(Joseph Bianco)
Matthew 8:5–13 5When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6“Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
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Dear church family, as we reflect on this account in Matthew 8, we see our Lord Jesus Christ marveling at the faith of a Roman centurion—a Gentile outsider to the covenant community of Israel. This military officer, accustomed to commanding obedience through his own authority, approaches Jesus with profound humility. He recognizes his unworthiness to host the Lord under his roof and yet trusts completely in the power of Jesus’ word alone to heal his paralyzed servant. In drawing an analogy from his own chain of command, the centurion grasps the sovereign authority of Christ: just as his orders are instantly obeyed, so Jesus’ word carries divine efficacy. This is faith that rests not on sight or proximity, but on the reliable declaration of the Savior’s power. From our reformed perspective, such faith is a gift of God’s grace, awakening trust in the sufficiency of Christ’s word.
Jesus’ response is striking: He marvels and declares that He has not found such faith even in Israel. This commendation highlights the nature of true saving faith—humble, trusting, and reliant upon God’s promises rather than human merit or heritage. Our Lord then expands the vision: many from east and west (Gentiles) will join Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom, while some who presume upon their natural descent (“sons of the kingdom”) face exclusion. This anticipates the gospel’s expansion beyond ethnic Israel, fulfilled in the church as the in-gathering of believers from every nation through faith in Christ alone. Despite these “sons of the kingdom” thinking that salvation is by their own merit, in reality, it has always been by faith, even from the days of Abraham.
Beloved congregation, this passage calls us to examine our own faith. Do we approach Christ with the centurion’s humility and confidence in His word? In our daily struggles—whether physical affliction, spiritual dryness, or the burdens of life—we need not demand signs or dramatic interventions; we need only trust that Jesus’ authoritative word, as contained in Holy Scripture, is sufficient to meet our needs. I always felt convicted by this passage for my lack of faith, but in reality, it’s an encouragement. If God can provide this kind of faith to a man who had no prior knowledge of the one and true God, how much more will he provide for me who has his very scripture?
Pray boldly yet humbly, interceding for others as this centurion did for his servant. And remember that great faith often appears in quiet dependence rather than spectacular displays. If anyone lacks faith, then pray boldly, asking for faith, and the promise is that it will be given to you. May the Lord bless you as you trust and rest upon his assured Word.