In the study of Scripture, there is a common saying that if the only tool you have is a hammer, you will tend to treat every problem as if it were a nail. For those dedicated to the work of global missions, this perspective often shapes how we read the Word of God; we see missions everywhere, perhaps even in passages where it was not the primary intent. However, there is a profound truth in the reality that all Scripture points toward Jesus and the expansion of His Kingdom. When we examine the life and ministry of Christ, we find a specific, recurring pattern that defines the strategic outreach of the Gospel: a movement from the house of Israel to the ends of the earth. Central to this narrative are two specific encounters where Jesus encountered a faith so extraordinary, so bold, and so unexpected that it caused Him to marvel.
The Authority and Humility of the Centurion
The story of the Roman centurion, recorded in Matthew 8 and Luke 7, presents a breathtaking interaction between the Savior and a representative of the Roman occupation. To understand the weight of this encounter, one must recognize that a centurion was a powerful military officer, likely equivalent to a modern-day colonel, who held authority over approximately one hundred soldiers. He was a man accustomed to giving commands and seeing them executed instantly. Yet, when his servant—who was lying paralyzed and suffering terribly—needed healing, this man of high rank approached Jesus with a posture of unprecedented humility.
The centurion’s character was unusual for his time. While the Jewish people generally viewed the Romans as oppressors and political adversaries, this specific officer had earned the respect of the local Jewish community in Capernaum by being God-fearing and even helping to build their synagogue. He was not “drunk with his own power” or self-centered like many of his peers. Instead, he showed a deep sensitivity to Jewish culture, recognizing that a Jewish rabbi would be ceremonially defiled by entering the home of a Gentile.
His faith was defined by his understanding of authority. He told Jesus, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed“. He reasoned that just as he could command a soldier to “Go” or “Come,” Jesus possessed a spiritual authority that transcended physical presence. Upon hearing this, Jesus marveled, declaring to those following Him that He had not found such great faith in all of Israel.
The Pattern of Global Missions
This encounter serves as a “foretaste” of the Great Commission. In His own ministry, Jesus maintained a priority to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” yet His love frequently spilled over the bounds of the Hebrew nation to include those who were traditionally excluded. We see a clear missions pattern in Jesus’ early interactions: He met with Nicodemus, a high-ranking Jewish official (Jerusalem); He spoke with the woman at the well (Samaria); and He healed the servant of the Roman centurion (the ends of the earth/Gentiles).
This sequence directly mirrors the mandate found in Acts 1:8, where the disciples are told they will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The inclusion of the centurion—the leader of the Roman opposition—demonstrates that the reconciliation offered through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is intended for all people. Jesus even prophesied during this interaction that many would come from the east and the west to recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while those who relied solely on their heritage might find themselves cast out.
The Second Marvel: The Canaanite Woman
It is a striking biblical fact that there are only two times in Jesus’ entire ministry where it is recorded that He marveled at someone’s faith. Both instances involved Gentiles. The second occurred in the region of Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile-dominated area on the coast, where a Canaanite (Syrophoenician) woman approached Jesus seeking deliverance for her demon-oppressed daughter.
Initially, Jesus seemed to offer a cold response, stating He was sent only to Israel and using a metaphor that compared giving the “children’s bread” to Gentiles to throwing it to “dogs”. While the term “dog” was a common derogatory term used by Jews for Gentiles, Jesus used a specific Greek word that implied a “small dog” or pet, perhaps testing her faith through a bit of strategic roleplay. The woman, fueled by a great hunger for healing and wholeness, caught on to the cue. She boldly replied that even the pet dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table.
Jesus’ response was one of immediate admiration: “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire”. In both the case of the Roman officer and the Canaanite mother, the common denominator was a passionate urgency rooted in love for someone vulnerable—a servant and a daughter. They cried out, “I need you, Jesus,” and their bold persistence moved the heart of the Savior.
Modern Manifestations of Marvelous Faith
This “marvelous faith” is not merely a historical artifact; it is a living reality that continues to fuel the work of rescuing the vulnerable today. As we travel globally, we often meet individuals whose boldness in the face of extreme danger mirrors the faith of the centurion. These are people of great faith who inspire us to continue the work of the Great Commission.
In Nigeria, there are believers who exhibit an extraordinary urgency to bring the Gospel’s grace to broken people in the northern mountains—areas controlled by the Boko Haram terrorist group. These individuals avoid using motorcycles because they would be shot, yet they persist in traveling to visit and pray with the families of kidnapped girls. Their faith is not hindered by the threat of violence; it is driven by a mandate to bear witness in the darkest places.
In China, the underground church has demonstrated a similar boldness regarding the sanctity of human life. After being trained on the biblical value of the unborn, two sisters in a local network took it upon themselves to protect a neighbor who was pregnant with a second child, which at the time was against the law. They declared they would be like the “midwives in Egypt” from the book of Exodus, obeying the higher law of God to ensure the safety of the mother and her baby, dismissing the personal risks they faced. They believed that God would supply everything needed to fulfill His commands.
More recently, a training session in Pakistan conducted via Zoom revealed this same spirit of urgency. When discussed that a mission trip might be possible in a few months, a Pakistani leader teared up and asked, “What about all the babies that will die of abortion before then?“. This man’s “marvelous faith” and his refusal to wait while lives were at stake prompted a mission trip to take place within one week rather than several months.
Conclusion: A Call to Boldness
The stories of the centurion and the Canaanite woman teach us that great faith is often found in unexpected places—among the outsiders, the adversaries, and those in the deepest need. Their faith was marvelous because it recognized the absolute authority of Christ and refused to be deterred by social boundaries or personal unworthiness.
Today, the global abortion crisis stands as a primary challenge for world missions, with 97% of abortions occurring outside the United States. This crisis requires a faith that is both bold and urgent. We must speak up and show the world the humanity of the most vulnerable, utilizing tools like the “tiny baby” model to reveal the reality of life at nine weeks of age.
Let us take inspiration from these biblical and modern testimonies. May we be a people of greater and bolder faith, ready to answer the call to rescue the vulnerable and proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. When we act with the boldness of the centurion and the persistence of the Canaanite woman, we join a missions pattern that has been stirring hearts since the days of the early church, moving toward that day when many from the east and the west will celebrate together in the Kingdom of God.
This article is adapted from the episode transcript.