A Centurion Came to Him

Phil CavinMatthew 8:5–13

Matthew 8:5–13 presents a Roman centurion whose faith Jesus described as unparalleled in Israel, and this exposition draws out six marks of that saving faith: it seeks mercy, confesses unworthiness, rests on Christ's word alone, recognises his sovereign authority, finds hope outside superstition and ceremony, and is always rewarded by God. The sermon opens by distinguishing miracles that illustrate sovereign regeneration from those that illustrate the reception of sinners who come in faith, placing this healing firmly in the second category. A closing contrast with Mark 6:1–6 — where Jesus marvelled at the absence of faith in his own hometown — presses the application: privilege without faith forfeits blessing, while humble confidence in Christ's word is always honoured.