Great Faith

Mat 8:5 And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,


A Roman centurion came to Jesus. Here Jesus had been preaching to those of Israel, the Jews not to the gentile (non-Jews) and yet the fame of His teachings, His miracles touched the ears of the Romans. This wasn't a lowly Roman soldier, but a centurion. A centurion was a Roman commander in charge of 100 Roman soldiers. A figure the soldiers looked up to respected. Surely this Roman centurion would have little to nothing to do with the Jewish people under their thumbs. The two didn't mingle. There was no love loss between the two groups whatsoever. The Jews were being oppressed by the Romans. This is the very real situation that existed at this time and here a Roman centurion came to Jesus not at a commander, not as one to order Jesus about, not at one to demand that Jesus do as he wanted but this man, this centurion came beseeching Jesus!


After you ever beseeched someone? It's a fancy word for begging really. Have you ever begged someone for something? Maybe you've begged a loved one to seek medical attention when they were reluctant, or maybe you've begged someone not to do something you believe would be harmful for them to do. Perhaps you've begged a boss not to lay you off from your job, or maybe you've begged someone to hire you. At one time or another haven't we all begged someone over the course of our lifetime? Children begging parents, parents begging children. When we beg someone we are doing so because we want their compassion for whatever it is we're begging them for. We want them to help us with whatever it is we are begging them for. Begging someone not to do something is us wanting that someone to help us feel better by knowing that something won't be done. It's all about desiring something whether it's selfish or selfless.


The Roman centurion begged Jesus- a Jew for this--


Mat 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented.


His servant. But note first- the commander addressed Jesus as Lord. The Centurion noted that Jesus had authority by addressing Him with that title. The news that had travelled over the area about Jesus and His miracles had come to the centurion and having a sick servant he sought Jesus to beg Him for His help. What sort of man the centurion had to be to stoop to beg a Jew for help not for himself or a family member, but for a servant!


Jesus knew what sort of man the centurion was and He didn't hesitate but answered--


Mat 8:7 And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.

Jesus didn't question the centurion about the fact he was a Roman, one that didn't believe in God, that did not adhere at all to the Jewish faith. This was a man in need and that's ALL Jesus saw! Able to overlook completely everything that was unimportant- Jesus could see the man's heart and it was enough for Him. No more begging was required. Jesus was ready right then and there to go to the servant sick of the palsy, grievously tormented and heal him. He had the power to do this, the claim wasn't a false one. He didn't say he come and try to heal the servant, He didn't say show me the servant and I'll see what I can do, Jesus said 'I will come and heal him.' It was a statement of fact that could not be denied.


But it didn't end there. The centurion didn't grab Jesus' hand and start off for his home. He didn't even attempt to move away expecting to be followed. The begging Roman centurion quickly answered before Jesus could take a single step and said--


Mat 8:8 And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

I'm not worthy! This is what the centurion said. I'm not worthy. He spoke these words to a Jew. Remember the Roman's dominated the Jews! The Jews were under their authority, not the other way around and this was something this Roman centurion knew well. He'd obviously been in the Roman army for awhile- long enough to prove himself as a conqueror for Rome and become a commander. Or even if he'd been given the post due to family influence and politics he knew all about Rome's superiority and was part of that mindset. For a Roman to believe they were not worthy of a Jew was astounding, truly astounding. The Romans were the elite and everyone else beneath them. Yet here a Roman commander was telling Jesus that He knew that He was someone very special and NOT worthy of His presence in His house, not worthy of that HONOR. And the man wasn't saying it as some do - saying one thing and meaning another- he was truly contrite, truly humbled in Jesus' presence.

Going on to explain that he knew as one who also had authority that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would be done. He wasn't questioning Jesus' ability to do this miracle sight unseen on his sick servant, he fully believed that all Jesus had to do was say the word and it would happen, the miracle would occur. The Roman centurion was there to test Jesus, he wasn't there questioning Jesus' ability to perform, he wasn't demanding to see the miracle be performed. So many Jews- especially those in authority did all they could to question Jesus' miracles. The doubting among the Jews was immense and here was a Roman centurion telling Jesus that He believed in Him without any doubt, not needing any proof, and that he wasn't worthy of Jesus. AMAZING!


What was Jesus' response?


Mat 8:10 And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.


Jesus MARVELLED!


Jesus was astonished, amazed, in wonder over this Roman centurion's faith.


Jesus turned to those that were following Him and told them He hadn't found faith this great in Israel. He hadn't found faith like this man's among the Jews at all!

And He had more to say to the Jews following Him...

Mat 8:11 And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:
Mat 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.


Many from all over the world would sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven but the children of the kingdom would be CAST OUT! Who were the children of the kingdom supposed to be? The Jews. The Jews were the promised ones. The Jews were given the title of God's people!


Deu 7:6 Because thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee, to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are upon the earth.


The people of Israel, the Jewish people were God's peculiar people, chosen by God Himself as being natural children of the kingdom but these chosen people would NOT as a whole, NOT as a corporate body sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. The chosen people would REJECT Jesus, they would REJECT salvation, the would REJECT God as they'd done in the past and been forgiven- time and again. Their rejection of salvation through Jesus Christ would be their undoing- their lack of faith would cost them eternity.


The Roman centurion had more faith- a non-Jew had more faith than any among the Jews, including His disciples. They were there and they were among those Jesus was speaking to when He said this--

Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.


The greatest faith He'd found had been in a Roman centurion. What a resounding slap in the face of all the Jews gathered there. What shame they needed to feel knowing that a Roman commander exhibited more faith in Jesus, their Messiah, than they did.


Addressing the centurion once more after delivering that sobering message Jesus said--

Mat 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.


Go on, what you believe will be done. The centurion's faith that Jesus had the power, the authority to heal his servant did just that- because he believed, because of his faith- Jesus answered His request and His servant was healed. Amazing! Simply amazing! Wonderfully amazing!


It's easy for Christians to take that high road that has them feeling superior to the Jews, knowing that they were a people that Jesus condemned.


Luk 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
Luk 13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.


For thousands of years Christians have turned on the Jews blaming them for the death of Christ, but no where did Jesus ever condone turning on one another. Jesus was all about turning the other cheek, not slapping the other cheek. Christians have NO right to place blame anywhere, if anything they need to forgive, not condemn. Non-Jews who believe they are better than the Jews are condemning themselves. Too many Christians are caught up in believing they are now the chosen and therefore automatically have a place at the table in the kingdom of heaven. No one has an automatic place, no one. Only by the grace of God do we have eternal life, only by the mercy and love of our Savior will we have a seat at the table in heaven. EVERY single human being as an equal opportunity to choose to follow God, to accept Jesus as their Savior, not one is left out. The opportunity comes to us all without fail, no one is automatically excluded because of their ethnicity, something they are born into and have no fault in becoming. We DO have fault when we reject salvation, when we reject the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, but not because of our race.


May God help us to have the faith that Roman centurion had.


Only by His grace, His mercy, His love, through His forgiveness, in His righteousness do we have hope.


In Him now and forever!


Amen.