Matthew 8:5-13

I. Capernaum – A wicked city.

A. Matthew 11:23 – Mighty works were done in Capernaum, which, if they were done in Sodom, would have caused them to repent.

B. Matthew 17:24 – When Christ and His disciples came back to Capernaum, tax collectors asked Peter if Christ paid tribute, or not. They were looking for something to be offended by.

C. Mark 1:21-28 – Jesus spoke with authority, and healed the man with the unclean spirit, but the people didn’t believe in Him.

II. A Centurion came to Christ. (A centurion is usually a career soldier, a Roman solder who is in charge of 100 soldiers.)

A. Mark 15:39 - A centurion witnessed the death of Christ, and declared, "Truly this was the Son of God."

B. Acts 10 – Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian band, and was saved when Peter preached.

C. Acts 27:3 – Julius treated Paul well when Paul was placed in his care.

III. Came:

A. When he heard that Jesus could heal his sick servant, he put action on his belief and came to Christ, and laid the situation before him.

1. The only people who come to Christ for help are those that have something wrong and know they have something wrong.

2. People that have things wrong, but don’t realize it, don’t come to Christ.

3. People that have things wrong, but believe they can fix it themselves, don’t come to Christ.

4. The only people that get their prayers answered and their lives fixed are those that come to Christ.

B. Compare to the leper in Matthew 8:2, who also came, but the leper asked for a specific thing.

1. The centurion simply laid the situation before Christ. This was what the centurion was accustomed to doing. He knew what authority was, and didn’t come asking for a specific thing, but would leave the next action to be taken to Christ. This is not wrong.

2. Sometimes we think we must ask only for specific things, but sometimes it is much better to present our cares to the Lord, and let Him work them out whatever way pleases Him. When you don’t know the will of God, it is always better to leave the results up to God.

3. It is not wrong (like the leper) to desire a certain thing, and ask God to do it if it is His will.

C. When Jesus said He would come heal him, the centurion declared that wasn’t necessary.

1. He is a man under authority, understanding the one in authority doesn’t have to be there for a thing to be carried out.

2. Everyday circumstances should teach us how God works.

3. God doesn’t have to be with us every moment for us to do His will.

4. God is with us at all times, but we don’t have to "feel" His presence for Him to be with us.

IV. Condemnation to unbelievers, whether members or not.

A. The Roman centurion had more faith than any Capernaum Israelite.

B. Verse 11 - Many who are "on the outside" will go into the eternal kingdom of God, but those "on the inside" will not even be in the kingdom.

1. Being a member of a church guarantees you nothing at all.

2. Judah Iscariot was a church member, but lost. He went to his own place – in hell.

C. Many Jews lived their lives believing they would be ushered into a chief place in the kingdom of God. They will be greatly disappointed to discover they aren’t even in the kingdom.

D. Outer darkness is not so much a place, as it is a position (an attitude) – a knowledge that you lost many things you should have.

1. There will be tears shed in this position, just like there will be many tears shed when, in this life, you see the result of your loose living in your children.

2. There is nothing you can do to change the past, or even the present, because your children are following your bad example.

3. Rev. 21:4 tells of the time when all tears will be wiped from our eyes. This time will be when time is no more. As long as there is time, tears will remain in eyes. Why? Because as long as there is time, there will be continuing result from our lack of faithfulness and obedience. Our disobedience and wickedness is passed down to our children, and grandchildren, which we will probably see, but it also goes to our great grandchildren, and then to other generations. Not only that, it also fills the generation we live in and sets the tone for the next generation, and on and on it goes.

4. Matthew 25:30 – the unprofitable servant is cast into outer darkness. It is a servant cast into outer darkness, not a lost person.

5. I Corinthians 3:12-15 – Some will suffer lost of all their works because their works aren’t build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. They won’t be happy about this, when they see all their "good" works burned up in the fiery eyes of Christ.

6. Rev. 1:14 – the eyes of Christ are like flame of fire.

E. Go thy way.

1. It is done.

2. The man could go away trusting Christ to do what He said, just like he trusted his servants to do what he told them to do.

3. Do we believe Christ enough to go our way, believing He will do us good, and not evil?

4. Must we wait until we see before we believe, or will be believe before we see?