Faith comes by hearing
(Romans 10:17).
However, faith increases by
using (Luke 17:5).
The greater your faith.
The less you worry. Faith is a choice. Fear is a choice.
Faith can show up where you
lest expect to find it.
What kind of person has the
greatest faith? Let's read about one.
Matthew 8 (ESV)
5 When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to
him (Jesus), appealing to him,
*A centurion lead over 100 Roman
soldiers. They lead by example. A centurion could
EVEN punish a Roman citizen.
6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home,
suffering terribly.”
7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
*Jesus never told anyone in
Scripture that He wouldn't heal them.
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.
*This man's faith impressed
Jesus, and Jesus does not change. Great faith impresses Jesus. When
Jesus said that the Centurion had the greatest faith that He'd found, that
meant his faith was greater than His own 12 disciples.
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.”
*Many people who should have had faith did not. Many people who should not have faith did.
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.
*This was a command by Jesus. When the centurion was commanded "go", he went. For he understood authority. This was not a praying man, but a fighting man, but he understood authority.
*If you don't submit to people, you don't submit to God. Especially those in spiritual authority over us in the church.
*This man accepted Jesus's command as final. Most of us pray and then we check circumstances to see if God can be believed. Jesus gave Him the command that he asked for.
*Big faith prepares big. Little faith prepares little (Hebrews 11:6-7).
Acts 10:38 (ESV)
38 how God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing
good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for
God was with him.
*Jesus was healing everyone who came to
him. This centurion thought why should he treat me any different?
Here is Luke's account of the same event.
Luke 7 (ESV)
After he had finished all his sayings in the
hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.
2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the
point of death, who was highly valued by him.
3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to
him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant.
4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him
earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for
him,
*You don't receive healing
because of what a good person you are. It's not a matter of doing it. It
is a matter of receiving it.
*You don't have to talk Jesus
into doing what He has already done. If you come to Jesus talking about
how good you are, it disqualifies you, but answered prayer is a gift. We
don't deserve them. That's why it's grace.
5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built
us our synagogue.”
6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the
house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble
yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.
*This centurion had a strong
realization that I don't deserve it. Don't talk to God about what
you deserve or don't deserve. It will get in between you and what you are
asking for. Ask for mercy not what you deserve. It will disqualify
you from receiving God's grace. We are worthy based upon what Jesus has
done for us. Not what we have done.
*In the natural, this man
could have arrested Jesus and had Him killed. In the spiritual, he was in
awe of Jesus. For he knew what position that Jesus must have had in the
Kingdom of God. You can't separate faith from honor. Our faith is
not in faith, but in the person of God.
Mark 11:22 (ESV)
22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith
in God.
*If we have faith in God, we
will honor Him. Let's make a big thing out of God and prayer.
Luke 7 (ESV)
7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say
the word, and let my servant be healed.
*This man had killed a lot of
people; however, he had a great respect for God. He had built the Jews a
synagogue. The centurion was humbling himself before Jesus. James
tells us that we must humble ourselves (James 4:10).
*If you believe someone owes
you something, it makes it impossible for them to be gracious to you.
With God, receive it by grace or do without.
8 For I too am a man set 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.”
*Understanding rank is key
to having great faith. Faith is shown in complete and immediate
obedience.
*This centurion's servant was
obedient like this. That made him highly valued, and qualified him for
mercy. If you trust God, you will obey Him that way. Faith in God
like this man determines God's answer.
9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and
turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in
Israel have I found such faith.”
10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house,
they found the servant well.
Keith Moore, Faith Life Church
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