After Pentecost Devotional - Day 16

"When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “I tell you that in all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith!" Matthew 8:10

Once again, we see Matthew highlighting faith among those beyond the limits of Israelite society. From the foreign ancestors of Jesus to the magi, to Jesus cast as a refugee, we now look upon a foreigner within Israel, an immigrant, whose expression of faith is greater than what Jesus had found within the bounds of Judaism. Faith and belonging to God had little to no link with being one of Abraham's descendants, contrary to standard Jewish thought.

Instead of propping up Jewish internal focus upon belonging and fitting in according to religious social expectations, Jesus called for applying faith to issues of living. The standard definitions of worth, respectability, and importance to God did not measure up for Jesus. They lacked the application of faith to life, personal responsibility and action.

He had healed people all throughout Israel. He had preached to large crowds. He had found people of faith throughout the land. He had not, however, encountered the depth of faith exhibited by this Roman officer. Rather than treating Jesus as a healer with powers of a healing touch, he had recognized that Jesus worked with a special authority akin to that of an officer upon an soldier far away.

Instead of looking at Jesus simply as a healer, he looked upon Jesus with faith that understood Jesus as more. His saw Jesus depending upon and exercising divine authority. He did not need Jesus to come touch his servant. He did not need to impose upon Jesus' time. He asked that Jesus simply speak with God's authority to heal his servant.

This attitude of faith was greater than what Jesus had seen throughout Israel. As Jesus subsequently addressed the crowds, it was in regard to the fact that God's promise to Abraham was designed to extend far beyond the bounds of what the Jews had been expecting. Faith in relation to God would be found among people from all over the world, not limited in any way to Israel and national identity. More than that, Jesus said that many of Israel would not even enter the kingdom of heaven.

Rather than accepting concepts of preferential standing and superiority, Jesus turned the crowd's attention to the exercise of faith as much more important. This was no message of exclusion, but of inclusion for all who are willing to actively place their faith in God. It is a message that does not center on any sense of human exceptionalism, but on the exceptional grace, mercy, and acceptance of God for us.

Our own sense of exceptionalism needs to go by the wayside as well, if we are to live by Jesus' priorities. Honest faith must look beyond a human focus on our self-importance to the detriment of others.

Determine to accept others as God has demonstrated in Christ Jesus.


"Lord, help me better recognize the depths of your grace and acceptance of all people, such that I can accept them in the same manner."

—©Copyright 2016, Christopher B. Harbin
http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/ 
My latest books can be found here on amazon

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