A Change of Heart
Matthew 8:5-13 (NLT): When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”
Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”
But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.
Faith is the ability to trust what you can’t see and haven’t experienced. Faith is trust. Faith is believing in something your five senses can’t experience but you know is there. Human nature urges us not to believe until we see. Thomas, a disciple, would not believe Jesus rose from the dead until he saw him. That is human nature. When we make connection with God, He is trying to get us out of relying on our human nature and going beyond, into a realm where we can believe what God says. What God says trumps what all the rest of the world is saying. When we understand that God is the final authority, our ability to trust God with any area of our lives will begin to grow.
The Roman Officer is a fascinating character. We don’t know how he heard about Jesus. He had heard of Jesus by now and knew, to some extent, that he was a healer. Jesus’ reputation goes before him. Now, this Roman Officer seems to think that Jesus can heal his servant. Romans were the occupying force of Israel. They were domineering and brutal. This Officer does not line up with the stereotype of a Roman Officer; he was feeling for his servant (the Bible word was “slave”). This Roman Officer, who had the authority to do as he will, had a heart for his slave, the lowest of low in the social order. He leaves his home in search of this Jewish Rabbi who he hopes could help his servant.
He seeks help for the one who serves him. This is a great way to come to God. He comes with humility. Humility is not weakness. True Biblical humility is freeing and powerful. Now, we have full access to God and can enter His throne room at will because of the Blood of Christ, but it is the way we carry our heart that will determine how our meetings with God will go. God is most concerned with the heart–a heart change is His focus. A heart change equals an action change, and that change is what God is looking for after He saves you. After salvation, He wants to work on your heart. Humility is a sign of a good heart. This Roman Officer, who had every right to be boastful and proud, came humbly to Jesus.
A heart change requires submission to God’s authority. This Roman Officer understood the ways of submission and authority. He understood, for he had servants under him and he had authority over him. Authority is understood when one submits to it. Before you are put over something, you must come under something. The way we present ourselves to God–with humility–comes from being under His authority. Jesus says to come as a child, as someone who does not know anything, as someone who is excited over little things; then, you will understand the Kingdom.
The revelation the Roman Officer had was a revelation of authority. He understood that he was unworthy of Jesus coming to his home. Going to someone’s home was a big deal back then. Jesus said that He would come and heal the servant; He was going to bring the Kingdom of God into a Roman home; but the Officer said that he was unworthy. He knew that Jesus simply had to say the word, for he understood authority. He understood that, when things were lined properly, things got done. He obeyed the commands of his authority without question; he knew his servants would obey him without question. In facing Jesus, he knew where he stood in the line of authority.
The authority of the Kingdom is from bottom to top. If you want to be first, you need to be last. You want to lead? Serve. Human nature struggles against this mindset. Human nature wants to be first, not last. Human nature wants to lead, not serve. Yet, as you yield to God’s authority, He will shift your heart. In the Roman Army, fear controls the members. In the Kingdom of God, freedom controls the members. He will not force change upon you. He will wait until you choose to yield to His will. Then, He will move. God sets everything in place and let’s it be free.
Jesus was astounded by this Roman Officer. Firstly, the Officer cared for his slave! Secondly, he understood that Jesus simply had to SPEAK. He knew the power of the spoken word. “When I say this…they do this.” When God says, “This is what I want to do,” and we don’t like it because it rubs us the wrong way…and yet, we say, “Not my will, but Yours! I will do what you say.” Watch! Watch what will happen when you yield yourself to God’s authority. Biblical submission is the most liberating force on the planet. The more submitted we are, the more free we become.
Faith is trusting in what God says and not in what we think. Faith is trusting in what God is saying to you. God is always talking to you. The Holy Spirit is always there, talking to you. If you are not submitted to what God wants to say to you, He will blast His message! You may be tuned in, but if you are not submitted, you won’t do what He asks. Yield to His authority. Let Him align you; come under Him; and tap into the unlimited possibilities of a God whose ways are way beyond our own! There is no limit with God, and there is no limit of what He wants to do through us when we come under His authority.
It is amazing what happens to someone when they decide to stay in alignment with God.
The Roman Officer understood.
Do you?
