When the Snowing Gets Tough, The Tough Use Tupperware

 This is how the South reacts to snow - wait til spring.

As I said before, I clear snow immediately to let solar power take over. The morning sun was melting the snow and ice when I came upon the mother of Alaska and Atlas scraping her ice-bound car with a Tupperware container. I used my gloved hands to help but promised a better tool a few houses away.

I kept Sassy indoors after I got inside and searched for my all-purpose snow implement - long, scraper included, plus a brush on the opposite end. I went back.

The black car was not yielding to the snow that partially melted and then froze overnight. The entire car was covered with ice on the metal/windows and ice on top the snow. The remainder began to melt in the sun as the ice flew off.

We finished fast and off she went, with wipers loosened from their icy grip. She told me about how deep the snow fall is in Sioux Falls, where they used to live. "Sioux Falls used to be a nice place." I laughed and said, "I will tell our friends there."

NW Arkansas hopes the sun will melt away every millimeter of ice and snow. My sidewalk was the only one shoveled yesterday and today on my side of the street! "Where are the kids?" I have asked many times. We used to shovel as kids back in Moline, our walks for free and the neighbors for extra change. Here I used to have elderly neighbors on each side, so our helper and I cleared the sidewalk and cars. We salted early and let the sun do a lot of the work. Our Laotian family taught me - "Shovel and salt early. Let the sun do most of the work."

All cats are a gift from Heaven. Just ask the owners!

DEI or DIE ! Numbers Slashed as Tech Firms Wake to Woke

 

Twins are divided. One wanted an easy job that required no brain-power. The other discovered that a sense of humor was still valuable albeit rare.

Tech Firms Slash Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Dept’s To The Bones, Surprising No One

"Big Tech layoffs are hitting the short-lived, so-called “diversity, equity, and inclusion” industry hard in 2023, Bloomberg reported Tuesday.

Twitter’s DEI team is down from 30 to just two people, one former employee told Bloomberg. Another DEI employee at a rideshare company was let go and has been unable to find new employment, claiming the industry is stalled as technology companies deal with ongoing financial issues and giant cuts to their workforces.

Listings for DEI jobs dropped some 19% in 2022, a larger hit than than (sic) other legal and human resource jobs, Bloomberg noted. While other jobs in Big Tech firms, like software engineering and data science, saw larger declines, DEI is a close third."

"Memories are made of this - sweet sweet."

Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella

 

Avelin's smile.

The Light of the World

 

The Light of the World

KJV Matthew 5: 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

            Luther used the sun and the moon to compare the Gospel with the Law, since the energy of the sun is needed for the moon to illuminate the night sky. In the same way, the light of Christ is in those who believe in Him and absent in those who do not. Even the smallest light can be seen in complete darkness. In fact, utter darkness makes light especially important for believers and unbelievers alike.

            President Ronald Reagan’s farewell speech included this Biblical reference:

“In my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.”[1]

            No one can hide a city built up high on a hill or mountain. The light of that city penetrates the darkness and draws people to it. In contrast, darkness makes people afraid, and they stumble from the smallest obstacle. When my brother lost his shoe in a sheep pen at night, we were playing with the farmer’s children. No one knew how to find it in the muck – until the farmer brought out his flashlight, laughing. The farmer did not hide the light but shone it until the shoe was found and extracted with the expected jokes.

            The secondary light from the Light of the World shines in us as we practice the forgiveness which bears fruit in love. Most importantly, that begins with our own households, where faith, forgiveness, and grace dissolve the darkness of our natural selves and selfishness. The early Christian martyrs witnessed to their faith by dying instead of silencing themselves and hiding the truth. They were honored to model the Savior and in doing so spread the Gospel. John Hus’ death as a martyr paved the way for Luther stating “We are all Hussites” and the Reformation changing Europe and the world.

            The light does not remain within the household but spreads so that all people will have the chance to see the meaning of the true Christ, the Savior of the World.

---

[1] https://ourlostfounding.com/ronald-reagan-and-the-shining-city-upon-a-hill/#:~:text=He%20said%2C%20%E2%80%9CFor%20we%20must,%2Dword%20through%20the%20world.%E2%80%9D. See also John Winthrop Dreams of a City on a Hill, 1630.

Smiles from Giving

 

At Christmas, a neighbor brought me gifts, smiling, barely speaking English. She was one of the first to identify me as the phantom rose donor and daffodil distributor. She stopped her car as she was going by our rented house on the cul-de-sac. "You gave us roses. I see you."

For Christmas, she knocked on the door, smiled and gave me a brand-new blanket, a big cup full of candy, and a few other items. I passed the blanket onto someone who cannot bear the cold.

Giving makes us smile, a great feeling. I am looking forward to the daffodil crop, which will be distributed to everyone and anyone. Cutting flowers makes the bulb stronger.

We have a newborn in our congregation - Avelin. Mothers give so much and people love to give to babies.

We have an unusual book program. We give Bibles and doctrinal books to people without cost. I reasoned that the doctrinal and historical books have more reach when given away. I look at the 3,000 book collections - staged behind pastors who do not read those books, but talk endlessly on their videos. I figure others would like to have the King James Version and books about the Bible's message.

I wanted to send the Martin Chemnitz biography to a pastor. In his land, the book sells for $255 from Amazon. Here it sells for $5. I sent him two. 

People have given the most in publishing by writing reviews for Amazon. That gets others out of their Objective (Faithless) Justification air castes.

PFC really liked my three-volume Byzantine Empire boxed set, one of my all-time favorite books, so I gave the set to him, almost new. I am not going to read the set again when there is so much else to do, and I am glad when others appreciate worthwhile books. I did that at UOP until we got to the generation that views TikToks rather than reading any books.

After Priest Exorcises All Demons From Her Home, Pelosi Becomes A Republican

Solar Powered Snow Removal

We had a big snowfall by NW Arkansas standards, maybe six (6) inches, perhaps 8 inches falling with 2 inches of immediate melt. I learned long ago from my Laotian neighbors that early shoveling avoids later ice chipping. I went outside - before coffee! - and began. Half my driveway was already melted by the rising sun, in spite of cloud cover.

My solar powered corn shovel is a good blade for pushing the rest of the snow down toward the street or off to the sides. Filled with Planet Fitness pride, I decided to do my sidewalk as well, just as the Laotians did. The sidewalk had a lot of melt from the garden and was heavy like white lead. Or were my muscles turning to mush? Scholars are divided.

I would rather have snow as a blanket over the garden than strong icy winds slowly killing the tender upper part of roses.

Snow is also good for all other plants, keeping them warm (by their standards), hydrated, and nitrogen fertilized by melt. Snow has usable nitrogen and is very good for hardy or fall-planted bulbs, root strengthening, and the multiplication of microbes.

Andrea Has a Baby Sister - born January 24, 2023

 

Andrea's baby sister - Avelin Kirtsen, 8 pounds, 1 ounce.

University of Razorbacks - Woo Pig Sooie!

This article can be accessed without paying, just by adding an email address and password.

I was waving bye-bye to UOP when the school was talking about linking up with Arkansas and making it a non-profit or maybe part of the non-profit University of Arkansas. Shh - don't tell them how bad the football team is - with a $3 million or more paid coach.

I thought 2023 would be a good time leave the University of Phoenix, after 20 years. I was just writing to one of our members, who was also puzzled about what was happening. I wrote to UOP, "Take me off the teaching schedule," and yet UOP offered me another class to teach. I heard nothing more from the supervisor and nothing from the scheduler, this silence happening over the last month.

“Because these conversations are ongoing, we are unable to provide much detail,” UA System spokesman Nate Hinkel told the Arkansas Times. “However, I do want to confirm that the UA System itself would not be acquiring the University of Phoenix and no public or university funds would be involved in this potential transaction. The contemplated structure would also not include any remaining private ownership of the nonprofit entity or the University of Phoenix.”

A source commenting on condition of anonymity said one cost estimate we’d been told —  $500 million to $700 million — was probably about right.

Hinkel said he did not know but assumed the University of Phoenix would retain its name if the UA System-affiliated nonprofit acquired it.

Hinkel said the nonprofit entity affiliated “would support and facilitate the transition of the University of Phoenix to completely independent nonprofit status, while supporting the university’s mission of advancing high-quality, career focused education.” The process to nonprofit status would be a gradual one, Hinkel noted.

UOP sent me a link so I would not talk about this, so there goes my chance to be president of The University of Razorbacks!

My guess is that the Walton (Walmart) family might want this to happen, and the cost for the family is little more than pocket change. Tyson is also here plus a large shipping company, J. B. Hunt.

John Sperling started UOP in 1976, when his initial school was booted out of California. When Sperling died, his son took over and the man who did the most for online was ignored in favor of a Swiss banker! The by-passed man, a Lutheran, went over to Grand Canyon University, which was no longer Baptist, had few students, and was broke. Businessmen bought the school and made it profitable with online, then made it non-profit to keep tuition down. GCU has about 100,000 students, a fantastic sports program, and a large seminary.

Before Obama graced the White House, some colleges sold to online business people - to retain the college campus and use the certifications to save $10 million and the time it took to make it a new but old school. The suits suddenly said "No way" and shut down Dana College (Danish background). Lenker, the Lutheran editor and publisher printed many Lutheran books, including Luther's Sermons, which we published anew.

 Cattitude

More Classified Documents!

 

SMYRNA, DE — Biden is once again embroiled in scandal after yet another box of his classified documents was found on the clearance shelf of a local Walmart.

The top secret documents were seen next to a $1 clearance bin filled with DVDs of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's documentary on the Green New Deal.

"The investigation into President Biden's misplacement of classified documents has reached a tipping point in which our agency is unable to cover for him by blaming Trump," said FBI spokesman Herf Derfler while agents hauled off boxes of classified documents from the location.

"We're poring over security footage," continued Derfler, "While we cannot divulge much, we are seeing video evidence that Hunter Biden frequented this location to make random purchases of pseudoephedrine, ether, paint thinner, ammonia, drain cleaner, and batteries. Totally random buys."

Hardened Hearts - Or Alcoholic Synods - Teach Universal (Faithless) Justification

Believe it or not, these two verses are the crown jewels of Universal Objective (Faithless) Justification!

Those pompous dogma distributors propagate the first five words - "By grace are ye saved" - because they cannot tolerate the next two - "through faith." They are completely hardened and blinded by their five-word motto.

An audio tape (remember them?) captured my attention when an LCA leader, full of wrath, denounced Evangelicals because "they do not teach grace!" Say that out loud with your teeth gritted in wrath and despair. The tape was from the Word and Witness program.

The tone of voice puzzled me as much as the claim. I had to learn the intricacies stupidities of Universal Objective Justification before I understood the blind wrath.

Whether the fetid, brackish stream flows from Calvinism, Pietism, Walther or his handpicked yes-men, the basics are the same:

1. The entire world has already been saved.
2. Everyone must agree with #1 or be damned.
3. Those who call this Universalism are damned.

They define faith as agreeing with #1, so it is a closed system. At Bethany, the seminary taught that the people in Hell are saved but it does not do them any good. That is pretzel preaching.

Everyone who promotes 

• Universal Justification
• Objective Justification
• Universal Justification
• Universal Objective Justification
• Justification of the World
• General Justification

is either blinded or completely hardened by the Holy Spirit in the Word. Rationalism is either the mother or the child of Objective (Faithless) Justification. Pietism gave birth to Rationalism at Halle University, and the school was created to teach Biblical knowledge in the Spener tradition but quickly converted into mocking the Scriptures. A little bit of leaven will leaven the entire batch of bread.

The American Lutheran church bodies were all affected by Pietism, but the lying historians of WELS, ELS, and Missouri now claim they always taught Justification properly (as UOJ). Ha! It was a mixed message. 

Walther, a Pietistic pimp and felonious riot-maker, worked Stephan's toxic Objective Justification into the sect via his rabid Calvinistic Theses on Grace (double predestination) and through his clever Wisconsin Synod raised Francis Pieper. Once they put Stephan-Walther's OJ into the 1932 Brief Statement, the OJists were able to make that particular convention statement (Scripture by Vote) the Alpha and Omega of all their dogma. It is still solemnly posted on the LCMS website. Those are the same dolts who mocked Luther for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. A little leaven - wait, I said that already.

The phrase "in Christ" actually means faith in Christ, not Justification without Faith. Valleskey canonized Fuller Seminary Church Growth at Mequon, not without help. Paul Calvin Kelm seemed to meddle with all the seminary classes without getting the job.

This simply means that one must accept that God forgave everyone the moment Christ rose from the tomb. Some move that back to Adam and Eve. Scholars are divided.

Emmaus is where Lutherans go to close their eyes and say, "Make Ichabod go away!"

Galatians 3:8 Destroys the Objective (Faithless) Justification of WELS, LCMS, ELS, CLC, and ELCA. "But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." KJV Hebrews 4:2

A reader on Facebook, from the Third World, appreciated this Galatians verse and graphic.

KJV Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Apostolic Text (Byzantine) Galatians 3:7 γινωσκετε αρα οτι οι εκ πιστεως ουτοι εισιν υιοι αβρααμ

8 προιδουσα δε η γραφη οτι εκ πιστεως δικαιοι τα εθνη ο θεος προευηγγελισατο τω αβρααμ οτι ενευλογηθησονται εν σοι παντα τα εθνη

9 ωστε οι εκ πιστεως ευλογουνται συν τω πιστω αβρααμ

Can the Lutheran sects or cults be called synods? They read without seeing, preach against the faith of Jesus, the faith of Abraham, and glory in their shame.

Notice this dialogue in John 8 -

KJV John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?

58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.

Sociological Answers - Not Mixed with Faith

Covid caused congregations to close? The statistics have arrived. It will get worse.

The Word preached does not profit the pastors or congregations. They depend on gimmicks and statistics. They borrow their sermons from each other or from sermon sites. They quack away with slogans from professors who use politics to get cushy jobs with astonishing lack of ability or faith.

KJV Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany, 2023

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Vimeo Link for Epiphany 3 2023

Bethany Lutheran Church - Springdale

10 AM Central Time

The Vimeo player will appear at the top.

The Hymn #44     Ye Lands  - Koren (ELS)

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

The Introit

Worship Him, all ye His angels: 

Zion heard and was glad.

The daughters of Judah rejoiced: 

because of Thy judgments, O Lord.

Psalm. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice: 

let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

The Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth the right hand of Thy majesty to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle 

The Gradual

The heathen shall fear the name of the Lord: 

and all the kings of the earth Thy glory.

V. When the Lord shall build up Zion: 

He shall appear in His glory. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice: 

let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Hallelujah!

      

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
  

The Sermon Hymn #381    I Know My Faith Is Founded  

God's Effective Word

The Hymn # 264        Preserve Thy Word 
 

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #45     Now the Hour of Worship      

     

Prayers and Announcements

• The anniversary of Gary and Alicia Meyer is coming up. Her younger brother is recovering in her home.
• Doctor's care - Pastor Shrader, Pastor K, Dr. Lito Cruz, Kermit and Maria Way.
• Anita Engleman and Zach are both sick from the latest virus.
• Our elected President and his supporters, our military justice system.

  Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

            

KJV Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

KJV Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.  10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Third Sunday After Epiphany

O almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all dangers and necessities stretch forth Thy mighty hand, to defend us against our enemies; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

This mint is called Bee Balm for some reason.

God's Effective Word

Introduction

Biblical doctrine is very much like Creation itself. Once we identify something, the very thing we overlooked becomes more populated than dandelions in spring. My supervisor helped his son in Scouts identify birch trees. Once he knew it himself, he saw birch trees everywhere. He never realized how many birch trees were in his town.

Likewise, once we realize the crucial passages about the efficacy of the Word exist, the examples are everywhere, from Genesis 1 to Isaiah 53 and 55 to the Psalms, to the Gospels and Paul - Romans 10 especially, Hebrews 4 too.

Also, because the efficacy of the Word is essential to the Bible, leaving it out is catastrophic, letting the organization become crucial or the numbers of members or the balanced budget or the works. The errors of today's visible churches are the result of ignoring or rejecting the efficacy of God's Word.

KJV Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

When people study the Bible to make fun of it or to find fault with it, the Word is effective in hardening their hearts. Nevertheless, God has many ways to reach people through the Word - different forms, venues, people, circumstances. We are sheep, so there is a Psalm for all of us - Psalm 23.

KJV Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

 KJV Matthew 8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

The context matters a lot. This is just after the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. Jesus was coming down the mountain with multitudes following Him.  

KJV Isaiah 53:1 - "Who hath believed our report.?" Romans 10:16 - "For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Faith in the Savior comes from hearing the report.

This gave the leper a chance to come to Jesus, already believing in His divine power. The crowds had a chance to see that a miracle was taking place. Thus the very special Sermon was followed by the miracle, showing everyone that Jesus' divine power matched His Word.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses com-manded, for a testimony unto them.

Luther:

1. Two examples of faith and love are taught in this Gospel: one by the leper, the other by the centurion. Let us first consider the leper. This leper would not have been so bold as to go to the Lord and ask to be cleansed, if he had not trusted and expected with his whole heart, that Christ would be kind and gracious and would cleanse him. For because he was a leper, he had reason to be timid. Moreover the law forbids lepers to mingle with the people. Nevertheless he approaches, regardless of law and people, and of how pure and holy Christ is.

2. Here behold the attitude of faith toward Christ: it sets before itself absolutely nothing but the pure goodness and free grace of Christ, without seeking and bringing any merit. For here it certainly cannot be said, that the leper merited by his purity to approach Christ, to speak to him and to invoke his help. Nay, just because he feels his impurity and unworthiness, he approaches all the more and looks only upon the goodness of Christ.

This is true faith, a living confidence in the goodness of God. The heart that does this, has true faith; the heart that does it not, has not true faith; as they do who keep not the goodness of God and that alone in sight, but first look around for their own good works, in order to be worthy of God’s grace and to merit it. These never become bold to call upon God earnestly or to draw near to him.

In Luther's sermon he teaches about people who rely on their works and boast about their own merit. The Bible calls it "kissing your own hand" or self-praise. That is widely practiced. Although people talk about doctrine, they relapse into "Look at this building!" and "We paid off our mortgage!" and "Count the members!"  I see so many church websites where there is very little Biblical teaching and a lot of activity which is purely secular.

The leper had nothing to offer, and people were likely quick to avoid him. He was unclean, sickly from the disease and very poor. He did not demand healing but asked "if it be your will."

Jesus did different things for each healing. Touching the leper was visual proof that He was not afraid of the disease and letting people know about His divine power. As He said in John, "If you do not believe my Word, then believe the miracles." Many thousands would have been even more certain from seeing the spectacular wonder.

Jesus gave specific orders - "Tell no man" means "Carry out the mission to the Jews of your cleansing and don't book time on the evening news." If the former leper stayed to talk with the crowd about what they already knew, he would likely miss the chance to be heard at the Temple, another chance for the priests to hear the Gospel.

5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

This miraculous healing took place when a non-Jewish officer came to Jesus, also knowing about Him and confessing Jesus as Lord. He was not coming for himself but for his servant, who was tormented by his disease. Jesus offered to come and heal the servant, but the officer already believed in the effective Word of God. He believed with great trust that the power of Jesus' Word was so great that the Lord only needed to say the Word. In the leper's healing, the point was worthiness and complete trust. In this one, trust in Word for someone outside of Judaism.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 

He talked just like an officer, as one Sargeant said to me. "I am used to giving orders. I have done that my whole life." He knew about being an authority and ordering people under his authority.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus marvels at the faith of the centurion, to point out to others that this is the best attitude - pure trust  without limits to how or where the Word is effective.  But those who think they are children of Abraham (John 8) will not be allowed - cast out - because they do not believe.

13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

The centurion was under the authority of Jesus, who commanded the soldier. "Go your servant is now healed, as you prayed."