1. What kind of “miracles” are people hoping for today? 

This question is designed to be a light and fun starter to get the group conversation going. Consider things like needing to make more money, being on HGTV’s “My Lottery Dream Home,” repairing broken relationships, finding a job, etc.

2. Read Matthew 8:1-13 together as a group. In the healing of the man with leprosy (8:1-4), what stands out to you?  In learning about the faith of the Centurion (8:5-13), what stands out to you? ‍

Verses 1-4: 

• In healing the man with leprosy, Jesus breaks down Jewish purity boundary laws by interacting with and touching him. 
• In that time, people with leprosy would be isolated and sent to live in communities with others who had the disease until they either recovered or died (see Leviticus 13:45-46)
• The leper might have been hesitant to come to Jesus, knowing that others would be nervous being around him as he approached Jesus in such a public way.  
• The leper came humbly to Jesus, knowing that Jesus was his only hope for healing.  
• “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean” is a great expression of the leper’s faith in Jesus.  He had no doubt that Jesus had the ability to heal. As Jesus touched him, his leprosy was cleansed.
• As a leper, this man likely had not been touched or experienced any physical affection since his diagnosis. Imagine that! Jesus didn’t have to touch him to heal him, but the fact that He did shows that Jesus was healing more than his leprosy.  He was bringing healing to his isolation, his rejection, and his loneliness, too.     
• Jesus commands the man to tell no one about his healing.  Although Jesus’ miracles helped to prove the authenticity of His identity as Messiah, He didn’t want the crowds to only be clamoring for His miracles and miss the true purpose of His mission on earth.  
• Jesus’ request to show himself to the priest followed the Old Testament law of requiring a priest to examine someone with leprosy to determine if he/she had been healed.  

Verses 5-13: 

• Jesus heals the servant of the Centurion, a Gentile.  
• The Centurion was an influential man, leading 100 soldiers.  In their role as military overseers in the community, Roman soldiers were usually disliked by the Jews but this Centurion was well-respected as the parallel passage in Luke 7:4-5 indicates.  
• He was also compassionate and caring for his servant.  Normally, servants or slaves who became ill could be easily discarded as a “living tool” with no rights.   
• In coming to Jesus, the Centurion displayed great humility and submission, even refusing to have Jesus come to his house out of respect for Jewish laws that would make a Jew ceremonially unclean if they were to enter the home of a Gentile (Acts 10:28).  
• The Centurion understands Jesus’ authority by relating to his own ability to just say a word in commanding his soldiers to obey him.  
• Jesus commends his faith (“I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”)
• Jesus’ use of the phrase, “the east and the west” indicates the breadth of people from the ends of the earth that will enter the kingdom of heaven (Isaiah 25:6-9; Gen. 12:1-3).
• In Jesus’ healing a Gentile, He is breaking down ethnic barriers. This paves a way for Jews and Gentiles to respond to Jesus' invitation to the kingdom of heaven. 
• The phrase, “subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside,” points to religious leaders in Israel who took exclusive claim to God’s kingdom based on their Abrahamic heritage (Matt. 3:8-9).  Jesus’ declaration would be shocking to His Jewish audience but it echoes the OT prophets who were constantly calling people to repentance in turning back to God. 
• Attendance at the “feast” has one requirement - faith in Jesus as Messiah, regardless of your ethnic identity - Jew or Gentile.   
• With just a “word” from Jesus, the servant is healed, at a distance, in that moment.  

3. Spend time comparing and contrasting Jesus' response in both healings.

Comparing

• Jesus had the power to heal both the man with leprosy and the servant of the Centurion.
• They both had faith that Jesus could heal. 

Contrasting

• Jesus touched the man with leprosy vs. Jesus healing the servant from a distance. 

• Jesus touching the leper was a big deal.  But Jesus didn’t actually violate the OT purity laws because he instantly cleansed the leper with his healing hand and therefore didn’t become unclean Himself and maintained His spiritual purity. 
• Jesus heals a servant in response to the request of the Centurion.

• Jesus tells the leper to tell no one vs. Jesus’ using the healing of the servant to teach about the true nature of His kingdom. 

• Jesus tells the leper to go and tell no one, but to see the Priest. Jesus commands the leper to perform the prescribed ritual of presenting himself to the priest (Leviticus 14:1-32). Jesus knows that the man’s healing will become a “testimony” to the priests and to others of Jesus' true identity. And by proving his leprosy was completely gone, he could be restored to his community.
• Jesus didn't tell the Centurion or his servant to be quiet.  He used the healing of the servant and the faith of the Centurion as a teaching moment for both Jews and Gentiles. In verse 11, Jesus points to the remarkable faith of the centurion in contrast to the Jews who were so entrenched in their religious tradition.

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4.  Why are people hesitant to ask Jesus for help?

• Doubt that Jesus has the power or is willing to help them. 
• Our own pride and self-sufficiency. 

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5. Where have you seen God do the “miraculous” in your life in the past?

• Assure your group that something doesn’t have to be “big” to qualify for “miraculous.”  It can be something that could be easily overlooked, but on further reflection, you realize it was God at work.  OR, it could be something so “big” that all you can say is, “it could only be God.”   

6. How can you exercise faith like the leprous man in your own personal life? Where do you need to exercise faith for someone you know, like the Roman Centurion did for his servant? 

• Exercise faith like the leprous man - coming to Jesus with our personal need for healing from sin or health or other issues in our lives. 
• Exercise faith like the centurion - having faith and asking Jesus to heal and do the miraculous on behalf of someone in our life. 

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7.  Spend a few moments in individual prayer.  What is the “impossible” thing in your life that you need to bring to Jesus? How can your Life Group support you as you are seeking to trust Him?

8. Spend some time in your groups praying for “impossible” things in your life?  Break into groups of 2-3 and spend time praying for one another.