Matthew, Miracles of Jesus

1. FAITH LIKE
THE
CENTURIAN

2. GRACIOUS JESUS
6. MASTER STROKES
Healing the Leper
Faith like a Centurian
Jesus Heals
Conditions of
Discipleship
Jesus Calms the
Storm
Jesus Delivers

3. FAITH LIKE THE CENTURIAN
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Matt 8:5-13, Mark 7:30; Luke
7:1-10; 13: John 4:46b-54
 Introduction
 Incomparable Faith
 He knew who Jesus was
 He knew who he was
 The Jews delusion
 Christ’s conclusion
 Discussion

4. THE CENTURIAN’S FAITH
OBJECTIVES
To:
 Understand
why the
centurian’s faith
stood out
before Jesus
 Attempt to
emulate that
faith

5. BIBLE PASSAGES
5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him,
appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home,
suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8
But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come
under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9
For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to
one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to
my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he
marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with
no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you,
many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the
kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will
be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said,
“Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was
healed at that very moment Matthew 8
Also read Luke 7:1-10. John 4:46-54 : similar prior case in same town.

6. INTRODUCTION -
INCOMPARABLE FAITH
Why did Jesus
marvel at this
Centurian’s faith
and say he had
never seen such
faith anywhere in
Israel?

7. HE KNEW WHO JESUS
WAS
 Position - Lord
 Protocols – Holy
Jews don’t go to
Gentile’s
houses; don’t
even talk to
them. (Christ
was about to
change that)
 Power – of word

8. HE KNEW WHO HE
WAS
• Nothing before
Christ
• Not worthy, not
holy
• Not excluded
from Christ’s
divine healing

9. HE KNEW HE WAS
He put aside his merits
• he built the
synogogue in
Capernaum
• he loved the Jewish
nation; (Luke 7:1-10)
He laid aside his social
authority and
surrendered to Christ’s
spiritual authority
• he had power
• Romans ruled Jews.

10. HE KNEW WHO HE
WAS
He stripped
himself of
everything before
Christ could
answer him.

11. JEWS DELUSION
Thought they
were:
 Entitled
 Included
 Righteous

12. CHRIST’S
CONCLUSION
Jews lacked the
Centurian’s faith
Many Gentiles will
enjoy the Kingdom
Many “sons of the
kingdom” will be
cast out.
It all depends on our
faith. Our perception
of:
 Who we are
 Who Christ is

13. Protocols will be
broken when
perceptions
change

14. POINTS TO PONDER
As Christians for
decades:
Do we fall into the
same trap as
Jews?
Have we lost the
wonder of Christ’s
power and
position?
Do we overstep
protocol?

15. FAITH LIKE THE
CENTURIAN - RECAP
Incomparable Faith
He knew who Jesus was
 Position
 Protocol
 Power
He knew who he was
 Nothing
 Not worthy
 Not excluded
He stripped himself of
everything
The Jews’ delusion
Christ’s conclusion

16. DISCUSSION
1. What strikes you about Christ’s healing
approach?
2. What blurred the Jews perspective? How are we
as Christians at risk of falling into the same
trap?
3. What gave the Centurian such a clear
perspective?
4. How can we rollback to his position to attain his
perspective?
Matt 8:5-13;Luke 7:1-10; John 4:46-54 covers
similar prior case in same town