Well anyway. I am reading Luke. After the sermon snippets we get several healings. A sermon I read recently mentioned a common element in the healings around Luke 7. They are done at the behest of someone else. They are done because of the faith of someone else.
Specifically we have Luke 7:1-10, the healing of the centurion's servant. Here we have the religious leaders in agreement with Jesus. This does not happen often. This centurion's petition for help should be granted. I'm sure it was for different reasons. The religious leaders were impressed that this man gave to the synagogue. Jesus was impressed with this man's heart, his respect for God, his faith in Jesus' ability to heal. Does it seem ironic to you? These same leaders would doubt Jesus' ability and his righteousness, but here they implore his help, for earthly, selfish reasons.
Luke is writing to a Gentile audience. So anytime he can compliment the faith of Gentiles he does. Here Jesus marvels at the amazing faith of a Roman centurion. The Roman sees the similarity between his giving orders and Jesus ordering things in the spiritual realm. Would we make this connection so easily? Romans are known for being practical. This Roman sees that a man in higher authority can take it as given that people under him will do his bidding, without question. But Jesus calls it faith. I think that would have surprised the centurion. Jesus calls it greater faith than he has even seen before.
I think that is true for all of us. Often we just take our faith for granted. After we have been following Jesus for a while we expect God to act. We pray as a matter of course. We know God can do it. He is done it in the past. We know God's faithful character. We trust him even when things don't make sense or we feel out of control. That is faith. And God enjoys seeing it in us. Praise God!
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