Great Faith

 Getting To Know Him More

Last Wednesday, I started to follow Jesus through the gospels as He shows us the character of His Father.  Today, we move to Matthew 8, Jesus has just completed what is commonly called His sermon on the mount.  As Jesus comes down from the mountain, He is met by a leper.  The leper came and worshipped Him and said, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”  The leper believed that Jesus was able to heal him; but he was not sure Jesus wanted to heal him.  Jesus immediately responds, “I will; be thou clean.”  Mark and Luke also record this healing, so the Holy Spirit deemed this miracle of such significance that it is recorded three times.  The three writers emphasize that when Jesus was asked if He wanted to heal, Jesus responded, yes.  You should note that Jesus did not comment on the leper’s faith.

The next encounter involves the centurion’s servant.  Matthew and Luke record this miracle.  Luke gives a little more detail than Matthew.  Luke adds the detail that the centurion had built a synagogue for the Jews and that when his servant was sick and ready to die, that upon hearing of Jesus, he called the elders of the Jews, asking if they could go to Jesus and ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.  At this point the centurion obviously believed that Jesus was capable of healing the servant; but was not sure if he wanted to.  The elders go to Jesus and tell Him about the centurion, being a man that loved the Jewish nation and had built them a synagogue.  You need to remember that this centurion was part of the Roman soldiers that were occupying Israel.  Jesus immediately starts going to the centurion’s house; but when Jesus was almost there, the centurion sends someone to meet Jesus and tells Jesus that he does not want to trouble Jesus.  Jesus had just gone out of His way to go to the centurion's house. He had already troubled Jesus. He tells Jesus to just speak the word and he knows that his servant will be healed. Immediately, Jesus commends him for his “great faith”.  What made Jesus say this?  What made his faith great?  When the centurion saw Jesus coming, he then knew Jesus wanted to heal his servant.  He now knew that Jesus was not only able to heal but wanted to heal his servant.  At that point, he says just say the word and I know he will be healed. Great faith is not just knowing that God can heal,; but; also knowing that God wants to heal.

Knowing that someone can do something for you, will never help you.  Everyone knows that Bill Gates, from Microsoft is able to give you a million dollars.  Is that going to help you pay your next house payment?  No!  If you knew he wanted to give you a million dollars, that would mean something.

Do know that God can heal you?  Do you know that God wants to heal you?  If you do, you have great faith! 

You know your God! 

You know Jehovah-Rapha!

Two more examples of your Father’s character!

More to follow.