Desperate Times Desperate Measures

If you knew someone’s life was at stake, what lengths would you go to save it? In 2002 a movie starring Denzel Washington came out called John Q. It is about a father who discovered his son’s heart was too large and needed a heart transplant if he was going to live. Insurance would not pay for it and the hospital wanted a cash deposit just to put his son on the donor’s list. The community raised over $20,000 but it was not enough for the deposit the hospital required. He got a call from his wife with the news that the hospital was going to release their son. This is when he made the decision to hold the hospital emergency room hostage and demanded that his son be placed on the donor’s list. Having exhausted all resources, he resorted to the only course of action he could think of that might save his son’s life. How far would you go to save a life?

On his tour of Galilee, Jesus returns to Cana, where he had turned water into wine. Last week he was nearly thrown off a cliff in his hometown because he spoke the truth. He was the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles alike. Though they tried to kill him, he mysteriously passed through them and left. Whether this event took place before or after his return to Cana is difficult to determine, but we looked at our responsibility to speak the truth in the face of hostility.

Today we meet an unnamed man from the town of Capernaum,...

John 4:46–47 NASB95

Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

The stage is set in the opening verses. The place is Cana of Galilee. The who are Jesus and this man. The only things we know about this man are that he is from Capernaum, he is an official of some sort, his son is very sick, and he went to Cana to ask Jesus to heal him.

John 4:48–50 NASB95

So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.

Jesus makes a very interesting statement in response to this man’s request. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” What does he mean? Does he mean that signs and wonders are the things that will get people to believe? Are the signs and wonders necessary for belief in him? Is Jesus annoyed at this man for asking for healing? This sounds like such a sharp response to a man who is clearly desperate. While the response of Jesus sounds harsh, it was necessary.

Belief on the basis of miracles alone is not biblical faith.

What may not be clear in English is made clearer by looking at the original Greek words. The word you in both instances is a second person plural noun, which indicates that Jesus was not addressing this man alone, but perhaps a group of people present. There were people believing who Jesus was solely on the signs and wonders they had seen him perform. However, this does not mean that people came to true saving faith in Jesus as the Son of God because of the signs and wonders (John 2:23-25). They knew Jesus the miracle worker, but not necessarily Jesus the Son of God. Jesus did not want that for this man.

What good would it do if this man asked Jesus to heal his son, got what he wanted, but did not come to believe in Jesus as the Son of God? It would have been disastrous for his eternity. What good is it for anyone to believe in miracles and even ask God for miracles if they do not get pointed to the life-saving Savior? The miracles of Jesus in the bible are given so that we will believe. This is the whole purpose of John’s gospel.

John 20:30–31 NASB95

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

Jesus does not perform miracles to boost popularity or gain favor with people. He does so to authenticate his claims to be the Messiah and the Son of God.

Why do you ask for a miracle in your life? Is it to ease your suffering? Is it to save someone’s life? Is it to save your own? Is it so that you can receive something from him? Or is it that Jesus, by working this miracle in your life, will draw others to himself? The problem with believing on the basis of miracles alone is that when the miracles stop, so does your faith. If Jesus never worked another miracle in your life, would he still be enough?

Jesus said to the man, “Go, your son lives.” Then it is reported that the man believed Jesus and left. Is it enough to take Jesus at his word? In his day signs and wonders were associated with the proximity of the performer. It was assumed that the one performing the sign must be present to do it. But Jesus tells him to go with nothing but his word.

John 4:51–54 NASB95

As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

This is what I love about language and grammar. He is returning home, and on his way, his slaves (man who worked for him) met him on the road to deliver the good news: his son was healed! When he asked at what time it had happened, they said the seventh hour, which was about 1:00 PM (or 7:00 PM if it was based on Roman time). That’s when he realized Jesus had done the miracle at that moment. What did Jesus say? Go. Your son lives (active, present tense). Many translations say will live, but it is lives. What the man didn’t know is that the miracle was performed in the uttering of that statement. This resulted in him and his entire household believing. Do you think they believed in Jesus the miracle man or Jesus the Son of God? Are you believing in Jesus because of the miracles, or are the miracles pointing you to an even greater truth? Jesus is the Son of God.

There is another lesson we learn through this encounter:

In times of desperation, we must look to Jesus, our greatest hope.

This man’s son was sick to the point of death. You can be assured that this man tried everything. He tried all the doctors, all the medicines, and all the therapies. His son’s situation only got worse. You can imagine the desperation as he travelled from Capernaum to Cana. All he knew was what he heard from the rumor mill. All he knows is there is a man in Cana who has a reputation for being a miracle worker. He’s at the end of his rope and now he has one play left: go get the man in Cana.

When we are desperate, we must look to Jesus for our hope. Jesus and the promises he makes are the bedrock of our faith. This man went all the way to Cana on a hope and it worked well for him. But it doesn’t always turn out that way.

Most of you know that Richard and Robin had a daughter named Rebecca who died when she was about three and a half years old. They battled leukemia from the time she was seven months old. Many of you know during that time they did everything. They went to all the doctors and tried all the treatments. She went through chemo, two bone marrow transplant procedures, and almost had to have brain surgery. Here is the crazy thing as I sat down and listened to their story. A brain tumor was found and the church began praying. By the time it came time to do the surgery, the tumor was gone. She was healed! She never had the surgery. She was in remission! But it was not long after that she came down with an infection and died.

Richard and Robin can both attest to the fact that it was their faith in who Jesus is and the promises he made as well as the support from the church and the community that carried them through one of the greatest tragedies of their lives. They got their miracle. Their child was healed, but did not live. But they know because of Christ and his promises, they can live with hope that one day they will see Rebecca again. The world asks where was God in the midst of that tragedy? They can testify he was right there by their side.

In times of desperation, where do you turn for help? Do you turn to worldly wisdom? Do you put your faith in a broken system? How do you make the decision to act? And in what way? Jesus, the Son of God, is the only hope for humanity. In the good times and bad times, he is the one who we should run to first because he is the only one who knew you before you were ever born. He knows you, and he knows what you are going through.

Are you forgiven in Christ today, or have you been trying to be good enough on your own to be accepted by him? Are you believing in Jesus because of the things he can do for you, or because of what he has already done? Is there something you are facing and have looked for answers through every other source but the king of kings? Jesus is our hope. Our faith is anchored not in the miracles we hope he will provide for us, but in the things he has already done. Put your hope in Christ today and every day.