Would Jesus Marvel at Your Faith?
A week or so ago, my eldest son and I started reading through Matthew. He had finished reading Genesis, and I figured it was a good point to switch to Matthew for a different perspective. It is slow going as the words of Jesus contain so much vital information that I want to convey to my son, we spend a lot of time talking about each verse. His King James Version reading skills are improving so I know that, eventually, he will begin to understand the verses he reads easier on his own.
My goal with having my child read the Bible almost everyday with me is so that:
1. He will learn about God and enhance his relationship with God.
2. He will be comfortable reading the Bible which can be difficult (especially my favorite version, KJV) making it easier for him to study the Bible on his own in the future.
I have met many people who don’t like to read the Bible because it is hard to understand. It is a lazy excuse to be sure as that doesn’t matter. We are required to read God’s Word and to learn it. Besides, how can you know more about the God you love without loving His very Word? We will work hard to learn information for our job or for school. Why don’t we do the same with God’s Word? Could it be that our priorities are misplaced? That it isn’t about how hard the material is, but how hard our heart is?
But I digress. I really wanted to write on a small but beautiful passage that my son and I just read this morning. I just felt compelled to mention why I have my child read the Bible. But, please take a look at the passage below.
Matthew 8:5-12
And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,
And saying, Lord, my servent lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I was struck by the phrase “When Jesus heard it, he marveled…”. I thought how amazing it would be for Jesus to look at my faith and marvel. So I asked my boys this: “Would Jesus marvel at your faith? Would he look at your heart and say ‘wow!’?” Or would he be disappointed?
This centurion doesn’t have a name, but his faith if forever memorialized as great! Thousands of years later, we read about him and admire his faith!
This man was a commander of the Roman army, a gentile. Jesus uses his faith as an example. He was not a racial Jew. He had no claim as a descendant of Abraham. But his faith in Christ and who Christ was ensured him a place at the table in Heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Our presence in the kingdom of God is not based on race but on FAITH! To the Jews at this time, this concept would be radical (although it shouldn’t be as the Old Testament prophets repeatedly emphasized the importance of faith and the future inclusion of the Gentiles). They saw their inheritance as due to their racial privilege, but Jesus stresses that everlasting life is not through race, but FAITH! Of course, Abraham himself was chosen, not based on race, but on faith.
This centurion understood WHO Christ was. He understood that Christ, as the Son of God, commanded not an army of men, but all the world. He didn’t need to visit the sick servant but only needed to speak.
God brought this world into existence by speaking and He will defeat His enemies with a word (Revelations 19:15 “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with hit he should smite the nations…”). Our God is a powerful God and His Word is powerful!
This fact is why I want my boys to read the Bible. I want them to have no excuse to not read it. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the hearts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:12-13). I want them to understand that to know God, you need to know His word.
If you love someone, you find out everything about them. You go on dates and do a lot of talking. You ask about their past and what they want for the future. If we love God, shouldn’t we do the same thing? Shouldn’t we speak to God constantly (pray) and find out everything about Him, His past, and His future (Bible)?
I love my children and want to see them all enter into heaven. But, in addition to this, I am also commanded as a parent to teach them. Deuteronomy 4:9-10, 6:5-9, 11:19 repeats the command to teach the commandments of God to our children. In Matthew 19:13-15, Jesus encourages children to come to Him. Here are a few verses below but there are many such verses in the Bible commanding us to instruct our children in the knowledge of God.
Deuteronomy 11:19
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when though walkers by the way, when thou lies down, and when thou rises up.
Psalm 78:2-7
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that He hath done.
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the work of God, but keep his commandments:
Ephesians 6:4
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nature and admonition of the Lord.
We make our children brush their teeth because it is good for them. We force our children to go to school because it is best for their future. We expect our children to obey us to keep them safe. It isn’t easy doing all of these things. Our children sometimes fight each of these situations, but we persevere because we love our children. How much more should we focus on teaching our children about God? Should we make our children read the Bible? YES! Should we force our children to go to church? YES! The future of their soul is most important!