The Power of the King over Paralysis

Introduction: Years ago, I met a man by the name of Carl. Carl was different. He would test you to discover if he liked you or not. If he liked you then you were in, but if he thought you were a phony, he would have nothing to do with you.

Carl was a teacher in the Teamsters Union training men and women in road construction. He worked during the week and would travel home on the weekends. One weekend he was traveling home. He was near Othello Washington. He was in a small pickup truck. He pulled out onto the road, and right into the path of an oncoming semi-truck. He was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital with spinal damage. He went through surgery, but nothing could repair the damage done to his spine. Carl became a quadriplegic.

Carl was hospitalized for months. He learned how to move his wheelchair. A spoon was fixed to his hand. It took everything for him to lift the spoon to his mouth. His wife and children took turns caring for him. I would stop by and see him about every other week. This was very tough for him. Carl lived at one time not needing others, and now he was dependent upon others for daily care.

As we come to our scripture, we have someone in the same condition as my friend, Carl. The man we will be looking at was paralyzed and our text says, “dreadfully tormented.” Probably none of us have a clue about the emotional state of someone paralyzed. They probably have a gamut of feelings that flood their heart and mind daily.

Thank God that Jesus shows up in this Scripture. This man is going to experience a miracle. Jesus the King has power over paralysis.

So, then, let’s get into our text…

I. A centurion came to Jesus – 8:5-6

5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

A. Jesus entered Capernaum.

Debbie and I stood in the city of Capernaum back in 1994. It is referred to as the city of Jesus because it was the central headquarters of His ministry. It was also the city where Peter’s home was located. We visited the remains of what is believed to be Peter’s house. Etched into the wall was the symbol of early Christianity – the Ichthus (meaning fish) Today we see the fish symbol with the letters in the center IXOYE. That means, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.

When I came here to pastor SLBC I began to use the fish symbol as the logo for our church. Why? Because it is the symbol of early Christianity.

B. A centurion came to Him.

A centurion was a soldier in the Roman army. He was responsible for 100 men. He had some clout as a Roman military officer. Remember that it was a centurion that said, “Surely this was the Son of God” when Jesus expired on the cross (John 27:54). And it was a centurion that reported to Pilate that Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44-45).

Centurion soldiers played significant roles in Scripture.

C. The Centurion told Jesus about his servant.

Saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”

There we have that word “Lord” again. Remember it means, Master. The centurion soldier has a servant that he cares about. Go figure! We always hear that people in authority could care less about the servants under them. Not this man. His heart hurt for his servant.

I also found it interesting that the Greek word for “Servant” can also be translated, as a child, or son. Some Bible teachers think that perhaps the centurion was speaking about his own son. It’s possible too that the centurion also looked upon his servant as a son. This servant was paralyzed and dreadfully tormented.

Remember my friend, Carl? He too was paralyzed, and I can testify that he too was “dreadfully tormented”. Carl tried to come across that being paralyzed wasn’t that hard, but he really was tormented. Think about it. He had to depend upon everyone for everything. I remember visiting him in a nursing home, and he told me how he was left in his own urine and fetus for hours – forgotten by the staff. He also told me how some of the nursing staff were stealing his medication.

I have read that “If leprosy pictures the defilement and loathsomeness of sin, palsy (or paralysis) pictures sins helplessness. Those who are in its clutches are utterly unable to do anything for themselves.” (Bible Knowledge – Matthew 1:1-16:12).

This centurion came to Jesus desiring that He heal his servant. This is miracle # 2 that we are going to see transpire in our text.

II. Jesus agrees to heal the centurion’s servant – 8:7-9

7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And 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.”

Wouldn’t it be great to have something like this today?

· Step 1 – You go to the Lord – Jesus Christ, the great physician.

· Step 2 – You ask Him to heal the person you care about.

· Step 3 –Jesus Christ agrees to come to your house.

· Step 4 – You tell Jesus that it's not necessary, just speak the word.

· Step 5 – You demonstrate your faith.

Since Jesus is no longer walking the earth in a physical body what are we to do? How do we ask for help for others and even for ourselves?

Healing Today

Today we are to ask for healing through prayer (James 5:13-18). Also, God has given us modern medicine – which also provides healing. We have both available to us: Prayer and medicine. Pray, but don’t rule out modern medicine.

What do we find in these verses?

A. Jesus agreed to heal him.

Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

Jesus was ready to go to the home of the centurion. Jesus was ready to go and heal this man’s servant. This shows us again the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ for the hurting. The hurting centurion and the hurting paralytic. Everyone hurts when someone they care about hurts.

B. The centurion answered Jesus.

The centurion answered and said,

“Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof.

Can you imagine feeling so unworthy that you would request Jesus NOT come to your home? This centurion felt his utter unworthiness standing in front of the Lord, the Son of God.

A humble and contrite spirit is precious in the sight of God. Humility is so important as a believer. This Gentile had a humility about him.

C. The centurion asked Jesus to just speak the word.

But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.

No doubt this Roman centurion had heard about the astonishing words that Jesus had already spoken, and how He taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29). After all, this is why he had come to Jesus on behalf of his servant. He believed that Jesus only needed to speak, and his servant would be healed.

Why did he think this way?

D. The centurion spoke to Jesus about authority.

For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And 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.”

How do you think you would have responded to Jesus' words? Would you have been like the centurion and asked Jesus not to come to your home? This man was a Gentile and was aware of how the Jews felt about him. He also knew that Jews were not supposed to go into the homes of Gentiles. Jesus was willing to go to this man’s home. Why did he ask Jesus not to come to his home?

Because the centurion understood authority! It appears to me that he understood who he was standing in front of – Jesus, Son of God. He knew that Jesus didn’t need to be present for healing to occur (that is a great thought for us to take hold of). All He needed to do was speak the word. Why? Because of authority!

Far too many people shy away from authority. They don’t want to come under the authority of anyone God places over them. And yet, it is through authority that God’s power is displayed. This centurion understood authority – he submitted to the authority over him (there is a lesson here for all of us), and now he was again willing to submit to Jesus’ authority.

Not only is Jesus a king with power over paralysis, but He has power (authority) in His spoken word.

III. The centurion demonstrated great faith – 8:10-13

A. Jesus speaks of the faith of the centurion – 8:10

10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

Did the centurion demonstrate great faith? Absolutely! One author wrote, “The centurion demonstrated a towering faith.” And don’t forget, he was a Gentile.

B. What was Jesus teaching? – 8:11-12

11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

What is being taught here in this verse? In the Christ-Centered Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Matthew we read,

In verses 11-12, Jesus goes on to talk about how the "sons of the kingdom"—a reference to Jewish men and women who assumed they had a biological right to be part of the people of God—would be cast out of God's presence into hell for eternity because of their lack of faith. The example of the centurion's faith, then, is not only important because it displays humble trust, but also because such faith is the essential determinant of a person's eternal destiny. Jesus' words about Gentiles being a part of the kingdom in verses 11-12 would have been shocking to Matthew's Jewish readers, essentially saying to them that their Jewishness guaranteed them nothing in eternity. The only thing that mattered was whether or not they had faith. This same truth applies to every human being alive today. Your eternal destiny is dependent on humble trust in the authority of Jesus to save you from your sins and to rule over you as the Lord of your life. And all who trust in Him like this, regardless of ethnicity or background, will be welcomed by the King at His table forever.[1]

So, then, some people think they are a part of God’s kingdom, because of their birth, or ethnicity, but they do not possess Jesus Christ in their hearts. Many people will come from the East and the West and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Why? Because they placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Whereas those who just think they are a part of God’s kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the prerequisite for getting into the kingdom of God.

C. The centurion’s servant was healed at that very hour – 8:13

13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Jesus honors the centurion’s request of Him. He tells him to go his way, and as he believed, so it would be done. His servant was healed that same hour.

Here is the point: If you had a watch and you marked the time when the centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant, to the exact time that the servant was healed, it took place within the exact hour that the centurion stood before the Lord.

Here we see the power of the King over paralysis. By the way, I believe it is important to mention that there is physical paralysis, but there is also spiritual, social, and emotional paralysis. I believe that God can heal all paralysis. Don’t live unable to move and enjoy the blessings of life when the king has power over paralysis.

Conclusion: Eventually paralysis took the life of my friend Carl. God chose not to heal him. But that is not what happened in our Scripture today. The centurion’s servant was completely restored. This miracle attested to the fact that Jesus was who He claimed to be.

What is the takeaway from this passage of Scripture? They are:

1. Jesus is available for everyone – Jew or Gentile.

2. People with problems are hurting far more than we may realize - dreadfully tormented.

3. We need to come to Jesus on behalf of those who need healing.

4. Believe that Jesus Christ is willing to come and heal.

5. Get a grasp on the concept of authority. God works through authority.

6. The faith of the centurion was essential in the storyline.

7. Don’t just think you are a part of God’s Kingdom – KNOW that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

8. Jesus restores the culturally marginalized – the centurion’s servant.

9. A miracle happened, and I believe they still happen!

[1] Platt, David. Exalting Jesus in Matthew (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.