Snapshots of Power, Far and Near, Part 1

Following his famous sermon on the mound.

Jesus came down from the hillside and walked to Capernaum along his journey, Jesus encountered a number of different people who desperately sought his good favor. They played with Jesus to grant them or someone they love healing touch will in these dramatic encounters God's grace and mercy run display today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll helps us see the connection between the real life stories in Matthew eight and contemporary stories unfolding today as well. Chuck titled today's message snapshots of power, far and near to look at Matthew eight verses five through 1714 verses that cover three vignettes along the journey of Jesus as he dealt with three impossible situations.

By his power, which is on display in these qualities, snapshots that we find in these verses. Matthew 85 when Jesus returned to Capernaum, a centurion 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 soldier. 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 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 is happened in the young servant was healed that same hour when Jesus arrived at Peter's house.

Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever but when Jesus touched her hand.

The fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him that evening. Many demonized people were brought to Jesus.

He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command and he healed all the sick. This fulfill the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah who said he took our sicknesses and removed our disease or listening to cipher live to study the book of Matthew with Chuck Swindoll.

Be sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to inside world.or/studies.

Another message from Chuck titled snapshots of power, far and near what a task. The disciples had when they sat down to write the story of Jesus Matthew Mark Luke and John did not attempt to be exhausting but selected selective in their approach.

It would be like you and me going on vacation together. We would carry our cameras with us. We would take different shots of different scenes you receive one vignette in the same area I would see another angle and I would take my shot from this angle it would be the same trip would be the same event, but we would look at it through different eyes, certain things would appeal to us in different way. That's the way it was with the dissent that explains why Matthew will mention something very important for his theme as he carries it out through his book. Luke may choose to mention it as well, but not Mark.

John may see it from a whole different perspective, we wouldn't think it would be strange if when we come back from the trip. My book that has the pictures all neatly arranged according to the places we visited would be different from your book that would be the same places. Interestingly, they would be the same events as they transpired, but neither one of them would be like a movie carrying one scene to the next to the next to the next.

There is no such record of the life and ministry of Jesus. All we have are snapshots or vignettes as if taken by a digital camera at various points along the way we come to chapter 8 of Matthew. There is no exception. In fact, there are three stories, not one. Each apparently it seems happening on the very same day.

One is an impossible situation regarding servant of the centurion and officer in the Roman army. The other is a mother-in-law whose name is not given in the home of Peter, his mother-in-law and then it ends toward evening with a group of people, with very serious needs, some with demons, others with maddening issues of a social nature explained that further little later, but what we have or occasions when the power of Jesus Christ's ghost work. The power of Jesus. Whether it's at a distance. In the case of the servant of the centurion or up close and personal, as in the case of Peter's mother-in-law or out of the street with a large number of people. None of the named none of the diseases identified but in each case, each one is solved by the power you awesome power of Jesus. So, good place to start would be a simple definition must start their mean when I refer to the power of Jesus. I would give you this statement as my own definition. Jesus can do whatever he wishes whatever he chooses, always within his plan and purpose for his glory and our good again.

Jesus can do whatever he wishes whenever he chooses, always within his plan and purpose for his glory and for our good will be honest with you. In my study. I thought that would do when I would leave it there go no further.

But I couldn't do it so I wrote a paper there and it's right there it up. I decided I need to dig into this was spent several hours doing it.

I really didn't have any book to go by.

Anything to guide me. I just gathered up what I knew and using the Scriptures and some things I've learned from those far brighter than I put together a paper titled the awesome power of Jesus.

If it were important, I wouldn't read it, but I think we all need to hear it. Listen carefully when we consider the power Jesus were talking about divine power supernatural power, he being undiminished deity possesses all the attributes that are true of God the father and God the Holy Spirit. The word for divine power is omnipotent from the Latin Omni meaning all and put tens meaning powerful.

He's all powerful, does it mean his divine power represents the ability to do anything that is according to his will at any time that fits into his ultimate plan and purpose. No obstacle is insurmountable. The circumstance is impossible situation is unapproachable. No person is unchangeable and no problem is unsolvable, should be as well. He's able to heal any sickness any disease. He's able to stop any addiction relieve any physical challenge or emotional damages in every mental disorder when he does not do so, it isn't because he lacks the power, but because it isn't his will. Nothing the struggles against his will poses a barrier, no force can resist what he wants accomplish whatever he wishes it so no enemy is a threat. No being human or demonic can withstand his sovereign control or alter his perfect will not listen carefully. The power Jesus is unlimited, independent, absolute and authoritative, though it is often invisible. It is always invincible when it is displayed among us. It occasionally reveals itself in the form of a miracle in spite of popular opinion, divine miracles are extremely rare in our day, though they still do take place when they do, almost without exception, the results are immediate, complete, phenomenal, unexpected and inexplicable. This timing is not linked to our clock or calendar and his plan is not based on our logic is reason more often than not are unsearchable. His strength is inexhaustible.

The depth of his ways are unfathomable in the breadth of his magnificent greatness, incomprehensible. In addition to these characteristics of his undiminished deity. Jesus remains true humanity, which means while all-powerful, he is still ever compassionate, always concerned over our weaknesses, ready to forgive us as he shows us mercy and deals with us in grace, in light of this meager attempt to define his power. It is no wonder I urge each of us to reserve one word in our vocabulary for God and God alone and that word is good for you non-if he remembered awesome, awesome.

Only God is awesome. Only Jesus is awesome what the spirit of God is awesome. The work that is done by the Godhead is always awesome were awe-inspiring, usually making us quiet as we let the wonder in so we come to these three vignettes and we want to closely observe his power at work.

Though the word doesn't once appear.

It is at work is invisible yet invincible for our outline comes in. I want you to see that the first is an occasion which we find healing at a distance and in that vignette will answer four questions who wear what and how in the next little vignette we have healing up close and personal same four questions will be answered and in the last we have a number of people who came to him ultimately finding relief and the same four questions will be answered. So here we go. Healing from a distance.

What I mean by that. The one who is in need is away from Jesus. Jesus never meets him or sees him as a need to. He is not only omnipotent.

He is omnipresent, at least in spirit, though he is in one place at one time while on earth, he can work in places all around the world and he does will return to this a little more detail later, but first, who was involved look closely when Jesus returned to Capernaum, a century came and pleaded with him, Lord, and my servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.

So the who, under this first point would be the servant of the centurion where he is in bed at the centurion's home. What is it that he's dealing with these paralyzed and is in great pain and how is it Jesus deals with them will see first the centurion.

We don't have those that title today because none of our military officers are called by the rank of centurion is a Roman soldier's type in the Roman army that was divided into legion numbering 6000 soldiers. The lesions were divided into centuries. You know from our word century that would represent 100 soldiers, so the 6000 into legion would have these centurions in charge one per hundred group of men centurions were officers career officers we would call them. Interestingly, every time centurions are mentioned in the New Testament they are handled with a measure of dignity. We don't read of an evil centurion.

I'm sure there were evil mean one's brutal ones. They certainly were seasoned soldiers but there they all fill rules that are somewhat respectable, as in this case. One man writes the centurion was one of the most attractive characters in the Gospels, they were the backbone of the Roman army.

They must be not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command steady and action in battle and reliable. They are not to be overanxious to rush into the fight but when hard-pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground and die at their posts.

Centurions were the finest men in the Roman army. Here's one of we don't know if they if he ever had met Jesus. We know for sure is a Gentile because he is in the Roman army, but also because of what Jesus is later. He is a man who answers to one in authority over him.

He has people under him who answer to him so he understands authority which plays a major role in the story and shapes why the centurion says what he does when there is this dialogue interesting thing about the centurion. He's mentioned in Luke seven in the correlated passage will not turn but sometime when you have a chance turn of the first 10 verses of Luke seven and you will see a whole other slice of the centurion. Remember the snapshots Luke snapshot of the centurion is a man who cares very much about the Jews. In fact, Luke tells us the centurion built a synagogue in the community of the Jews relive look at the Amana Roman army seen by Jews as swine often and Jews discounted in the eyes of Romans. But this is a different man. He cares about the Jews. His interest in his servant is obvious because he's asking for healing.

You really reminded me of little quick study on him.

Oscar Schindler name ring a bell course it does. Most of us have seen similar list a movie about a man who was a member of the Nazi party who set out to be very wealthy as he purchased an enamel factory in higher did used to work there but as the war went on it became obvious that there was an extermination plan that came from Hitler.

Down through the SS troops and the officers to exterminate the Jews.

It's believed that Schindler responsible for saving the lives of at least 1200 June what a man. Why because he cared about his workers. He was interested in their safety didn't want to see them killed so he paid bribes to the officers who would otherwise bring their crew in to clear out all the Jews because they were paid off. Schindler protected them from extermination. He continued to bribe them all away to the end of World War II, and in May 1945. By the time he had spent his entire fortune to protect the Jews. He later moved to Argentina with his wife and ultimately died virtually bankrupt.

Interestingly, he was named righteous among the nations by the Israeli government in 1963. He died in October 1974, just where he was buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. The only member of the Nazi party honored in this way, how interesting he cared about the Jews and he liked Corrie 10 boom's father was known for his protection of the people. When you travel to the AutoShip Museum in Israel, the Holocaust Museum, you will see not far from their role treatments planted in honor of those who protect the Jews. You'll see rocks stacked the base of the trees brought by people who wanted to show their respect.

You must visit the place.

You cannot leave without tears. Schindler has a tree there. The rocks are numerous.

Corrie 10 boom had submitted rocks to kill the tree had plan another one per tree. Is there the centurion loves the June and he cares about his servants with a hard please notice how it comes to the surface. Jesus says right away. I will come in and I will healing with offices. I know not necessary or I'm not worthy to have you come into my home. Look at the humility.

This is an officer in the Roman army not known normally for humility. But this man on the number that I have you cast a shadow in mud front door. Just look at this.

Just say the word from where you are lesser will be all that you need to do is say the word and he'll be out doing fine.

I know this. I know you don't have to come because I am under the authority of my superior officers and I've authority over my soldiers understand authority only needs they going to go. Dominic knew the same.

So did you do to send the word Jesus puts your words.

You could've been there, like to be a bug on the wall at places like this and just watch the scene 200 Jesus put his hand on his mouth or put his hand on the shoulders or simply look at him as he turned to those who were following him and said I tell you the truth I haven't seen phrase like this and all Israel not tell you this, many Gentiles ultimately will come from all over the world east and west by the way, were among them. By the grace of God, how wonderful it is the God and his plan would reach out to non-Jews undeserving unworthy the same time, there will be those for whom that feast was repaired and will not be there.

Verse 13 Jesus said to the Roman soldier go back home because you believe this happened on ask you something. Where's the word while the wasted time. I spent hours looking for is not there, you know why there was no word omnipotence doesn't need to say a word.

Just think, in his mind there was the healing that moment whether he was miles away are dozens of miles beyond where they were or two streets down servant suddenly as he that same house into it. The power Jesus is the only thing I know to put on that line the invisible power of Christ is don't let distance hold you back from thing Matthew recorded so many memorable moments like this one. Chuck Swindoll titled today's message snapshots of power, far and near, there's much more to learn from this passage in Matthew chapter 8 you're listening to Insight for living learn more about this ministry.

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