Jump Start # 590

Matthew 8:9-10 “For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it. Now when Jesus head 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.”

This week we are looking at the compliments of Jesus—specifically, the things that impressed Jesus. Walmart founder, Sam Walton said, “Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen, well-timed, sincere words of praise. They are absolutely free and worth a fortune.” Mark Twain once said, “I can live two months on a good compliment.” There is a difference in compliments and flattery or compliments with the expectation of receiving something in return.

Our verse today states that Jesus marveled. That’s impressive. It’s the “Wow factor!” There’s not many things that could impress Jesus. Remember, He’s God. Remember, He’s the creator. Taking a paper airplane to the engineers at NASA isn’t going to impress them. A stick figure picture taken to the art museum will most likely find it’s way into the trash. Here, in our passage, Jesus marveled! He noticed. He was impressed. That alone is amazing. It didn’t happen very often.

The story is fascinating. Jesus is in Capernaum. A Roman soldier, a centurion at that, which means he had one hundred soldiers under him begs Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant. There are several interesting layers of thought there. First, the man asking is a military man, a Gentile, a man of war. Jesus is Jewish, a man of peace. Roman occupied the region. Add to that, most slaves were considered disposable. They were tools to be used. One didn’t get too attached to a slave. If a slave got injured, like this one, he’d be cast out and replaced. That’s the kind thing. The cruel thing would be to put him out of his misery. That was normal. This soldier actually cared for his servant. Very unusual.

This Roman soldier had heard about the works of Jesus Christ. He believed Jesus could heal, even his servant. In this exchange with Jesus, the Lord agrees to come and heal the servant. That is impressive. Jesus, going to the home of a Roman soldier—wow! The Jewish leaders would really buzz over that.  The centurion would have nothing of it. He states that he’s not worthy for Jesus to come. He asks Jesus to say “the word.” He understood that Jesus could heal from a distance. He knew that Jesus didn’t have to see exactly how and where the man was injured. Jesus had that power. Jesus had that authority. Just say the word and it will be.

Now our verse for today. This man, being a military officer understood authority. It is the right to command. When he gave orders, people obeyed. He also understood, that Jesus commanded that type of authority. All Jesus had to do was say it, and the universe would obey Him. This Roman believed.

Jesus was impressed. He marveled. He had not seen anything like that among the Jewish crowds. The lesson ends with the servant being healed.

• We find a simple lesson here about authority. We live in a world of authority. The laws of nature have a certain authority to them. Certain positions in life command authority—the police, government officials, bosses, school teachers and even parents. These folks are in the position, given by God, to have authority over others. This is necessary to function. Young people have a hard time with this. Sometimes older folks have a hard time as well. Some want to resist authority and fly on their own. Sounds good in theory, but the reality means they are going to be lawless and answer to no one. That is nothing more than a cover to be selfish. I will not do what everyone else has to. Those folks often get pulled over by the police, lose their jobs and have difficulties with relationships. For in being independent, they make everyone else accept them, lawless and indifferent as they are. It never works.
• Authority is also found in the Bible. This Roman soldier understood that Jesus had authority over disease. We learn that Jesus has all authority, over everything and everyone. He has the right, because of His position and who He is, to command. God’s way is the right way and the only way. The authority of Jesus is expressed in the Bible. This is why the word of God must be studied, preached and practiced. We are not in a democracy with God. Our churches are not run by a democracy—that is the will of the people. Instead, it is a theocracy—the will of God. There is nothing to vote on. God has spoken. Churches have long forgotten that God has all authority. History shows different groups voting about what women can do in worship, the acceptance of practicing homosexuals, what day to take the Lord’s Supper, abortion rights—hasn’t God already declared? What are we voting on? We are not in the position to make Biblical law. Ours is to obey and do what God says. God’s authority is over every person—not just the Christian. If a person chooses to ignore God, they are still under God’s law and the Bible still applies to them, even though they have nothing to do with God. There is no escaping the authority of God. It’s not for people who decide to be religious—it’s for all.

The Roman soldier understood that he was a man under authority. We do well when we remember that, too. God’s authority is expressed through the Bible. It really doesn’t matter who is preaching, how young or how polished the preacher is—it’s not the messenger, it’s the message that matters. We don’t rest our faith in a person, but in God. Some preachers are good. Some are getting there. Some need to work at it a bit more. Too often we pay more attention to how it is said, than what is said. Our faith rests, not in a polished, well delivered message, but in the words of God. Smooth talking preachers who haven’t been committed to the word of God have led people to wild and crazy ideas. It’s the words of God that matter.

Jesus was impressed that this Roman soldier understood that. He marveled. Jesus wasn’t impressed with food, buildings, or achievements. Faith is what impressed Him, and here He found it in a most unusual place—a Roman soldier.

You want God to take notice—grasp and understand Bible authority. Live by it. Respect it. Follow it. Teach it. Those that fly solo won’t find the approval of God. There was a county song several years ago that said, “That don’t impress me much.” I expect God feels the same when we ignore His way, His word, His authority to do our own thing.

Roger