The Word – Not Signs and Wonders
John 4:46-54
November 10, 2019 anno Domini – Redeemer
God said “Let there be light” and there was light. Jesus said, “Go; your son will live,” and the man’s son was made well that hour. The same almighty God who made heaven and earth with His Word, has come in the flesh to heal with His Word. God speaks and it is so. Your faith can count on it as that father from Capernaum bet his son’s life on it.
For the sermon’s sake let’s say this official from Capernaum was a federal employee of the Roman government and worked as an “inspector of worthless widgets.” Since he worked for the government he had better health insurance than everyone else. He had access to the top doctors at the Capernaum branch of Centracare’s clinic. But when death comes it doesn’t matter. You can have the Blue Cross – Blue Shield Premium Platinum Politicians only policy but death doesn’t care. You can be the best father in the world, but you cannot keep your son from dying.
A little germ can kill you. You cannot stop it. You can wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer. Wear a mask. Stay away from people. Eat your vitamins, yet still get a virus or infection or have a cell misfire into cancer. You cannot beat it because you cannot beat sin. Our bodies break because we are sinful. Sickness, death, trouble, fear, helplessness, loneliness, disgust. The cause is not out there. We’re not going to save the planet if we can control the climate. We’re not going to save ourselves if we discover the old age gene. The next president is not going to solve any of your real problems no matter what they promise. You cannot stop sin or avoid collecting its paycheck of death. Sickness should teach you that. The inspector from Capernaum may not have known all that, but he did know he was helpless to save his son, so he ran to Cana, because Jesus was there, the guy who made water into wine.
Jesus had done His first miracle in Cana. A big miracle. 180 gallons of wine instantly made out of water. Jesus had commanded six stone jars to be filled with water and when full that the water was taken to the wine steward. Jesus spoke and it was so. If Jesus could instantly change the nature of water into wine, then He could restore the broken nature of my son – so thought the inspector of worthless widgets.
Faith runs to Jesus when it is helpless. Faith runs to Jesus with prayers for our needs and our neighbors. Faith runs to Jesus because He is God in the flesh and He has come to help us – after all He made water into wine for that wedding couple.
That’s another lesson faith teaches us – God works good in the midst of evil. Terminal illness is not good. That father saw nothing good in his son’s dying and in his helplessness. But he learned. He learned the fun and happy gods of Rome were impotent charlatans. He ran to Jesus. It may not have felt good or looked good, but the angels in heaven were cheering him on and getting ready to celebrate the greatest good on earth – a sinner believing in Jesus.
The inspector appears to do exactly what he should do. He went to Jesus and asked Him to come down and heal his son, for [his son] was at the point of death. Jesus isn’t very nice to the man. He not only rebukes him, but everyone who can hear His Word, “Unless you (and that’s a plural you – unless ALL of you) see signs and wonders you will not believe.” We want to see something. Martin Luther once described baptism in this way: Imagine there was a doctor somewhere who understood the art of saving people from death or, even though they died, could restore them quickly to life so that they would afterward live forever. Oh, how the world would pour in money like snow and rain. No one could find access to him because of the throng of the rich!
Why would people run to such a doctor? Because they would visibly see this great wonder. Nothing could keep them away – snow storm, basketball tournaments, deer hunting – nothing. Martin Luther said, “Here in baptism is brought to everyone’s door such a treasure and medicine that utterly destroys death. Does the world believe that? No, because there’s nothing to see in baptism but a little Saint Cloud tap water.
We lament that God doesn’t do something visible. He doesn’t stop mass shooters or keep young moms from getting breast cancer or teenagers from getting leukemia. He doesn’t put an end to cerebral palsy or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The Lord Jesus rebukes us, as He did the official from Capernaum for wanting Jesus to work in our way. Come down and heal my son. Perhaps Jesus did not need to come down. Perhaps God’s will would be served if the Inspector’s son died. Jesus rebuked the man for giving God a detailed work order.
The man, however doesn’t let up. His son is dying. Jesus alone can help. He’s like Jacob wresting with God back in Genesis 32, pinning God down to the ground with his prayer, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Gen 32:26) Here the man prays, “I’m not going anywhere. Heal my son.”
Then Jesus works His way, not the man’s way. This inspector is no snowflake. Faith does not melt at a hard word from Jesus. Faith receives that word. Then Jesus gives the man’s faith what that faith needs. “Go, your son will live.” Jesus didn’t go with the man. He didn’t travel to Capernaum. He didn’t touch the boy. He spoke and it was so.
God’s greatest sign was never seen. We still make that sign today. The sign of the cross. Most people know that Jesus of Nazareth died on a cross outside Jerusalem. But if you ask most people why they might get into heaven they won’t point at the cross they’ll talk about themselves. That’s because a naked man hanging on a cross suffocating to death doesn’t look like a wonder or a great sign. Faith believes what God’s Word says. That’s the Son of God hanging in that flesh. That man is also true God. That blood running down that stained wood is God’s blood; it is the priceless treasure that pays your eternal debt. You’re free of death. You’re free of hell. You’re free because your sins are forgiven by death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus did work a visible sign so you can believe the sign of the cross. He rose from the dead, a real bodily resurrection that was seen and touched. Mary Magdalene hugged that body. Thomas poked the scars in that body. The disciples saw that body eat and drink with them.
This is the way God the Father chose to work. He works through His Son. Jesus delivers His way to you in His Word – just as he did the Inspector of Wolrthless Widgets from Capernaum. Go; your son will live. To you He says, “Go, your sins are forgiven.” Go to the water of Holy Baptism. Go to your pastor for Absolution. Go to the Lord’s Table for My body and My blood. Jesus says it and it is so. The Word and the Sacraments, Church, this Divine Service is the seventh hour when Jesus works your healing. This is His hour for His Word to have His way with you. In the name of Jesus. Amen