BELIEVE/OBEY THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS!

BELIEVE/OBEY THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS!

 When he 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. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith…  And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. —Matthew 8:5-10, 13

            When are we coming to Jesus for help?  How are we taking Jesus at His Word?  In what ways are we understanding and yielding to His authority?  Who can see the faith that we have by the way we act and speak?  How are we a testimony to those around us by living out our faith in our Father, His Son Jesus and His Holy Spirit? 

            This centurion, this Gentile, this man who had authority, recognized the authority that Jesus has.  This recognition was not just with words, but with actions.  How do our words and actions show that we too recognize the authority of Jesus?  This centurion did not just recognize the authority of Jesus, but he was willing to come under the authority of Jesus and do what He said.  When Jesus told him what to do, he did not question Jesus.  Instead, he was obedient— ‘“Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.’” And the servant was healed at that very moment.”

            See, the authority was known by the centurion.  In his position with authority over 100 soldiers, the centurion knew what authority meant.  When he said to one, “‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it” and so he knew to obey what Jesus said.  He absolutely knew the authority Jesus had and Jesus said of him— “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”  What would Jesus say about our faith?  May we take Him at His Word!  If we don’t, then whose word are we trusting in? Your own? Some other person’s?  I will live by God’s Word! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zaaiFp4RSM

Yes, Dear Father, may I listen to what You say above all others.  May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus!