Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Faith, Not Power
Luke 7 tells the story of a man who rarely needed much. He was a man who already had great authority, great wealth, and who exercised great virtue. He was a Roman centurion. Yet it doesn’t matter how powerful you are, there are times when need finds its way into your home as it did in this man’s case. He had a servant who was dear unto him who was sick.
The elders of the Jews went to Jesus on this centurion’s behalf and encouraged Jesus to help this man’s servant because they believed the man was worthy. He was worthy in the sense that he had been generous to the nation of Israel. So many times we judge the virtues of others by the way they judge us. So, it wasn’t just that this man had done good things. He had done good things to those who were appealing to Jesus on his behalf.
They said he was worthy. That is in stark contrast to the centurion’s own estimation of himself, because he told Jesus, “I am not worthy.” Was he worthy or was he not? Jesus answers that question by the response He gave. Verse 9 says, “When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him… and said unto the people… I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.”
Jesus did not heal this man’s servant because of an abundance or lack of this man’s worthiness. He answered this man’s request because of his faith. Jesus does not hear us because we are worthy to ask. He hears us because we believe that He is worthy to be asked. Jesus responds to your faith, not your power or virtue.
The more you perceive your strength or virtue to be, the harder it will be to depend upon Christ’s. This man demonstrated his faith by asking. There are needs that your goodness cannot afford and there are cures your authority cannot command, but none of these are beyond the authority or power of Jesus.