Faith - Matthew 8:10

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

When JESUS heard it, HE marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

After 30+ years; I finally see just what JESUS is saying here in this verse of scripture. So that you can understand also; read verses 1-10. First we must understand why JESUS came? Once we understand that and we see in HIS Word how HE moved about and what HE was saying; we will see why HE said what HE said in this verse. JESUS was first approached by a leprous man who was most likely a Jew; we know this because JESUS told the leprous man to go and show himself to the Priest. If you know all the laws not just the Ten Commandments, you would know that if leprosy was cured; you must show yourself to the Priest so that he may thoroughly examine and proclaim that you are clean. He would then restore you back to your family and community. This ill Jew said (1) “if you are willing; you are able”. You have to notice what he said and what he believed; the Jew knew that JESUS was able to make him well; he may have witnessed others delivered and healed; but he did not believe or understand whether or not JESUS was willing to make him well. And this is how we operate today. We know that JESUS can make the body well but we don’t believe or know if HE is willing to do that for me, [you the reader]. We have to stop second guessing who JESUS is and what HE is able to do. We have to learn who JESUS is and what HE will do. The Centurion soldier came to JESUS and we don’t know if he came because he was a believer; or if he had heard or seen JESUS in action with others who were ill. But what is clear is that this Centurion soldier loved a servant of his; he wanted his servant to be made well and live; we went out to JESUS and told JESUS what was going on. He heard JESUS say “I having come will heal” [the original Greek translation]. Now what does that mean to you or what do you hear? This is what I finally heard when I read this verse of scripture today. This is one of the assignments that I’ve come for, so that mankind will no longer suffer with illness. If illness is godly; why is it that so many back then wanted to be made well? Nothing has changed know one wants to be sick and I don’t mean insignificant sickness, although we don’t want to be bothered by those either; like the common cold or allergies. I mean for real sick; cancer, palsy, pulmonary artery disease, aides, and so many others that I can’t think of at this moment. Sure some illnesses we bring on ourselves because of our behavior, what we say and our disbelief that illness will not come from our desire to smoke, drink, do drugs or have illicit sex. But when sickness attacks our bodies then we are crying out to JESUS to heal us or we want to sue a manufacture when they were not the ones that made you purchase their product. Or you did not just fall down repeatedly into the body of a woman or if you are into same sex activities. Back to the Centurion soldier; after he heard JESUS say “I having come will heal” {original Greek translation}. The Centurion soldier said that HE did not have to come to his home; he believed that JESUS could and would heal his servant from where HE is. There was no need to touch him or to speak directly him or anything else. Just say the Word and YOUR healing commandment will find my servant. This is why JESUS recognized the soldier’s faith and said what he said. JESUS would like for us all too just believe in who HE is and what HE will do not what HE is able to do. JESUS already has informed us in HIS Word what HE will do. Later in the story you will see that the servant was healed. Now I believe that if that Centurion soldier was not a believer; he became one the moment he was informed about his servant and I'm certain that he told his servant and he too became a believer in CHRIST JESUS. You can’t speak about anything that you have not experienced. This is why it’s difficult for me to understand how is it that some CHRISTians receive from JESUS in a mighty way and they know that whatever they have received came from JESUS alone and yet they refuse to share with others. Why do you want your brothers and sisters in CHRIST JESUS to suffer or why do you want to see sinners sliding into hell without brakes? All you need to do is testify about what JESUS has done for you; if the hearer no longer wants to hear; that’s on them not you. If the hearer does not believe, that too is on them, not you. But what is on you is that you have a testimony about JESUS and you do not share it with others. You’ve chosen not to give a chance to the CHRISTian who needs encouragement or to the sinner who needs to be saved. So now that we know that JESUS also came to heal the sick and we also know that JESUS has healed the sick because HE said “by my stripes you are healed” then all we need to do is be healed. Just-be-healed!

Faith = assurance, believe, belief, them that believe.