Friday's post is going up on Thursday night so that the early birds can get it in the morning.
Matthew 8:5-13 (NIV)
[5] When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. [6] “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering.”[7] Jesus said to him, “I will go and heal him.”
[8] 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. [9] 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.”
[10] 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. [11] I say to you that 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. [12] But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
[13] Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that very hour.
The kingdom of God is under Jesus authority. He is absolutely Lord. The door is open for anyone & everyone to receive the blessings of Jesus kingdom but there are still those who don't want to. There are even those who are deceived as "subjects" of the kingdom who will miss engaging with the blessings of Jesus authority.
ReplyDeleteThis speaks to me about paying attention to where my faith really lies. God wants me to trust him with my whole life and everything I am responsible for but it is absolutely not about what tribe I belong to. It is a living active surrender to the governing authority of Jesus by the Holy Spirit. His Holy Spirit is with me and in me. I am accountable to say "Yes" to him! - Dan Lamos
Wow! This is an awesome passage to soak in. We have a pagan, a Roman soldier, a Roman leader step out of his comfort zone to come to Christ.
ReplyDeleteA Roman leader, a man who had shown loyalty to Israel's oppressor. A person who may have arrested or have killed family members of the people in the crowd. A person responsible for uprisings and here he risks his career, his reputation, and possibly even his life in coming to Christ. To care for someone enough to put everything on the line. I do not think the comment Jesus made about his faith just had to do with not asking Jesus to come, but Jesus knew what this soldier was laying on the line.
The people who should have known who Christ was, were more concerned with image, power and what they wanted for their future. Here was a foreigner willing to lay all those thing on the the line. I may never be in a place to risk everything the way this Roman soldier did, but Christ longs for, no, expects that very same attitude and devotion from me.
Right on Dan!
DeleteOften we read that the crowds were astonished by Jesus' actions. Here Jesus is astonished by a Gentile.Wow!
Brian Lockett.
This passage would indicate that there are two kingdoms. One is the kingdom of heaven and people from everywhere can be a part of this Kingdom. And many members of "the kingdom" will also be there, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but other members of the kingdom who just don't get it, just don't know and understand God, will be thrown out. WOW. This is heavy. I pray that the Israelite people will enter the Kingdom. Of course, they must enter the same way we do - by being born again, born of the Spirit of God. This passage reminds me that my Christian heritage is not enough. I must have my very own relationship with the living God. And heritage is neither a gain nor a hindrance in this regard. Faith is what counts....
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