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In Luke 7:1-10, Luke records a message received by Jesus from a Roman soldier–a centurion.  The man was a God-fearer.  He was known among the elders of the Jews in the city of Capernaum.  Capernaum is Jesus’ temporary home.  It is located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and functioned primarily as a fishing village.
The Request
The centurion has a servant that is very sick. He believes that Jesus can heal his servant.  He sends his request to Jesus through the elders of the Jews.  The elders tell Jesus that the man is worthy of a miracle because he has helped support the Jewish religion and had built them a synagogue.  Jesus went with them.

The Request Enhanced.
As Jesus neared the centurion’s house, his friends met Jesus with a message.  They were instructed to tell Jesus, “Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee:  but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed (vv. 6-7).  The centurion said, “I am not worthy.”  The elders of the Jews said, “He is worthy.”  The plea of the centurion is from someone who is keenly aware of his own unworthiness and, yet, he asked for a special blessing from Jesus.  Say in a word and my servant shall be healed. The centurion trusts in the power of Jesus’ words to heal his servant.  He understands that Jesus possess special authority.  As a centurion, he has commanded both his servants and his soldiers to come or to go and they obeyed him.  He believes that Jesus has authority that can be communicated by His words to heal his servant.

Jesus Marvels
“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” (v. 9).  Luke uses seven different Greek words to capture the amazement of characters in his gospel.  The shepherds were amazed and so were Joseph and Mary.  The people of Nazareth and the residents of Capernaum were amazed.  But, this is the only time that Jesus marvels in Luke’s gospel. The Greek word translated marvel is ekthaumazō.  This is an intensive form of thaumazō.  It means to wonder or to marvel.  It refers to the astonishment of the mind.  Why did Jesus marvel?  The answer is given by Jesus.  The centurion’s faith was great.  Faith is dynamic.  Sometimes it is weak or little and sometimes it is strong or great.  The centurion’s faith involved trust in Jesus’ true identity, the authority with which Jesus could speak and the lovingkindness which characterized the heart of Jesus.  It is the faith of one who is unworthy seeking a special blessing and confident in the asking because of certain knowledge of the heart of God.  Jesus is surprised by great faith in an unexpected heart.

The Heart of God
God, by grace, is willing to give us everything when we are deserving of nothing.  God’s mercies are great and continually available to us.  The bigness that characterizes God’s heart must be met with a greatness in our faith.  Faith that works by love (Gal. 5:6).  Faith that obeys God’s will (Rom. 1:5).  Faith that knows God. Faith that trusts in the power of God’s Word.  Faith that trusts in the lovingkindness which characterizes the heart of God.   Such faith is not fearful of asking God for great and good things even though it is found in a heart that is unworthy.