Of Faith Unexpected

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the Sunday morning, the 25th of November, 2018 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our annual Congregational meeting followed the service.  Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I mentioned that during His ministry on earth, Jesus performed many acts of healing as a sign of His power and authority from God.  We saw in one of these acts where He cleansed ten lepers, but only one of them came back to thank Him.

Today I’d like to look at another healing Jesus performed, and this one’s a little different in that it includes a bit of a surprise.  Please listen and follow along as I read from the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, chapter 7, verses 1 through 10, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…

1 When He had completed all His words in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent the elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they asked Him earnestly, saying, “You should do this for him for he is worthy, 5 for he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them.

When He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying, “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof. 7 Likewise, I did not think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man placed under authority, having 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.”

9 When Jesus heard these words, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the people who followed Him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

--Luke 7:1-10 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus, while fully God was also fully man.  And the Man Jesus marveled at just how much faith this Roman army officer showed.  Father, please help us be as faithful as this centurion.  May Jesus marvel at just how much trust we place in You and in Your great mercy and provision.  Speak to us this morning, Father, with the message You need us to hear.  Show us how best to use this wonderful gift of faith You gave us.  This we pray in the glorious name of Your Son Jesus.   Amen.


Former Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield tells of touring Calcutta, India, with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called "House of Dying," where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary, where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention.  Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily.  "How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?", he asked.  Mother Teresa replied, "My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful."


We all know how selfless Mother Teresa was in serving our Lord.  I believe her response to Senator Hatfield makes two excellent points.  The first point is in the second half of her reply, that she – and we – are called to be faithful.  God gave us this wonderful gift of faith, and now it’s our job to make good use of it.  We are called to exercise that faith and make it grow until we are filled with it, full of faith, faithful.

But I think the first part of her response, the second point I want to bring out, is one we all need to understand.  God isn’t as concerned with how successful we are at applying our faith, as He is with the simple fact that we try to apply it.  Was Mother Teresa able to heal or help or even comfort all of the thousands of poor and afflicted as they suffered and awaited death?  No, but she did her very best to do so, trying as hard as she possibly could.

Sometimes we hesitate to even start a faith-based project because we don’t see any way we can possibly succeed in it.  Our Outreach Team struggled a little at first with the idea of putting on a 5K run, something none of us had any experience in managing. We figured we would be doing a great job if we could raise even as much as $5000.  Well, God rewarded our efforts and we were able to give the Workshop $10,000 that first year.  He is more concerned that we put our faith to work and try to help others – He’ll help us succeed.  And maybe in the process we can surprise Jesus a little by how much faith we have, and how we put it to use.


There’s another story of healing in our Bible where once again Jesus seemed a little surprised as it unfolded.  And once again we see extraordinary faith being put into practice, as the person being healed steps out of her comfort zone and takes a chance.  Hear what the Apostle Mark recorded for us in his Gospel account, chapter 5, verses 25 through 34…

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”

31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

--Mark 5:25-34 (NKJV)

This woman had suffered for 12 years.  For 12 years she had endured countless treatments, many painful in themselves, at the hands of what passed for doctors in that day.  She exhausted all her resources, and yet she was no better for it, and in fact was a little worse off now.

How many folks would have simply given up and ended it all?  How much more would they have been willing to endure?  It had to have seemed hopeless to this woman.

But she heard about Jesus, and learned He would be passing nearby.  So she took a leap of faith and tried something many would be afraid to do.  She reached out and touched the hem of His garment as He walked by, in her faith knowing that by the power in Him, that touch alone could make her well.  Like Mother Teresa, even though to most of us it would seem hopeless and futile, this woman but her faith into action and was rewarded with immediate healing.

And Jesus seemed a little surprised, didn’t He?  He turned around after feeling that healing power going out, and asked, “Who touched Me?”  His disciples were quite incredulous themselves, but for a different reason.  With the great mass of people thronging around Jesus, it might be easier to ask who didn’t touch Him.

But His question was enough to cause the woman to fear that she might have upset Jesus, maybe by taking without asking first.  So she admitted what she had done, and just like in last week’s story, Jesus responded that her faith had made her well.


Family, these two stories today tell of faith unexpected.  In both, our Lord Jesus didn’t expect to see such great faith, especially from a Roman centurion, a leader of the occupying forces.  Even the woman’s action was unexpected, putting her faith on the line just to touch Jesus’ robe.  The centurion and the woman both knew, by the strength of their faith, that Jesus could heal without even touching or seeing the one who needed healing.  Both took a chance and put that faith to work, and were rewarded.


We may not be able to surprise Jesus.  But do you think the world expects to see the strength of faith as shown by Mother Teresa?  Does the world expect us to try, even when it all seems hopeless?  If we show the world faith unexpected, might our act possibly lead some along the path that brings them to Jesus, and a faith of their own?

We are not called to succeed in our efforts, merely to be faithful and to act upon that faith.  Let’s try to surprise Jesus.  In His blessed name.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, help us answer Your call to put Your gift of faith to good use in helping others.  Forgive us, Father, when we fail to act, when we hesitate out of fear.  Please give us the courage and the strength to act on our faith and serve You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help by our faith to serve You in all we do…

Lord Jesus, You showed Your power and authority by healing so many people, and some managed to surprise You a little by how much faith they showed.  Forgive us, Lord, when we let our faith go unused.  Please help us show a faith unexpected.  Help us put our gift of faith to so much good use that it surprises not only the world, but even You.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.