Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
October 27, 2002 A.M.
Such A Great Faith
Matthew 8.5-13
As Matthew chapter eight opens... Jesus is returning from the mountain after preaching what we know as the Sermon on the Mount. Large crowds are...
- Following Him...
- Listening to Him...
- Wanting to get close to Him.
Jesus makes His way toward Capernaum... As he does, a leper kneels before Him begging to be made clean. Jesus reaches out... And with the Master's touch he is healed. No doubt this healing brought a flood of requests from those in the crowd as they press around Him with their personal needs.
On the outskirts of Capernaum... A soldier... A centurion approaches Jesus...
What does this Gentile military official want with a Jewish Rabbi and teacher? A Roman Centurion was a man in charge of 100 soldiers. The centurion was the backbone of the Roman army... He was the field commander. It is interesting to note that there are several Centurions mentioned in the New Testament. And note this church:
- Everyone of them is mentioned in a favorable way...
- They are all portrayed in a good light...
- In an honorable manner.
Again... We take note of the fact that this man was a Gentile. This fact made his request for healing by Jesus stand out even more. Matthew seems to be letting us know this morning that Jesus loves... cares for... is here to serve everybody... Even the leper and the outsider.
The Centurion begs Jesus in verse six to heal his suffering... paralyzed servant. Luke tells us that this commander held his servant in high regard... high esteem. So... Jesus says... OK... I'll go heal him. I think this gives us insight into the heart of the Centurion... You see, servants were nothing but property... And most slave owners cared little if they suffered or died. But this Centurion was grieved that his servant was suffering.
As Jesus heads for the house... Something interesting happens... The Centurion says... Lord... I am not worthy... I do not deserve to have you come under my roof... You just say the word and my servant will be healed. How many military officers do you know who have an... I am not worthy attitude?... Not many!! Generally speaking... One who rises through the ranks to this command position is not typically self-effacing... Not typically filled with humility.
This is not all... Luke tells us that this soldier had given a large amount to help build the Capernaum Synagogue. He could have put this card on the table... But didn't. He could have said... Lord... In light of what I have done for your people... I feel I deserve this healing for my servant... But he didn't!!
What's even more astonishing is that he said... Jesus I know you don't even have to come to my house... I know that you can just say the word... And he will be healed... You see Jesus... I know how this works... I know about this idea of authority.... I too am under authority... And I have men under me... I say... Come... And they come... I say go... And they go... Do this and they do it. This Centurion is saying... Jesus... I believe in your authority... I know you can speak the word... Just say it and it will be so... It will be done... AMAZING FAITH!!
Verse 10... When Jesus heard this... He was astonished!!... He was amazed!! And He said... I tell you the truth... I have not found anyone in all of Israel with such great faith... Many will come from the East and the West into the Kingdom... Into the feast of Abraham... But they will be thrown out... WHY??... WHY??... Because of their lack of faith.
You see, the Jews believed that when Messiah came, they would set down with Him at this great banquet table... Two things never crossed their mind...
- One... That there would be a Gentile at that table...
- And two... That many of them would not be seated there.
Yet Jesus said this was just what was going to happen. Jesus was making it clear that admission to this banquet is based upon one's faith in Him.
Jesus had not seen such faith in all of Israel...
- Not among the Scribes and Pharisees...
- Not in the office of the High Priest...
- Not among His own disciples...
- Not even in His own twelve Apostles.
Nowhere have I seen faith like this!! Just say the word... Just say the word!! Note verse 13... Jesus says the word... Go and it will be so... Just as you believed it would. And his servant was healed that very hour.
Can't you imagine the Centurion going home... And those in his house came running out exclaiming... Guess what??... Guess what master??... YES... I KNOW... I KNOW. Based upon what we read here... I don't believe this soldier was not surprised when he got home... Do you?
Well what an interesting narrative in the life of Jesus. What we want to do this morning is to just see what we can learn about our faith from this great soldier.
FIRST... WE LEARN THAT CARING FOR OTHERS BRINGS US CLOSE TO JESUS.
The reason this Centurion encountered Jesus was because he loved and cared for his servant.
Church... The same is true for us today...
- If we want to see Jesus...
- If we want to encounter Jesus...
- If we want to serve Jesus...
- If we want to be near to Jesus...
- If we want to follow Jesus...
- If we want Him living in us...
Then we must LOVE... CARE FOR... AND SERVE OTHER PEOPLE.
WHY?... WHY?... Should this surprise us?... It was this same Jesus who said... As often as you do it unto the least of these... You've do it unto Me. Scripture tells us that we can't love God until... And unless we love others. In fact John says plainly that we are living a lie if we say we love God and DON'T love others. Jesus said... You will be My disciple... And the world will know that you are Mine... WHEN??... WHEN audience??...
- When we love one another...
- When we are concerned with one another...
- When we serve one another.
Let me tell you something I have discovered... Every time... Every time I feel that Jesus is not near... That Jesus is slipping out of my life... I have learned to take note of my relationship with you and others... I have learned to ask....
- Am I Loving... Caring... Serving?... Georgia?...
- My children and grandchildren?...
- My parents?...
- Extended family??...
- You in the church...
- Those who are sick and dying in our community?
Let's not fool ourselves... Loving... Caring... Serving means doing things like..
- Making hospital visits...
- Visiting the nursing home...
- Caring for the widows and shut-ins...
- Visiting those out of duty spiritually...
- Hospice visits...
- It means teaching classes...
- Volunteering to care for children in the nursery...
- Delivering Meals-On-Wheels...
- Driving the van...
- Having the teenagers in our homes...
- Serving as an Elder... and or Deacon...
Folk... Like the Jews of old, we are fooling ourselves when we think genuine Christianity is bound up in rule keeping and "quote"... Doctrinal soundness alone!! Yes... These are important... But we must conform to the image of Jesus. We must live like He lived... Learning to Love... Care... and Serve others. Because when we do... WE ARE SERVING JESUS!!
When will we get it?... When will this spiritual law... This spiritual truth... Sink into our hearts?
Is this why some of us are unhappy... discontent... depressed? We're so caught up in SELF... that we have drifted away from Jesus. If we want to be near Jesus, we must get OUT OF OURSELVES... And into others.
I don't know why it works... Or how it works... I don't have to explain it... I just know that in the process of loving... caring... and serving others, we are brought closer to God. This is just the way it is because God tells us so... So why do we not listen?
Church... This is the best practical advice that I can give you this morning... Lose yourself in love... care... and service to others... And God will come amazingly close... This is just a fact of faith. It brought this Centurion to an encounter with Jesus... And it will do the same for us.
SECONDLY... WE LEARN THAT GOD MUST BE APPROACHED IN HUMILITY.
I believe it is important for us to know our place before an almighty sovereign God. We must be like this Centurion... We must have a heart that recognizes and says... God I am not worthy of such great blessings.... You are so good to me... And I don't deserve any of what you have lavished upon me.
Yes... Yes, we are His creation... His beloved... His children... His adopted. He created us above all others... Gave us everything we see and know... YET... YET... We must always know... Always remember that it is because of...
- His love...
- His grace...
- His mercy...
- His loving kindness...
- His initiative...
That we are here... And are so blessed.
Folk... ALL... ALL... EVERYTHING...
- Life...
- Strength...
- Health...
- Happiness... ALL... Are blessings from the hand of God. Paul says... It is in Him... It is because of Him that we live... move... and have our being.
Church... Scripture repeatedly tells us that God loves and blesses the Humble...
- First Peter five says... Clothe yourselves with humility... WHY??... WHY?... Because God
opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. This is what I need... GOD'S GRACE. And it is mine if I will humble myself before the Lord.
- Solomon says... Seven things that God hates... Pride is first on His list.
- Jesus said... Blessed are the meek... The humble... Those who will yield and submit to God.
- Peter writes... Humble yourselves before God's mighty hand so that He may lift you up.
Church... We are not worthy for God to enter into our house... Yet He has. He has not only entered into our house... He lives within those who humbly submit to His will through the word. Folk... This is one of the things that faith & humility will do for us. It allows God to live in us... Praise His Name for this truth... Amen??... Amen!!
THIS BRING US TO NUMBER THREE... WE MUST LEARN TO ACCEPT AUTHORITY.
When we were young we thought... I'll be glad when I grow up, and I'll not have to take orders from anyone... Then, no one can tell me what to do. Do you remember ever thinking like this? Didn't work did it?... When I left home I thought I was on my own... However; I went from having to do what mom and dad wanted me to do... To having to do what some tough... ugly... careless... Army sergeant... that I didn't even know... ordered me to do. You see, we should have learned by now that ALL OF US still have to submit to authority.
This Centurion said... I know this... I know how authority works... I give orders and people respond. But church, long before that he had learned the other side of this authority coin... He learned to take orders... To respond to authority. All of us must learn to respect and respond to authority in our lives... RIGHT?
Listen to these scriptures which affirm this Biblical truth...
Romans 13.1-2... Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Ephesians 6.1-3... Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" --which is the first commandment with a promise-- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."
Ephesians 6.5-8... Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
Ephesians 5.21-22... Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
Hebrews 13.17... Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
1 Peter 3.13... Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men.
Authority is everywhere... We must all submit to God... And to His appointed authorities. And we must know that when we rebel against such authorities... We find ourselves opposing God Himself... That's what Paul and Peter say...
- Rebelling against government authority is rebelling against God
- Rebelling against parents is rebelling against God.
- Rebelling against husbands is rebelling against God.
- Rebelling against an eldership is rebelling against God.
- Rebelling against submission to one another... Placing OUR OWN INTEREST before the interest of others is rebelling against God.
And always... and ALWAYS... Such rebellion leads to unhappiness and disappointment. This soldier teaches us that great faith begins with submission to authority.
THEN FINALLY... WE LEARN THAT FAITH IS OUR PASSPORT TO HEAVEN'S FEAST.
First... I want us to note here that faith is our passport to Heaven's Feast in this life, because our faith unleashes the POWER OF GOD in our lives.
Listen to the verses that affirm this concept...
Mark 11.22-24... "Jesus answered... Have faith in God... I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 14.12-14... I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
James 1.5-8... If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all... And it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe... Not doubting... Because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
James 5.16 says... If you are in trouble... If you are sick... Unleash the power of God through prayer... The prayer of a righteous man is both... WHAT??... Powerful and Effective.
Church... Like this centurion... We must ask in faith... Knowing that it is our faith that unleashes God's power in our lives. And that He will give us just what we need... What is best for us... Every time!!... Every time!!
Secondly... Faith is our passport to heaven... Eternal life in the hereafter. Faith is not our ticket to heaven... It is our passport... What's the difference? A ticket is something we pay for... A ticket is something we purchase... RIGHT?
- A passport is ours because of whose we are... Not what we are... Or what we have done. This servant was not healed because of what the Centurion had done... Or who he was... But because of his outstanding faith in Jesus.
- A passport is not based upon our merit... But upon our citizenship. Our passport to heaven's feast is because we belong to God... Because our citizenship is in His Kingdom... Made possible by ... (WHAT??)... OUR FAITH!!
Well... How do we become citizens of heaven... By faith!!
Listen to Galatians 3.26 & 27... We are children of God by faith.
Folk... It has always been faith that gives men and women a place at heaven's banquet table. Hebrews chapter eleven tells us this without any doubt.
- It was faith that caused Able to be pleasing to God...
- It was faith that ushered Enoch into heaven...
- It was faith that saved Noah...
- It was faith that made Abraham a friend of God...
- It was faith that placed Isaac & Jacob in God's favor...
The Hebrews writer concludes that without faith no one can be pleasing to God. Without faith Heaven's Banquet will elude us... Will be beyond our reach.
The question this morning is this... Are we a people and person of faith??
- The question is not how many times we come to church...
- How much we give each Lord's Day...
- How many hospital visits we make...
- How many commands we obey...
- How doctrinally sound we are...
IT IS OUR FAITH!!
O yes... A person of faith will make sure of all these other things... But the basis of admission to Heaven's Eternal Banquet is FAITH.
It is faith that saves us... Note now when Paul says our faith saves... AT OBEDIENCE!!... For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ... Have been clothed with Christ... There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Well... Jesus was astonished by this man's faith. QUESTION!!... Is He astonished by our faith?... My faith?... Your faith? Not only Jesus...
- But how about our children?... Are they astonished by our faith?...
- How about our spouse...
- Our parents...
- Working companions...
- Neighbors...
- Even our enemies?
Are others found saying... His or her faith is remarkable?
Some of us have allowed our faith to be weakened.
Some of us have given in to our doubts.
Some of us have taken our eyes off Jesus... And are drowning in the cares of this world... RIGHT? Yes... Yes... We do believe... May God help our unbelief... Amen??... Amen!!
Well... Have we learned anything from this Centurion that we can use? Are there some corrections that we need to make? HAS... IS OUR FAITH PROMPTING US TO SUBMIT TO ALL THAT GOD ASKS OF US?
- Become His child by faith... repentance... and New Testament baptism.
- Have a remarkable faith...as we stand and sing this invitation song together...
Will you come?
