Daily Bread 2011 - Matthew 8
Verse of the Day: 8:5-8
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed
What Does This Mean? There is a lot of irony in this chapter. Jesus healing ministry shows no discrimination between Jew and Gentile, male and female, leper and centurion. The centurion was a Roman soldier in charge of no less than 100 men. They were generally disdained by the Israelites for their presence in the Holy Land in order to keep the peace for the Roman Emperor.
Yet this man seeks Jesus and shows his character and faith by finding Jesus and letting him know that his servant lay at home suffering from being paralyzed. Jesus acknowledges this humble centurion and asks if He can come and heal his servant at his home. Notice Jesus’ humility in being willing to go to the hated Centurion’s home. The man humbly admits that he does not deserve to have Jesus come to his home, but asserts supreme confidence and faith in Jesus’ ability to heal his servant.
Jesus is confronting many stereotypes in this chapter including, in the first story, healing a leper. Lepers were thought to be getting the disease they deserved for their sins, and thus were not allowed to participate in the community. Roman centurions surely did not deserve healing, let alone their servants. As Jesus reflects on this man’s faith he cites that he has not seen such great faith in all of Israel, and lifts the man up as model of faith for us all.
What Does This Mean For Us? Jesus shows us that we are not only to preach and teach the Gospel, the Good News about God’s kingdom coming in His Son, but also to demonstrate its power through the ministry of healing of sickness and disease.
In my years at seminary I came in contact with the Vineyard Church, whose founder John Wimber was passionate about healing ministry. His philosophy is stated in this remark, “When we prayed for no one, no one got healed. When we prayed for everyone, some got healed.”
It is important to remember as we pray for those for healing (physical, emotional, and spiritual) that it is Jesus power not ours that heals. Also, we are not responsible for the results or the timing of God’s healing. Finally, ultimately healing is to be in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. It is hard to imagine that God would not desire for our communities to be places where God’s kingdom would come powerfully through healing all who would come with the same attitude of the Centurion who said, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus, we thank you for your healing ministry. As we come upon those who need your healing, give us confidence to pray for those who need it in the power of Your name. Amen.
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed
What Does This Mean? There is a lot of irony in this chapter. Jesus healing ministry shows no discrimination between Jew and Gentile, male and female, leper and centurion. The centurion was a Roman soldier in charge of no less than 100 men. They were generally disdained by the Israelites for their presence in the Holy Land in order to keep the peace for the Roman Emperor.
Yet this man seeks Jesus and shows his character and faith by finding Jesus and letting him know that his servant lay at home suffering from being paralyzed. Jesus acknowledges this humble centurion and asks if He can come and heal his servant at his home. Notice Jesus’ humility in being willing to go to the hated Centurion’s home. The man humbly admits that he does not deserve to have Jesus come to his home, but asserts supreme confidence and faith in Jesus’ ability to heal his servant.
Jesus is confronting many stereotypes in this chapter including, in the first story, healing a leper. Lepers were thought to be getting the disease they deserved for their sins, and thus were not allowed to participate in the community. Roman centurions surely did not deserve healing, let alone their servants. As Jesus reflects on this man’s faith he cites that he has not seen such great faith in all of Israel, and lifts the man up as model of faith for us all.
What Does This Mean For Us? Jesus shows us that we are not only to preach and teach the Gospel, the Good News about God’s kingdom coming in His Son, but also to demonstrate its power through the ministry of healing of sickness and disease.
In my years at seminary I came in contact with the Vineyard Church, whose founder John Wimber was passionate about healing ministry. His philosophy is stated in this remark, “When we prayed for no one, no one got healed. When we prayed for everyone, some got healed.”
It is important to remember as we pray for those for healing (physical, emotional, and spiritual) that it is Jesus power not ours that heals. Also, we are not responsible for the results or the timing of God’s healing. Finally, ultimately healing is to be in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. It is hard to imagine that God would not desire for our communities to be places where God’s kingdom would come powerfully through healing all who would come with the same attitude of the Centurion who said, “Just say the word and my servant will be healed.”
Jesus, we thank you for your healing ministry. As we come upon those who need your healing, give us confidence to pray for those who need it in the power of Your name. Amen.
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