Authority over Sickne

Authority over Sickness- Matthew 8:5-13. In verse 11 he said "Many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. In verse 12 he said many sons of the kingdom (Jews) will not receive him. He was talking about Gentiles here. It all comes down to whether you are born again or not. Jesus was amazed by the simple faith of this man. He evidently had seen Jesus heal people before. He recognized the authority that Jesus had. This man was in a position of authority himself, and recognized it when he saw it. This Roman centurion not only commanded Roman soldiers, but also prisoners of war and criminals. They had to do what he said. The Roman centurion recognized the authority Jesus had. For instance when Jesus would heal people, he would speak to the sickness. Very rarely did he pray for people. He would speak directly to the sickness. Right after this in the same chapter, you see Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law. In Matthew it says he simply touched her and she was healed. That same healing is recorded again in Luke 4. In Luke 4 it says he rebuked the fever and it left. It's like it had a mind of it's own. It's as if the fever heard him and said "I have to obey him." Jesus is under the authority of God, the Father. Sickness & disease are under the authority of Jesus. The centurion recognized that, because he was under the authority of Rome, and he commanded those under himself. Jesus was saying that that was what made it so simple. People always want to argue the theological implications of it. This man, without any theological training at all, recognized authority. For most Christians it would be so much simpler if they also could just recognize the authority of Jesus, and realize how simple it is. So, the Roman centurion was saying I too am under authority. I recognize it in Jesus. He knew sickness & disease were under Jesus' authority. He said to Jesus, "You don't even have to come to my house. I know that if you just speak, whatever it is must obey you. If you speak, I know it will go. It has to. I recognize authority. This man had not been to bible college, or had any theological training, but he understood more than most christians do. The Roman centurion said, "I can tell a soldier to go, and he will go and do whatever I tell him to do." He was saying "If you tell sickness to go, I know it will go." Jesus still has authority over sickness. He has gone into heaven. Sickness is still down here. That leaves a hole here, but the good news is that you and I fill that gap. You and I have to recognize authority, just like the centurion did. Jesus said "greater works will you do, because I go to my Father." Luke 10:19 says "I give unto you power (authority), to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." We stand in Jesus' stead, but not in our own name. We stand in his name. We have been called to be under authority. Satan, his disease, and his oppression is underneath us. Many come to church and think "I know pastor (fill in the blank) is in authority", and that is true, because you know their place in the Body of Christ. You know that if you get them to lay hands on you, you can be healed. I want you to recognize something else though. We are all in authority over sickness. That's not taking anything away from the pastor. Think about something for a moment. The pastor can't follow you around to the grocery store, to your job, or anywhere else. Their job is to train you, so you can lay hands on the sick. Jesus has given us his name, so we can lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. When Jesus was training his disciples, he told them to go out, lay hands on the sick, and cast out devils in his name. Now, look at verse 15 starting with verse 14. "Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever, so he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered unto them." We mentioned in Luke 4 that Jesus rebuked the fever. He spoke to it. But, that was Jesus. Yes, but you read in the Word that Peter, Paul, they all did it. Authority was given to them. It has been given to you also. The disciples did it over and over again. How many know that if a policeman came here tonight wearing a badge, you'd have to go with him (if he came to arrest you) because he represents the law. I don't care if he is a big person, or a runt. You see the uniform and the badge and you know who they represent. I don't care if you are a big christian or a small christian, know a lot, or know a little. I don't care if you are male or female, or what shade your skin is. If you are a christian, Jesus gave you authority over sickness. Now verse 16-"When evening had come, they brought him many who were demon possessed, and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying: He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses." Not only do we have authority, but every disease and every sickness was borne by Jesus on the cross, and was removed by God the Father. The good news is that it is our words from our mouth, God's word in our mouth, the finished work of God in heaven, and Jesus on the cross. Sickness cannot stay. We have authority over it. It isn't only the authority we have been given. It is recognizing the authority that the centurion recognized.