People Who Left Jesus Christ Astounded
The Roman Centurion
"When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading, 'Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and suffering terribly.' And he said to him, 'I will come and heal him.' But the centurion said in reply, 'Lord, I am not worthy for you to come under my roof. Only speak the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. 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 was astounded, and said, 'Truly I tell you, I have not found faith like this even in Israel.'" (Matthew 8:5–10)
The Roman centurion believed in the power of Jesus — that his spoken word carries authority. Why did he believe? Because he knew the power of his own tongue. This centurion had authority in his words. He knew full well that he could command his servants with a word, as much as he wished. He believed that Jesus likewise had authority in his words. That is why Jesus did not have to come to his house and be there in person. Not only that — though he was a military officer, he showed Jesus the deepest respect and reverence. So he counted himself unworthy of the grace of Jesus coming under his roof. At a time when the people of Israel did not believe in Jesus at all — calling him demon-possessed, a carpenter's son, the son of Mary, a trickster and fraud — at that very time this Roman centurion held Jesus in such high honor and devotion that Christ was lost in wonder over him.
Note the contrast: while this Roman centurion believed in Christ to this degree, the Israelite synagogue ruler also believed in Christ, but not like the centurion — he urgently begged Christ to come to his house for his daughter's sake: "A man named Jairus, a synagogue ruler, came, and when he saw him he fell at his feet and pleaded urgently, 'My little daughter is at the point of death. But come and lay your hand on her, and she will live'" (Mark 5:22–23). Jairus trusted and relied on Christ, yet Christ did not marvel. The reason is that he was an Israelite. What is more, he himself invited Jesus to his home. His faith was not of the kind the centurion's was. The Roman centurion trusted in Christ and in his mighty words of command. If only we too could believe like the Roman centurion — how wonderful that would be!
The Canaanite Woman
"Jesus left that region and withdrew to the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that border area came out and cried out, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is terribly tormented by a demon,' but he did not answer her a word. His disciples came and pleaded, 'Send her away, so she can go home — she keeps shouting after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and to no other nation.' But the woman came and bowed before him, saying, 'Help me, Lord.' He answered, 'It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.' She said, 'Yes, Lord — even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.' Then Jesus answered, 'Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.' And from that moment her daughter was healed." (Matthew 15:21–28)
This Canaanite woman was a Gentile. She addressed Christ as "Son of David." To call him "Son of David" is to confess and acknowledge that Christ is King, that he has authority, and that he can cast out demons. She knew thoroughly that he was one who could drive the demon out of her daughter. Yet Christ did not speak to her at all — and yet she did not lose heart in the least. Because she kept pleading so persistently that even the apostles could not bear it, Christ began to speak. But what he said held out no hope at all. In this passage Christ appears like a racist. Still, the woman did not give up; she went on begging urgently for what she wanted. Then Christ said, "It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." That was worse than what he had said at first. The first statement meant, "Because you are a foreigner, I cannot help you." By this second statement the woman was likened to a dog. If you and I were treated this way, we would at once grow angry, ashamed and hurt, and turn and walk away. But this woman confessed that she was a "dog," and humbly kept on asking: "Yes, Lord — even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then the Lord God, having no grounds left to refuse, said, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And from that moment her daughter was healed and well. Here the Lord God's address, "O woman," is an exclamation of wonder. Acknowledging her faith, he says, "Great is your faith." We too need faith that will make the Lord God stand astounded and lift up his hands in admiration.
The Samaritan
"On the way to Jerusalem he passed through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a certain village, ten lepers came out to meet him and stood at a distance, crying out, 'Lord Jesus, have mercy on us!' When Jesus saw them he said, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' And as they went, they were cleansed. When one of them saw that he had been healed of his disease, he turned back, praising God with a loud voice, and fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving thanks. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said, 'Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?' Then he said to him, 'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'" (Luke 17:11–19)
What happened here is not a parable; it really took place. Jesus healed and cleansed ten lepers. But only the Samaritan showed gratitude. The other nine were intent only on being certified clean so they could re-enter society, on getting the priests' official recognition, so they did not even think to thank Jesus. The Samaritan must surely have been excited too about being readmitted to society. But he remembered; he knew to give thanks to his Benefactor. The rest, the Jewish men, were moved more by their own healing and cleansing than by thanksgiving. The Samaritan left Jesus astounded. Or rather: it was the ungrateful Jewish men who left Jesus astounded. So if believers do not glorify grace, God will be astonished. If you too cannot count up the countless blessings of God, then God will surely be dumbfounded.
The People of Nazareth
"Leaving that place, he came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were utterly astonished, and said, 'Where did this man get these things? What wisdom is this that has been given him — what such mighty works! Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary? And are not his brothers James, Joseph, Judas and Simon here with us? And aren't his sisters right here among us?' And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.' He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he was astonished at their unbelief." (Mark 6:1–6)
In the other towns Jesus was able to work miracles, because the people believed there. But in Nazareth, the town where he had grown up, he could do no mighty work at all, and he himself was taken aback — so the text says. This unbelief came from spiritual blindness. They were people who had received grace: God himself had lived among them in that town for thirty years. Yet because their spiritual eyes were blind, they thought of God as merely a man, and were so lacking in faith that they reckoned him unable to work miracles. Though the Lord God had lived among them for thirty years, he had not displayed his power — was it because he had not introduced himself, or for what reason? Why did they not believe? It is a stunning thing. Today too, if you see powerful preaching, clear testimony, and lives transformed, and still cannot believe, there is real cause to fear that you may be among those who leave the Lord God appalled.
Question: How will you leave Christ astounded — by faith, or by unbelief?
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