Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 205

July 24;       Luke 7:9;       51/260(III);       ‘Great Faith’

Luke 7:9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

The Lord Jesus said that the Roman Centurion had great faith.  The Centurion’s servant was very sick, near death and the Centurion loved this servant.  He had heard about Jesus, how Jesus healed and so he sent elders of the Jews to ask Jesus to come and heal his servant.  The Lord Jesus went with the Jewish elders, because Jesus follows faith.  The Centurion had faith that Jesus could and would heal his servant.  When Jesus was not far from the Centurion’s home, the Centurion sent friends saying that Jesus did not have to come to the Centurion’s home, but simply say the word and the servant would be healed.  What caused the Centurion to have great faith?  He was a Roman soldier and understood authority.  He had to obey the Roman officers over him and the soldiers under the Centurion had to obey the Centurion’s orders.  The Centurion called Jesus Lord, believing that Jesus was God.  The Centurion’s logical rationale was, I understand how authority works.  I obey those over me and am obeyed by those under me.  If Jesus was God and the Centurion believed that Jesus was, then everything, including sickness had to obey the Lord.  The great faith of the Centurion got the job done.  His servant was healed by Jesus.  We all have been given a measure of faith.  Your faith can and should grow.  The Word, answered prayer, fellowshipping with the Lord, etc. will cause your faith to grow.  You can get to the place where your faith in the Lord is great too.