Great is Your Faith, part 2

Introduction: If you could turn in your Bibles with me this morning to Matthew 8:5-13, where we will continue and complete our two-message series on great faith. Two weeks ago, we focused on the Canaanite woman from Tyre and Sidon, who likely had minimal theological knowledge. But put on full display what great faith looks like. As a Canaanite woman, she was the least likely candidate to believe in the grace and mercy of God. Still, like Rahab and Ruth before her, she embraced the reality that God is willing to forgive anyone who will come to Him in faith.

This morning we turn our attention once again to an unlikely person who placed his unwavering faith in Jesus. But before we get to his story, let's back up a little bit to gain some context. The events in Matthew 8 immediately follow the "Sermon on the Mount" in Matthew 5-7, where Jesus preaches His monumental message establishing Himself as the ultimate authority. Throughout His sermon, Jesus repeatedly stated, "You have heard that it was said . . . but I say to you." Highlighting that Jesus was more authoritative than the Jewish religious leaders and had the authority to question their long-standing traditions.

As the sermon comes to a close, Matthew writes "that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." As you might imagine, this infuriated the established religious leaders, and Jesus now faced the inevitable questions: "What gives you the right to speak to us like that? Who do you think you are? Where do you come from? What is your authority?"

And those are the questions that bring us into chapter 8. Throughout chapters 8-9, we see continual affirmations of the authority of Jesus as He repeatedly demonstrates His deity. He proves that He is God, come from heaven, and has all authority.

And just in case we didn't get the message, another unlikely candidate puts on display his great faith by recognizing and trusting in Jesus' ultimate authority.

Read Matthew 8:5-13

Transition: Like the couple in California who found buried treasure in their own backyard and the woman from Tyre and Sidon, Jesus found another priceless treasure in an unlikely place. He discovered a centurion, backed by the power of Rome, who humbled himself before the ultimate authority - Jesus. This man's faith instructs us in three ways: great faith is humble, great faith understands the character of God, and great faith is rewarded.

Great Faith's Humility

Read Matthew 8:5-7

As Jesus entered the city of Capernaum, according to Luke 7:3, he was approached by Jewish intermediaries who plead with him to come and heal the centurion's beloved servant.

Now, this interaction is unusual on several accounts. First, it is odd that Jewish elders would be willing to come and plead on behalf of a Roman centurion. Matthew does not record this detail, but according to Luke 7, when the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him. Typically this man would have been hated by the Jews. He was not only a Gentile but an officer in the Roman army. Even worse, the Romans usually chose residents of a region to make up its occupying force. So, this man was also a traitor. Even worse, in Capernaum, this man was also likely a Samaritan, a half-breed Jew who was traditionally hated even more than Gentiles. And we already know how the Jews felt about Gentiles. From our message two weeks ago, Jesus alluded to the fact that the Jews often referred to themselves as the "children of Abraham" while referring to Gentiles as mangy, worthless dogs. Samaritans were considered to be even worse than that! However, this man was different. This man was held in high esteem among the Jews. It says in Luke 7:4-5, "'And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue.'" Like Cornelius in Acts 10 and the centurion to whom the apostle Paul was shackled in the later chapters of Acts, this man was honorable. In fact, the New Testament speaks very highly of centurions. It was a centurion after all that recognized at Jesus' crucifixion, "Truly, this was the Son of God!" It seems that the Romans were much better equipped to choose their soldiers than their politicians.

Second, it is odd that this centurion cared at all for his slave. According to Aristotle, there could be no friendship between a Roman master and his slave, just as there could be no friendship toward inanimate things. "A slave," he said, "is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave." Gaius wrote that it was universally accepted at this time that the master possessed the power of life and death over his slave. Another Roman writer, Varro, said that the only difference between a slave, a beast, and a cart was that the slave talked. Again, we see that this centurion was not like other Roman officials. He was honorable. According to Luke 7, his servant was dear to him.

In describing this centurion's slave, Matthew uses the word παῖς (small child) while Luke uses the word δοῦλος (slave). So, this young slave was probably born into the household of this centurion. The centurion had known him since birth, and he was precious to Him.

Third, it is odd that the centurion, a man of power, did not come to Jesus himself. Most likely, having heard of Jesus, he felt unworthy to approach Jesus personally.

All three of these things indicate something powerful about this man's faith. His faith and trust in God humbled him. He lived as an honorable man, treated the Jews well, loved and cared for his servants, and recognized His unworthiness to come before the One who is the ultimate authority.

Transition: Thankfully, this man did not just understand Jesus' authority, but he also understood Jesus' compassion, and so he sent his request to Jesus to plead for the life of his precious servant.

Great Faith's Understanding

Matthew 8:8-9

According to Luke 7, Jesus agrees to come and heal this man's servant. However, when He came near to this man's house, the centurion sent word to Jesus, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof." Again, this man expresses his humility and sense of unworthiness, but he adds to it this time. "I know who you are," he says, "just speak a word, and my servant will be healed. Like you, Jesus, I am a man of authority. I order the soldiers under me, and they obey. If I say, 'Go,' they go, and when I say, 'Come,' they come. When I say, 'Do this," they do it."

Whoa! Pause

This man understood who Jesus was at a level that not even the Jews did. And Jesus was amazed. I was speaking with Pastor Brandon this week, and we were both amazed as well at the fact that Jesus is really only amazed by three things throughout His ministry on earth. He is amazed at the faith of the Canaanite woman, He is amazed at the faith of this centurion, and he is repeatedly amazed at the unbelief of the Jews and disciples.

"Assuredly," he said," I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel."

A Roman soldier was the first person to affirm Jesus' authority after the "Sermon on the Mount." He came to minister to the Jews, and the Gentiles were more willing to believe. This Gentile, in particular, did not only believe Jesus could heal but that he was the ultimate authority - even able to command disease to leave his suffering servant's body.

"For this reason," Jesus said, "many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Do you know who Jesus was talking about? The gospel going out to the Gentiles. He was talking about our faith. The Jews of that time referred to themselves as the "sons of the kingdom" who would one day enter the kingdom of light while the Gentiles would be cast into outer darkness. Once again, Jesus makes crystal clear - the kingdom of God has come, and you enter by faith in Christ alone.

Transition: This humble man who was well acquainted with power and authority knew with complete faith that if Jesus commanded it, it would be done. And so lastly, Jesus rewards his faith and proves his authority by healing this man's precious servant.

Great Faith's Reward

Read Matthew 8:10-13

After this man's great declaration of faith, Jesus turned and answered Him in the best way possible, "Go your way, as you have believed, let it be done."

This man completely trusted in the grace and authority of Jesus, and Jesus answers Him with two commands. Both of the translated words for "go" and "done" are in the imperative mood. The centurion says, "You can command anything you desire, and I trust that if you command the disease to leave my servant's body, it will." Jesus' simple reply is, "That's true. Now I want you to go and see that it is done."

Once again, great faith isn't found where you would expect it. It is not found in the heart of the Jews, it is not found in the hearts of the religious leaders, but it is found in the heart of a Roman soldier who came to Jesus by faith.

Conclusion: I don't know about you, but I want to be known as someone who has great faith. I want to trust my Savior the way the Canaanite woman did; I want to be just as confident in the authority of Christ as the centurion was. Yet when I look at the chaos of the world around me, I am often tempted to forget that I know the One who has ultimate authority. In a time when the authorities of this world are doing so much to bring destruction, the centurion's faith stands as a reminder that amid the chaos - no matter the seeming hopelessness of the world's condition - we know the One who is in complete control.