Astonishing Faith – Matthew 8:5-13

Hudson Taylor, the missionary to China in the 1880’s, was known for his faith. With his fellow missionaries he was believing God for 100 new missionaries and $50,000 dollars in donations in 1887 to accomplish outreach in China. And God provided those missionaries and their funding in full. Taylor said this, “It is not great faith you need, but faith in a great God.”

Jesus finds such faith in the most unlikely of places.

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.   (Matthew 8:5-13 ESV)

Here is miracle number two in the first triad of miracles Matthew records Jesus performing. It is likely that the Centurion was a convert to Judaism and recognized Jesus as a rabbi.  But he recognized him as more than that.  He saw Jesus as one wielding amazing authority from God to do miraculous things at the mere speaking of a command.  There was no question in his mind that Jesus could do what he was asking him to do and he didn’t want to humiliate Jesus by having him come under his roof, being a hated Roman soldier and as a Gentile still yet unclean.  Jesus rewards his faith and his compassion for his servant by healing the servant from afar.

It is Jesus’ astonishment that is so interesting.  Many Jews who should be poised to believe in their Messiah are resistant and here this Gentile has unwavering faith in Jesus’ ability.  So Jesus anticipates that day in the kingdom when the banquet that never ends is held with all the subjects of the divine realm and Gentiles are present in abundance, while those who should have recognized Jesus as king are consigned to outer darkness.

Is Jesus surprised by my faith?  Even if I don’t know whether he will do a miracle, do I believe he can?  Lord, give me astonishing faith.