Following Jesus: Breaking Barriers
Passage: Matthew 8:1-13
Preacher: Mark Kingston
Following Jesus: Breaking Barriers
Jesus comes down the mountain, fresh from preaching the most radical sermon ever, the Sermon on the Mount. He’s just flipped the script on who’s truly blessed, who belongs in God’s Kingdom. And now? Now it’s time to prove it.
Notice the first person in His path: a leper. Not just sick but socially dead. An outcast. An untouchable.
The law said, Stay away. But Jesus? Jesus steps in. He touches the untouchable. He doesn’t just heal a disease; He restores a person. Because God LOVES outsiders. He always has. The Kingdom of God prioritizes the broken, the desperate and the ones the world pushes aside.
Then comes a centurion. He's a Roman, a Pagan, the Enemy! A man who should be on the wrong side of God’s plan. And yet, Jesus can’t resist his faith. This soldier believes in Jesus’ authority more than the so-called religious insiders do. “Just say the word,” he says. That’s it. No need for proof, no need for spectacle. Faith like that stops Jesus in His tracks. And the healing happens.
But here’s the warning. Jesus looks at the religious insiders—the ones who thought they had it all sorted—and says, “Watch out.” The ones who assume they’re first in line? Might find themselves missing out completely. Because God’s Kingdom isn’t about pedigree. It’s about humility, trust, and radical openness to where He’s moving—even if it challenges everything we thought we knew.
So, the question is, where do we stand?
Are we willing to welcome the outsiders like Jesus did? To have a heart for those who come with faith, even when they don’t look, sound, or act like us? Or will we be like the insiders—guarding boundaries, keeping things comfortable, and missing the very people Jesus is reaching for?
And if we truly long to see healing and transformation like Jesus did, do we have faith like the leper and the centurion…faith that dares to believe, faith that stops Jesus in His tracks?
Questions
Have you ever felt like an outsider? What was the situation? Why did you feel like you didn’t belong? How did it affect you?
Who are the outsiders today? Who do we instinctively assume is untouchable, undesirable, or beyond hope? Would we respond differently if they came to us in faith?
Do we truly believe God still welcomes outsiders? Do we believe He wants to offer them forgiveness, healing, and belonging—through us? What might it look like for our church to reflect that welcome? Do we believe He wants to offer them forgiveness, healing, and belonging—through us? What might it look like for our church to reflect that welcome?
Jesus had a reputation for healing and authority. The leper and the centurion came to Him because they had heard the stories—because He actually did heal people, and word spread. Should we pray for that same reputation? For similar stories to be shared of people finding healing and hope?
Do we believe healing still happens today? Why does healing sometimes not happen when we pray? Does that discourage you from praying? Should we still pray for healing in church? Is it better to pray in faith, even if nothing seems to change, or to not pray for it at all?
