we are a group of saints. Not in the sense that saints are perfect, but that saints are perfected by what Jesus has done. Not in the sense that we earned salvation, but because the Holy Spirit worked faith in our hearts. Not in the sense that we deserve the Father's love, but because He loved us so much that He sent His son to save us. He wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Jesus healing the servant of a Centurion, by the Venetian artist Paolo Veronese, 16th century
The lesson
5 When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him and pleaded with him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed and suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
8 The centurion answered, “Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. But only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I am also a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled. He said to those who were following him, “Amen I tell you: I have not found such great faith in anyone in Israel. 11 I tell you that many will come from the east and the west and will recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Jesus said to the centurion, “Go. Let it be done for you as you have believed.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.
7 After Jesus had finished saying all these things to the people who were listening, he went into Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was valuable to him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy of having you do this for him, 5 because he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”
6 Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, because I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I am also a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9 When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him. He turned to the crowd that was following him and said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel.” 10 And when the men who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.
θαυμάζω only here and mark 6:6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUHXqs3l-5M