Good morning. Today is Friday, July 24th!

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— Matthew 8:10

The Only Two Times Jesus Was Amazed

Have you ever noticed that the Gospels constantly tell us people were amazed by Jesus? They were amazed by His miracles, His teaching, His authority, and the things only He could do.

But have you ever asked the opposite question?

What amazed Jesus?

Surprisingly, the Gospels only explicitly tell us two times that Jesus was amazed. That makes it worth paying attention because the Bible is intentionally pointing these moments out.

The first is in Matthew 8:10.

A Roman centurion came to Jesus because his servant was very sick. Instead of asking Jesus to come to his house, he said, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” He believed Jesus had so much authority that He could heal someone from a distance.

When Jesus heard this, the Bible says, “He was amazed.” Jesus then turned to the crowd and said, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

The second time is in Mark 6:6.

Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth. The people had known Him since He was a child. They knew His family and remembered Him as a carpenter. Instead of believing He was the Messiah, they dismissed Him because He seemed too ordinary.

Then the Bible says something remarkable.

“He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

Those are the only two times the Gospels explicitly say Jesus was amazed.

Now compare them.

The first person was a Roman centurion, a Gentile who had only recently met Jesus. He believed Jesus could do the impossible with just a spoken word.

The second group was Jesus’ own hometown. They had known Him for years, yet they refused to believe He was who He claimed to be.

One had very little experience with Jesus but had great faith. The other had years of experience with Jesus but had very little faith.

One amazed Jesus because he trusted Him completely. The other amazed Jesus because they refused to trust Him.

What an incredible contrast. The only two times the Bible explicitly says Jesus was amazed, it wasn’t because of someone’s wealth, intelligence, or influence. It was because of faith and the lack of it.

That makes a simple question worth asking ourselves.

If anything about our lives were to amaze Jesus today, what would it be?

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: Father, You are faithful and always worthy of my trust.

Confession: Forgive me for the times I’ve doubted instead of believing You.

Thanksgiving: Thank You for Your grace and for never giving up on me.

Supplication: Strengthen my faith and help me trust You more each day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

“I See Grace” by Micah Tyler

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See you tomorrow,

Zach | Start With God