“Recognizing a Greater Power”

Monday, March 25, 2019

Bible Reading: Matthew 8

Men of power are typically known for their egos, not their humility. However, in Matthew 8 we see a Roman centurion – a man of great power – approach Jesus and beg for help (Matthew 8.5). He is so humbled by the power of Jesus that he does not even feel worthy to have Jesus come to his house (Matthew 8.8).

Historically, centurions were common men who worked their way up through the ranks and established themselves as leaders. Their authority was such that they could tell people what to do and it would be done, no questions asked (Matthew 8.9). And so, for this man to appeal to Jesus implies he recognizes a greater authority.

The lesson in this story is found in Jesus’ response to this man. Jesus equates the centurion’s understanding of authority to his faith. “[Jesus] marveled and said… “with no one in Israel have I found such faith!”” (Matthew 8.10). Why is that? It’s because respect for the authority of Jesus is fundamental to faith.

Authority is a negative word in our Western society. In fact, in 21st century America, to imply that someone has power to tell me how to live my life is almost un-American! However, the negative attitude towards authority is ignorant and unnecessary. If we value freedom, we must also appreciate the fact that you can't offer freedom without the power to do so. 

In our walk of faith, the authority of Jesus is critical to the freedom from sin we desire. Jesus has been given "all authority in heaven and on earth…” (Matthew 28.18), but, like the centurion, we must recognize his power, and be humble enough to submit to it. Do we realize what it means to be under the authority of Jesus? 

I fear that our American ideals often devalue the need for authority, and that bleeds over into our faith. We read the scriptures more like suggestions than commands from our king… but Jesus’ power to tell men what to do is paramount to any other authority. We cannot take solace in the grace he gives if we do not demonstrate that we respect his authority to offer it!

Our faith is demonstrated when we humbly submit to the authority of Jesus. This means when he says “Go”, we go; when he says, “Do this”, we do it. This means when we read the words of Jesus, we don’t take them as suggestions but as commands from our king, for our good. It is not enough to read the words of Jesus, say “Amen” and move along unchanged. If Jesus is your Savior and your King, he deserves your respect and obedience.

When you read the words of Jesus, are you looking for your marching orders or are you reading for pleasure? Do the words of Jesus significantly impact your decisions and your life? He has authority to tell us what to do… and we must take that seriously.

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