Jesus and the Roman Officer in Capernaum (Matthew 8:5-10 Good News bible)
V-5-7 When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman officer met him and begged for help: “Sir, my servant is home sick in bed, unable to move, and suffering terribly.”
Jesus said, “I will go and make him well!” his response, “Oh, No, Sir! “I do not deserve to have you come into my house.”
Have you ever felt like this:
- Lord, I have so much going on in my house and in my life; I don’t even feel I deserve you to come into my situation.
- Lord my house is so vile, wicked, and unclean; I’m too ashamed and undeserving for you to come in.
- Lord, you’re too Holy, too, Righteous to come in here, it is like filthy rags in my house.
When our thinking is so focused on our unworthiness and our conditions; we can actually miss out on the blessing. Especially, when Jesus says, “He will come.”
This officer knew he was totally unworthy of asking Jesus for anything. He was of course, “A Roman Officer” serving the Roman Government whose house was full of: idol worship, prejudice, murder, and contempt for the Jews, and Christian believers.
He had to push pass all that mess in his house to come, an humble himself, before Jesus and the people who followed him. So that he would be able to ask Jesus for help- help that his servant needed because Jesus was his last hope, or his servant would surely die.
This man must have cared very deeply for this particular servant- in order for him as a Roman officer to come "begging" Jesus for his life. Could it have been he had embraced him as a son, or reverenced him as a father, or may-be he just came to respect him deeply because of his service in his house? Whatever the case may have been, he came begging Jesus to heal this man.
Jesus impressed with the officer faith!
Jesus didn’t press the issue, he just honored the officer request; by not going.
But something remarkable transpired between the two of them that day, Command and Operations.
He said to Jesus, (an I am Kat-a- phrasing) “Sir, I know what it is to command, and I know how it operates.” Lets look at what v9 really says, “ I, too, am a man with superior officers over me, and I have soldiers under me; so I order this one, “Go!” and he goes; and I order that one, “Come!” and he comes; and I order my slave, “Do this! “And he does. (Kat-a-phrasing again) “ Look, Sir, I too, am a man who can give a commandment, I fully understand how it operates.” “ Your word is “Alive!” like the people I give orders to. When you speak one word- it moves as the soldier and slave does. If you say, heal; it moves to heal- if you say, go and deliver; it moves to delivers- if you say, open; it moves to opens." V-8, “Just give the order and my servant will get well.”
Here is a Roman office, a servant to Roman, who had a clear-cut understanding of God’s spoken word and the full knowledge on how it operated!
Father, right now in the Name Of Jesus, Please help your people-help me to have this kind of understanding of your word. Help us Holy Spirit, to be able to operate in it with great understanding and faith. Reassure our hearts that when we speak your word; it will not return unto you or us void, but will and shall accomplish that what it was set- out to do: save, heal, deliver, set free, and provide! Lord, let it also open doors that need to be opened, and shut doors that need to be shut. In Jesus Name, Amen!!!
Jesus was so amazed with his response, He had to look around and tell the people who were following him, “I tell you, I have never seen such faith as this in anyone in Israel”
Oh, but to put Jesus, in amazement of our faith would be an honor. To have him look down and say, “Have you considered my servant, who has full knowledge of my word, and know how to operate in it!”
O’Lord, help us to amaze you with our faith! Holy Spirit, help us to walk in true belief, and not doubt. O’God, keep watch over the confession of our mouth, and help us, your people see the power of your word activated in our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen!
The outcome and conclusion:
V 13- Jesus said, “Go home, and what you believe will be done for you.”
And the officer’s servant was healed that very hour.
If we can just taken Him at his word, and stop looking at the circumstances around us, but remember the storms He has brought us through- we can be stronger. If we can push pass the impossible thinking and lay claim to the possible- we can believe for more. If we traded in the intangible for the tangible- we can soar. And lastly, If we can shut off the voice of disbelieve and doubt- we too can hear those words, “Go, let what you believe be done for you!”
Father, I want to “ Thank You,” for this word. Let it simply bless the readers, and may they keep it hidden in their hearts to strengthen their lives. Hid it deep in my own heart, so that my faith can become stronger and my life more richer. In Jesus Name, Amen!
