Centurion: The key that unlocks the mustard seed

One of the most revealing stories in the new testament is a very short one. I think its safe to say, that if this were the only lesson we had to show us what our work here is, it would be enough. The elusive mustard seed we've all been searching for, can be found in the story of the Centurion.

The Centurion sought after Jesus that day, and when he found the Lord, the soldier began to humbly beg:

Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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 selfsame hour. Matthew 8:5-11

How utterly profound is this revelation? To study this passage and dig out its pearl, would be sufficient alone to turn Christianity upside down. All these centuries our eyes have been blinded from seeing this mustard seed, that if attained, could remove mountains.

Matthew 17:19-20

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

It seems that a request to remove a mountain over to yonder place would be vain, and pointless. But what if the mountain symbolized the sins of the world? Think on that.

Getting back to the Centurion, we see a Roman soldier, who was most certainly considered a heathen and unbeliever, showing the whole world for nearly two thousand years, what it meant to believe in the power of one word from God.

Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed Matthew 8:3

Where was the soldiers servant when this request took place? A block away, one mile, ten miles, ten thousand miles away?

Jesus was astonished at the level of faith this heathen had, in the power of the Word of God. We should be astonished that our eyes have been blinded from this mustard seed all these years.

But what if the Centurion had asked Jesus to heal two of his sick servants, or what if it was ten? What if it was ten thousand?! Would Jesus have said, No no, thats to many my son, putting a limit on the soldiers faith?

We are approaching a marker in history, and I know many of you can feel it in the air. Its time for the church to awaken from her deep sleep. Its time.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven (many shall read the bible and go to church)

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth

Why are they gnashing their teeth? Because they didnt recognize the simplicity of what having faith the size of a mustard seed could really do? Because they are weeping in shame. What is your prayer that one Word from God will Do? Save you, or save all? The heathen understood, and the gospel is hidden in the simple words of that heathen centurion.

How long are Christians going to hoard for themselves, what could be shared with billions by having faith in one word from God? Was it the healing of the flesh that this story was about? Absolutely not! Its about the souls of men. The question remains, how are we using our faith? Do we apply it like the Centurion did?

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

What is the mountain? What do you want the mountain to be? --MichaelHulmes