What Obstacles?

Thursday, December 16, 2021

5-6 As Jesus entered the village of Capernaum, a Roman captain came up in a panic and said, “Master, my servant is sick. He can’t walk. He’s in terrible pain.”

7 Jesus said, “I’ll come and heal him.”

8-9 “Oh, no,” said the captain. “I don’t want to put you to all that trouble. Just give the order and my servant will be fine. I’m a man who takes orders and gives orders. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes; to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

-Matthew 8:5-9 The Message

The Centurion’s Faith

Verse 5: And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, begging Him,

Verse 6: and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, terribly tormented.”

Verses 5-6 studies: A centurion is a kind of soldier in the Roman army responsible for commanding a century, or one hundred, men. The centurion can have many obstacles stand between him and Jesus. Pride, doubt, money, language, distance, time, self-sufficiency, power, and race. He didn’t let these barriers block him from Jesus; we sure shouldn’t let us stop him from Jesus. What’s keeping you from Christ?

Verse 7: Jesus *said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

Verse 8: But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

Verse 9: 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.”

Verses 8-12 studies: A centurion was a Roman army career officer with over 100 soldiers. The Roman soldiers were hated by Jews for their oppression, control, and ridicule; surprising? But this man’s genuine faith amazed Jesus! This hated the Gentile is faith put to shame the stagnant holiness of many Jewish religious leaders.

Cross References

Matthew 8:6

Matthew 4:24

Matthew 8:9

Mark 1:27; Luke 9:1

Like a centurion with many obstacles, we are no different from the Roman officer. But the centurion showed his faith by not letting things get in the way of his faith. So, when we struggle to find Jesus, what do we do? Father, I pray that this root question is answered honestly. What causes us to stay away from Jesus, and how can we fix that? Thank you for your many blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.