Partnering Together

As we continue in Matthew 8, we come to a moment that looks very different from the healings we have studied so far. We move from the faith of the leper, the centurion, and Peter’s mother-in-law to the faith of a man who knew Scripture well, a scribe. His story challenges us in a different way because it is not about physical healing, but about surrender.

A scribe in Israel was an expert in the handling of written documents. They were teachers, interpreters, and guardians of the law. They were respected voices in society. And yet, when this scribe approached Jesus, he did so with a heart that seemed ready. He said, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go.

On the surface, this sounds like remarkable faith. A respected religious leader willing to leave behind comfort and reputation to follow Jesus. But Jesus, who knows the heart, responds with a challenge. He says, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head (v. 20).”

In other words, following Jesus is not an easy path. It is not a road of comfort or predictability. Jesus was lovingly warning the scribe that discipleship is costly. The journey will get difficult at times. There will be seasons where obedience requires sacrifice, discomfort, and perseverance. But the cost, no matter how great, is always worth it.

Then another disciple steps forward. He too wants to follow Jesus, but he asks to first return home and bury his father. This request seems reasonable. It seems honorable. Jesus wants us to honor our parents. Yet Jesus responds with urgency, inviting him to follow immediately. Why?

Because even the most meaningful responsibilities should not come before obedience to Christ. Jesus is not dismissing family, but He is calling this disciple to understand something deeper. Anything that hinders a complete and unqualified commitment to Him must be set aside. The kingdom of God is of supreme value. Nothing else can take its place.

This passage asks us a difficult but necessary question: What comes before Jesus in our own lives?

As we enter the Advent season, a season of anticipation and reflection, we prepare to celebrate the arrival of our Lord. Advent reminds us that Jesus came as the humble servant who forgives sinners, the suffering servant whose death and resurrection redeem His people, and the glorious King who will one day return to establish His kingdom forever.

With that in mind, let us commit to putting Jesus above everything. Let us be people who say, “Yes Lord”, whenever He calls. Let us have the faith to follow Him fully, even when the road is not easy.

Because Jesus is Greater!

Kacey W. Chambers, MA
Head of School

We saw the glorious work of the Lord today! Twenty-four students, yes twenty-four, were baptized during chapel, boldly and unashamedly proclaiming their faith in Jesus. What a powerful reminder that God is at work in the hearts of our students. Join me in praying for these students as they walk in obedience to the Lord, and for Jesus to continue calling more to follow Him.

As we continue our series on faith, this week we turn to Matthew 8:14-15 and look at the faith of Peter’s mother-in-law.

When Jesus entered Peter’s home, Peter, Andrew, James, and John immediately told Jesus about her condition (Mark 1:29-30). He saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. For us, this may sound like a simple moment, but it carried weight. In those days, a fever was often a sign of something contagious and serious. She was bound to her bed, too weak to move and unable to come to Jesus as the leper and the centurion had done.

This time, faith looked a little different. The disciples took a risk, bringing people into the home of someone who was sick. They believed that if they could simply get Jesus to touch her, healing would come. And that is exactly what happened. Matthew writes, “He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve Him.”

What a beautiful picture of faith. Peter’s mother in law experienced the mercy and power of Jesus because of the faith of those who loved her.

Scripture shows this pattern many times. In Mark 2, four friends carried a paralyzed man to Jesus, lowering him through a roof so he could be healed. In John 4, a royal official’s son was healed because of the father’s faith. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas’ faith in prison led to the salvation of an entire family. Sometimes, God allows His grace and healing to flow through the faith and obedience of others.

So let me ask a question... Are we people of faith who bring others to the healing hand of Jesus?

It is easy to say yes, but when we look closely, are we willing to be inconvenienced, to step into someone’s mess, or to take risks so that our family, friends, or coworkers might encounter Jesus? Faith is not always neat or comfortable. Sometimes it requires us to act with boldness and compassion, trusting that one moment in the presence of Jesus can change everything.

When Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, her immediate response was to serve Him. Her gratitude overflowed into action. She did not wait to be asked. She simply rose and began to serve. That is the natural response of a heart touched by Jesus, service born out of gratitude.

My prayer for us this week is two parts. First, that we would experience Jesus’ healing touch in our own lives and respond as Peter’s mother-in-law did, by serving Him faithfully and joyfully. Secondly, may we be a community whose faith helps others experience the mercy, grace, and power of our Savior.

Jesus is greater!

Kacey W. Chambers, MA
Head of School

Week 2: The Faith of the Centurion (Matthew 8:5-13)

Last week, we looked at the faith of the leper, a man who approached Jesus in humility and desperation, believing that one touch could make him clean. Today, we move from the outcast to a person of influence, from the one who had no status to one who had great authority. Yet both demonstrate the same kind of faith that moves the heart of God.

In Matthew 8:5-13, we read about a centurion who comes to Jesus seeking help for his servant who is paralyzed and suffering greatly. A centurion was a Roman officer, a man of rank and power, overseeing one hundred soldiers. He was respected, disciplined, and used to giving orders. But when he approaches Jesus, this powerful leader displays the same humility as the leper.

In verse 6, he calls Jesus “Lord.” That alone is remarkable. For a Roman officer to call a Jewish teacher “Lord” was to recognize His authority as divine. And then, in verse 8, he says, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

The centurion understood something few others did. He knew what authority looked like. When he gave a command, his soldiers obeyed. And he recognized that Jesus possessed a far greater authority, one that extended beyond men, over sickness, and even over creation itself.

He believed that just as he could give an order and see it carried out, Jesus could simply speak a word and healing would happen. That is faith in its purest form. The centurion did not need proof, a sign, or Jesus’ physical presence in his home. He simply believed that the Word of Christ was enough.

When Jesus heard and saw this faith, He marveled. Think about that for a moment. The Creator of the universe, the One who commands the wind and the waves, marveled at the faith of a man. Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”

Do we have faith that would make Jesus marvel?

I think about that question often. I want to have the kind of faith that makes the Lord of Heaven and Earth pause in wonder. I want my children to have that kind of faith too, faith that believes without seeing, trusts without questioning, and rests completely in the authority of Jesus.

It is worth noting that Scripture says nothing about the centurion’s good works, his giving, or his reputation. What made Jesus marvel was not his résumé, it was his heart. It was his authentic, unwavering belief that Jesus reigns over all things and that His Word is enough. That kind of faith is what pleases God. That kind of faith still moves mountains.

May we live with a faith like the centurion’s, humble before God, confident in His authority, and unwavering in our belief that Jesus’ Word is enough.

Jesus is Greater!

Kacey W. Chambers, MA
Head of School

While I do not typically write long devotionals, as I know that as parents and guardians, we often run low on time, but I did not want to cut this one short. The other day, as I was reading through Matthew 8, I was struck by the different expressions of faith that appear one after another: the leper, the centurion, Peter’s mother-in-law, the scribe, the disciples, even the demons. Each story reveals a different dimension of faith: faith in need, faith under pressure, faith in action, faith misunderstood, faith refined, and faith resisted.

Over the next few weeks, we will look at each of these stories together. But before we begin, I encourage you to take a few moments to read Matthew 8 in its entirety. 

Week 1: The Faith of the Leper (Matthew 8:1-4)

Our series begins with the leper.

Matthew 8:1-2 tells us, “When He (Jesus) came down from the mountain, great crowds followed Him. And behold, a leper came to Him and knelt before Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.’”

Leprosy in biblical times was more than a physical illness. It was a life sentence of isolation. According to Leviticus 13–14, those with leprosy were declared “unclean” and required to live outside the camp. They could not worship in the temple or interact freely with others. They were the outcasts, the forgotten, the avoided.

So imagine the courage and boldness it took for this man to step into a great crowd. His very presence violated every social and religious norm. People likely gasped, moved away, or even shouted in fear. But this leper was not focused on their reaction. He was focused on Jesus. He knelt before Him in humility and faith, declaring, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.”

Notice what he said and what he did not. He did not question Jesus’ power; he knew Jesus could heal him. His only question was whether Jesus would. That is genuine faith that fully believes in God’s ability while surrendering to God’s will. Then comes a beautiful moment. Before Jesus speaks a word, He stretches out His hand and touches him. No one was supposed to touch a leper because to do so would make you “unclean.” But Jesus did not become unclean by touching the leper. The leper became clean by being touched by Jesus. In that single gesture, Jesus revealed both His compassion and His authority. The Son of God was not contaminated by human brokenness; He conquered it.

What a picture of grace. The leper did not earn Jesus’ touch. He simply came to Him in desperation and humility. Do we have faith like that? Do we come boldly before the Lord, even when we feel “unclean”? Do we believe that one touch from Him can change everything?

As parents, leaders, and believers, may we lead our families with that same kind of faith; a faith that is bold enough to approach Jesus, humble enough to kneel before Him, and confident enough to believe that He can make us clean.

The truth is, we are all spiritual lepers. Sin isolates us from God, shame pushes us to the margins, and guilt whispers that we are too far gone. But Jesus is willing, and He is available. His touch still heals, and His grace still cleanses.

No matter who you are or what you have done, you are not too far from the touch of Jesus.

He is Greater!

Kacey W. Chambers, MA
Head of School

Dear MCA Family,

I pray you had a restful and refreshing Fall Break! It’s always a blessing to have a few days to reset and catch our breath as we prepare to finish the first semester strong and look ahead to the holiday season (I can't wait for a Thanksgiving meal and Christmas cookies!). I can hardly believe November is already here!

Have you noticed how quickly the routine and busyness return once the break is over? I know in my own home, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. We mistakenly place our hope in time away to bring lasting peace, at least until the next break, only to find that stress and tiredness quickly return when life picks back up.

It's a great reminder that true and lasting peace isn’t found in a pause from work or school, it is found in Jesus. He alone offers the rest and renewal our hearts long for. My encouragement to you this week is to spend intentional time with Him each day. Try waking up a little earlier to meditate on His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to nourish your soul, filling you with the strength and peace you will need for the day ahead.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” - John 6:63

God is so good. Thank you, Jesus, for your countless blessings! Jesus is Greater!

Sincerely,

Kacey W. Chambers, MA
Head of School