Hi! My Name Is Jesus! Believe!

Watch the sermon online

Hi! My Name Is Jesus! Believe!       Matthew 8:5-13       12-27-20

Bottom Line: Jesus is impressed by a person’s faith even if others have doubts.

Introduction:

 A. Homer’s Iliad tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca returning home after the Trojan War. 10 yrs of war followed by 10 yrs getting home.

   1. Encounters & perils, all his crew killed. Mythology…

   2. In his absence assumed dead – unruly suitors were competing for Penelope. Telemachus his son was 20.

   3. 108 “boisterous young men” – eating & partying there

   4. Disguised as an elderly beggar, ridiculed by suitors

   5. Test: string his bow, shoot arrow through 12 axe heads

   6. No one could – except him – w/ son, killed suitors

 B. An old beggar was more than he appeared to be!

   1. To the 108 young suitors who only saw an old beggar

   2. To his wife who hadn’t seen him in 20 years! Reunited!

 C. It’s human nature to judge, generalize, label, & assume

 D. Just as Jesus was entering Capernaum, he was approached by a Centurion. Matthew 8:5-6

   1. A Roman soldier asking for a favor from a Jew!

   2. Everything is wrong with that: 1^st century Nazi!

   3. Avoid more than adulterous woman, leprosy, well woman! Bondage, cruelty, taxes, arrogance, hate, history…

 E. Wonderful story about a wonderful man, but it is really a story about Jesus. Just look at his comments…

1. “I will go and heal him.” Vs.7

 A. Why would Jesus even give this guy the time of day?

 B. What did Jesus see that made him agree w/o hesitation?

 C. We’ve been told about “Fight or Flight” but what about faith!

2. “When Jesus heard this, he was astonished.” Vs.8-10a

 A. Astonished with his humility! A centurion w/ humility?

 B. Astonished with his grasp of authority, which Jesus had!

 C. Astonished with his conviction and confidence in Jesus!

  *Want to astonish Jesus? Show some faith in him!

3. “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

 A. What does that say about the leaders? About the apostles? What did they think when they heard this?

 B. vs.11 The Kingdom gathering will be a feast of faith!

 C. vs.12 Some subjects of the Kingdom will be left out!

  * Are you a Kingdom gatherer or a Kingdom leaver?

4. “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.”

 A. An unselfish and humble request for a servant!

 B. Healed at that very hour! Without knowing how!

 C. Miracle w/o a touch or seeing! Does that happen to us?

Conclusion:

A. Would this be a great day to astonish Jesus?

B. The story of Odysseus is a story about love, separation, and reuniting!

C. What is your Jesus story about?

————————————————-

Bible Study for Sunday, December 27, 2020

Hi! My Name Is Jesus! Matthew 8:5-13

1.  When have you completely misjudged someone because of what they were wearing or the job they had? Has it happened to you?

2.  Why is this meeting in Matthew 8 with a centurion such a surprising encounter? Can we even grasp the feelings the apostles had?

3.  What did his request say about him?

4.  Why do you think there was no discussion or questions from Jesus before he declared that he would go and heal his servant?

5.  Do you think the centurion was humble? Why?

6.  What was he saying when he described his understanding of authority? (vs.9)

7.  Can we astonish Jesus today? How?

8.  Jesus said this man had the greatest faith in all of Israel. Why? How do you think this impacted the apostles? Did they understand why?

9.  Who will be part of the great Kingdom gathering? Who won’t?

10. What was unique about this miracle? Especially to the servant?