A Miracle from a Distance
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“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. 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. ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’ The royal official said, ‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’ ‘Go,’ Jesus replied, ‘your son will live.’ The man took Jesus at His word and departed. While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, ‘Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.’ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.; So he and his whole household believed. This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.” John 4:46-54 (NIV)
John records the second “sign miracle” that Jesus performed in Galilee. Following a Divine Appointment in Samaria where one life change led to an entire Samaritan village coming to Christ, Jesus returns to Cana where He had changed the water into wine. He was met by a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. John tells us that when the official heard that Jesus was near, he went to Jesus and begged Him to come to his home and heal his son who was about to die. Jesus’ response was not what you might expect. Jesus said to the man and those with him, “‘Unless you people see signs and wonders,’ Jesus told him, ‘you will never believe.’” (Vs. 48)
Was Jesus rebuking him? I don’t think so. I believe He was describing our human condition that says, “If I can see it, I’ll believe it!” But Jesus was about to turn that around! Jesus was teaching a principle of faith we need to catch. “You’ll see it when you believe it.”
As you can imagine, the official pressed harder. He was at his wit’s end and believed that if Jesus didn’t come to his home and heal his son, the boy was sure to die. We would do no less, would we? This was his last hope. He pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies!” (Vs. 49 NLT) While the official believed Jesus could heal his son, he made two common mistakes. First, he assumed that Jesus had to be present to heal his son, and second, if the boy died it would be too late for even Jesus to help!
Jesus next response was just as unexpected as His first: “Go back home. Your son will live!” (Vs. 50a NLT)
What would you do? This was certainly not what he had expected or had in mind? Sometimes our expectations of what God should do and how He should do it get in the way don’t they? You have to give some credit to this official though. He made no further appeals. As desperate as he was, he chose to believe Jesus and return to his home. The key to his faith and the one that unlocks the door to miracles in our lives is found in this verse: “The man took Jesus at His word and departed.” It is only by His Word that we are healed, saved, delivered and set free! There is power in His Word! He speaks and creation comes into being! Have you learned to take Jesus at His word and simply do what He tells you to do? That is the nature of faith!
By the time he reached Capernaum some 20 miles away, the official’s servants ran to meet him with the good news that his son was alive and well! In fact, when he inquired as to when the miracle occurred, he realized it was the very time Jesus had told him to go back home! At this point, not only did the official believe but his entire household believed in Jesus. (Vs. 53) Common sense says, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” but faith says, “You’ll see it when you believe it.” The man believed what Jesus told him and when he acted on that assumption, he saw the miracle!
Are you in a crisis of faith? Seek God for His Word to you. What has He said that you simply need to believe Him for today that could change your life and the lives of others?