Day 264 – Jesus’ Healings in Capernaum & Nain

Readings

  • Luke 7:1-16
  • Matthew 8:5-17
  • Isaiah 53:4

Prayer

Pray… for someone by name that you know is unwell at this time.

Day 264 – Jesus’ Healings in Capernaum & Nain

The centurion, the widow’s son, & Peter’s mother

 

  • The pace slows back today as we focus in on two subjects: Jesus’ ability to heal (even from the dead), and the question of our faith in Jesus. We read similar accounts of the story of the centurion in both Luke and Matthew, but watch out that you spot the subtle differences in the teaching of both gospel accounts.
  • We meet a centurion today. Make sure you appreciate who this person was. He was the commander of 100 or so men, and was part of the Roman (and therefore pagan) army that was occupying Judea. As a Roman, he would not have been popular with the Jews (the Romans were the occupying forces, of course), especially as he was a commander.
  • How did the centurion ask for help from Jesus? What did he say that showed great faith in Jesus’ power to heal?
  • Have you ever done a trust fall – where you fall back and trust a person standing behind you to catch you? When you do it properly, you have to completely trust the catcher. If they don’t catch you, you’ll fall and hurt yourself. Do you think the centurion’s trust in Jesus is similar? What about your own faith?
  • Do you think the people around would have been shocked at the warm reception Jesus gave this man because of his faith? How would his extra comments in Matthew 8:11-12 challenged the Jews watching on? This is one of the most important things to take away from today’s readings. Jesus is saying the entry into His kingdom is based on faith on Him, rather than an ethnic or cultural background.
  • What did Jesus do to the dead man? Do you know how many other instances there are of Jesus healing someone from the dead?
  • If you were in the crowds as you watched these miracles, do you think you would have been convinced about Jesus’ authenticity (i.e. that he was God)? Why do you think some people were not?
  • Matthew referenced the Old Testament twice in the reading from chapter 8, in verse 11 again in 17. How did Jesus fulfil the prophecy in Isaiah? The end of the passage in Matthew links in the verse from Isaiah. Why do you think people are not always healed today when they pray for healing?

 

Remember that Matthew and Luke were talking to different audiences. Matthew was generally teaching a Jewish audience that Jesus was the Messiah that they had been promised. Luke was teaching a non-Christian about why he should examine the teachings of Christ and follow him. You may have spotted that Matthew makes mention of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in today’s passage, who will of course have been familiar with the Jews, but Luke skips this detail when writing his account for his friend.

 

It’s an encouragement to us that the way we share the gospel will look different depending on who we are sharing it with. You should think like this too. When you are talking with someone about Jesus, consider what they may or may not know, and make sure not to assume things that someone with a church-going background may know!


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