As You Have Believed

And when Jesus entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him. Matthew 8:5

This past week in Children’s Church, we talked a lot about the centurion in this story. During this time, the Roman government ruled over Israel. This man “beseeching” Jesus was a Roman officer. He had command and control over 100 soldiers. When he gave an order it had to obeyed right away. It would mean death to any soldier who did not. He was a man who understood respect. He was a man with understanding of the magnitude of a single command. He was a man whose request was made with earnestness and urgency. But most importantly, he was a man that knew with faith believing that Jesus was in charge of everything. He was a man whose request was made expecting the miraculous.

And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. Matthew 8:6

Jesus replied indicating his willingness to follow the centurion home and heal the servant. But the centurion knew the magnitude of a single command. He knew that all Jesus had to do was speak the word and his servant would be healed. Verse 10 in Matthew 8 tells us that when Jesus heard the centurion say, “speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed” that Jesus marveled. Here was a Roman Centurion, a man who fought for Rome, who took orders from Rome and was responsible for leading men into battle. Here was a man, a centurion whose faith surpassed anything Jesus found among the Jews. A faith with great trust in Jesus Christ and a loving concern for someone else. I am sure many standing around that day were surprised to hear Jesus say a Gentile like the centurion had more faith than any Jew in Israel. The centurion had a faith that was not in the wisdom of men (even though he obeyed commands) but a faith that stood and believed in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5).

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the self-same hour. Matthew 8:13

“It shall be done for you as you have believed”, what do you believe?