RECOGNITION

MATTHEW 8:1-15

Pastor Rick Jackson

How strangely similar our testimonies of Christ saving us and bringing us to this place in our lives and yet how unique and different is each story.

Similar in that all of us were sinners, all of us were condemned under sins' dread wage, all hopeless, helpless and hapless. All saved by seeing that Jesus, God in the flesh had become man, paid the sin debt on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead and we, by placing our simple trust in Him and His finished work, were gloriously saved and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Different in that God used circumstances unique to us to bring us to that place. It may have been sorrow, or it may have been joy. It may have been from a life of deep sin or it made have been in the bloom of a child's faith. How gracious is God, how wise, how wonderful are His ways!

I. A LEPER SEES HIS WILLINGNESS [v. 1-4]

1. He Recognized Jesus’ Deity [v. 1-2a]

2. He Recognized Jesus’ Ability [v. 2b]

3. He had Reservations about Jesus’ Willingness [v. 2b-4]

II. A CENTURION SEES HIS POWER [v. 5-13]

1. He Recognized Jesus’ Superiority [v. 5-8a]

2. He Recognized Jesus’ Authority [v. 8b-9]

3. He Received Jesus’ Commendation [v. 10-13]

III. A MOTHER-IN-LAW SEES HIS WORTHINESS [v. 14-15]

1. He saw her need [v. 14]

2. He met her need [v.15a]

3. She Recognized Jesus’ Worthiness [v. 15b]

Perhaps for the first time she saw her son-in-law was right… here was one to be served! For Who He Is! For What He Does! For He is Worthy!