Untitled Sermon (10)

There are a few different stories in the life of Jesus that tell of miraculous healings of kids. This story is one that takes place in Cana, the same area that Jesus did his first miracle. One of the things that we must establish first is that this is a separate miracle than that of the healing of Jarius’ daughter and the healing of the centurions son . The details of this miracle are quite different, and stand to reason that John is telling us about a third healing of a dying child.

So Jesus is in Cana, and is approached by what the Bible calls “an official” or what we might call “a nobleman” most likely someone who was in the service of King Herod. The Scripture tells us that the man came from Capernaum to Galilee- this is a journey of somewhere between 17-20 miles as the crow flies.

Man, put yourself in the shoes of this man for a moment, your child is sick to the point of death. Not a cold or a headache- but sick to the point of death, and you are taking off on a 17-20 mile journey. Now, being a nobleman it stands to reason he traveled by donkey or camel, but still a long journey with a sick son.

Now, some people may argue that this man lacks faith, but I say NO WAY! This man travels 40 miles round trip- based on a rumor that Jesus is in town, and a chance that this Jesus can, and will, do something for his sick son. I would argue this is the stuff faith is made of!

Can I ask you today, what is the craziest thing that you have ever done in faith? I wonder how many of this man’s friends would have been critical of the decision to travel to Cana to find this Jesus. How many of them tried to convince him to stay home and spend what may have been his son’s final hours alongside him? How many thought that it was too risky, doubting that Jesus would even been in Capernaum and if he was, would he even pay attention to this man and his request? And what if Jesus was not the miracle worker everyone claimed him to be?