Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, let the cleansing and healing power of Your blood come over us. Amen.
Text: Matthew 8:1-13
When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
Devotion
This leper and this centurion were both humble men. They considered themselves unworthy of all grace and honor. It didn’t occur to them that they should be great and receive undying fame. The leper submits heartily to the Lord’s discipline and is still willing to bear his misfortune, if the Lord so wills. And the centurion, – what a deep sense he had of his own lowliness! He had indeed built the synagogue in Capernaum out of love for God’s Word, and always performed much good. But this did not make him great in his own eyes. He feels his heathen ancestry and his sinful condition with deep humility, and it is his completely honest understanding that he is not worthy that the Lord should come under his roof.
But both these men are also noteworthy for their faith. The leper is sure that the Lord can cleanse him, if He sees fit. No human could heal a leper, but he is still certain that Jesus can do it. He had heard of His power and grace, and the Word had established itself in his soul, which by his need was opened to receive it, and he believed now fully and certainly that the Lord could heal him. And now the centurion! How the Lord Himself must marvel over his childlike faith! It is a beautiful statement the leper makes: “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” But even more beautiful are the centurion’s words: “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” He has unlimited confidence in Jesus’ Word. He says: “I am only a man, a lowly man, but my word is still powerful over my servants. What then Your Word must be capable of! If You simply tell the disease to be gone and health to come, then they will obey You right away.”
Lovely twins: humility and faith! Submit willingly to the Lord’s discipline, my soul. Know your poverty. You are truly both sinful and sick, so that you are good for nothing, but you deserve to be thrown out and perish. Knowing this, confess in your heart that the Lord is right. By His grace you will be able to do it. And then you have in His own Word the power to believe. Jesus says to your sin: “Be erased! Into the depths of the sea with you!” And to your death He says: “Be destroyed!” And it is as He says. Likewise He says to you: “Live, be saved!” And it is done. He is Lord over life and death. Just as your servant obeys your word, so sin and death must give way, while life and salvation come at His Word. Don’t you believe this? Can’t Jesus do this? Then believe it! Even if the Lord may not marvel at how great your faith is, still He will not snuff out the smoking flax (Isa 42:3). But you should always marvel over His mercy toward the upright, His gracious power to the weak in faith as well as the strong.
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, You alone give all that is good. Grant us meekness and faith that we too may experience Your saving power and be sanctified both in spirit and soul and body, and live with You forever. Amen.
Hymn
Lord Jesus, O how many are
The cares and woes and sorrows
That frighten us both here and there
Today and all tomorrows!
But You are all our help and hope,
When we are full of yearning
In our burning,
When in our cares we mope
Under the cross of mourning.
Sweet Jesus, if You must increase
My sadness and my grieving,
Give me Your Spirit and Your grace
That I may find relieving!
And let the soul my captain be
That full of faith I hurry,
In my worry,
To You who e’er shall be
My Balm and all my Surety.
Kingo: O meer end sterke Høvedsman L 214:4.6 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Ich ruf zu dir (ELH 255); alternate hymn: On Jordan’s bank ELH 106:3-4