Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Last week, we started a series entitled “Just bring it to Jesus” and we looked at the story of a leper who came to Jesus and showed us some Trademarks of a Tenacious Faith.

We looked at how this leper’s acknowledging faith by how he worshipped the Lord.

This was the first time in the Book of Matthew anyone had called Jesus Lord but this leper knew just exactly it was that he was talking to and he reverenced Jesus as such.

Then, we looked at the boldness of his faith in the fact that he come to Jesus in the midst of a mighty crowd.

He didn’t care what others might think or what they might say, he only knew that in order for him to have a shot at life at all he needed to get to Jesus.

After that, we looked at how his faith was a confident faith!

There was no doubting in this lepers mind that Jesus could heal him whatsoever.

He said, “Jesus, if you will, I know you can make me clean.”

Not if you can, but if you will!

He knew the power that resided in the one he was talking to and he knew that Jesus was the key to unlocking the door of healing and cleansing thus giving him the hope of life!

And before we move on, I just want to say this morning that if you will come, just as this leper did…understanding the condition of your lost soul, steeped in sin, and worship Jesus as Lord, just as this leper did; if you will come boldly unto the throne of grace not worrying what others might say or how they may look at you as you walk this isle; if you will come confidently, knowing that Jesus is the only one who can grant the petitions of your heart and seek forgiveness from Him…He’ll do the same for you that He did for this leper!

He’ll restore you; He’ll cleanse you; He’ll forgive you and give you the hope of eternal life!

Life like you have never experienced before!

That’s what Jesus can do for you this morning if you will but come and trust in Him!

This lepers acknowledging faith, his bold faith and his confident faith led to a delivering and excited faith as Jesus reached out and touched him and his skin became clean and pure.

He touched me, oh He touched me, and oh the joy that floods my soul…something happened and now I know, He touched me and made me whole!

That was the theme song for this leper we looked at from that day forward and my prayer this morning is that this song is also the theme song of your life but if you’ve never been touched by the mighty hand of Jesus, I pray that He will touch you here today and when/if He does, be sure not to frustrate the grace of God by turning away the Holy Spirit of God but rather come, simply, humbly, boldly, confidently to the throne of grace and submit to the call of Jesus upon your life.

Trust in Him today and you shall be saved!

Now, as we move on into today’s message I want us to look at Verses 5-13 at Part 2 in our Series Just bring it to Jesus at a message I’ve entitled Mannerisms of a Marvelous Faith!

You know, as I’ve been studying and pondering upon this chapter we’re in currently, every week I can’t help but to think this chapter is akin to Hebrews Chapter 11.

We all know Hebrews 11 as the Chapter of Faith where we take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the Patriarchs who made it into the hall of faith but dear friend, the more I’ve studied these past few weeks, I can’t help but to think that the majority of people in this chapter deserve to belong there in that hall of faith as well!

Story after story of amazing faith put into action by some of the most unlikely of characters.

Last week, was a leper.

This week, it’s a gentile Roman Officer.

And then next week, it’s a multitude of people who put their faith in Jesus and receive healing from the one and only Son of God.

So, with no further ado, if you have your Bible’s turned with me to Matthew Chapter 8 and beginning in Verse 5 would you say, Amen.

The Person and Place of the Request — (Vs.

5a)

In order to gain a better understanding of the text before us I want to set the scene for you here.

Jesus and the multitudes have now left mount where He delivered the famous Sermon on the Mount and have now entered into Capernaum.

Chuck Swindoll writes...

The walk would have taken less than an hour—it was just down the hill toward the lake.

As Jesus entered the village, probably nearing the synagogue, a Roman centurion approached.

If the leper in the hills was a crowd splitter, the Roman commander was a crowd stopper.

With the way he was decked out in all the glories of soldiery, his approach would have drawn stares.

So, here’s Jesus and here’s this great crowd following Him and all of a sudden He is approached by a Roman Officer called a Centurion.

What is a Centurion?

William Barclay writes of the first-century centurions:

The centurions were the backbone of the Roman army.

In a Roman legion there were 6,000 men; the legion was divided into 60 centuries, each containing 100 men, and in command of each century there was a centurion.

These centurions were the long-service, regular soldiers of the Roman army.

They were responsible for the discipline of the regiment, and they were the cement which held the army together.…

The centurions were the finest men in the Roman army.

Warren Wiersbe said of this centurion...

Every centurion mentioned in the Gospels and Acts was a gentleman of high character and sense of duty, and this man was no exception.

So, here we are in the place that Jesus calls home after growing up and leaving Nazareth and He’s just finished preaching this amazing and powerful sermon, He’s healed a leper and now, as He enters back into town, He’s approached by Roman Centurion.

Now, when you look at this same section over in the Book of Luke what you will also find is that this isn’t just any Centurion.

The Book of Luke tells us that this particular Roman Centurion loved the Jewish people, so much so that he even built them a synagogue!

This Centurion whomever he was was not only a man of great might in the area but he was also a man of great means seeing as he built the Jews a synagogue!

And not only was he a man of great might and great means but as we are going to see, he is also a man of marvelous faith!

Now that we know a little bit more about The Person and the Place of this Request, let’s begin to look now at The Persistence in His Request.

The Persistence in the Request — (Vs.

5b)

The Bible says here that this Centurion came to Jesus “beseeching” Him!

This word beseeching is the Greek word (parakaleō) and it means to ask for earnestly, beg, plead.

Now, I don’t want you to miss this here…here’s a Roman Centurion, a gentile, a man whom the Jews have prayed that the Messiah would come to conquer, and he’s pleading with Jesus!

I mean we don’t know the back story here…

Was he at the sermon on the mount?

Had he heard about the fame of Jesus healings abroad?

He had built the Jews a synagogue so maybe he heard about the healing power of Jesus from the Jews?

How he heard of Jesus we know not but what we do know, is what God’s word tells us and that’s that he comes to Jesus, in Luke’s gospel it says that the Centurion sent elders of the Jews to Jesus on his behalf because he didn’t even feel worthy to make the request; either way, we have before us a man, a gentile, a Roman Officer begging, pleading, asking earnestly for help from Jesus!

There was a persistence in his plea!

Can I tell you this morning friend that if you want to do business with God, if there is a need that you need God to see to, sometimes you’re going to have to get earnest with God, Amen!

Sometimes you’re going to have to get persistent in your plea!

We want to throw up these half hearted prayers to God and expect Him to do mighty miracles in our lives, dear friend it don’t work like that!

Yes, God is a God with no limitations, He’s a God of mighty miracles, but I believe if you are serious about Him working a mighty miracle in your life, then you need to show Him just how serious you are about it!

I think God’s going to be just as serious about your problem as you are serious about your petition, Amen!

The Bible says in...

Listen, if you want a blessing that is earth shattering then you’re going to have to get earnest about ringing the doorbells of heaven, Amen!

John G. Butler said...

We cannot expect God to be earnest about our petitions if we are not earnest in making them.

Jacob wrestling with the Lord!

Genesis 32:24–28

24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh.

And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name?

And he said, Jacob.

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Dear friend, if you got something going on in your life this morning that you need help with, bring it to God and be like this Centurion here and be persistent in your request and you too shall prevail!

Not only do I want you to see The Persistence of the Request but also The Premise of the Request.

The Premise of the Request — (Vs.

6)

In my personal opinion this may be the most important part of this Centurion’s request.

Notice who the request is for?

His servant!

Listen, the leper came to Jesus for personal healing and it was a tenacious faith but this man, this man of position and power, comes to Jesus not for his own sake but for the sake of his servant!

Now, we don’t know who this servant was or what position or role he played in the life of this Centurion but we know one thing, this Centurion cared enough about him to brave the crowds and bring his cares to Jesus, Amen!

And that’s the beauty of the story before us today!

So many times we come to Jesus with our own petitions but how many times do we come to Jesus with petitions for those around us that we love?

In Luke’s gospel the Bible says that this servant was very dear unto this Centurion and that he was nigh unto death!

The Centurion came to Jesus and notice he doesn’t even ask him to heal him but rather simply tells Jesus his problem!

As I pondered on this a great thought come to my mind....

How many times do we come to God with our problems and instead of just laying them at the feet of Jesus and saying here they are, their yours, thine will be done…we want to tell Jesus how to fix them don’t we?

Jesus here’s my problem and here’s how I want you to fix it.

Can I tell you that Jesus knew your problem before it even became a problem for you and therefore, if He knows our problems before they become problems, we can also rest assured that He knows the solution before we ask for help!

The only thing this man of prominence knew is that he had a problem and Jesus was just the man for the job to fix it!

I want to go back really quickly though to the premise of his request and the fact that it’s his servant who’s sick.

Inside the premise of this man’s request we also see a passion to see his hurting servant’s health restored.