Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power moves us beyond instruction into action as Jesus begins to demonstrate what He has taught. After the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew demonstrates that faith is activated through miracles. Jesus heals by His word and His touch. He reveals His authority, His lordship, and the power of worship and intercession. This chapter calls believers to expect miracles, grow in great faith, and live out kingdom truth.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Audio
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Scriptures used in this lesson:
Acts 10:28, Matthew 8:1, Matthew 8:2, Luke 5:12, Matthew 8:2, Matthew 8:3, Mark 16:17–18, Matthew 8:4, Matthew 16:15–17, Mark 1:45, Matthew 8:5, Matthew 8:6, (KJV) Matthew 8:7, Matthew 8:8, John 18:28, Acts 11:3, Matthew 8:9, Matthew 8:10, Ephesians 4:11–13, Matthew 8:11–12,, Matthew 8:13, Romans 11:1
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew Chapter 8 – From Teaching to Application
We will examine Matthew 8. This chapter is important because it moves us beyond teaching alone and introduces application. After the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew now shows us what Jesus does with what He has taught.
Earlier, in Matthew chapter 4, we saw Jesus teaching and preaching the kingdom of God. By the time we reach chapter 8, Jesus has already taught and preached on the mount. Now He leaves that place and begins to activate what He has been proclaiming. This helps us distinguish between preaching and teaching. Preaching proclaims and exalts, but teaching goes further by showing how truth is lived out.
True teaching is not just talking about truth. It involves doing it and showing others how to do it. That is what real teaching activates. We saw that recently at the seminar with Bill Hammond. He does not just teach principles; he demonstrates them and activates people. That is what teaching is meant to accomplish.
We are coming off the Sermon on the Mount, which was rich and powerful teaching. We now move into a section where we will see successive miracles. My desire for our fellowship is that we move toward understanding and the activation of faith. I do not believe it is by chance that we are moving from teaching straight into miracles.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
I believe God wants to see miracles right here in the church at Lafayette, and I believe He wants to see people healed, including Sally Cook walking. When we teach on the baptism of the Holy Spirit, people get baptized in the Holy Spirit. In the same way, when we begin to talk about miracles, we should begin to see miracles.
As I have been living in Matthew over the last few days, it has moved me. When you really look at these things, they stir you up. As we read the introduction, we see that after the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus comes down, and the crowds follow Him. Matthew then walks us through the early miracles of Jesus’ ministry, beginning in chapter 8 and continuing through chapter 9.
In chapter 8, we watch Jesus heal the leper with His words and His hand. We see Him heal the centurion’s servant with His word and Peter’s mother-in-law with His hand. He ministers to crowds, scribes, and disciples through both His words and His touch. He speaks to the elements of nature and exercises authority over the demonic. Throughout this chapter, Jesus uses His voice/words and His hands to release the power of God.
Is it any different today? The same things we see in this lesson still apply. We will see our modern-day leper, faithful intercession, and great faith that comes from understanding authority. One truth stands out to me clearly: no disease is terminal. That reality quickened in me today in a fresh way. No disease is terminal. We will also come to see more clearly who Jesus is.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
My hope in this lesson is to strengthen our faith and help us seek the miraculous. I believe the timing of this study is intentional. It is not coincidental that we are at this point in our growth. I believe God has ordained this season for us to stir ourselves by seeing the miraculous. I agree with that, and I believe it is time.
The Cleansing of the Leper
The first thing we will examine is the cleansing of the leper. The opening section of Matthew chapter 8 focuses on the early miracles of Jesus. Within that section, Matthew 8:1-4, specifically addresses the cleansing of the leper, and that is where we will begin.
This man had a real physical need. We all know what it is to have physical needs and to want God to touch them. The question is whether we believe God heals only on Sunday morning or at any time. The religious system limited healing to specific days, and people were upset when Jesus healed on the Sabbath. We can fall into a similar mindset if we think healing only happens in church services.
I want you to know that if something is ailing you tonight, He is here to heal. He desires to heal on a Wednesday night just as much as on a Sunday morning.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
It is also essential to understand that Matthew does not arrange events chronologically. Instead, he arranges them by topic. When we compare Matthew with Mark and Luke, we learn that several events mentioned in Matthew’s chapters 8 and 9 had already occurred earlier. Other events, such as the centurion’s servant, the calming of the storm, and the demonic deliverance, happened after the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew’s purpose is not to give a minute-by-minute account of Jesus’ life. His goal is to prove that the Messiah King has come to the Jews. That is why it is essential to remember for whom this book was written and why the order may differ from that of the other Gospels.
When passages do not line up precisely with Mark or Luke, there is a reason. Matthew is not focused on chronology. He wants us to see that Jesus is the King and the Messiah. The King has come, and there is no longer a need to wait for Him. He is here.
Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount and descended from the mount.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew 8:1
1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
The presence of crowds runs all the way through the book of Matthew. What stands out to me is that crowds come to the real thing. When the miraculous begins to happen, and the true lordship and authority of Jesus Christ are evident, people will come. They may be drawn to what is fake for a moment because it is exciting, but what they truly seek is what is real.
Crowds always followed Jesus, yet there were times when He intentionally withdrew from them. He crossed rivers, lakes, and seas to get away. That shows His humanity. He became tired and needed rest, even though the crowds continued to seek Him.
At the same time, Jesus never worked in secret or in a corner. That brings a caution about what I call parking lot prophets. Prophecy must be judged. We should be careful when someone privately says, “I think the Lord is saying this to you.” Those things need to be brought before the elders and the body of Christ so they can be discerned and judged.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
If someone will not submit what they say to the proper spiritual authority, there is something wrong. Jesus did nothing in the corner. As we proceed, we observe a leper approach.
Matthew 8:2
2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
I aim to explain leprosy using information from Hendrickson’s commentary on Matthew to clarify its meaning. Leprosy generally begins with pain in some regions of the body, followed by numbness. The skin then loses its color and becomes thick, glossy, and scaly. That is why the disease is called leprosy, derived from a Greek word meaning “scale.”
I also see a connection to a disease known today as lupus. It is similar and remains prevalent in our society. There is still no medication that can fully heal it.
As leprosy progresses, the thickened areas develop dirty sores and ulcers due to poor blood supply. The skin around the eyes and ears swells and forms deep furrows, causing the face to resemble that of a lion. Fingers and toes may be lost or absorbed. Eyebrows and eyelashes also fall out.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
By this stage, the person is in a pitiful condition. The disease can be observed and even detected by its strong, unpleasant odor. It often also attacks the larynx, causing the voice to become hoarse and grating. You can feel it, see it, smell it, and hear it.
If you remain near a leper for any length of time, you can even imagine a strange taste in your mouth due to the odor. All the senses of a healthy person are engaged in detecting disease. That description comes directly from Hendrickson’s commentary.
Scripture makes it clear that healing from leprosy could only come by the power of God. Leprosy was considered deadly and incurable, and that has not changed. God alone could heal this disease.
When the man came to Jesus, Luke 5:12 tells us that he was full of leprosy.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Luke 5:12
12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
The word full means replete or completely covered. This man’s body was entirely overtaken by leprosy. His face was swollen and ridged until it resembled that of a lion. His ears and eyes were scaly and enlarged, and his fingers had fallen off, and his toes were affected in the same way.
Everything about him revealed the disease. You could see, smell, and hear it. The odor was present, and his voice was raspy and coarse. This was not an early condition. It was leprosy in its advanced stage. He was genuinely full of leprosy.
As I read this, I kept thinking about Grady Smith. I never saw him in a hospital bed, but I heard about it. Cancer had reached its final stage. The doctors said he had only days left. Every medical option had been exhausted, and there was no cure. The only hope left was the power of God.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Grady was full of cancer, just as this man was full of leprosy. We may be full of many things in life, but nothing is terminal with God. I want that truth to take hold of us. I want us to see that Sally Cook is not terminal and that no one we lay hands on is beyond hope.
This man would have been considered completely hopeless. His body was deformed, covered with sores, and marked by deep furrows. The disease affected his appearance, odor, and voice. He was pitiful and dying by every human standard.
Yet we see faith in this leper. He recognized Jesus of Nazareth. When he came to Jesus, he did two things. The first thing he did was worship. He came and worshiped Him.
Matthew 8:2
2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
The term “worshiped” connotes complete humility and surrender. It means to fawn, to crouch, and to prostrate oneself in reverence. It depicts total dependence, like a dog licking its master’s hand. This man was in a corner with nowhere else to go, and his worship reflected that condition.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Worship here is not about clapping hands, lifting arms, or dancing before the Lord. It is an inward posture. It is a yielding of the heart and a prostrate attitude that says, “I would kiss your hand if you were standing before me.” That is how this man, full of leprosy, came to Jesus.
The second thing he did was call Jesus Lord. That always amazes me. Many people want healing, but they have never allowed Jesus to become Lord of their lives. They remain bound by habits, attitudes, anger, and unforgiveness.
Jesus must become Lord. Faith is activated when we worship Him and place Him in that position. We worship what is Lord in our lives, and our faith follows what we worship. True worship happens when the Lord is truly Lord.
When Jesus reached out and touched him, He said, “I will.” Immediately, the leprosy was cleansed.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew 8:3
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
When the man said, “If you will,” Jesus responded, “I will.” The turning point was not uncertainty on Jesus’ part. His will was triggered by the man’s worship and by the shift that made Jesus Lord in his life.
I want Jesus to be Lord from the beginning. I want Him to be Lord of my family, our fellowship, and our city. My desire is to worship Him and to see His will activated as we lay hands on people and watch Him heal. I believe He can do it. I believe it takes worship, and I believe He must truly become Lord.
Without that, we are only wasting time. We are just going through motions and accomplishing nothing. There is no power without surrender.
To receive the miracle, the leper did what was necessary. He declared Jesus Lord and aligned his will with God’s will. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.” (Matthew 6:10).
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus Christ clearly ministered through the laying on of hands. We once spent an entire teaching hour on that single subject. Scripture shows Him laying hands on the leper, on Peter’s mother-in-law, and on the ruler’s dead daughter, whom He raised. He laid hands on blind men, on His disciples at the transfiguration, and again on others who were blind. He even touched a coffin and raised a dead man.
This pattern matters. Jesus ministered in two ways: by His touch and by His voice. That has not changed. We are called to do the same. We must lay hands on people, just as He did, according to what He taught in Mark 16:17–18.
Mark 16:17–18
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Everyone here already knows this passage. The Scripture says that signs follow those who believe. These signs are not for a select few. They are for believers, and that includes speaking in tongues, casting out devils, and laying hands on the sick.
When we read Mark 16, it is just as much the Word of God as John 3:16. It carries the same authority and comes by the same Holy Spirit. Jesus clearly states that believers will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
This is not magic. There is no power in our hands by itself. There was no magic in Jesus’ hands either. The power came from God within Him, and that same source is where our power comes from. Christ within us is what activates healing.
If laying on hands has not produced fruit, the issue is not the instruction. The problem is Christlikeness. When Jesus is not truly Lord in a person’s life, there is no release of power. We can go through motions and religious routines, yet remain empty inside.
There must be sanctification in the body of Christ. A holy lifestyle matters. When we live rightly before God, our conscience does not condemn us, and the power already given to us can flow freely.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Hope for the Hopeless and What Lies Ahead
When Jesus healed the leper, everything changed instantly. The odor disappeared. The sores were replaced with smooth skin. His voice returned to normal. Fingers and toes were restored. The healing was complete.
That gives us hope. We are not dealing with impossible cases. Grady Smith was considered hopeless. While we were praying one morning, a letter from his daughter was read. She wrote that her father had cancer and was confined to bed. Dr. Ted Cash laid hands on him, and her father was healed.
Someone has to lay hands on people. We are doing that, and I do not want to be misunderstood. At the same time, there must be something coming from within us when we do it.
This is where hope is found for the most hopeless cases. The words and the hands of Christ completely restored the man who was full of leprosy.
The First Recorded Miracle and Its Significance
I do not believe it is accidental that the first miracle Matthew records involves the most feared and condemned disease of that time. It was the disease people dreaded the most, and I do not think it is coincidental that it parallels the disease most feared today.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
What we now call AIDS carries many similarities to leprosy in the days of Jesus. The symptoms are severe, the social rejection is real, and the only possible healing is the power of God Almighty. Medical science cannot ultimately stop it.
The day will come when people realize that the only power capable of saving their lives is the same power that saves their souls. That power is Jesus Christ. When that happens, they will have to come to the church.
Hospitals are expanding, and each one is adding on. The reason is apparent. There will come a time when hospitals cannot hold all the victims. When that happens, people will turn to the church.
I believe they will come because someone will lay hands on them. Someone will impart the life of Jesus Christ. Someone will speak the word over them. I believe a day is coming when people will beg for hands to be laid on them so they can be healed.
That raises a question for us. How will we respond when they come? I struggle with this myself. I sometimes confuse sin with the sinner, and that is wrong. There is a battle inside me. The same fear existed in Jesus’ day. When lepers came, the Pharisees were afraid and would not touch them. That brings me to a Scripture I want us to look at in Matthew chapter 10.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus Commissions His Disciples With Authority
I want us to begin at verse 1 in Matthew 10, even though verse 8 is the focus. As we read, I want you to see the resemblance. The leprosy of that day mirrors the disease we face now. Those who suffer today are our modern lepers.
In this passage, Jesus speaks directly to His disciples. He identifies them as His own. He gives them His authority. Jesus then sends them out into every region to minister to the people.
Matthew 10:1-4
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew 10:5-7
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
What do we preach to the city? What is our message? The kingdom of heaven is in hand.
Matthew 10:8
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Jesus tells His disciples plainly to heal the sick and cleanse the lepers. Today, we may not view leprosy the same way, but we do face acquired immune deficiency diseases. Those are our modern lepers, and He still tells us to cleanse them. This requires grace, but the charge is clear. Jesus sent His disciples out to prove that the kingdom of God had come and to overthrow Satan’s work. One way they did that was by cleansing the lepers and releasing the power of God.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
That raises a difficult question for us. Can we reach out and touch an AIDS victim? If we cannot, are we truly disciples? Jesus would tell us today to cleanse acquired immune deficiency syndromes.
Jesus Guards His Identity as the Son of God
After healing the man, He told him to go, obey the law of Moses.
Matthew 8:4
4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Repeatedly, Jesus told people not to publicize their healing. We would tend to do the opposite. We would want to run everywhere and tell everyone what happened. Many have offered reasons for why Jesus said this, and I have mine as well. I believe He did not want to be known merely as a miracle worker. He certainly worked miracles, but that was not how He wanted to be identified.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus wanted humanity to know Him as the Son of God, not just as someone who performed miracles. He rebuked people for following Him only because of miracles. Later, when He asked His disciples who people said He was, they gave many answers. Then He asked, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered.
Matthew 16:15–17
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Jesus did not build His church on the revelation that He worked miracles. He built it on the revelation that He is the Son of God, the Christ. That is the foundation.
I believe that is why He continually made it clear that He did not want people to follow Him just because of miracles. He wanted followers whose lives were changed. He wanted people who desired to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus wanted homes restored, lives corrected, and right relationships with God and with one another. He wanted people to know Him, not just what He could do.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
He did not want followers simply because He could feed them or work signs. That is why He often instructed people not to disclose what had happened. When I think about that leper, dying and hopeless, I wonder how many of us could stay silent. Most of us would tell everyone. However, the “used to be a leper” did not obey and spread it, even after being told not to.
Mark 1:45
45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
The Healing of the Centurion’s Servant
The next miracle is the healing of the centurion’s servant. This account parallels Luke 7:1–10. It is not the same event as John 4:46-54, which took place in Cana. Here, Jesus is entering Capernaum.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew 8:5
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
The word “beseeching” means to draw near, to invite, and to implore. It carries the sense of pleading or earnestly asking for help. Various translations render it as “begging,” “asking,” or “imploring” Jesus for assistance.
What we see here is the pattern of intercession, and that is what I want us to grasp. This centurion comes to Jesus and intercedes for his servant. He shows us how intercession works.
The leper demonstrated how to receive personal healing through worship and the Lordship of Jesus Christ. His healing came as he touched the will of God by making Jesus Lord. Now we see something different. Here, the centurion intercedes on behalf of someone he loves.
This is how intercession functions. You come on behalf of another person. Maybe you want someone saved. Perhaps you want someone healed. Something has happened, and you need God to move. You beseech, you beg, you plead, you ask, and you implore for help.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
This is not asking for yourself. This is intercession. When you intercede, you are standing in the gap for someone else, not for a personal need of your own.
Matthew 8:6
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
The servant was sick with palsy, which means a dissolving condition. He was a paralytic. Some translations describe him as paralyzed or unable to move. The condition was severe and clearly debilitating.
What stands out is that Jesus healed this servant without ever seeing him. He never went to the man’s house. He never laid hands on him. Something activated this intercession, and that activation brought a complete restoration.
The servant was grievously tormented. That means he was suffering terribly. The word tormented speaks of torture. Various translations describe his condition as being racked with pain, experiencing dreadful pain, and enduring terrible suffering. His paralysis involved intense pain and deep distress.
Matthew 8:7
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus then says, I will. His will is revealed again. It is His will to heal us, and it is His will to hear our prayers when we intercede for others. He declares His intention clearly and says He will come and heal him.
Matthew 8:8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
The centurion comes and addresses Him as Lord. That word matters. It keeps coming up, and I want us to catch it every time. Jesus Christ is Lord.
In the outer court, He is Jesus. When you move into the baptism of the Holy Ghost, He is Christ, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. But when you pass through the veil and enter the Holy of Holies, where the fire is, He becomes Lord. He is Jesus Christ, Lord.
The centurion then says, Lord, I am not worthy for You to come into my house. He asks only that Jesus speak the word.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
I want us to grasp the power of the spoken word. This is helping me. It is absolute power and real truth.
This is not about grabbing it, naming it, claiming it, or repeating words over and over. This is about what Jesus actually teaches. The centurion states that he is not worthy of Jesus entering his house. He asks Him to speak the word, knowing his servant would be healed.
That raises the question of why the centurion tells Jesus not to come to his house. It was not rejection. It was understanding. He was aware of the customs of the day. A Jew entering a Gentile’s house, especially to eat, would be considered unclean. The centurion was trying to protect Jesus. Jewish custom did not allow entry into a Gentile home, and Scripture shows that Jews would not enter such houses, including Caiaphas’ house at the crucifixion.
John 18:28
28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.
In Acts 10:28, Peter told those at Cornelius’ house that it was against Jewish law for him to be there.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Acts 10:28
28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
In Acts 11:23, Peter was criticized for going to Cornelius’s house and eating with him.
Acts 11:3
3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
So what the Centurion is really trying to do is protect Jesus. It’s not that he doesn’t want Jesus to come to his house. The first time I read that, I remember saying, “Well, my goodness. He thinks he’s too good to have Jesus’ company.” Jesus understood it. We don’t, but he did.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Matthew 8:9
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
The first thing the centurion understands is authority. He knows he is under authority, and because of that, he has authority. If we do not recognize that we are under authority, we will never truly have authority.
I use a simple example to explain it. If someone decides to raise his own salary, it cannot happen unless he goes through the proper authority. The same principle applies everywhere. To have authority, you must be under authority. You cannot give what you do not have.
Being under authority is often resisted, but I believe God is changing us. He is bringing us to a place where we desire to submit to one another. I want that covering. I want to know there is protection around me. Moreover, I want access to the power of the spoken word. If I do not submit to authority, there is no power in my words.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
When the centurion explains this to Jesus, it has a powerful effect. He tells Him that he understands authority and how it works. When Jesus hears this, He marvels. He turns to those following Him and says something amazing.
Matthew 8:10
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
I want great faith, and I want to believe God without wavering or doubting. I want to know that I know, that I know, that I know. When Jesus heard the centurion, He marveled.
You do not often hear this emphasized in faith teaching, and there is a reason. Many are not submitted to anyone. They are doing their own thing. I began to see that fruit reveals it. That realization hit me clearly.
This is what Jesus teaches us about the power of the spoken word. He marveled. That word means to admire or to be amazed. Different translations render it as “astonished” or “surprised.” Jesus stood amazed because a Gentile understood authority.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
The world often understands authority better than the church does. Systems that function well do so because authority is understood and honored. If authority were not understood, those systems would not succeed.
I truly believe that before long, Jesus will marvel at the church in Lafayette. He will marvel because understanding is coming. No one is forcing it. No one is pushing it. It is simply happening. God has been breaking me in prayer. I find myself weeping because I love what He is doing. He is changing me, and I love it.
Jesus says, Verily. That word means trustworthy, surely, so be it. It is the word amen. He turns to the crowd, looks at this Gentile who understands authority, and says, I tell you the truth. He declares that He has not found such great faith in all of Israel.
This is great faith. Jesus says He did not find it in His own disciples, the Pharisees, or anywhere else in the nation. The key is understanding authority and how the spoken word works.
Everyone wants great faith, but few want to be under authority. We cannot have great faith unless we are under authority. We cannot rule and reign unless we are willing to be ruled. God will not entrust the power of the spoken word to rebellion.
The way we think now is the way we will think later. Only the body changes. We will not rule unless we learn submission. God will not allow us to speak things into existence while refusing His order.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
God’s Order in the Church
When Jesus ascended, He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. This was for the perfecting of the saints and the building up of the body of Christ. God works through His established order. We must come to that understanding. It is no longer optional. It is necessary.
Ephesians 4:11–13
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets, and some, evangelists and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus then makes a prophetic statement.
Matthew 8:11–12
11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Those Who Are Cast Out and Those Who Enter
Who’s going to be cast out? Uh-oh. The children of the kingdom are going to be cast out.
I struggled with this passage at one time, so I called Kelly Varner and asked for help. He offered some insight, but it was not until later that things really began to open up for me. Understanding to whom Jesus was speaking made the difference.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus is addressing a Gentile, and that matters. It also connects to a broader understanding of passages such as Matthew chapters 24, 23, and 25. What helped me most was seeing that two distinct groups of people are being discussed.
One group is described as those coming from the east and the west. These points apply to the Gentile nations, the bride, and the church. That part is clear. The second group comprises the children (sons) of the kingdom. This refers to the natural Jews.
Jesus is saying there is coming a day when the natural sons will be cast out because they do not receive Christ. They do not understand who He is because they are not under His authority. This Gentile understands authority better than those who consider themselves the children of the kingdom.
Those who come from the east and the west will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and David. Meanwhile, those who rely on lineage rather than faith will be cast out. The kingdom of God is open to those who enter by faith in Jesus Christ, as this Gentile centurion did. It is closed to those who try to enter by works and refuse to receive Christ as Lord.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
This is what unfolded in A.D. 70 when the old covenant passed away, and a new covenant was established. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, and there was indeed weeping and gnashing of teeth. That does not mean God is finished with the Jews. Scripture is clear that God has not cast away His people.
Romans 11:1
1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
The old covenant is finished. That is history. Its value now lies in serving as examples, types, and shadows. That part is over.
The Jews, like everyone else, can only enter the kingdom of God through the one door, Jesus Christ. Salvation comes only through faith in Him. It is unrelated to nationality. People from the east and the west enter by faith and sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Jesus then speaks to the centurion and tells him to go his way.
Matthew 8:13
13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.
Intercession works through understanding authority. It requires being under proper authority and operating in appropriate authority. The phrase “the self-same hour” means that very moment. From that time on, the servant was healed. The intercession worked exactly as described, and when they returned home, they found the servant completely restored.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
Worship, Intercession, and Great Faith
We cannot stop there. We have examined two miracles, and both demonstrate that Jesus must become Lord. That is essential. To receive personal healing, we must enter a proper place of worship. We must reach a point where we are no longer ashamed.
If we are ashamed to humble ourselves before Him, then something may be wrong with our worship. I am not talking about outward posture. I am talking about the posture of the heart. Is your heart prostrate before Him? Are you entering a place of worship where personal healing can flow?
Along with worship, there is intercession and the power of the spoken word. In prayer, we speak against destruction. We say it so that it dries up and dies at the root. That is the power of the spoken word. It comes from understanding Jesus as Lord and understanding authority.
I believe something has happened. Teaching this has helped me. It has stirred me to expect more of the miraculous. I want great faith, faith beyond what I am currently seeing. I want the kind of faith that sees results every time.
Matthew 8 Pt 1 How to Move from Teaching to Power
And, I want to intercede as the centurion did. I want to approach God with that kind of confidence and authority. Something is stirring, and it is a good stirring. It is not hard. It is softness, and it is real.
God is changing me. I find myself broken and tender in ways I never was before. I know it is good. He is doing something good among us. I believe He is looking and saying He has not seen something like this before. That is what we seek. That is what God wants, and I believe it is coming.
Matthew 8 Pt 1
Matthew 8 Pt 1
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