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by Pastor Don Nagy

Jesus did a lot of amazing things. He walked on water, brought a dead man back to life, stopped a storm with just a few words, and fed thousands of people with just five loaves and two fish.

In fact, Jesus did so many amazing things that John tells us that if he were to have written them all down, there wouldn't be enough room on the planet for all the books that he'd have to write.

So what do you think it would take for Jesus to be amazed by something that somebody else did? Did you know that there are two places recorded in scripture where that actually happens?! The first one happens in Luke, when a Roman centurion comes to Jesus asking Him to heal his servant. In fact, he comes to Jesus and then tells Him that he believes that Jesus can heal his servant without even going to his house!

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him. - Luke 7:9a

In fact, Jesus says "I haven't even found such great faith in Israel!" Ouch. Jesus was amazed at the level of faith that this man from a pagan culture showed, a faith that His own people didn't even have! He was amazed to find such a mature confident level of faith where you'd least expect it.

The other time we see Jesus amazed by someone is in Mark 6 when Jesus is with His own people. We are told that Jesus 'could not do any miracles there except lay hands on a few sick people' because they did not believe. They lacked faith.

"And He was amazed at their lack of faith." Mark 6:6

Twice in scripture Jesus is amazed and both times it had to do with faith, once because of a remarkably great faith, and once because of a remarkable lack of faith! One man recognizes that Jesus has power over illness and disease, and life and death, and he responds to that with a great expression of faith, and Jesus says WOW!

And then we have a group of people who took offense at him, looked at his ordinary background and they responded with an expression of their lack of faith, and Jesus says WOW! In a place where He did so many miracles, spent so much time, and did so much teaching He found a lack of faith and was amazed. Instead, He found tremendous faith in a man where the faith should have been lacking. And Jesus is amazed.

He is amazed because where He expected to find faith, He doesn't.and where He wouldn't expect to find faith, He does!

Does your faith amaze Christ? Maybe a better question is 'how does your faith amaze him?' Is he amazed at your remarkably confident and mature faith? Do you WOW him with the level of your confidence and trust in Him?

Or, would he be amazed at your lack of faith? After all this time, after all he has done, after all He has shown you, and where He would expect to find great faith but doesn't?