Paralysis Healed 1 - the Centurion’s Servant
Miracles • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· This healing miracle benefitted both a Roman officer, known as a centurion, and his servant – resulting in a double blessing!
Healing helps the hurting AND the family!
Healing helps the hurting AND the family!
WHERE: Capernaum – Jesus’ hometown
5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him,
6 “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death.
3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave.
4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said,
5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”
Works do not earn healing.
Works do not earn healing.
WHO: Roman Centurion’s Servant –
Jesus heals ANYONE – with faith for healing
Jesus heals ANYONE – with faith for healing
· Even though healing is “the children’s bread”, God’s mercy heals the “outsiders”
· This healing happened to a non-Jew, also known as a Gentile.
· This Roman officer, although kind to the Jews, was still assigned to enforce Roman law, and not God’s Law. In fact, one Bible commentator suggests that he was part of King Herod Agrippa’s regiment. The same King Herod who sought to kill Jesus.
· Thus, this man represented not only someone who had no covenant with God, he was an active contributor an the “enemy” oppressor of God’s people.
· Like colonial America, the Jew’s tax dollars were extorted from them to pay their enemy to oppress them.
· How many of us would be willing to pray for our enemy’s healing whole heartedly?
· How many believers try to justify inactivity through religious excuses?
· When our enemies are sick, how many believers would say “they had it coming”. or “they reap what they sow”.
· But in so doing, we would act like the Pharisees who passed the man beaten and left to die along the Jericho road, instead of loving our neighbor as ourselves as the Good Samaritan did who helped him.
7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
religion says that non covenant people “do not deserve” to be healed.
Religion withholds compassion - but God’s MERCY extends
Religion withholds compassion - but God’s MERCY extends
· Man’s religion tries to exclude people from help
· But Jesus demonstrates God’s unconditional love every time!
8 But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.
9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!
God honors faith – regardless of covenant
God honors faith – regardless of covenant
· The Roman understood Kingdom authority, while the King’s kids did not!
· Jesus honored the Roman’s FAITH, not his WORKS.
11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.
12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
God dishonors faithlessness – regardless of covenant
God dishonors faithlessness – regardless of covenant
· The church needs to prepare for the end time outpouring of healing among the heathen!
· We have an opportunity to work WITH God
13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.
HOW: Spoken Word – from a distance – of miles away!
· there is no time or distance in the Spirit realm
· If YOU have a need, You can receive from God NOW
· If someone FAR AWAY has a need, YOU can also send healing power to them by speaking God’s Word to them.
· Every believer has both the right and privilege to use the power of Attorney through Jesus’ Name to cure people of sickness and disease!
· You may not be able to reach them physically, but you can reach them spiritually
10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.
Personal challenge: Will you pray for the “outsiders”?
Personal challenge: Will you pray for the “outsiders”?
· Do you know someone that could use your help? – even those who mistreated you?
· Will you pray for those in need – even those who don’t know God?
· Let’s speak God’s Word right now over those we cannot reach – the shut ins, those in nursing homes, hospitals, foreign lands, mission fields, military base, etc.