Saved To Rest…To Serve –Part 3

“When He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, appealing to Him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 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.” Matthew 8:5-8 (ESV)

As I continue with how Jesus spent a Sabbath day we find ourselves possibly outside the Synagogue with some Jewish Elders and a Roman Centurion. In Luke’s account of the story the Jewish Elders are endorsing the Centurion, “And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with Him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” (Luke 7:4-5) But who are they fooling? If I may be so bold to say this but I don’t think our Lord and Savior needed any “kiss-up’s” prior to this situation. I believe Jesus knows full well how this moment will play out. So let’s join the action…

Now Jewish tradition held that a person who entered a Gentile’s house was ceremonially defiled. Now what I find funny here is “person” and “Gentile” kinda not being on level ground. It has if being Jewish made you a person and all others are not “person’s” at all. But any way, the Centurion, undoubtedly familiar with this law, felt unworthy of having Jesus suffer such an inconvenience for his sake. He also had faith enough to know that Jesus could heal by merely speaking a word. However Jesus’ reply in Matthew 8:7 shows just how un-inconvenient it was for Jesus to go to this Centurions house to heal his servant…He simply says, “I will come heal him”

This answer of Jesus, which is short and full, not only shows the readiness of Christ to do something good but of how soon and easily He’ll comply with the Centurion’s request. That request is a prayer of faith and because it is so effective it was heard as soon as it was delivered. And because of this Jesus’ reply will also contain an absolute promise that He would heal him. He does not say that He would come and see him but He would come and heal him at once: and indeed it is a proposal of more than what was asked of Him; His presence was not asked, and yet he offered it; though Luke says, that the Centurion sought Jesus by the messengers to “come and heal his servant”; and so this is an answer to both parts of the request; the whole is granted. Jesus Christ cannot deny anything to faith, His presence or assistance. Pretty cool, huh?

I think the most interesting thing about this story is we have Jesus Christ, the Divine authority, being a servant to a Roman Centurion, who is of a worldly authority, being a servant to someone who is actually a servant…who has no authority. Amazing isn’t it? Considering that, in Jesus’ time on the earth,  the Roman Empire’s mentality on  those “person’s” without authority were…disposable. And that’s the encouraging part to this story, that on a Sabbath day, meant for the children of God, Jesus would use this moment to showcase the faith displayed by someone who God’s children said was “ceremonially defiled”.

I love hearing both Matthew’s and Luke’s account of this story because it says that Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE!! It does matter your position in this world, because in the Kingdom of God that position serves no eternal purpose so why have it. I almost think that position and title shouldn’t have any bearing amongst us, but the world is a fallen place and as it was once said, “Surely God didn’t say…” so it is what it has become because of “Surely”.  I my next Freedom Fighter I would like to share with you a story on how a saved mother-in-law becomes an example of servanthood. I hope today’s story encourages you to remember it is His intention that EVERYONE come to a saving grace knowledge of Him that saves!! AMEN? – Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a weekly Freedom Fighter blogger

Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 74-77

Think About This:“The difference between faith as it is found in the New Testament and faith as it found now is that faith in the New Testament actually produced something—there was confirmation of it. Faith now is a beginning and an end. We have faith in faith—but nothing happens. They had faith in a risen Christ and something did happen. That’s the difference.”—A.W. Tozer

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18