Key Passage
Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. When Jesus entered the city, an army officer came to him and begged for help. The officer said, "Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can't move his body and has much pain." Jesus said to the officer, "I will go and heal him." The officer answered, "Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. All you need to do is command that my servant be healed, and he will be healed. I myself am a man under the authority (power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me. {I know that you also have power like this.}"
— Matthew 8:5-9 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Authority comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be earned, it can be given by title or position, it can be coveted, it can be seized, but only One truly has, will have, and has had ultimate authority.
Like so often today, it takes someone who has handled authority with character to truly recognize someone else with authority. The Centurion recognizes authority when he sees it. He is under the authority of superiors. He commands authority over those under his rule. In Jesus, he recognizes authority in a way that none other he has met possesses. He comes to Jesus, to have what no other can do, be done for a beloved servant.
This powerful man reminds us that it is not just the weak who see Jesus as Savior, but the strong and powerful as well. It is not just the Jew who searches for the Messiah, but the God-fearing Gentile, too!
Prayer
Almighty, incomparable, and authoritative God, I trust in your truth, your will, and your power for everything. Open my heart to your guidance so that I might live as one under your authority and exercise the authority that I am given with integrity, care, and honor. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
So Jesus came to them and said, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world."
— Matthew 28:18-20
The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, 'Your sins are forgiven.' {No one could see if it really happened.} But what if I say to the man, 'Stand up and walk'? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home." And the man stood up and went home. The people saw this and they were amazed. The people praised God for giving power like this to people.
— Matthew 9:5-8
There is only one God. And there is only one way that people can reach God. That way is through Jesus Christ, who is also a man. Jesus gave himself to pay for {the sins of} all people. Jesus is proof {that God wants all people to be saved}. And he came at the right time.
— 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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Jesus went to the city of Capernaum. When Jesus entered the city, an army officer came to him and begged for help. The officer said, "Lord, my servant is very sick at home in bed. He can't move his body and has much pain." Jesus said to the officer, "I will go and heal him." The officer answered, "Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. All you need to do is command that my servant be healed, and he will be healed. I myself am a man under the authority (power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me. {I know that you also have power like this.}"
— Matthew 8:5-9 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Authority comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be earned, it can be given by title or position, it can be coveted, it can be seized, but only One truly has, will have, and has had ultimate authority.
Like so often today, it takes someone who has handled authority with character to truly recognize someone else with authority. The Centurion recognizes authority when he sees it. He is under the authority of superiors. He commands authority over those under his rule. In Jesus, he recognizes authority in a way that none other he has met possesses. He comes to Jesus, to have what no other can do, be done for a beloved servant.
This powerful man reminds us that it is not just the weak who see Jesus as Savior, but the strong and powerful as well. It is not just the Jew who searches for the Messiah, but the God-fearing Gentile, too!
Prayer
Almighty, incomparable, and authoritative God, I trust in your truth, your will, and your power for everything. Open my heart to your guidance so that I might live as one under your authority and exercise the authority that I am given with integrity, care, and honor. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
So Jesus came to them and said, "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth is given to me. So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach those people to obey everything that I have told you. You can be sure that I will be with you always. I will continue with you until the end of the world."
— Matthew 28:18-20
The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, 'Your sins are forgiven.' {No one could see if it really happened.} But what if I say to the man, 'Stand up and walk'? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power." So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home." And the man stood up and went home. The people saw this and they were amazed. The people praised God for giving power like this to people.
— Matthew 9:5-8
There is only one God. And there is only one way that people can reach God. That way is through Jesus Christ, who is also a man. Jesus gave himself to pay for {the sins of} all people. Jesus is proof {that God wants all people to be saved}. And he came at the right time.
— 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
