 This past Sunday, our message at Living Grace was titled Say the Word. If you missed it, you can watch it here. I wanted to share a few thoughts from that sermon and give you something to think about as you walk through the week.
We use words all day long. We use them to plan our day, talk to our families, send emails, and post online. A single word can bring comfort, or it can hurt someone deeply. A few angry words can start a fight. A gentle word can bring peace. We know that human speech carries weight. But in Matthew 8:5–13, we are reminded that there is a word that carries a different kind of power. This is not just human speech. This is the Word of the Son of God. And a Roman centurion, of all people, understood that better than most. A commander in the Roman army came to Jesus because his servant was suffering. Jesus offered to come and heal him, but the centurion said something that made Jesus stop and marvel. He said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8, ESV). That is the heart of this message. The centurion believed that all Jesus had to do was speak. Let’s take a closer look at what his faith teaches us. FAITH RECOGNIZES THE POWER OF JESUS’ WORD Real faith starts by recognizing who is speaking. The centurion did not need Jesus to put on a show. He did not ask for a sign, a ritual, or a dramatic moment. He believed that if Jesus would simply speak, that would be enough. Scripture tells us that Jesus “marveled” at this and said, “With no one in Israel have I found such faith” (Matthew 8:10). We live in a world that constantly says, “Prove it first, then I will believe.” Yet Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith is not blind. It is anchored in the character and word of God. Think about how often you already live with this kind of assurance. When you drive through an intersection on a green light, you trust that other drivers will stop on red right? When you sit down in a chair, you don't inspect the structural integrity first do you? When you wake up in the morning and see the light outside, are you shocked that the sun came up again? You have seen these things happen so many times that you trust them. In a far greater way, faith takes God at His word, even when there is no visible proof yet. The centurion had never watched Jesus heal from a distance, but he knew that Jesus’ word carried divine authority. The same God who once said, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) is the God whose voice still holds the universe together. Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus “upholds the universe by the word of his power.” If His word can hold galaxies in place, then His word can hold your life together, too. FAITH THAT HUMBLY SUBMITS TO HIS AUTHORITY The centurion did more than recognize power. He understood authority. As a Roman officer, he had soldiers under him. If he told one to go, he went. If he told another to come, he came. People obeyed because he carried the authority of Rome. Yet this man, who was “large and in charge” in that region, looked at Jesus and knew he was standing before Someone greater. That is why he said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.” He did not come to Jesus with demands. He came with humility. He knew that his rank, his position, and his strength meant nothing compared to the Son of God. Faith always looks like that. It does not strut into the presence of God with a list of expectations. It bows low and says, “Everything I receive from You is grace.” James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Pride builds a wall between us and God. Humility opens the door for mercy to flow. Jesus said it this way: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Picture a soldier saluting his commanding officer. That simple gesture is a way of saying, “I know who is in charge, and it is not me.” In the same way, faith salutes the Lordship of Jesus. It acknowledges that His word is final and His will is good. You cannot have faith in Jesus while still clinging to the idea that you are in control. Real faith says, “Lord, I am not worthy, but You are.” FAITH EXPERIENCES THE REWARD OF HIS PROMISE When the centurion trusted the word of Jesus and submitted to His authority, he saw the result. Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” Matthew 8:13 tells us, “the servant was healed at that very moment.” The miracle did not happen because the centurion had status. It happened because he had faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Jesus is not handing out blank checks for our own selfish desires. He is inviting us to trust Him, to ask according to His will, and to believe that He is good. Think of a farmer holding a bag of seed. If he refuses to plant it, he will never see a harvest. If he puts that seed into the ground, trusting that God will bring growth, he can expect a crop in due time. Faith is like that seed. When we place our trust in Jesus’ word, we are planting into the soil of His promises. Sometimes the harvest comes quickly, like it did for the centurion. Sometimes it comes through seasons of waiting, like Abraham or Joseph experienced. But God always keeps His word. Faith may not give us the exact outcome we had in mind, but it will always bring us into the presence and power of God. PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE Here are a few simple ways to live this out this week:
CONSIDER THIS… Where am I struggling to believe that Jesus’ word really is enough for my situation? In what part of my life do I need to humbly submit to His authority instead of clinging to control? What promise of God do I need to hold onto and expect Him to fulfill in His time and in His way? CLOSING THOUGHT The story of the centurion reminds us that true faith is not about our status, our strength, or our worthiness. It is about who Jesus is and what His word can do. His word is powerful enough to create, to uphold, to heal, and to save. He still responds to faith today. So as you move through this week, let this simple prayer stay close to your heart: “Lord, only say the word.” Trust that what He speaks, He will accomplish. – Pastor Charley Munro Living Grace Church, Tyler, Texas
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