Flora First Christian Church - Flora, IN

Oct. 21, 2007

John 4: 44-53

Outrageous Things Parents Do for Children

Parents: Allow me to ask you a question. What is the most outrageous, outlandish, and courageous task you have ever done for your children’s welfare or well being? Kids, what is the craziest thing your parents have ever done for you out of love? Hang on to those thoughts for just a little bit.
I asked myself that question a couple of years ago. The most outlandish/courageous thing I ever did for my daughters wasn’t coaching soccer when I knew nothing about the game. (Our little team went undefeated). It wasn’t dressing up as a Valentine’s Day clown and sneaking into their kindergarten class. (Some fifth graders by the door were more embarrassed than anyone in my family.) It wasn’t going to the store for 7-up in the middle of the night for a sick kid. (I got some 7-up too). And it wasn’t riding a roller coaster with 5 loops—with the exception of the middle age neck ache—roller coasters are fun. I think it had to be wading out into a city drainage ditch to get a water sample for a 4th grade science experiment. It just had to be that specific ditch, and it sure appeared to be sewage infected. Oh, the things we do for our children!

A Dad who Did Everything He Could

Our scripture reading showed us a dad who did everything he could for the sake of his sick son. A few days before, Jesus and the twelve had been in the village in Samaria where Christ had a conversation with a woman at a community well. We talked about that last Sunday. After a few days in Samaria, Jesus and the disciples continued their journey north to their home turf in Galilee.

They arrived in the village of Cana, and the word went out, “Jesus is back: “he’s here, he’s here!” The word spread faster than a Southern California forest fire. LOTS of locals in Galilee welcomed Jesus, for he was now a local celebrity. Jesus was back in the village where he had turned water into wine. All kinds of people showed up demanding to see Jesus perform. “Come on Jesus, pull a miracle or two out of your bag of tricks. We want to see for ourselves.”

Circus Environment in Cana

It was in the middle of this circus environment that a royal official showed up from the seaside village of Capernaum. His son was deathly sick. Word had spread twenty miles from Cana all the way to Capernaum that Jesus was there. Twenty miles doesn’t sound like much to us, that’s like Flora to Lafayette. However, if those twenty miles were on foot, or even horseback, and the journey was up and down hills on dirt roads—it would be no easy trip.
Jesus’ permanent headquarters became Capernaum which was on the north side of the Sea of Galilee, and was also the hometown of several of the disciples. Jesus had name recognition there.
But Jesus seems to have been bothered that lots of people had come to see signs and wonders rather than to hear His teachings. He often seemed reluctant to be associated with things miraculous, so people would concentrate on His message, and not on the miracles.

What is A Royal Official?

The Royal Officer from Capernaum was most likely not royalty himself, but an official of the governor of Galilee, who was the son of the former King Herod. This official wasn’t Jewish, and we don’t know his religious beliefs.

The Worst Had Happened

However, one of the worst things that could happen to any parent had happened . . . his son was deathly sick. Perhaps this official had seen Jesus on the streets in Capernaum. Perhaps he had heard stories about Jesus. But for some reason he felt that Jesus could help him.

Official Left in the Dark

The dad knew his son was near death. He left in the darkof night, and made the six to seven hour trip to Cana. Can you imagine it taking six to seven hours to get to Kokomo? How do we know that he left before daybreak? Because it says that he spoke to Jesus about his son at “one in the afternoon.”

After Grueling Trip Man Arrives in Cana

So, after a grueling trip this official finally arrives at Cana at the wrong moment. Jesus just finished saying to the crowd who wanted to see a miracle show: “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe who I am.” (John 4:48)

Jesus Is Sensitive

But Jesus is sensitive to this guy who had come a great distance with a great need. It didn’t matter to Jesus that the dad wasn’t Jewish, or that this guy had power to command people to do what he wanted. Upon learning that he had come from Capernaum, Jesus put two and two together, and decided that this man was different from the miracle-mongers who were crowding about Him. The official tries to encourage Jesus to go with him to Capernaum before his son dies.

What Are You Willing To Do?

According to a national survey a few years ago 80% of us would 1) jump in front of a Mack truck to knock our child out of the way, 2) Run into a burning building to rescue our children, 3) donate one of our kidneys to our child, 4) go into an ocean where sharks have been spotted to pull our kid out. My hunch is that most of us would answer yes to most of those questions.
When those we love are ill, struggling, dying—we will go to anyone who we think might help. If a family member is ill or dying, even die-hard Boiler fans would ride in a red and white bus that said Hoosier No. 1, driven by Kelvin Sampson to get help. And who knows where Sampson is headed!

The Man Went Home

Jesus didn’t dismiss the Roman official from Capernaum. He knew the dad had come out of a desperate need, and he simply told him, “Go home; your son will live.” (John 4: 50)
John tells us that “the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way back.” (John 4: 53)

Now comes an interesting sidelight to the story which we might miss unless we read the record carefully. The official did not go straight home. He must have stayed overnight someplace along the route. The next day his servants catch up to tell him that his son has taken a turn for the better. The official inquired what time the fever left his son and they said, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon.” That was the exact same time Jesus said, “Go, your son will live.”

The Roman official is a classic seeker. His cry was: “Help me! I have nowhere else to turn!”
Often it’s in the hardship of illness and the possibility of death of someone dear to us that we come to Christ or return to him. We’ve heard that he’s helped others - maybe he can help us? We go to Him in prayer believing that he can help. That help may or may not be in the way that we envisioned, but Christ was there to meet us—that’s the miracle.

Miracle in Father’s Response

Another miracle in the story was the father’s response to Jesus’ words. The Bible simply says that “the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken to him and started on his way.” (John 4:50b) That’s incredible!

The Value of Faith

Perhaps one of the purposes of this passage is to show us the true value of faith apart from the physical presence of Jesus. After all, when the author wrote down the words of this Gospel, Jesus was no longer physically present with the infant Church. Jesus said to his disciples just a few days after his resurrection: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29)
Hey, that’s all of us. None of us have seen Jesus in the flesh. And yet we are called to have faith in Him and in His word. The official had heard about Jesus from others. He went to see Jesus for himself. He heard Jesus’ words, and trusted His promise. Is that not the progression of true faith for all of us, wherever and whoever we are?

Something Was Missing

The Roman official cried out to Jesus: “Help me, I’ve been everywhere.” And Christ was present saying with his outstretched arms “Here I am. Look no farther.”

John Proclaiming the Lord is Available

John is proclaiming the good news that the risen Lord is now available to all; not just to a few Jews at a wedding in Cana, but also to a Gentile official in a Roman Court, and to all men and women in all walks of life of all ages.

Official Puts our Faith to Shame

The Roman official was one who was outside the religious community, but his faith really puts many of us to shame - even those who have been Christians since we were kids. You and I hear Jesus’ words week after week and often they roll off our minds as water off a duck’s back!

Jesus says to us, “Don’t worry; you are loved with an everlasting love.” But we worry and fret and stew.

Jesus says, “Don’t worry about getting even with your enemies; love them, instead.” But we say “I don’t get mad, I get even.”

Jesus says, “Don’t worry about having enough food or clothing; consider the lilies of the field.” But we say, “You’ve gotta look out for number one; if you don’t do it, nobody will!”

The official came to Jesus believing the Lord could meet his need.

God Will Do Whatever He Needs to Reach Us

God may be saying, “If the official was willing to do whatever was needed for the well-being of his son, look at the lengths my own Son is willing to go to, to bring you to Me, and to tend to all your needs.

Remember Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the fullest. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.” (John 4: 10, 17)

Christ Jesus gave his life—he laid it down—to tend to all of our needs. This includes our need to be loved, our need to be whole, our need for health, our need to be in relationship with God.

Official Took Jesus At His Word

The royal official from Capernaum heard Jesus’ word to him and believed Him. This man did not insist on evidence or proof before he would believe. He took Jesus at his word. And so can we! So . . . can . . . we.