John 4:50b “… And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.”
Understanding the nature of faith will help us live by faith. Jesus’ encounter with a government official in John 4 offers practical insights into the nature of faith. The official comes to Jesus in a crisis. His son is gravely ill and apart from a miracle will most likely die. He travels some 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana where Jesus had performed His first miracle turning water into wine at a wedding feast.
When He saw Jesus, He said, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.” (John 4:49) When he addresses Jesus as Lord, he put himself under Jesus authority even though he was a legal authority over Jesus. He believed that Jesus had the authority and power to heal his son. Faith begins with believing that God is able to handle whatever situation we face. In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
Not only did this unnamed government official believe, but he earnestly sought out Jesus and pleaded with Him to come and heal his son. Rather than leaving with the man for Capernaum, Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” (John 4:50a)
The man’s response demonstrates a few more insights into understanding the nature of faith. John tells us that the man believed what Jesus said and started home. What would you have done? Would you have insisted on Jesus returning with you? Notice how the man demonstrated his faith.
Firstly, he believed before he saw the miracle! We often think, I’ll believe it when I see it. But God says, “You’ll see it when you believe it!” That’s what it means to walk by faith and not by sight.
Secondly, he obeyed before he understood everything. In verses 51-54, John tells us, “While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, ‘Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!’ Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, ‘Your son will live.’”
What an insight into the nature of faith. Faith believes God and earnestly seeks Him. Faith is believing God for things I’ve never seen. Faith is obeying God before I understand everything.
The third insight into the nature of faith we see in this government official’s response is this: Faith is trusting God no matter what happens. He didn’t really know for sure what would happen and didn’t understand why Jesus didn’t come with him. Nevertheless, he took his need to Jesus and trusted that He would do what was best. He didn’t try and tell Jesus how to heal his son.
Before the story ends, John adds this note: “And he and his entire household believed in Jesus.”(John 4:53b) That’s the nature of faith! Grateful for what Jesus had done, this government official gave the glory to God and his faith led his entire household to believe in Jesus. His faith had grown from believing that Jesus could heal to asking Him to do it. Then he acted on what Jesus told him when it didn’t make sense. How could Jesus heal his son from 20 miles away? Then he shared his faith in Jesus with his entire household! Faith is never static. It is always dynamic and it grows as we use it.
Are you using the little bit of faith you have to trust in a great big God! It’s not the size of your faith that matters but the size of the God you are putting your faith in that really matters! When you put your faith in Jesus, you’ll discover He is able to do immeasurably more than you could ask or even imagine!