In doing some study this week, I once again read over the story of the official who went to Jesus to ask Him to heal his deathly ill son. He didn’t get what he wanted, but believed Jesus in the process. I think you will be encouraged by this story.
The Setting and Problem – John 4:46-47
John shares the following story (my loose translation):
As Jesus traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine (John 2:1-12). There was a nobleman, who is a government official, in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.
This particular government official had heard about Jesus and all His miracles. Jesus’ popularity grew. Many Galileans welcomed Jesus back from ministering in Judea where He had performed many signs and miracles.
Jesus arrived back in the area (in Cana) just in time. This man lived in Capernaum, which is a full day’s journey east from Cana. As the news arrived to Capernaum that Jesus was back in the area, this man knew he needed to get to Jesus so that his son could be healed of his deadly illness.
He travels to find Jesus and compel Him to hurriedly walk another day’s journey to the norther shores of the Sea of Galilee in order to heal his son.
He begged Jesus.
Jesus Does Not Go with the Man – John 4:48-50
Jesus chooses not to go with the man. Imagine how disappointed the man was. This official knew his son needed immediate attention or his son was going to die. He begged Jesus. And, Jesus decided not to go. Here is the story:
Jesus rebuked this man and other Galileans because they simply wanted physical miracles and signs, not a spiritual change.
In spite of the rebuke, the official pleads, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”
Jesus, in His great mercy, remarks, “Go back home. Your son will live!”
Now think of this. He walked, or maybe even ran – the text does not tell us, twenty miles to beg Jesus to come back with him to heal his little boy. Jesus chose not to go. Instead, Jesus told him his son would live.
What would you do? In disappointment, sometimes we might respond poorly when Jesus does not do what we want Him to do in the order or way that we want Him to do it.
This man simply believes. Disappointed or confused or not, he begins to walk his twenty miles back home to Capernaum.
Jesus Was Right and Great Things Happened – John 4:51-54
As this man walks home, his servant meets him. This is the next day. Twenty miles was a day’s journey. The official walked twenty miles to Jesus (one day) and begins walking back twenty miles (day two). His servant meets him then along the road.
The servant, “Your son is alive and well!”
The official, “When did this happen? When did he get better?”
The servant, “Yesterday, all of a sudden, at 1:00 PM.”
The official and father to the little boy realizes to himself, “That’s the exact same time that Jesus told me, “Your son will live.”
The father who cared so much for his little boy believed Jesus would heal him. And. He. Did.
But that’s not all. Notice what John explains happened next:
And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.
This government official/father and his entire household went from believing in Jesus’ miracle power to believing in Jesus as the Messiah. They all truly believed.
Even Disappointed, the Man Got More Than He Bargained For
Jesus did not do it how he imagined it, but Jesus gave him much more mercy and grace than for what he even asked.
Praise the Lord!
Even in our disappointments, God is still working. Have faith and believe, my friends, today.
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