Bible Reading
Matthew 8:1-17 “When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, 'Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.' And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, 'I will; be clean.' And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.' When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 'Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.' And he said to him, 'I will come and heal him.' But the centurion replied, 'Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes, and to another, 'Come,' and he comes, and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.' When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, 'Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' And to the centurion Jesus said, 'Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.' And the servant was healed at that very moment. And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 'He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”
[24:17]Isaiah 53:4 “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”
[26:20]Matthew 7:28-29 “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”
[23:41]Observation questions
- After the crowds are amazed at Jesus’ authoritative teaching, what actions in Matthew 8:1–17 show that Jesus also has authority in his miracles? [23:52]
- What does the leper believe Jesus can do, and what does Jesus do before cleansing him?
- What details in the centurion’s words show how he understands authority and trusts Jesus’ authority?
- After Peter’s mother-in-law is healed, what does she immediately do, and what does that show about the healing? [49:59]
Interpretation questions
- Why might Jesus have chosen to touch the leper when he could have healed him with only a word? What does this reveal about both Jesus’ holiness and his compassion? [36:59]
- Jesus praises the faith of a Gentile centurion while warning that religious heritage does not guarantee a place in God’s kingdom. What does this teach about the difference between being familiar with spiritual things and personally trusting Jesus? [44:19]
- Matthew connects these healings to Isaiah’s promise about the suffering servant. How do Jesus’ healings help show that he is the promised Messiah, not merely a miracle worker? [52:44]
- The centurion’s servant is healed through the centurion’s faith, not because the servant is shown to have great faith. How does this challenge the idea that ongoing sickness always means a person lacks faith? [48:08]
Application questions
- The leper came to Jesus believing he could cleanse him, while still humbly submitting to Jesus’ will. What burden, need, or suffering do you need to bring honestly to Jesus in that same spirit this week?
- Jesus moved toward a man others avoided and touched someone who had likely gone years without human touch. Who might be overlooked, isolated, avoided, or treated as “untouchable” in your everyday life? What could compassionate nearness look like toward that person? [37:23]
- The centurion’s faith rested in Jesus’ authority, not in his own worthiness or emotional strength. When you pray, are you more focused on the strength of your faith or on the strength of Jesus? How might that change the way you pray? [48:46]
- Jesus welcomes people across barriers of disease, ethnicity, social standing, and gender, yet calls every person to faith in him. Are there people you assume are unlikely to respond to Jesus? How could you take one intentional step toward welcoming or sharing Christ with them? [51:41]
- Jesus can heal instantly, but he also gives sufficient grace when healing is delayed. Where are you or someone close to you living with an ongoing weakness or suffering? How can the group pray boldly for healing while also asking for grace to endure? [57:12]
- Physical healing is temporary, but Jesus gives new hearts and promises resurrection life. How does that truth reshape the way you think about your own needs and the greatest need of the people around you? [01:00:20]
- Every believer has a story of how Jesus has changed them. What is one specific part of your testimony—deliverance, peace, purpose, forgiveness, or a changed desire—that you could prepare to share with someone this week? [01:02:22]
