You're listening to Mountain View Church Audio, Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City, Whitehorse UConn. Here's this week's message. In a world where authority is constantly questioned, from political leaders to medical experts, from teachers to parents, there's a growing sense of skepticism toward whoever's in charge. And unfortunately, that skepticism can seep into our faith. We might say we believe in Jesus, but when life gets tough, many of us still demand proof before we're willing to obey.
My name is Jeremy, and I'm the lead pastor at Mountain View Church. Today's message is titled, Jesus Authority. Our second message in a series titled, Jesus Like No Other. Each week, we're looking at a powerful moment in Jesus' ministry to understand how he was and is like no other person who's ever lived. Today, we're going to be reading from the Bible, looking at the book of Matthew, chapter 8. If you need a Bible, you can use your phone, or you can also look just down below you in the seat where there are Bibles. So we're going to be reading chapter 8, verse 5 through 13. It's called, The Faith of a Centurion.
And he comes. And to my servant, do this, and he does it. When 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. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And 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.
Jesus had just finished delivering the Sermon on the Mount. It was a revolutionary teaching that flips societal and religious norms upside down. Then he enters Capernaum and is met by an unlikely figure, a Roman centurion. This encounter is initially surprising because of who the man is, but what happens next is completely countercultural for that time. A Gentile or non-Jewish soldier approaches a rabbi, not with pomp and arrogance like would be expected, but with humility.
He needs help, and something inside of him tells him that this man, Jesus, is the only one with the authority to meet his need. The centurion has requested miraculous healing for his servant. But he doesn't ask Jesus to come and touch his servant or even visit him. He simply trusts in the power of Jesus' words. Matthew's account reads as follows. When 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. Now, this is a time when most people, even the Jews who knew the prophecies of the coming Messiah, struggled to accept who Jesus was. And yet, the Roman soldier gets it. And according to Matthew's account, Jesus marveled at his faith. Scholar Michael Wilkins explains that the centurion seems to understand what no one in Israel understands. Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.
Jesus marveled, commending the centurion for his exemplary faith and censuring Israel for lack of faith. This moment becomes even more powerful when we consider that the centurion had no understanding of messianic prophecy. He had no Torah training, no historical understanding of Jewish tradition, and yet he perceives Jesus' authority and Jesus commends him in front of everyone. Note that according to Matthew's account, Jesus directed his comment to those who followed him. The interesting part is that from the context and the fact that a centurion approached Jesus, this couldn't have been a private moment that he had with his disciples.
Although he directed the comment toward his followers, it was a public statement. A Jewish audience would have been within earshot and potentially along with a couple of religious leaders. There could have been even other soldiers nearby that were with a centurion, perhaps. Maybe even other Gentiles or non-Jewish people. So we can perceive that Jesus is using the centurion's faith to challenge everyone's assumptions about who God is and who God approves of. He's opening the minds of those who are paying attention, that a new kingdom is coming where God welcomes everyone, even Roman soldiers, which would have been crazy at that time. In our modern era, Jesus' statement would have been like a mic drop moment that would have caught everyone's attention, everyone within earshot. And as we process this account of the centurion's faith and Jesus' response, within our cultural moment, we should think of it this way, that faith obeys when sight demands proof.
Let me say that again. Faith obeys when sight demands proof. Because we live in a culture driven by visibility. We want to see the results before we trust the outcome. We want to read reviews before we try something. We want guarantees before we invest in something. And this behavior slips into our faith. And yet, the way of Jesus calls for something completely different, counter to what we're in the habit of doing. Jesus calls us to obey and follow without any guarantees of the outcome, without knowing the future. You see, we're called to be like the centurion, who didn't need to see Jesus heal to know that Jesus would heal.
He didn't need proximity to his servant because he believed that Jesus' word alone was enough. He was absolutely convinced that in the spoken word of Jesus, there was sufficient power and sufficient authority to perform a miraculous healing. What's fascinating is that the centurion's reasoning was so simple and straightforward. Check this out. He says, for 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.
The centurion viewed Jesus' authority through the eyes of Roman military command. He knew what it meant to give an order and to have it carried out instantly without needing to be physically present. He recognized that the same kind of authority, although vastly more powerful, was in Jesus. Just as a soldier obeys his commanding officer's word, the centurion trusted that Jesus' word had even greater authority and would be obeyed. As one scholar explains, he knew what it was like to have authority over soldiers and servants. The centurion perceived that Jesus had this kind of authority over disease. Jesus says go and sickness will go. He says do this to paralysis and it is done. Jesus has absolute authority over disease. That's faith. Trusting the authority of Jesus even when we can't see how things are going to turn out. Too often, we say we believe in Jesus, but then we try to maintain control over every part of our lives. We miss it.
And this is where we believe in his existence, but not always his authority. Let me say that again. We believe in his existence, but not in his authority. And yet the path to healing, the path to peace, and the bigger path to eternal life begins with faith. When we let go of our demands for proof, we boldly obey his commands and follow his calling. But let's dive a bit deeper into this word that Matthew uses in verse 10, because it's important.
We read that Jesus marveled. The Greek word that's used reflects genuine amazement and wonder to admire, to be amazed or astonished. It's used in context where someone is astonished by something unexpected or extraordinary. However, this is one of only two times in the gospel accounts where Jesus is described to have marveled at the outcome. Now, the other account is found in Mark 6, 6, where Jesus marvels at the lack of faith in Nazareth. Let that sink in for a moment.
Because it means that this interaction with the centurion is the only positive mention where Jesus marveled at someone's faith. The other one was a negative mention. So this is proof that the centurion's faith stood in stark contrast to the Jewish audience that was vast and constantly around Jesus. Many of them were waiting for signs, wanting a physical display before their belief. But here was a Gentile, a non-Jewish soldier, who simply said, just speak and it will be done.
Now, Jesus' follow-up comments are prophetic and potentially concerning for those who heard him very clearly. He proclaimed, In our modern Western context, we can miss how scandalous this would have sounded to a first century Jewish audience. How, how... Harsh it would have sounded to their ears because this was a direct rebuke of Israel's assumptions that heritage equates to salvation. They were used to being told that they were the faithful ones, but now faith was being redefined, not by lineage, but by trust in the authority of Jesus. You see, a Roman centurion wasn't just a foreigner. He was a symbol of oppression, a reminder of the foreign occupation of Rome. Most Jews would have viewed him with deep suspicion, if not outright hatred.
But Jesus doesn't just tolerate this man. He lifts him up as a model of faith. That's crazy. And this is how Jesus flips everything upside down for his first century audience and for us if we're paying attention. It's a foreshadowing of the gospel's reach that enemies, outcasts, and outsiders are invited into the kingdom of heaven. These are the types of teachings which caused many Jews to reject Jesus as the Messiah and at that time, but also eventually to seek him to be crucified.
And these teachings continue to cause anger and controversy among Jewish communities to this very day. You see, Jesus, he redefined who belongs in God's kingdom. He introduced a new kingdom with a new covenant where race and religion and tradition aren't the determining factors. Salvation is available to everyone by faith alone in God's son. That's for you and me, for everyone, every nation, tribe, and tongue.
Now let's center back on the centurion for a moment. We can't miss the personal nature of his request. The centurion didn't come on behalf of a family member or a close friend. That's important. He came for a servant. Now in Roman society, servants were often treated as disposable property, but this man valued his servant, valued him enough to seek out Jesus for his healing. That says something about his heart condition right from the get-go. His actions reveal a...
compassionate heart, one with humility. He also didn't presume worthiness. Obviously knowing he was a Roman soldier requesting help from a Jewish rabbi, he wouldn't have been stupid. He simply just trusted that Jesus, Jesus alone, was the one to speak from a distance so that his servant would be healed. This is where the centurion's account foreshadows how the gospel would break boundaries in the future. You see, one day the apostles would be called to bring the message of Jesus to all Gentiles, all non-Jewish people, bringing dignity to every person, all people made in the image of God.
all would be worthy to receive the Savior Jesus. So the question is, are you ready to receive Jesus? Are you ready to receive the Savior? Are you ready to obey Jesus in faith? Or are you still demanding proof through sight? Do you still need the proof of a miracle or a wonder or sign in order to place your trust in Jesus? Instead, why not mark today as the day you submitted every area of your life to Jesus, to his authority? That today would be a choice, a faith-filled choice to place everything under him, place him.
on the throne of your life. And don't just believe that Jesus exists. Believe that he reigns over your health, over your future, over your finances, over your fears, over your relationships, over everything. Believe that his word alone holds the power to heal, to guide, and to sustain you. Just like the centurion, say to Jesus, only say the word and I will obey. This is your moment to pause and consider what might be holding you back.
Is there a relationship you haven't surrendered to him? Is there a financial fear you keep trying to manage on your own? Is there a health concern that consumes your thoughts more than your prayers? What area of your life still requires you to hear Jesus say, go, let it be done for you as you have believed? Life under Jesus' authority leads to healing, peace, and eternal life.
When we trust Jesus' word and act on it, even when we can't see what's ahead, we begin to experience a true transformation. That's the kind of faith Jesus marveled at, and it's the kind of faith he still looks for today. Now, I want to share a personal moment from our family and a recent journey we're on. My wife Nicole and I recently experienced a challenge of faith. On April 8th, we got a call from her doctor that they had found a cancerous mass. It was overwhelming. We were so broken but felt that Jesus was close and trusted that God had a plan. The unknown was whether or not the cancer had spread to other areas of her body.
We prayed and asked family and friends to join us, as well as church members and other Christian contacts, all to pray for healing. We figured there was over a couple of hundred people praying for us. That Friday, April 11th, we flew to Vancouver for a whirlwind of tests. We went home and continued to pray. On April 15th, we received the news that the cancer was isolated to one area of her body, where the mass was, and had not spread. The immediate question comes to mind, especially if you're a skeptic. Did God remove the cancer from the rest of her body, or was it never there to begin with?
I get it. And to be honest, we might never know, or I might never know until I get to heaven. Regardless, this was the first part of our prayers and it had been answered. As far as we know, there's still a mass to be removed next month, which will be tested for cancer. And if the lab comes back and says, hey, there's no cancer in it. And they might even say, we must have made a mistake on the first set of tests with the biopsy. And if they say that, Nicole and I will know that the first set of tests were correct and that God chose to remove all the cancer from her body.
But as of now, we don't know the outcome, but we have submitted to whatever God has planned. We have given all authority over Nicole's body to Jesus. We have faith that at his word, Nicole could be healed like that. And we're praying to that end. And we'd be grateful, very grateful if you would join us in praying for her. But as of now, we have to wait in faith and trust in Jesus. I realize as I tell our story, some of you may be going through a similar trial.
Maybe you're not facing a medical crisis, but something else is testing your faith. Together, let's cling to the centurion story. When Jesus feels distant, trusting that he has the power and authority. Remember that Jesus doesn't need to be physically present to perform miracles. There are numerous accounts of people who have been healed or situations transformed through the prayerful petitions of the faithful. As we journey through our trial and you journey through your trial,
We choose to lean into our faith and wait for Jesus to speak. And if you're in a difficult situation right now, why don't you join me? Pray this prayer with me. Dear Jesus, I believe in your authority and I trust that your word is enough. Forgive me for my doubts, for holding back and waiting for proof. Today, I surrender every part of my life to you. Please bring healing to Nicole and to everyone watching or listening who is asking for your mercy and your power in their trial.
Speak, Lord, and we will believe and follow. In your powerful name, Jesus, we ask. Amen. Thank you so much for joining us today at Mountain View Church. If you have a prayer request or you're looking for a faith community, connect with us. Go to mountainview.church slash connect or search at Mountain View Whitehorse on your preferred social network. Before you go, we have a few important updates.
Oh, Jessie, this is so fun. I know, right? When's the last time you got to dress up for a tea party? Hey, guys. Oh, boy, what did I miss? I thought we were just getting together to have some tea. Oh, Megan, don't you know what high tea is? Uh, no, I sure don't. Well, it's like an old-fashioned tea party with sandwiches and scones and the works. We even bought our fine china, and we're doing it up. Oh, that sounds so cool. Okay, so what if instead just the three of us, we invited all the ladies from church? Oh, that'd be so fun. Yes, let's do that, and we'll have it downstairs and decorate it all fancy. I'm sure we can find enough tea china.
Ooh, and we'll have babysitters for the kids who have to come, and that way the ladies can just relax and be fancy. Well, I can see that you two know how to dress fancy. I, on the other hand, I don't know. Is it okay that I don't dress like this? Of course. It's a fun excuse to get dressed up, but you don't have to. You can wear whatever. Let's do it right before Mother's Day. Let's do it Saturday, May 10th. That's great. And a proper high tea time is in the afternoon, so let's do it from 2 to 4. Okay, this sounds like so much fun. I think to help with planning, we should have people RSVP. Yeah, good thinking. They can send...
You can email at jessicolburn7 at gmail.com to RSVP. And if you could also mention how many kids you're bringing and if there's any food allergies. And the ladies should also know that if they want to have a friend, they should. Just add it on the RSVP. This is so great. Okay, last question. How are we going to let the ladies know about this wonderful idea? Our AGM for Covenant members is coming up on Thursday, May 1st at 6.30 p.m. This is an important meeting, and we're encouraging all members to plan on attending in person.
For parents, child care will be provided. At this AGM, we will have 23 new member inductions. Yes, you heard that correctly, 23 new members that we'll be inducting. It's crazy. Our leadership is in complete amazement, and we're so thankful, and we hope you are too. God is clearly moving in our church. We also have three board member elections, Allison Ott for a second term, and Paul Merkison and Josh Johnson for their first term. They'll be joining our leadership team, and we're thrilled to have them. Lastly, and most importantly, we'll be hosting a reaffirmation ceremony for all members.
And this is because we're preparing and planning for the future and specifically the future facility of Mountain View Church. And as we begin this journey, we want to be all in and we want to have this reaffirmation that we're in covenant together as a local body of Christ and striving for the future and the gospel outcomes that God has planned and how he'll use our facility. Whether it be restored, redesigned, we don't know what it's going to look like. But we want to start with a commitment to follow Christ wherever he leads us. Once again, we are asking that all members be present at this meeting in person. So please mark your calendars May 1st at 6.30 p.m.
Now, for families, we offer a children's program called Base Camp at 9.30 and 11 a.m. If you're watching online, you'll find a video lesson and activity downloads for your kids right now at mountainview.church slash base camp. And for teens out there, we offer a youth program on Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. And it alternates weeks between junior and senior high. And tonight is senior youth for high school students, grades 8 through 12. Hope to see you there. If you're watching online, be sure to follow and subscribe so future messages will appear in your feed. And last but not least.
it's time for our discussion and prayer focus. The discussion question for today, for those of you who are watching together in a small group or for those of you watching online to comment in the feed, here's the question. What area of your life do you need to submit to Jesus' authority? As you've listened to this message, what area of your life do you need to submit to Jesus' authority? And after you've chatted for a little while, move to prayer. This week's prayer focus is to pray for faith, to obey even when you can't see the outcome. For us to pray for faith, pray for the faith, to obey Jesus even when we can't see the outcome.
Then plan on coming back for next week as we continue our Like No Other series, looking at Jesus' power. We've moved from victory on Easter Sunday to authority this week. Now we're going to get to power from Mark 4, 35 to 41. When a violent storm hits, Jesus doesn't panic. He speaks and creation obeys. Just as he calmed the storm for disciples, he still has power over the storms in our lives today. What storm do you need to trust Jesus with right now? Come back next week, invite a friend, and let's discover the unmatched power of Jesus. See you then.
If you prayed to receive Jesus today or would like to connect with our church community, visit mountainview.church and click the connect link. If this podcast and radio ministry has been a blessing to you, please consider partnering with us or making a tax-deductible donation at mountainview.church. Thanks for listening to Mountain View Church Audio. Join us next week for more Christ-centered teaching from the Wilderness City of Whitehorse Tupon.