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The ministry of Jesus was amazing. His many miracles led people to listen to His fantastic claims. Today we get a glimpse of how amazing Jesus is and what amazes Him.

Leprosy was considered a social death sentence. Leviticus 13-14 commands the person with leprosy to go to the priest to examine and quarantine and to see if it would heal or spread. If the disease is healing, he would consider them clean, but it not...

Leviticus 13:45–46 (CSB) The person who has a case of serious skin disease is to have his clothes torn and his hair hanging loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ He will remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.

• In order not to infect others this person could not live among the healthy and was essentially kicked out of the community. These people couldn’t show up to family activities nor spiritual gatherings at the local synagogues nor Jerusalem temple.

Dr. Luke’s telling of this same man says he was “covered with leprosy” (Lk 5:12). With no where else to turn, this disfigured man with open soars & dirty clothes entered the town crying ‘unclean, unclean’, on his knees with his face to the ground before Jesus (Mt 8:2, Mk 1:40, Lk 5:12) - his one wish was to be made clean. He trusted that Jesus COULD heal but didn’t know if Jesus WOULD heal his deadly disease.

• This man’s approach is illustrates how sinners should approach Jesus. - humble, needy, desperate, & asking for something that we cannot do ourselves, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

We see the moving Compassion of Jesus. Lepers were used to people moving AWAY from them, not moving TOWARD them.

Don’t tell anyone. Why not? Jesus wasn’t telling the man he could NEVER tell others about his cleansing, but that he must first go to the priest. Here’s why. First, this was to be a testimony to the priests, that God had healed this man - another proof that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. Second, the Scriptures not only prescribed removing lepers from the community, but also prescribed how to restore the healed person back into the community (see Lev 14:1-32). Showing himself to the priest would have demonstrated that he was healed; he would be declared clean, & welcomed back into the community.

The man asking for help is a military man, a centurion in the Roman army responsible for about 80 men under his authority. According to Dr. Luke, this Roman soldier is respected by Jewish elders, whom went on his behalf to ask Jesus to heal his servant. In fact, they say he was responsible for helping build their synagogue (Lk 7:4-5). It’s obvious that this man’s servant matters to him. He wants to see him healed. 

I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. A Jew walking into a Gentile’s home would have made him ceremonially unclean (Acts 10:28). This man asks humbly…but he also trusts fully. This is amazing faith. This man simply believes if Jesus says it, it will be done! He recognizes that Jesus has the authority to heal simply by commanding it to be so. 

There are many times when others are amazed at Jesus (Mt 8:27, 15:31), and there is a time when JESUS is amazed by others lack of faith (Mk 6:6), but THIS ONE TIME…Jesus is amazed by this man’s faith…his TRUST in Jesus. Although this man was NOT racially nor religiously Jewish, and therefore NOT considered to be a citizen of God’s Kingdom…Jesus sees him in a different light, because...

Since this man does trust Jesus, he is a citizen of God’s Kingdom.

The Old Testament Scriptures point to a day when ALL NATIONS will be a part of God’s Kingdom. Here’s an example: Is 19:23-25

Egypt and Assyria were the 2 superpowers of the day, at war with one another. Assyria was at war with the people of Israel. Yet Yahweh speaks of a day when they will be at peace, worshipping Him together - ALL belonging to Him!

Jesus notes that this Roman centurion is one of many Gentiles who will sit at the same table as the Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob.

Many Gentiles will welcomed into the kingdom..because of their FAITH - their TRUST in Jesus. But…many Israelites who already considered themselves to be subjects of the kingdom, based on their racial heritage - will be thrown outside the kingdom and experience hell - a place of darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

• Are we leaning on our hope of heaven because of our family heritage - godly parents/grandparents?; our knowledge of the Bible or our church involvement, or partaking in religious rituals. 

This centurion simply believed whatever Jesus said. Oh that we would follow this man’s example and take Amazing Jesus at His word - whatever He says is trustworthy & true.

When Jesus heals her, she immediately begins to serve Him! What a great example of what what we should do when Jesus heals our souls!

Matthew points his Jewish audience to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of a 700 year old prophecy from Isaiah 53:4 because he wants his people to know more than WHAT Jesus can do; he wants people to know WHO JESUS IS! Amazing Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, who has come to let the outsiders in - the living, breathing demonstration of God’s truth, compassion, and sacrificial love - who invites people into His Kingdom and warns others who think they’re already in because of family heritage, religious rituals, or biblical knowledge. 

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? You might need to look back in your notes to help explain your answer.
2. Read Matthew 8:1-4 and Leviticus 13:45-46. How did skin diseases impact a person’s life and why was Jesus’ ability and willingness to heal so significant? If Jesus didn't need to touch the man to heal him, why do you think He did touch him?
3. Read Matthew 8:5-10, 13 and Luke 7:1-10. What are some evidences that this man was genuine, humble, caring, & trusting? How does Jesus respond to his faith? How does this man’s faith challenge us to trust Jesus at His word? What are some things you need to trust Jesus with? As you share this, people from the group should remind each other what the Scriptures say regarding those topics.
4. Read Matthew 8:11-12. If you are a Gentile (non-Jew) follower of Jesus, have you ever stopped to consider how your life is a fulfillment of this passage? Explain your answer. Based on this passage, who is the message of Jesus for - only certain ethnicities? Why would v12 likely upset Jews who were trusting in family heritage, good works, or religious rituals?
5. Read Matthew 8:14-17. Have you ever thought about how much time it took to meet with all these people; what about all the gross things Jesus saw and smelled as he cared for these folks? What does this tell you about the compassion of Jesus for people who are hurting?   How might the example of Jesus encourage us to treat hurting people with value?
6. Look back at our FEET2FAITH Challenges from today. Answer F2F#1: What’s the evidence that you are a Kingdom Citizen? (If you don’t know, then it’s okay to talk about that!) F2F #2: Answer which gospel you will read from this week and why. F2F#3: Who is someone you need to prayerfully approach to tell about Amazing Jesus?
7. Share prayer needs and pray for one another.