Posted: 28 Novenber 2022

From a sermon given on 27 November 2022:

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
(Matthew 8:9)

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
(Matthew 8:10)

As Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion ( "A Roman army officer who commanded about 100 soldiers") came to Jesus and asked him to heal his servant. Jesus' willingness to enter the house of a gentile must have shocked the centurion for the Jewish law banned Jews from doing this.

Being an army officer, he operated in a system of authority where he only needed to give a command and everything could be done as directed. "He believed that Jesus carried the authority of God and he only needed” “to say a word and his servant would be healed. He had confidence that even though the servant was in a different location, Jesus could still heal him. And indeed he got healed!"

“The word of God is real and can penetrate any distance and accomplish the intended purpose. The word of God spoken in faith in the name of Jesus has power to overcome insurmountable obstacles.”

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
(Hebrews 4:2)

Further Readings:

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
(Psalm 107:20)

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:11)

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
(Jeremiah 23:29)