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Friday, January 31, 2025

Jesus Marveled



Luke 7:2-10 is the story of a Roman centurion in Capernaum whose servant was near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent the Jewish elders to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant. Jesus agreed to go with them. 

 

However, just before they arrived at the house, the centurion sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. Just speak the word from where you are; my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

 

When Jesus heard these things, the New King James Version of Luke 7:9 states that He “marveled” and declared to the Jewish crowd that He had not seen such great faith, not even in Israel. The centurion's friends returned to the house and found the servant healed.

 

This centurion's faith caused Jesus to “marvel” and say this was the greatest faith He had ever seen. But this faith didn’t just happen. There was a reason for this centurion’s great faith. Capernaum was the city where Jesus performed His first recorded individual healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46). This nobleman had wanted Jesus to come to his house and heal his son. Still, Jesus told him to return on his own because his son was healed. The man obeyed, and the son was healed that very hour. This centurion lived in Capernaum and had no doubt heard that Jesus healed the nobleman’s son by just speaking the word. He had also heard of Jesus casting a demon out of a man in the Capernaum synagogue (Luke 7:5) and the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law and the multitude (Matthew 8:14-17). What the centurion heard inspired his “speak the word only” faith.

 

When Jesus was almost at the centurion’s house, the centurion sent his friends to tell him not to come. He said he wasn’t worthy enough. Jesus could just “speak the word,” and his servant would be healed. This centurion had a humble heart and knew he didn’t deserve a thing. He was not one of God’s covenant people and had no legal claim to this healing. The centurion asked for this healing purely based on his faith in God’s grace.

 

And, yes, Jesus “marveled” at his faith! There are only two times in all of Scripture that Jesus marveled. They were at the centurion’s faith and at the Jews’ unbelief (Mark 6:6). A faith that made Jesus (who is the author and finisher of our faith) marvel is worth examining. This centurion believed that the spoken word of Jesus was enough to produce his miracle. He didn’t need Jesus to come to his house. He had faith in Jesus’ word. Consequently, we can see that the person who simply believes the written Word of God is exercising a higher level of faith than someone who requires additional proof. Compare the centurion’s faith to Thomas's “lesser” faith in John 20:24-29. The centurion had faith to believe, whereas Thomas needed to see the scars in Jesus’ hands to believe. 

 

This centurion recognized authority and knew Jesus had the authority to speak and make his servant well. His strong faith believed and even made Jesus Himself marvel. 

 

*******

 

Jesus,  thank you for giving me a legal right to come to you for healing. I want to have the kind of faith of this centurion that believes and honors you. I don’t want you to marvel at my unbelief. I want you to marvel at my faith. I submit to your power and authority over sin, sickness, and every lie of the enemy that comes against your truth. I hear your Word in my heart, and it inspires my faith. You answer the moment I ask, and often, it takes enduring faith for that mountain to move. I will not doubt but believe. Help me, Jesus. Reveal any unbelief. I shall continually put your Word in my heart, knowing you are all I need. Your Word is life in me. I walk by faith every day in your healing, praising you for each breath you have given me.


www.lynnlacher.com/2025/01/jesus-marveled.html

 

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