Program Summary
In this Wednesday edition of Mark & Friends, Rev. Dr. Phil Reed concludes his two-day Pinnacle Forum message on Amazing Faith from Matthew 8. After a brief recap of the centurion's misplaced ambition and kneeling faith, Phil turns to the centurion's concern for his paralyzed servant. This powerful leader does not come to Jesus for himself but for someone of far lower social status, revealing compassion, responsibility, and the humility to admit he has reached the end of his own ability. Jesus responds immediately because He cares for hurting people. The centurion then says, 'Lord, I do not deserve to have You come under my roof, but just say the word.' Phil calls this humble faith - proper perspective about who Jesus is and who we are. Because the centurion understands authority and the power of commands, he recognizes that Jesus needs only to speak. Phil then applies the power of words to everyday relationships, urging listeners not to leave life's most important words unsaid: I love you, I am proud of you, thank you, you have changed my life. Finally, Phil defines faith as trust rather than a possession we control. Amazing faith comes to Jesus, kneels, speaks important words, and releases outcomes to Him.
Key Takeaways
- Amazing faith is compassionate faith; the centurion comes to Jesus on behalf of someone with far less status and power than himself.
- Leadership earns trust when people know the leader genuinely cares about those under his or her responsibility.
- Reaching the end of my abilities can become the place where self-reliance gives way to Jesus.
- Jesus' immediate response to the suffering servant reveals His concern for hurting and helpless people.
- Humility is not defeat or self-contempt; it is proper perspective about who Jesus is and who I am.
- The gospel is not simply 'do more and try harder'; sometimes wisdom begins when I admit I cannot fix what is broken.
- The centurion understands the authority of words and recognizes far greater authority in Jesus.
- Words have tremendous power in relationships, yet people often leave their most important words unexplained or unsaid.
- I love you, I am proud of you, thank you, and you have changed my life can become life-giving words when spoken sincerely.
- Phil describes faith as trust - an action of releasing control to Jesus.
- Amazing faith comes to Jesus, kneels before His authority, speaks words shaped by faith, and trusts Him with the outcome.
- Jesus is interested not merely in how much I accomplish, even in His name, but in whether I trust Him.
- Faith itself is a gift God awakens within us when we encounter Jesus.
- Awakened faith is meant to move outward in obedient, gospel-shaped living.
Scripture References
- Matthew 8:5-13
- Matthew 8:8
- Matthew 8:10
- Matthew 8:13
- Luke 7:1-10
- Genesis 1:3
- John 1:1-3
- Proverbs 18:21
- Ephesians 4:29
- Hebrews 11:1
Quote of the Day
“Amazing faith trusts. You release control... and let Jesus handle it.”
Broadcast Notes
Mark opens Part Two with Matthew 8:8 and a short replay from Tuesday's program, where Phil described retirement, misplaced ambition, and amazing faith as kneeling faith. Phil then returns to the centurion's first spoken words: his servant is paralyzed and in terrible distress. The centurion is not seeking something for himself; he is advocating for a servant or slave, someone considered lower in status and normally replaceable if unable to work. Phil sees this as evidence of compassion and leadership. The centurion has also reached the end of his abilities. For capable leaders, helplessness is especially painful, but it drives him toward Jesus. Jesus immediately offers to come and heal the servant, revealing His concern for hurting people. The centurion replies that he is unworthy to have Jesus under his roof. Phil calls this humility - not defeat, but accurate perspective. He pushes against a version of Christianity that reduces the gospel to 'do more, try harder,' arguing that amazing faith often begins where personal ability ends. The centurion then says Jesus need only speak the word. As a military officer, he understands the authority of spoken commands and recognizes divine authority in Jesus. Phil expands this into a challenge about everyday words: people often leave unsaid 'I'm proud of you,' 'You're a great friend,' and 'You've changed my life.' He urges listeners not to leave important things unsaid. Phil then defines faith as trust: releasing control and entrusting outcomes to Jesus. He summarizes four movements of amazing faith: it moves us to Jesus, kneels, speaks the word, and trusts.
❤️ Practical Applications
- When I reach the end of what I can do, name my helplessness honestly instead of hiding it behind more activity.
- Ask whether the people I lead know that I genuinely care about them as people, not merely about what they produce.
- Notice someone with less status or influence and intentionally show compassion.
- When a problem cannot be solved by more effort, bring it to Jesus rather than assuming that trying harder is always the faithful response.
- Practice humility by naming both what God has enabled me to do and what remains beyond my control.
- Speak one important sentence I have delayed saying: 'I love you,' 'I'm proud of you,' 'Thank you,' or 'You've made a difference in my life.'
- Make encouragement specific by telling someone why I love, appreciate, respect, or value them.
- Before speaking in a tense situation, remember that words carry authority to heal, encourage, wound, or direct.
- Identify one outcome I am trying to control and deliberately release my capacity to force the result.
- Replace 'I need more faith' with the active question, 'What would trusting Jesus look like right now?'
- Thank God for whatever measure of faith I have, recognizing that He awakens and strengthens it.
- Let faith move outward: take one obedient 'go' step in service, encouragement, witness, generosity, or reconciliation.
Today's Challenge
Before this day ends, do two things. First, choose one important person and speak words you have too often left unsaid - tell them specifically why you love them, are proud of them, appreciate them, or thank God for them. Second, identify one situation you have tried to control after reaching the end of your ability. Open your hands and pray: 'Jesus, I release my capacity to control this outcome. I trust You.' Repeat that prayer for seven days whenever you feel yourself taking the outcome back.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that Jesus cares about hurting people and meets me when I reach the end of what I can do. Give me the compassion of the centurion - eyes to notice people whose needs may not benefit me and a heart willing to carry their concerns to Jesus. Teach me humility, the proper perspective to recognize who You are and who I am. Free me from the belief that faith always means doing more or trying harder. When my ability ends, help me come to You. Guard the words I speak and remind me not to leave the most important things unsaid. Give me courage to tell people I love them, that I am proud of them, that I am thankful for them, and how they have changed my life. Most of all, teach me to trust. I release my need to control outcomes and place what I cannot fix into the hands of Jesus. Thank You for every measure of faith You have awakened in me. Strengthen it, deepen it, and move me outward in obedience. Here I am. Send me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
About Today's Speaker
Rev. Dr. Phil Reed is a Presbyterian pastor, now honorably retired, who studied at Princeton and Fuller Theological Seminaries and served congregations in several states. He is especially known in Illinois as the founding executive director of Pinnacle Forum Illinois. For more than twenty years, Phil has helped form and facilitate Pinnacle Forums and encouraged followers of Jesus to think seriously about faith, calling, leadership, influence, and cultural engagement. In this concluding message from Matthew 8, Phil highlights compassion, humility, the power of words, and faith understood as active trust in Jesus.
Featured on Mark & Friends - Listen anytime under the Mark & Friends tab at GreatNewsRadio.org or WLUJ.org.
About Today's Host
Mark Burns is General Manager of the WLUJ Family of Stations and Great News Radio Network and host of Mark & Friends. For decades, Mark has been involved in Christian radio and ministry, with a heart for helping listeners know Jesus and grow deeper in God's Word. Through Mark & Friends, he brings pastors, ministry leaders, teachers, missionaries, authors, and everyday believers around the microphone for biblical teaching, testimony, conversation, and encouragement.
Proofread Broadcast Transcript
We're glad you're here, we're glad you're here,
Fellowship is sweeter, knowing you're near.
It's so good to see you, we hope that it's clear,
Everyone loves you, we're glad you're here.
Reading from Matthew chapter 8, verse 8, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
That was Matthew 8.8. O magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together. It's Wednesday, September 30th, 2026. And welcome to Mark & Friends.
Today we're continuing Amazing Faith, a message by Reverend Dr. Phil Reed, presented at the Pinnacle Forum National Conference in Arizona this past April. Yesterday, Phil challenged us to consider what we're really kneeling before, and shared candidly how even good things, like achievements and ambition, can become misplaced when they're no longer surrendered to God. In just a moment, we'll replay a brief portion of yesterday's message to bring us back into the conversation.
Then we'll discover two more characteristics of Amazing Faith, the power of the words we speak and what it really means to trust Jesus. Learn more at PinnacleForum.com. Now let's pick up with Reverend Dr. Phil Reed. I went from being a VIP to a PIP, Previously Important Person.
Got a lot less texts, a lot less phone calls. What do I do all day? I thought about applying to be one of these sample givers at Costco. You know, you get a discount.
I didn't have a sense of who I was and what I'm supposed to do with my life. What do I do now? Permanent vacation is fun for a little while, but what do you do with your drive? What do you do with your ambition? More importantly, what do you do with your call from God? And I figured out, I didn't figure this out, it was a revelation, that I was prepared for retirement in every single way, financially, psychologically, family-wise, marriage-wise, except one. I was not spiritually prepared to retire, to make this transition in life, one of life's most important transitions.
I wasn't prepared to discern what God had in mind for me going forward. And so I thought it was just what I'd always been doing. I thought it was accomplishment, I thought it was achievement, I thought it was doing what I had done and received good feelings about and some success.
I thought it was about all that, and so I flunked retirement the first time. First chance I got, back to, oh yeah, I can do that. I can come and serve this church for four months.
I did that, then I flunked retirement again. Oh yeah, I can come and do that, that would be great. And you know what? After that, I did it again.
Flunked retirement the third time. Oh, I can give you a year. And truth be told, I'm still doing it.
I have a little part-time thing, it's not Costco, it's a church, but it's giving samples. What is wrong with me? What is my problem? It's not that... I know what the problem is. The problem is my faith.
The problem is not my ambition. The problem isn't your ambition either. The problem is my ambition is misplaced.
The problem is I have placed it in things that you would recognize and not the things that are important to God. I'm probably not the only person in the same room with this issue. To whom or what do you kneel? A centurion, a battle-hardened soldier, someone the world of Rome recognizes as top of the heap, quarterback in the NFL, gets to Jesus, he must have kneeled.
He must have seen something that causes a soldier to kneel. Amazing faith is a kneeling faith. So then, now the soldier speaks.
First time we have the centurion saying something, and what he says is, Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed in terrible distress. He hasn't come for something for himself. He hasn't come for some need, some worry, some concern.
He hasn't come because he can't figure out retirement and he needs something else to do. No, he's come on behalf of someone else, and not only someone but a servant. The word there for servant is doulos in the Greek, and that could mean servant or slave.
So it is someone who is not at the same level of status as this centurion. It is someone of lesser importance. It is someone who is really considered to be property more than a human being, and the normal procedure for a servant or a slave who was sick and couldn't work anymore, lying paralyzed, is replacement.
Just go get another one. Thank you for your service. But this is not what this centurion is doing.
This centurion has some kind of compassion or care or connection, or just he's a decent human being to get up and go to Jesus and cause all these ruckus in the community and people asking, why is he going to Jesus? And is he going to arrest him? And then to get to Jesus and to kneel, and what is this all about? It's about my servant. Now, just so you know, if the centurion, the leader, is this connected to his servants, his men will trust him, because if he feels like that for a servant, how much more will he be concerned for his men? So this is not, don't think this is just nothing, or only says something about the servant, but it says something especially about the servant, that this guy cares, that this guy has compassion, that this guy recognizes need, and here's the other thing, and the other thing is what intersects with us, again, he doesn't know what to do. He's done everything he can do.
He's at the end of his abilities, and so instead of doing nothing, he's going to Jesus, and you know what it's like to be at the end. You know what it's like to have done everything you can do, and you know that feeling that is terrible for people like us. It's the feeling like, I am helpless.
It's the feeling that brings you to your knees, and Jesus responds immediately. What does Jesus say? Jesus says, I'm going to come and cure him. No hesitation, no requirements, no conditions.
Didn't ask him anything. Right away, Jesus is there, right away. What's Jesus' prime concern? The servant.
Jesus cares about hurting people. Jesus cares about ill people. Jesus cares about people who are paralyzed, who are caught, don't know what to do.
Jesus cares, and so immediately Jesus is going to go back. I will come to your house, and I will cure him. Look at what the centurion says next.
Lord, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. This is not defeat. This is not resurrection.
This is humility. This is him recognizing a proper relationship that he has with the Lord Jesus, who he names as Lord. Humility.
Amazing faith is humble faith. Amazing faith is faith that recognizes what we can do and what we can't do. It's perspective.
Humility is perspective. It's the proper perspective. It's the proper way, correct way of seeing things.
It recognizes Jesus, and at the same time it recognizes us. It recognizes who we are, who we really are. We take too much credit for our faith.
We think our decisions make the difference. We think the things that we are committed to make the difference. Most of the sermons you will hear and most of the Christian messages that you will hear, in my opinion, are very similar.
They all boil down to this. Do more, try harder. I do not believe that is the gospel.
I believe the gospel is we reach a point when we can't do it. We reach a point where trying harder only makes it worse. We reach a point where the wise thing to do is to be humble.
That's where amazing faith is. But only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. You don't have to come, just speak the word.
This is said by a man who knows the power of words. This is said by a man who knows that commands move soldiers. This is said by a man who directs by speaking the word, and he recognizes this in Jesus.
He recognizes the authority that is in Jesus. He recognizes the power of God that is in Jesus. He recognizes who Jesus truly is.
He recognizes the creative power of God in Jesus who brought everything into creation. How? By speaking the word. Let it be, and it is.
And Jesus has that very same power. Only speak the word, Jesus, and my servant will be healed. The power of words.
And the centurion has experienced this in his own life. This is coming out of his own life. And I hope that you recognize it in your life too.
You have an incredible ability to impact others by what you say. And we leave the most important things in our lives often unsaid. We talk about some unimportant things a lot, but the really important things are often unsaid.
We kind of are afraid of the power. Have you ever noticed that I love you is often the last thing we say to somebody? I mean, yes, honey, I'll be home in 10 minutes. I love you.
Good night. I love you. Dropping the kids off at school.
I love you. Very important to say. Very powerful words.
But we never say what we mean by that. We never explain what love means to us. We never share that.
We always have that be the end of a conversation, not the middle of a conversation. And that's the conversation we need to have because there's great, great power in the words. I love you.
You're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I love you. I am so proud of you.
I am proud of you because of this, this, and this. You are a great friend. You have changed my life.
I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't been part of our forum, if you hadn't talked, spoke the truth to me. Don't let the most important things in life go unsaid. Only speak the word.
Now, amazing faith is trust. The centurion here is exhibiting trust, complete trust. Trust is the appropriate word for faith.
It's a synonym. In English, faith is a word that's a noun, and we think we have it. You have faith.
Such a mistake. Because if we have it, then we can control it. It's a thing.
But really, in the New Testament, faith is a verb. It's not a noun. It's not something you have.
It's something you do. And the best translation is trust. You release control.
You release your capacity to influence outcomes. You let it go and let Jesus handle it. Amazing faith trusts.
So there were four things about amazing faith. Amazing faith points us to Jesus and moves us there. It's that initial thing that gets us up and gets us there.
Amazing faith kneels. It knows who the Lord is. Amazing faith speaks the word, and the most amazing word we can ever say is, Lord, thank you.
I am yours. And amazing faith trusts. So what happens? Jesus is amazed.
Jesus is amazed. That's a centurion's faith. He is not a Jew.
He was amazed and said to those who followed him, truly I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. Matthew's gospel is to a Jewish audience. I mean, this is shocking that faith would be found in a Roman Gentile centurion, a member of the occupying army who was subjugating the Jews.
They were a conquered people. And yet Jesus is recognizing a centurion with amazing faith. No one in Israel.
Jesus said some hard things. Jesus didn't mess around. Really quite direct.
Have I found such faith. And so if a centurion can have amazing faith, so can you. And so can I. Go, Jesus says.
Let it be done for you according to your faith. And the servant was healed in that very hour. Go.
Get up and go. Two-thirds of the word God is go. Never, never, hey, stay the same.
Never, never. Hey, you're really doing okay. Relax, watch the golf tournament.
Never, never. Always go. Get up and go.
And then let it be done for you according to your faith. And what this says is what Jesus is really interested in people like you and me is our faith. Not how much we do.
Not how much we accomplish. Not all the great things we think we can achieve. Even if they're in Jesus' name, it's the faith.
Jesus goes from place to place, from person to person, looking for faith. And not just regular faith. Not just simple faith.
Amazing faith. And what makes it amazing is it's not something we do by ourselves. It's something that God does in us.
It's something that God gives us. It's something that God works in us. It's something that God awakens in us when we meet this one Jesus.
If you have an ounce of faith, if you have a pound of faith, if you have a ton of faith, God put it there. And if it's there, he's saying, go and let it be done for you according to your faith. Now, I'm a Presbyterian, and I'd like to put a little Presbyterian in you.
We do something in our church when we are going to call somebody to be an elder, when we are going to call somebody to be a deacon, when we're going to send off a missionary, when a group of kids is going to go on a mission trip, anything like that. We do the same thing. We practice an ancient, ancient tradition, and it's the laying on of hands.
And so I'd like us to do this in this moment and just realize that the very early church did this very same thing. And when they laid hands upon one another, they believed that something was happening. They believed that faith was awakening and the Holy Spirit was transferred from one person to another by touch.
And they prayed, humbly so. So if you all would stand in this moment and get yourself in position where you can touch someone on the shoulder, and if you could also find a way to sort of reach across the aisle, if you could do it, and connect with other people, not just a bunch of little circles, but just be awkward about it. It's going to take a little something figuring out.
And in this moment, realize that we're all connected, each to the other, that we're all together, not because we signed up to come to the conference, but because God brought us here to strengthen our faith, to renew our faith, so that we might have amazing faith and then go and have something happen according to the faith. So let us pray. Holy and gracious God, we are not worthy.
We like to think we are, and this is our central sin. We confess it to you, for we have misplaced our ambition. We have misplaced our drive to succeed.
We have let unimportant things become vastly important, all the while neglecting some very important people in our lives. And so we ask your forgiveness, and we ask your healing, for we are paralyzed and less than who you call us to be. Awaken in us in this moment an amazing faith.
Work within us in this moment to transform our hearts, our minds, our souls, and use us. Here we are. Send us.
Send us out into this world that is cruel and indifferent and hard, and empower us to share the gospel, the good news, your good news, your healing good news, in word and in deed. Equip us to get over ourselves and focus our attention on you in this moment. May the Spirit be transferred from one to another.
In this moment, may your Holy Spirit, your holy energy, your holy power be transferred one to another for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, for the one who came to show us how to live, for the one who died to forgive us our sins, for the one who was raised to new life to show us the way to eternal life, to this one who is with us now, awakening amazing faith in each of us and all of us together. We say thank you, and we commit our lives. Amen.
Go, go, go, go, go, go, and let it be done for you according to your faith. Amen. Amen.
Go. Oh, listening friend, what a wonderful challenge from Dr. Phil Reed. Amazing faith comes to Jesus.
Amazing faith kneels before Jesus. Amazing faith recognizes the authority of His word. And amazing faith trusts.
Maybe today you reached the end of what you can do. You've tried harder, worked longer, thought about it, worried about it, perhaps tried to control the outcome, and you're discovering that you simply can't fix it. Maybe that's exactly where faith begins to become trust.
Release it to Jesus. And before this day is over, don't overlook Phil's other challenge. Don't leave the important things unsaid.
Tell somebody, I love you. I'm proud of you. Thank you.
You've made a difference in my life. You've been listening to Reverend Dr. Phil Reed in a special two-day presentation from the Pinnacle Forum National Conference. Learn more at PinnacleForum.com and continue growing under the Mark & Friends tab at GreatNewsRadio.org or WLUJ.org. Thanks for listening.
Thanks for being a part of our radio listening family. This is Mark Burns with the Ministry of Great News Media. God bless you and have a great day and night.