From Dave

WHAT FAITH?

Matthew 8:8-10 NAS95  But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  (9)  "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."  (10)  Now when Jesus heard this, He marvelled and said to those who were following, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.

BIG FAITH

The Lord Jesus describes the centurion’s faith as bigger than that of any Jewish person – including His disciples! Now that should make us think! After all Jesus taught that faith as little as a mustard seed could see great results. And Jesus described some of His followers as ‘little-faiths’. Even smaller than a mustard seed!

Authority

Doing what someone tells us to do is not so common I think? The very idea of someone having authority over us does not fit well in modern thinking. Yet, the heart of the centurion’s faith was absolute belief in authority. He did as he was commanded and expected the men under his command to obey his orders without questioning or trying to negotiate. This non-Jew believed that Jesus had ultimate authority and believed that He could even stop sickness and dying at His Word.

Duty

A centurion cared for his men. He had around 100 men under his leadership (there is a clue in his title). The idea that even one should die due to any kind of negligence would not be easily accepted by a good centurion. The ‘servant’ is likely to have been one of his ‘manipulus’ (the name for the troop under his command). The Greek word for servant has a broad application but largely describes a young person. This centurion’s duty of care drove him to the feet of Jesus. He acknowledged Jesus as having authority beyond any Roman Military Governor or even the Roman Emperor.

About Turn!

Genuine faith in The Lord Jesus is accompanied by obedient faith. Father God effects deep changes in a believer: forgiveness, a new life, the gift of His Holy Spirit. However, there has to be a deep change in me. Like the centurion, I need to submit to Christ’s authority in my thinking and doing. This is what repentance means.

Romans 12:1-2 NASB  Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  (2)  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.