Today, we look at a story about unparalleled faith. Matthew 8:5-13 tells the story about Jesus and a Roman centurion. When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman centurion approached Him. The centurion asked Jesus to help his servant in need. Jesus agreed to go and heal the servant. But, something astonishing happened! This lesson teaches us about true faith. Let’s see the outcome.
Jesus Heals the Roman Centurion’s Servant Through Faith
And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.”
Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
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. – Matthew 8:5-8 NASB
The Faith Of The Roman Centurion
The reason this Roman soldier was called a centurion is because he was put in charge of 100 men whom he led into battle. Also, the people of Israel hated him, as with most Roman soldiers.
Rome occupied the Jewish nations at this time and was known for oppressive behavior toward the Israelites. Consequently, the name centurion was a reminder of the oppressive, Roman rule among the Israelites.
But This Roman Soldier Was Different
The centurion mentioned in this lesson was different. He did not let known prejudices stand in his way of having faith in Jesus. In fact, his faith was so strong that Christ was amazed and “marveled” at this humble behavior.
“Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, ‘Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel.'” – Matthew 8:10 NASB
Jesus knew that many religious leaders did not compare to this Roman centurion’s faith. The onlookers were astonished by Jesus’ statement, as it challenged their preconceived notions about faith and righteousness. Many were taken aback that Jesus praised a Roman soldier, an enemy in their eyes, for having greater faith than anyone in Israel. This moment served as a powerful lesson about the unending nature of God’s grace.
Getting into Heaven – or Not
Lastly, He told the crowd that lack of faith would keep many of the religious Jews out of the kingdom of heaven.
In its simplest form, they did not accept Christ as Savior because tradition did not allow it. Tradition acted as a barrier to accepting new teachings or revelations. And, customs made it difficult for them to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The tension between tradition and faith shows how tradition can sometimes hinder spiritual growth and belief in the truth.
Tradition can Weaken Faith
But, how about us? Do we have traditions embedded so deep that we cannot have true faith in Christ? God works in His own way and we must have enough faith to put away our prejudices and habits to accept Him as Lord. Don’t let a habit ruin your relationship with God. Try and capture the faith of the Roman centurion.
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to read John 3:16 for more information.