Below is the list of the 10 TopExtraordinary Children in the World.
1. Kim Ung-Yong: Attended University at age 4, Ph.D atage 15; world’s highest IQ
2. Gregory Smith: Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize atage 12
3. Akrit Jaswal: The Seven Year-Old Surgeon
4. Cleopatra Stratan: a 3 year old singer who earns 1000€per song
5. Aelita Andre: The 2-year-old artist who showed herpaintings in a famous Gallery
6. Saul Aaron Kripke: Invited to apply for a teachingpost at Harvard while still in high school
7. Michael Kevin Kearney: earned his first degree at age10 and became a reality show Millionaire
8. Fabiano Luigi Caruana: a chess prodigy who became theyoungest Grandmaster at age 14
9. Willie Mosconi: played professional Billiards at age 6
10. Elaina Smith: youngest agony aunt aged 7
These young prodigies have amazed the worldwith their extraordinary talents and skills far beyond their age. How we wishedwe could amaze our families and friends if we were born the same way as theywere. Yet we really don’t need to be super geniuses to amaze God. All we have to do is to follow the example ofone gentile Roman Centurion who, in Jesus’ time, demonstrated such faith thatJesus Himself marvelled. Three things we must do that will amaze Jesus as thissoldier did.
1. AcknowledgeJesus is Lord
Matthew 8: NIV
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, acenturion came to him, asking for help. 6 Lord, he said, "myservant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
He was a Roman military officer,corresponding to our captain. All Palestine was under Roman military governmentat this time, with headquarters at Cæsarea, and soldiers in every leading town.This centurion probably commanded the company stationed at Capernaum. In spiteof his rank, he acknowledged Jesus, a Jew, as Lord. The word Lord in the Greek means “supreme in authority.” Jesus is Lord - meaning that He is the SupremeRuler over ALL!
Why do we need to acknowledge Jesus in our lives?
Matthew10:32
"Whoeveracknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father inheaven.
· It means we are dependent onHim.
· It means that we are willing tosubmit to Him. (what He wants in ourlives)
· It means humbling ourselvesbefore the Lord. (We accept that we cannot do anything without Him)
8 The centurion replied, "Lord, I do notdeserve to have you come under my roof.
This humility was partly due to hisconsciousness that he was a Gentile. Rigid Jews did not hold social intercoursewith Gentiles, and the centurion may have supposed that so holy a Jewishteacher as Jesus would hesitate to come under his roof. Whether we recognize it or not, we indeed areall ruled by someone or something. The Lord or Master of our lives is theperson or power we give our lives over to and submit to in a full way.
We can beruled by many different things -- such as our unruly passions (such as rage,lust, envy, pride, hatred, etc.), the love of money, alcohol, drugs,possessions, etc. Careers, positions.
Sometimes weare telling in ourselves we are not like that, but check yourselves carefully.If these things are above God, think carefully.
Only one Lordcan truly set us free to love and to be loved as God intended from thebeginning. When we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord we invite Him to be theMaster of our heart and the Ruler of our thoughts and actions, relationshipsand home, and all that we do and say.
2.Acknowledge Jesus is our Savior
7 Jesus saidto him, "I will go and heal him."
How can I sayJesus is a Savior? Why do people need to Acknowledge Jesus as our Savior? Jesusis our God: "I and the Father areone" (John 10:30). People need to acknowledge Jesus because He is the Sonof God, the only Son of God and He loved us enough to die for us. Jesus claimednot only to be God's Son, but also to be one with God (equal to God): Therefore,if we know Jesus, we know God also. The more deeply we know Jesus, the moredeeply we know God the Father because Jesus reveals to us who the Father is.
John14:6 (NIV)
6Jesus answered, “I am the way andthe truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except throughme.
Jesus said:
Luke10:22
"Allthings have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son isexcept the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and thoseto whom the Son chooses to reveal him”
Did you know that it is God’s will for you to havelong life?
Psalm 91:16 NIV With long life will Isatisfy him and show him my salvation."
Proverbs 10:27 NIV The fear of the LORD adds lengthto life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
Proverbs 3:1-2 NIV My son, do not forget myteaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they willprolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
Jesus heals sickness, demonpossessed, blind, lame, broken hearted & even raising up the dead. He isthe greatest Doctor. And He is our only Savior. WithoutJesus we will die! That’s why we should acknowledge Jesus as our Savior.
3. Absolute Faith in Jesus Christ
Matthew 8:8-13 NIV
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserveto have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will behealed. 9 For I myself am aman under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and hegoes; and that one, ‘Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' andhe does it." 10 When Jesus heard this, he was astonished andsaid to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not foundanyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will taketheir places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom ofheaven. 12 But the subjectsof the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will beweeping and gnashing of teeth." 13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as youbelieved it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Just Say the Word. "Just say the word"is the idea, and "my servant will be healed." Not even Martha (John 11:21)thought that Jesus could have saved her brother Lazarus without going to Him.His faith was great. The Centurion did not doubt the power of Jesus. He hadabsolute faith in Jesus.
James 1:5-8 NIV
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, whogives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given tohim. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and notdoubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by thewind. 7 That man should not think he will receiveanything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all hedoes.
Did the Healing depend on the Centurion’s Faith?
Yes,it did.
13 Then Jesussaid to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed itwould." And his servant was healed at that very hour.
Lack of faith (unbelief) hinders the power of God …
Mat 13:58 - Andhe did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Faith is vital to please God…
Heb 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God,because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewardsthose who earnestly seek him.
Martin Luthereven once said, “God our Father has made all things depend on faith so thatwhoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith willhave nothing.”
Romans 1:17 NIV
For in the gospel a righteousness from God isrevealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it iswritten: "The righteous will live by faith."
How Can Jesus Be Amazed?
1. Acknowledge Jesus is Lord
2. Acknowledge Jesus is Saviour
3. Absolute Faith in Jesus Christ
CONCLUSION:
Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus isLord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, youwill be saved.
Not only did physical healing happen here inthis passage (Matthew 8:5-14) but, I believe that the Centurion wassaved, because He confessed that Jesus is Lord, He believed, because he showedhis faith in Jesus Christ as well as his servant.
How do we knowthat we lack faith? There is this story of a man who fell off a cliff, butmanaged to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
"Is anyone up there?"
"I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe Me?"
"Yes, Lord, I believe. I really believe, but I can't hang on muchlonger."
"That's all right; if you really believe you have nothing to worry about.I will save you. Just let go of the branch."
A moment of pause, then: "Is anyone else up there?"
from Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 3.
Remember,even if you don’t see how things could ever work out, God does. JustAcknowledge Him as our Lord & Savior, and have faith that He is workingbehind the scene of our lives. From the day that we accept Jesus in our life,remember that it is everlasting commitment, not only on that day but we shouldacknowledge Jesus is our Lord in everyday & every area of our life. Is the LordJesus the true Master and King of your heart and do you give Him free reign inevery area of your life?
We should know that we should seek wisdom first from Jesus our God for anything becauseHe knows everything & anything. He can save us from eternal death, He can heal us. He can restore us. He can comfort us. He can do anything more than we imagine or more than we can ever think of.
And lastly,brothers & sisters, we should not only continue in our faith in our LordJesus Christ, we should also act on our faith. Not only by our lips but we should put our faith into action. Weshould not doubt in the power of Jesus Christ.
Are we followers of Jesus? As a follower of Jesus or as His disciple, remember these 3things that amazed Jesus: Acknowledge Him that He is Lord, He is our Saviour& have faith in His Absolute Power.
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