Faith in Jesus

Luke 7:1–10, 36–50

In the Gospel of Luke, there are two powerful stories that show how believing in Jesus can completely change your life. One story is about a Roman soldier who had strong faith in Jesus’ ability to heal, and the other is about a woman, who, despite her past mistakes, showed her faith by washing Jesus’ feet. Both stories show us that no matter who you are or what you’ve done, if you have faith in Jesus, you can experience His healing power, teaching us about where faith comes from, what it is, and where it can lead us.

1. How it comes

We all have faith in something, whether it’s a set of beliefs or a moral code, but it’s the Holy Spirit that helps us focus that faith on Jesus. Faith often shows up unexpectedly, especially during hard times, causing us to think deeply and seek Jesus. These tough moments reveal our need for faith, they don’t create it.

2. What it is

The value of faith isn’t about how strong or perfect it is, but who it’s in. This challenges the idea that faith is just a feeling. You can see this in the difference between a good man who knows he needs Jesus and religious leaders who don’t. True faith, like the woman who showed her love for Jesus in a special way, involves not just thinking Jesus is real, but loving Him deeply and passionately.

3. Where does this faith take you?

Believing in Jesus leads us to love others just as much as we understand how much we’ve been forgiven and loved. Putting Jesus first gives us confidence, freeing us from fear and things we’re too attached to in this world, because we know we’re loved and accepted by Him. We’re not saved by what we do, but through our connection to what Jesus did for us on the cross, causing us to give our lives over to His healing power.