The Healing of the Official's Son

Introduction

Many people think that these stories in the Bible concerning the miracles of Jesus are just stories. Some even think that these stories were examples of what Jesus did in the biblical times and they are not relevant to us as Christians today. As I have studied these miracles, I am reminded of time after time where I have seen miracles take place where the sick were healed. I have seen miracles where lives were changed. I have seen miracles of nature that cannot be explained. I am also reminded that in almost every miracle in God’s Word, comes about by someone asking for it to happen. In fact, the miracle we are studying today makes me realize that miracles can happen in our lives, and we can put ourselves in a position to see miracles come forth!

We are looking at John 4:43-54

John 4:43–54 NIV84

43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there. 46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” 49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.” 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and all his household believed. 54 This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

Crisis of Faith (vs. 43-46)

Have you ever had a crisis of faith? A sickness happens that stops you dead in your tracks. A financial situation that seemingly cannot be resolved. A relationship that abruptly ends. We all have experienced a crisis of faith, even if it is just for a moment. John paints a picture here of a crisis of faith. He goes into great detail to describe the place, the person and the problem that all lead to a crisis of faith.

The Place

The place according to John’s Gospel is in Galilee and specifically the village of Cana. We remember that Cana was where the wedding had taken place where Jesus turned water into wine. This was a return to Cana for Jesus and His disciples as they had been in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. We see the progression from that wedding feast Jesus goes to Capernaum, then to Jerusalem, through Samaria where He encounters the woman at the well, and then back to Cana. Along the way, Jesus did many signs and miracles. The Galileans who had been in Jerusalem for the feast saw the work of Jesus there. When He returned to Cana, they recognized Him. One person that recognized Jesus was a certain royal official.

The Person

The royal official was most likely a Gentile, but we can be sure that he is different from the royal official mentioned in Matthew and Luke. It was perhaps the job of this person to know the comings and goings of a man like Jesus. Anytime there could be a political uprising, the royal official needed to be made aware. However, this person does not come to Jesus to talk about behavior or politics. Something showed the royal official that Jesus could help his situation.

The Problem

The royal official had a problem. His son was deathly ill. What would do if you found out your child was that sick? This person heard that Jesus was in Galilee and he went to him to beg him to go heal his son. Now it is important to see that the royal official and his son was from Capernaum. He went to see Jesus in Cana. Depending on which scholar you listen to, this was 17-25 miles away. However the royal official traveled, it was not by helicopter or royal jet. He made a concerted effort to get to Jesus where he could ask him for his son to be healed. We don’t know anything about the royal official’s belief in Jesus as the Son of God, but we do see that he had confident faith.

Confident Faith (vs. 47-49)

Confident faith comes about in many ways. I see in this passage that we can list the royal official’s confident faith in an a-b-c fashion.

Assurance

First, he showed assurance. His position was one of authority and he would have had a certain level of confidence instilled in him. But the royal official showed assurance that He would travel 17-25 miles to beg a man he did not know, to come and heal his son. He showed assurance without having Christ as Lord. Imagine how much more we who are Christians can be strengthened.

1 Timothy 3:13 NIV84

13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Belief

He had a belief that Jesus could do this miracle. He boldly went where no man had gone before. He went straight to Jesus believing that Jesus could do something better for his son than death. How is your belief level?

If you believe, there is much that can happen!

2 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV84

13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Conviction

The belief was so strong that the royal official held a strong conviction it could happen. With assurance, belief and the conviction that it could happen, the royal official who was not even a Christian exhibited confident faith. What does that do for you? What does that show you need to do as well? What are your convictions?

When we experience crisis faith, we have the chance to experience confident faith. The example of our text in John 4 shows that by doing so, we will also have a confirmed faithe.

Confirmed Faith (vs. 50-52)

I find it amazing that a man of such position was so insistent on Jesus coming to heal his son. That tells me that he believed that Jesus could heal him! That tells me that the royal official also believed that Jesus could heal him. Jesus believed in the royal official’s belief and faith! Would Jesus believe in your belief and faith?

Taking Jesus at His Word

Jesus told the royal official he could go and that his son would live. The royal official took Jesus at His word. That is one of the most beautiful phrases in all of Scripture to me. The man that did not know Jesus as His personal Lord and Savior trusted Him and took Jesus at His word. There was no questioning, “Are you sure Lord?” He was able to take Jesus at His word because he was able to trust Jesus in His work.

Trusting Jesus in His Work

One of the most difficult conversations I have ever had was with someone that said this to me: “Mitch here is the question I am wrestling with. I know that God is in control and His plan will be accomplished. I know that God has the power to heal me-He can choose to heal me- He is omnipotent. I am solid on all of that. But that leaves me with this question- what if He doesn’t choose to heal me?”

I cannot help but think that the royal official thought these same thoughts as he left Jesus. I am so reminded that when we take Jesus at His word we are trusting Him in His work!

Isaiah 41:13 NIV84

13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

If we are confirmed in our faith, it is because we take Jesus at His word and trust Him in His work. Our natural reaction should then be telling Jesus to His world.

Telling Jesus to His World

The royal official was met on the way home by his servants. They shared the good news that his son was living and had taken a turn for the best. He learned that the healing took place at the same time Jesus said it would. The Bible says that he and all his household believed. They were never the same again!

A crisis faith produced a confident faith that produced a confirmed faith that became a contagious faith!

Contagious Faith (vs. 53-54)

We see from verse 54 that this was the second miracle Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee. We know from scripture that it certainly was not His last. We also know from scripture that all the miracles Jesus did were not recorded in scripture as we have it.

John 20:30 NIV84

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.

We also see the purpose of why these miracles were recorded.

John 20:31 NIV84

31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

When you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name, you can be just like this royal official!

Moving from Desperate to Deliberate

He moved from desperate to deliberate. How many times do you think he asked the question, “What do I need to do? How can I help me son get well?” He had to be desperate to journey 17-25 miles to beg Jesus to heal his son. He had to take deliberate actions.

Moving from Disobedient to Demonstrating

When he took those deliberate actions, he renounced his unbelief and believed. He went from disobedient to demonstrating. John Newton wrote it this way, “I once was lost and now I am found. I was blind but now I see!” If you and I are obedient to the Word of Christ, we will demonstrate it in obedience!

We move from being dead to being dynamic!

Moving from Dead To Dynamic

Romans 6:11–13 NIV84

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Are you among the dead or are you among the dynamic? The miracle of the healing of the official’s son is not so much about the healing of a boy by Jesus who was 17-25 miles away. It is about the fact that a man went to Jesus with a crisis and came away Christian! The same is true for you and me. It is also true that when we already are Christians, we can take any crisis to Him and we can trust Him with the outcome.

Romans 8:28 NIV84

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

God is at work in your life right now. He is there to help you take your crisis faith, give your confidence in Him, help you confirm your belief so that you will be contagious with your faith. Why?

John 3:16 NIV84

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.