THE GOSPEL: The Second Miracle, Healing!

Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast. (John 4:43-45) And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:15) and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)

After leaving Samaria, where so many Samaritans believed in Him based on the witness of the Samaritan woman (see THE GOSPEL: Power of Our Witness), Jesus returns to Galilee, where He had performed His first miracle (see THE GOSPEL: Jesus First Miracle). So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” (John 4:46-48)  The approximate distance from Capernaum to Galilee was 20 miles.  Amazing without telephones and televisions, the news of Christ's first miracle had traveled throughout the area.  Now this nobleman was traveling to Jesus to solicite his help, for the healing of his son.

Many people travel all over the world for healing of whatever their condition may be.  And many people do this, not knowing for sure if they will get what they're desiring, but they go anyway.  Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” We need to make sure we don't waist time and money going to the wrong persons or places: You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, And the monthly prognosticators Stand up and save you From what shall come upon you. Behold, they shall be as stubble, The fire shall burn them; They shall not deliver themselves From the power of the flame; (Isaiah 47:13-14) We need to make sure we go to the right person at the right place! God doesn't care why we come, Christ just beckons us to “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me [Jesus].” (Isaiah 48:13)

The nobleman didn't know anymore than what he had heard about Jesus, but that was enough to make him travel to ask Jesus for help.  The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household. This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee. (John 4:49-54)  The man made his desire known, Sir, come. Jesus gave the man a command, Go your way. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.  The man received what he asked for, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

Receiving healing or whatever it is we desire in this life is not all we should desire, because ...as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27) the nobleman, his son, and everyone for that matter will one day die.  We know that our earthly condition, ...the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (II Corinthians 4:18)  We who have been saved, who have accecpted the free gift of salvation God offers through Christ Jesus, lets make sure we share that good news with all we come in contact with.  And just like the nobleman, And he himself believed, and his whole household, pray that God will use us to lead others to accept Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord, for God ...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4)