A HERO WHO AMAZED JESUS

Matthew 8:5-13
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.
6 "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
7 Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.
11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Luke 7:1-10
1 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.
3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this,
5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."
6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.
8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."
9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."
10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

- True faith always amazed Jesus.
- True faith starts when you understand the authority of Jesus.

Here is a story of a centurion who met Jesus and asked for help to heal his servant. Jesus quickly offered to help - but to Jesus' surprise the centurion rejected Jesus' offer of help and instead asked Jesus to command the healing of his servant. This centurion reasoned that if a man on earth like him could have such authority, how much more Jesus, who is from heaven.

This faith of the centurion amazed Jesus. He was surprised that the Jews who talked about the centurion (Luke 7) did not have this faith. He exclaimed that he had never found such faith in Israel.

The centurion was one the most unlikely persons to amaze Jesus. He was a Gentile. Doubtless he had a pagan upbringing. He was a Roman, stationed in Palestine to subject the Jews to the Emperor's rule. He was a man of war. He achieved the rank of centurion by distinguishing himself above others in the brutal Roman martial arts. Not exactly the résumé you'd expect for becoming one of the Bible's great heroes of faith.

The base of this faith is the centurion's understanding of the authority of Jesus.

When we understand the authority of Jesus, we understand the deity and sovereignty of Jesus - and our understanding of God and Jesus changes, and our prayer changes.

Examine yourself ...
1. What is your understanding of Jesus' authority? In which areas are you living by His authority and which are the ones you are NOT living by His authority?
2. How is your daily Bible Study? Does your life reflect that you are obedient to the Bible? If so , how?

Assignment ...
1. Make a list of things you have authority on - family / relatives / church / ministry ... Please detail the authority God has put in each of these areas.
2. Now reason out with the authority of Jesus - on how it is so much possible for Jesus to heal and handle every situation that comes on your way.
3. Also reason out with the authority of Jesus, those areas of life - why Jesus would not bring about the healing or handling as you desired?