In each day we live, we all have the same amount of time. There are 24 hours, or 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds and every one of them is a precious gift from God. The difference between us all is how we use that time!
Time is something we feel we never have enough of, yet we give it away so easily. Someone once said it this way,
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.” — Harvey Mackay
Some of our biggest struggles are connected to the things that steal away our time. We truly need to respond to “Time Thieves” with a stronger view of God and an enduring meditation on truth. In Matthew 8:1-4 we saw that the first time thief was unbelief as the leper came to Jesus for healing. Matthew 8:5-13 now begins to reveal the second time thief with misplaced trust through an account of remarkable faith in God.
MISPLACED TRUST (8:5-13)
The backbone of the Roman army were the centurions. The centurions were legionaries, and they were clearly noticed because they wore a special helmet, and a more ornate harness of much better quality. They carried a short vine wood staff as a symbol of rank. They worked their way up the ranks as soldiers and were promoted for their dedication and courage. They were the veteran soldiers who commanded 100 men each, within a legion of 6,000. There were 60 centurions in a legion, each under the command of a centurion. During the time of Augustus there were 28 legions.
The centurion received pay that amounted to more than 20 times the ordinary soldiers pay – about 5,000 denarii per year. There were actually five senior centurions in a legion who received 10,000 denarii per year, and the chief centurion (the first javelin) received 20,000 denarii in pay annually. The common soldier received around 200-300 denarii per year.
During the time of Jesus, the headquarters of the Roman army in Judea was located at Caesarea, on the Mediterranean coast. This would also have been the location of Cornelius the Centurion that was mentioned in Acts 10 and where Paul was imprisoned in Acts 23-26. The Lord is now in Capernaum, which is 75 to 80 miles southwest of Caesarea (or 3 to 4 days walking distance).
A man with leadership, position, and possessions takes time to come to the Lord – because he believed the Lord to be THE answer he needed! This centurion had the resources to pursue other means. Perhaps he had already done so…but the centurion was so convinced in his heart…he so clearly believed Jesus was THE One – he didn’t even need Jesus to come to his house. He asked the Lord to just say it right here and that would be enough! (v. 10)
When one thinks of men of faith we turn to: Abraham, Noah, Daniel, and Moses. We also can turn to George Mueller, Adoniram Judson, Jim Elliott, and Hudson Taylor. Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, use to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew words on it: Ebenezer and JEHOVAH JIREH. The first word means "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." The second word means, "The Lord will see to it or provide." One looked back while the other looked forward. One reminded him of God's faithfulness and the other of God's promises. Hudson Taylor would purposely meditate on who God is and those meditations would stir his faith!
This centurion had faith in the Lord Jesus! The Lord said He had not seen so great a faith in all of Israel!! Are we willing to trust our bank accounts, our financial advisors, our friends, our own limited knowledge – MORE THAN WE WILL TRUST THE UNLIMITED LORD! It is time to sharpen our focus on THE One who can. Our time is stolen away when we misplace our trust in someone or something more than God!
INDIFFERENCE & SELFISHNESS (8:14-15)
Peter’s mother-in-law is very sick with a fever. It is very possible that Peter had not told the Lord about his mother-in-law’s sickness. The Bible says when the Lord came into Peter’s house, He then saw her sick with a fever. It is then that Peter & Andrew (who both lived in this house – Mark 1:29), along with James & John, entreat the Lord for the health of this woman. The Lord touches Peter’s mother-in-law and she rises!
There are 5 interesting things from Mark 8:14-15 that must be pointed out:
According to Jewish culture, Rabbis kept their distance from women, especially from those outside their own family.
Jesus touching someone with a fever was countercultural! Leviticus 15 would have taught that touching one with a fever would label you ritually unclean.
Peter’s mother-in-law’s social standing, ritual purity, and place in the household were restored when Jesus heals her! Jesus sets aside social taboos and shows His compassion to heal and restore her dignity and her purpose!
Did you notice that Jesus isn’t healing in a synagogue? He is healing in a private home! Jesus’ ministry extends to everyday life.
This healing also fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:4 (which Jesus quotes in Matthew 8:17) that Jesus would carry our sickness and pain.
Finally, the account is summed up with her response. She immediately gets up and begins to serve. The Greek word used for “to serve” in this passage is used elsewhere in the New Testament for more than serving food. It is used for varied ministry. Peter’s mother-in-law responds to God’s grace (healing) with service! Her response of service predates the disciples service and foreshadows the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 20:26-28 about greater service. Are you responding to God’s enabling grace in your life (to witness, to love Him, to love others, to love your spouse and children, to forgive, to live life) with service for Him?
Charles Francis Adams, son of President John Quincy Adams and grandson of President John Adams, kept a diary. One day he entered: “Went fishing with my son today—a day wasted.”
His son, Brook Adams, also kept a diary, which is still in existence. On that same day, Brook Adams made this entry: “Went fishing with my father—the most wonderful day of my life!” The father thought he was wasting time while fishing with his son, but his son saw it as an investment of time.
The only way to tell the difference between wasting and investing is to know your ultimate purpose in life and to judge accordingly. (Source: Better Dads, Stronger Sons, Rick Johnson)
Church, do you know your ultimate purpose or mission in life or are you indifferent? Are you serving the right master or are you serving self? What is keeping you from using your time to serve the Lord? Have you become indifferent and selfish through the years…thus wasting time meant for Jesus?
Take Time to Reflect:
Do you know Jesus is able, like the leper, or do you doubt you are worthy?
Do you second guess Jesus’ ability and place your trust in yourself or someone else or do you depend deeply in Jesus, like the Centurion?
Do you embrace compassion and selflessness like Jesus did healing the woman, or do you waste time with indifference and selfishness? Read through and meditate on these passages: Isaiah 26:4; Psalm 125:1; Prov. 29:25; Ps. 71:1; Ps. 37:5.
We truly need to respond to “Time Thieves” with a stronger view of who God and an enduring meditation on truth!
Step away from unbelief! - God is worthy of our worship.
Step away from misplaced trust! - God is unlimited, sovereign, all-wise.
Step away from Indifference & Selfishness! - God is our master. Live as a servant of God!