Dear Christian friends:

Often I hear Christians say, "I wish I had more faith." I'm sure that each one of us has often felt the same. We wish we had more faith.

Jesus once told His disciples, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain." (Matthew 17:20) One time a father whose son was dying came to Jesus for help. Jesus told him, “Weep not, only believe." The father answered, "Lord, I believe, please help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) We Christians often feel like that father. We believe, but we also have doubts and fears.

In our text we read about a man who showed wonderful faith in Jesus. His faith surprised Jesus, and Jesus praised his faith to the people. The man with the wonderful faith was a Roman soldier, a Centurion, an officer over 100 soldiers. Jesus said that He never found such a wonderful faith among God's own people Israel. (verse 9) Let us attend to the Centurion's faith; it is a good example for us.


His faith is a good example for us because he trusted in God's love and mercy. He did not think that he was worthy to receive God's help. He realized that he was a sinner before God.

But the Jewish leaders thought he was worthy to receive God's help. When they came to Jesus to ask Him to come and heal the Centurion's servant they said to Jesus, "The Centurion is worthy to receive Your help because he loves our nation, and he has built a Synagogue (church) for us. (verse 5) Often people are like these Jewish leaders. They think they can ask God for help if they have done something good.

But if they have done something bad or wrong they feel that they cannot pray to God for help. They misunderstand about prayer to God. They have wrong faith and wrong prayer. The Centurion had the right faith and the right prayer. Although he was a good man and a respectable man (He built a church for the Jews with his own money.), still he did not plead and pray because of that. Instead, he confessed, "I am not worthy." (verses 6-7) Although he did a very good work, he realized that he was a sinner before God. And, although he felt unworthy, he had faith in God's mercy and love. He had heard how Jesus showed love and mercy to many others before. He also had heard that Jesus helped people of all nations, not only Jews. So he trusts in Jesus' love and mercy, not his own works.

We Christians who live today have more reason to trust God's mercy and love than this Centurion. We have seen God's great love and mercy in Jesus on the cross. The Centurion had not yet seen Jesus on the cross. Later he did, perhaps. We know and believe that God loves us and forgives us because He let Jesus die on the cross for our sins. Therefore, we believe that He will hear and answer our prayers, although we are sinners and not worthy. By faith in Jesus crucified we have become God's dear children, and worthy to pray to Him in time of need. We do not pray on the basis of our own good works, or lack of works, but we pray on the basis of Jesus' perfect works, and His holy death for us upon the cross.

The Centurion's faith and prayer is a good example for us. He trusted God's mercy and love in Jesus, not his own works. The Centurion also trusted God's power. In that he is also a good example for us. The Centurion believed that Jesus had the power of God to heal his dying servant.

The Centurion knew and understood about power, because he had much experience with power as a soldier of the Roman Empire. When he gave a command the 100 soldiers under him obeyed immediately and without questioning his authority. (verse 8) His soldiers were afraid to disobey his commands. They knew they would be killed if they disobeyed. The Centurion had much power and he knew how to use it. But with all his power, the power of the great Roman Empire behind him, he cannot command the sickness to leave his dear servant. He can command his soldiers and they obey, but he cannot command sickness. Before sickness and death he, with all his power, is helpless.

But he knew and believed that Jesus could command sickness to leave the sick. He had heard many stories from the people about how Jesus healed the sick and dying and how Jesus even called the dead to awake and live. He knew and believed that Jesus had more power than Rome.

He sent his friends to tell Jesus who was on His way to his house, "Lord, you need not come to my house. Stay where you are. Command this sickness to leave my servant, and he will be healed." (verses 6-7) By this the Centurion shows that he believes Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Savior.

When Jesus heard what the Centurion said about power, Jesus was amazed. He praised the Centurion's faith to all the people who followed Him that day. Jesus had never found such strong faith before. Even God's own people, the Jews, had never shown such wonderful faith like the Centurion's. (verse 9) And Jesus healed the Centurion's servant that same hour. (verse 10) Jesus showed again His wonderful power over sickness and death.

In the New Testament we have read the many stories about Jesus' power over sickness, nature and death. We also know the story of Easter, how Jesus died on Good Friday on the cross, and then arose from death on Easter morning. We have more evidence (proof) of Jesus' power than the Centurion had. Really, we should have stronger faith than he had!

The Centurion's faith is a good example for us Christians. In time of trouble, sickness and death let us believe in Jesus same as the Centurion did! Jesus heard the Centurion's prayer of faith; He will also hear our prayer of faith and answer our prayer.

Amen