SUCH GREAT FAITH

Luke 7:1-17 / Keywords 7:9

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."

 

The Faith of the Centurion

7:1 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

1. The Roman centurion was a symbol of oppression to the Jewish people, but the centurion in this passage was different. His surprising love for the Jews, and his own servant, opened his heart to reach out to and put his faith in Jesus’ power to heal. He even had faith in the authority of Jesus' word alone to heal his dying servant. Ironically, such great faith was not found in the religious leaders, but in a Roman centurion.

2. A widow, whose only son had died, was suffering under the power of death. In her sorrow and vulnerability, Jesus compassionately went to her, and she heard Jesus’ voice, “Don’t cry.” Jesus sees us in our most vulnerable selves with compassion as his own child, mother, or sister. Out of his love, he comforted the widow and raised her dead son to life. 3. Whether we reach out to Jesus by faith or allow him to enter into our vulnerabilities, Jesus has the power and compassion to bring healing and hope. When we make the effort to connect rather than put up barriers, there can be healing in our hearts, in our communities and in the world.

Prayer Lord, give me faith that welcomes your power to heal me and those you put in my life.

One Word Faith that heals