R.A. Torrey explores the story of the centurion's servant, emphasizing the centurion's faith, humility, and compassion. He highlights how the centurion, despite his high social status, approached Jesus with a sense of unworthiness and confidence in Christ's authority to heal from a distance. Torrey illustrates that true faith is characterized by humility and the expectation of God's power to act, regardless of one's position or circumstances. The sermon concludes with the affirmation that faith, especially when it is humble and confident, is rewarded by God, as seen in the centurion's experience.

DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS 1. The Prayer of Faith, vv. 1–3 Where was this miracle performed? What miracles had already been wrought there? (John 4:46–54; Mark 2:1; etc.) What was the social position of the man who came to our Lord compared with that of our Lord Himself? How did the centurion approach Him? (Matt. 8:5.) Did he come in person? How are we to reconcile the account we have here with that we have in Matt. 8:5–8? Why did he not come in person (v. 7)? In whose behalf did he send to our Lord? (See margin, R. V.) If he had been like many masters what would he have done with that slave? (1 Sam. 30:13.) Why did he want the servant healed (v. 2)? What glimpse does this give us into his character? Had his compassion upon a suffering slave anything to do with his faith in Christ’s readiness to help him? How sick was the boy? Why did he send to our Lord in such a desperate case? Upon what did he build his faith? (v. 3; compare Ro. 10:17.) What was his prayer at this time? What did our Lord say? (Matt. 8:7.) Is He ready to say that in answer to our prayers today? (Heb. 13:8.) Did the apostles claim healing power? (Acts 3:12.) Why did He promise to come? If we want Him to come to our homes what must we do? (Rev. 3:20.) 2. The Humility of Faith, vv. 4–7 (First Half.) When the centurion saw our Lord actually approaching his house, what did he do? What was his testimony regarding himself? What was the testimony of the Jewish elders regarding him? Which were right? Which are the most likely to get a blessing from God, those who think they are worthy or those who think they are not? (Ps. 10:17; Luke 18:10–14.) Which is it best to plead before Him, our worthiness or our unworthiness? How had this centurion further shown his sense of unworthiness? If we feel that we are unfit to approach God, is there any one we can get to present our plea to Him? (Heb. 7:25.) However great our sense of unworthiness, how can we still have boldness to draw near to God? (Heb. 10:19; 4:14–16.) 3. The Confidence of Faith, vv. 7 (Last Half), 8 What reason besides his own unworthiness did the centurion allege why our Lord should not come under his roof? Who only can banish sickness by His bare word? (Ps. 33:9; 107:20.) What faith, then, in our Lord did the centurion have? Did any one else ever come to our Lord expecting that He would at a distance, by a mere word, banish disease? Was the centurion quite confident that the mere word of our Lord would prove effectual? How did he further illustrate his faith? What did he think was Christ’s relation to disease? Was he right about that? What do we find in the Gospels subject to the mere word of Christ? (Luke 4:35, 36, 39; Mark 4:39; John 11:43, 44.) What kind of servants did the centurion have? Why? (v. 2.) 4. The Reward of Faith, vv. 9, 10 What was the effect upon our Lord of this declaration of his faith? Is there any record that the Son of God ever marvelled at anything else? (Mark 6:6.) At which has He the most occasion to marvel in us, our faith or our unbelief? Did He do anything besides marvel at his faith? Whose else faith did He once commend? (Matt. 15:28.) Wherein were these two persons whose faith He commended alike? Where do we find the greatest faith today, in “Christian” or in “heathen” lands? Was there anything commendable about the centurion besides his faith? What was the one thing our Lord commended? Why? (Heb. 11:6, f. c.; John 6:29; Ro. 4:3.) Of what did He see a prophecy in his faith? (Matt. 8:11.) Did he get anything besides commendation of his faith? Why was what he asked done? Why are many of the things we ask not done? (Jas. 1:6, 7.) How much was done for the centurion? (Matt. 8:13.) What is the measure of our getting? (Matt. 9:29; 17:20; Mark 9:23:) What was the result of our Lord’s word in this instance? Had the servant himself exercised faith? Will faith today avail for any one besides him that has it? CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS 1. Our Lord His deity, 7, 8; humanity, 9; the power of His word, 7, 8, 10; readiness to respond to humble prayer, 6, 10; would not go to see a nobleman’s child (John 4:46–50), starts at once to see a humble centurion’s servant, 6; His joy at faith, rewards faith, heals the incurably sick, 9, 10; rescues from the very jaws of death, saves in response to the prayer and faith of another, 2–10. 2. The Centurion His position, tender love for a slave, 2; generous regard for God’s worship, 5; humility, 6, 7. His faith: he believed our Lord could cure incurable disease, in its last stages, 2, 7; at a distance, 7, 8; by a word, 7; disease was as subject and obedient to our Lord as his slaves were to him, 8; our Lord was divine, 7, 8. What he got: what he sought, 10; more than he sought, commendation, 9; admission to the kingdom (Matt. 8:11.) His prayer: earnest, definite, for a temporal blessing, for another, 3, 4; humble, believing, 6, 7; prevailing, 10. 3. The Boy Lowly position, a slave, dearly loved, desperately sick, grievously tormented, at the last extremity, beyond human help, 2 (Matt. 8:6); had a believing master, 9; was the subject of prayer, 3; made completely whole, 10. 4. Faith It is humble, confident, 6, 7; its natural soil—a loving heart, 2, 6; comes to Christ, 3; expects large things of Christ, 7, 8; gets more than it expects, 9, 10 (Matt. 8:10–12); found where least expected, Christ honors it above everything else, 9. Its reward: gets what it seeks, 10 (Matt. 8:13); gets commendation, 9; gets admission to the kingdom (Matt. 8:11).