Go, Your Son Lives
John 4:46-54
October 20, 2024 anno Domini
He worked for the federal government in Cana of Galilee. He had the best health insurance the people’s money could buy. He could see specialists without a referral and get the best care immediately. But when medicine fails and doctors shake their heads, and your son is dying it doesn’t matter how rich or privileged or powerful you are.
As his son lay dying, he thought back to that wedding he attended. He was an important man, so he was always on the guest lists. It looked good to have the high and mighty in attendance. He knew little of the couple except their families had the reputation of frugality. The party would not be too lavish. The venue plain. Sure enough hours into the celebration the wine ran out. But there was a man there, Jesus of Nazareth, and with a simple word to the stewards He changed 180 gallons of water into the best wine any one ever drank.
If this Jesus could create wine out of water, if He would save a couple from a social faux pax, surely He would help a sick boy. All this came to mind because just that morning he heard that Jesus was nearby, in Capernaum.
The man believes, but what does he believe? He believes Jesus has control over nature. He believes that when Jesus is present, when Jesus speaks whatever He speaks happens. Since that wedding in Cana he had gained faith. But since his son became ill he had lost faith. He has also lost faith in himself, in his position, his privilege, and his power. If your son is dying and nothing is to be done, then nothing matters.
The faith he had after the wedding at Cana was not going to get stronger without pain and loss. He would not have gone to Jesus unless his son was dying. God strengthens your faith like a therapist helps you rehab after surgery, by inflicting pain. Bending your leg further than you want it to go, making you uncomfortable, not listening to your whining. Not letting you make excuses. You might convince your therapist to give you a break, but God loves you too much for that. If He is willing to give His own Son up to save you, then He might be willing to give up your son to save you. That’s what He did for the official in Cana and He loves him no less than he loves you.
The official travels to Capernaum to find Jesus. This is what faith does. It seeks Jesus where He is found. Then the man asked Jesus to come down and heal his son. Here we get the first hint that something is wrong with the man’s faith. Jesus does not commend the man or his faith. He doesn’t answer His request. This man’s faith is like our faith. We want God to work in the way we deem best, according to our thoughts. The man thinks Jesus needs to come to Cana, see his boy with His own eyes, and heal him.
Jesus responds, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” That “you” is plural. Unless all of you see signs. Jesus isn’t just addressing the man, but all the people who can hear Him, including you. You pray for someone who is sick wanting her to be made well. You pray that this person is elected to office and that person won’t be. If these things happen, if you see God at work, then you believe. But what about when you don’t see God at work? Our state government has been making wicked decisions. Evil is being celebrated as good. The future doesn’t look promising or pleasant for Christians. How is your faith doing?
This is the message of the text. The only way for your faith to get strong is to exercise it, to stretch it, to break it of habits and patterns that weaken it. God is at work to push you, perhaps even drag you kicking and screaming to Jesus. You want signs and wonders, but signs and wonders don’t do a lot for faith, especially in John’s Gospel.
Jesus doesn’t give the bureaucrat what he wants. Jesus doesn’t go to Cana. He doesn’t lay hands on the boy. He doesn’t command him to get well. Jesus gives the official a word. “Go, your son will live,” literally “your son lives.”
The man leaves with nothing but that Word. Go, your son lives. As he walked back to Capernaum you know the Devil attacked him. What are you doing? Go back to Jesus. Don’t listen to His Word. He has no idea how sick your son is. He must come. He must see your son. Maybe Jesus means your son is dead and now will only live in your memories.
But the man walks on, wrestling against his flesh, the Devil, his feelings, what he wants to happen. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. He goes with the Word of Jesus in his ear, until he sees his servants coming. Already at a distance he saw the reward of faith. He could tell by the way his servants were coming toward him that it was good news. If his son was dead they would be walking slowly, with downcast faces, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, but they were looking for him, running toward him, waving their arms as they told him that his son was recovering. That translation is weak. The servants said that his son lives. They use the exact same word that Jesus said, “Go, your son lives.” The servants said, “your son lives.” It’s like Genesis – God said, “Let there be light and there was light.”
The only way for your faith to get strong is to exercise it, stretch it, and break it of habits and patterns that weaken it. God will do that for you like he did for the official of Cana. He’s going to kill your false gods, false hopes, your idols. Unless Jesus returns He’s going to kill you.
God allows the pain of death in your life to stretch your faith, to exercise it, so that you cling to His Word alone even when you want something different. A young couple is unable to have children. A wonderful son dies too young. A mother of young children gets stage four breast cancer. A 50-year-old man in perfect health dies of a massive heart attack. Or you just get old and you lose your sight, your hearing, your physical ability to create your own joy and purpose. That is all the result of sin. Death is not good because it was not and is not His will that you die. However, God uses even death to work good, to give you life.
Where will you go when death visits you? Will you go back to memories of the good old days when your heart was healthy and your arteries were wide open? Will you chase down every expert and specialist in the hopes of a few more months of suffering and sickness? Learn from the official. Go to Jesus and leave with His Word in your ear. Jesus says, “Go, you are forgiven. Go, you will live even though you die. Go, your future is one of joy. Go, your body will rise incorruptible.”
I have probably seen more death than most of you. It’s what God has called me to do. I have stood in the Intensive Care Unit, in the Emergency room, and waiting with families during surgery. Nothing against CentraCare, but in the end their failure rate is 100%. Everyone dies. They might lengthen our days, but our days come to an end.
What do I do in those places of death? I get out my little pastor’s book. I read Scripture, recite Psalms, sing hymns, because these bring us Jesus. It’s what you should do when you are visited by death. It is awkward to be with a dying person. The family might tell stories. There might be a joke or two. Laughter is good medicine, but what the person needs and what you need is Jesus. He has a word for you. It’s the Word He spoke from the cross. “It is finished.” Your sins are finished. I have taken them to hell. Your death is finished. I died it. The Devil is finished. I’ve shut his lying and accusing mouth. Hear that Word of Jesus and go with it, go right at death, knowing this. You can go, because you live in the name of Jesus. Amen.