1

The Faith of the Centurion

2

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (Matthew 8:10)

3

One day, Jesus entered Capernaum.

4

A man came to Jesus.
The man was a centurion who was in charge of one hndred soldiers.

5

The centurion asked for help, "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering. Please heal him."

6

After listening to the centurion, Jesus was willing to heal him.
"I will go and heal him," Jesus said to him.

7

However, the centurion begged Jesus not to come.
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.
But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

8

For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.
I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes.
I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

9

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished.

Because his faith was so great.

10

By saying this, the centurion proclaimed that Jesus is the master of the world.
Whatever Jesus ordered, it could be done.
If Jesus ordered healing, the centurion believed that his servant would be made well.

11

Jesus said to those following him,
"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
Jesus praised this centurion's faith.

12

Then Jesus began to tell about a very important secret of heaven,
"Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."

13

"But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

14

These words surely told them that only people believing in Jesus can enter heaven.
We must believe in Jesus with all of our heart.

15

Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would."

Could his servant really be healed as he believed?

16

The moment Jesus replied back to the centurion, his servant was healed at that very hour.
His servant was totally healed as the centurion's faith had believed.
Jesus truly is the master of the whole world.

17

We believing in Jesus should have great faith like the centurion, too. Whenever we face difficult problems, we do not need to be afraid. If we would only believe in Jesus' power to resolve every problem and pray approaching him with faith, Jesus will be able to give us amazing rewards.