The Church of Eleven22 - Lent Devo Episode 6: Nobleman’s Son

Episode Date: March 7, 2020

John 4:46-54

What is it in the miracles? The Church of 1122 is a movement for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ. Welcome to our Lent podcast. Hey, I'm Maggie Curry, and I'm one of the worship leaders here at 1122. And the miracle of Jesus that we are focused on today is found in John 4, 46 through 54. So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. and at Copernium there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee,

he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. The official said to him, Sir, come down before my child dies. Jesus said to him, go, your son will live. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him. The father knew that that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, your son will live. And he himself believed in all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come down from Judea to Galilee. So in this passage of scripture, Jesus is coming back to Cana, where he did his first miracle of turning water into wine.

As he returns to Galilee, an official comes to him who has a son that is sick. Now, this official heard Jesus had come to Cana and knew of the miracles he did in Jerusalem, so he went to Jesus and asked him to come and heal his son. Jesus turned to the official and those in the crowd, and he told them that they would only believe in him if they saw him do signs and wonders. But the official was completely unfazed by his comment and continued to urge Jesus yet again to come and heal his dying son. son. But instead of going to the son, Jesus spoke the healing. He told the official to go and that his

son will live. Now, the man believed that what Jesus said was indeed so, and he left to return to his son. When he returned home, the official servants came to meet him and gave him the good news that the son was now recovering. The official asked the servants when the recovery began, and they replied with the same time as when Jesus spoke the healing the day before. This caused the man to believe in Jesus as the Christ, and so did the rest of his household. Now, just a few verses ahead of our passage for today in verses 43 through 45. It sets the stage for our story. Jesus is departing for Galilee, knowing that it's these people, his own people, and his own hometown, who will not honor him. In verse 45, where it says they welcomed him, the sort of welcome was one of excitement, yet for all the

wrong reasons. We see that they welcome him because they saw the signs of wonders he did in Jerusalem. them. All they wanted from Jesus was what he could do for them to impress them and entertain them. They were blinded to their need for his saving power. So we know that when Jesus addresses this crowd, along with the official, he knows their hearts and the reason behind they're asking for a miracle. Even though the son was actually the one receiving the healing, it was the father, the official, who was directly affected by this miracle. He came to Jesus for what he thought was just a physical healing, but in turn the official's view of Jesus changed. for miracle worker to Savior.

What began as a belief in Jesus' ability to heal his son's body, ended in the official and his family's belief in their need for Jesus, and Jesus' ability to save them for eternity. It's Jesus that brings life from sickness and death because he's the one who has conquered sickness and death. Jesus poured out his grace on the official as he gifted him with what he asked for. Jesus knew his purpose was far greater than the physical healing of a child.

child, but this miracle was the means to get the official's attention that there was a greater healing, an eternal healing that not just the son needed, but the official needed as well. Father, would you forgive us when we seek you only to receive what you can give us? Instead of seeking you for who you are in the fullness of your glory, we know, Lord, that it's only then when we see ourselves in light of your eternal glory, that we truly understand our great need for you. Lord, help us to spend our lives in all. of the grace that you lavish on us through the gift of answered prayers and physical healing. But let these gifts of your grace always point us to the truth of your gospel and our need for

Jesus, our Savior. We love you, Lord, and we pray these things in your holy and glorious name. Amen. Thanks for listening. Our prayer is that this podcast will help you deepen your relationship with Jesus. For more resources, go to C-O-E-22.com forward slash lent. Thank you.