Faith. What an interesting term? It can mean a number of things. The term can take on several parts speech. It can be a verb or an adjective or a noun. It can refer to a specific religion. It can refer to an action one takes. It can describe the type of person someone is. Faith is also very personal. Faith is something you own. It is something that is real to you. It is something that belongs only to you. In the account of Jesus healing the son of a royal official, we learn some very valuable lessons in faith.
A Persistent Faith. Jesus went back to Cana of Galilee where he had performed his first public miracle when he turned the water to wine. While there, Jesus encounter a nobleman or a royal official who had a son in Capernaum that was gravely ill. The man approached Jesus and begged Him to come to Capernaum and heal his son. Jesus responded with what seems like a reprimand. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”[1] The nobleman really did not care about Jesus’ statement. He wanted only one thing and that was for his son to be healed and he knew that Jesus had the power to heal him. The nobleman responds rather emphatically to Jesus. The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”[2] He would not give up. He insisted that Jesus would heal his son. He had a persistent faith. There are really two types of faith. There is faith for salvation or believing faith and there is faith in action. One may have salvation because of their faith in Christ, but may not have continual active faith. It is one thing to have faith in Christ for salvation and it is another thing to have faith in Christ for a specific action. Is your faith persistent? Do you believe in Jesus for more than just your salvation? Whatever circumstance you are facing in your life, do you truly believe that God will work it out for your good and for His glory? Your faith must be constant. Never give up on God. He never gives up on you so why should you give up? Hold on to the promises of God’s Word. Never let go. Be like Jacob and say, “God, I will not let you go until you bless me.”
A Believing Faith. Jesus responded to the man’s persistent faith by healing his son. Verse 50 and 51 says, 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!”[3] What a remarkable thing! Jesus did not have to go to Capernaum to heal the man’s son. He just had to say the word. They key is in the response of the nobleman. The scripture says that he ‘believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.’ The fact that he left and went his way shows that this man truly believed that what Jesus said was true. His son was healed. He had a believing faith. The New American Commentary says, “The point of this story is that it illustrates a new dimension of believing: namely, a believing without the immediacy of seeing.”[4] The nobleman believed even though he had yet to see his son. He believed that Jesus could heal his son even from a distance. Essentially, this is what faith is. It is believing in what we cannot see. The only definition of faith found in the Bible is in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”[5] ‘Hope’ in the scriptures is a ‘confident expectation.’ The word ‘substance’ refers to ‘reality.’ Therefore, faith is the reality of the things I confidently expect in such a way that it provides evidence of its reality though I cannot currently see it. The nobleman had a confident expectation in the reality that Jesus can heal his son and, therefore, believed his son was healed when Jesus said the word even though he could not yet see it. It is essential for a true believer in Christ to hold on to the promises of God’s Word. Too often we allow our weaknesses and our doubts and our attitude and our fears to distract our faith. Too often we speak and pray as if we do not truly believe that God will answer. How can we expect God’s promises to become a reality in our lives if we do not expect it? Remember, faith is the reality of the things we hope for. It is the reality of the things we confidently expect. Therefore, if there is no hope, if there is no expectation; then what God has promised will not be a reality. We must learn to trust in God’s Word in such a way that we have absolutely no doubt. We must trust that God knows what He is doing. We must claim the promise of God’s Word and believe that God has already fulfilled that promise in our lives even though we may not yet be able to see it. It is living with such faith that mountains are moved.
A Contagious Faith. Notice what John 4:51-53 says. 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.[6] As a result of the faith of the nobleman, not only did he believe on the Lord Jesus, but also his whole household. His faith was contagious. Think about it. Do you have such a strong faith in Jesus and His Word that it is contagious? One thing I have discovered over the years is the fact that people will respond to your faith in one of two ways. Either it will be contagious and their faith will be strengthened or they will be frustrated and even angered. Those who are frustrated come from a heart that is cluttered with insecurity, doubts, and fears. Your faith and your positive attitude bothers them because there is something in their life that is keeping them from having the same faith. However, eventually, their frustration will turn into acceptance and even embracing faith themselves as they see the promises of God fulfilled in your life.
Many Christians have saving faith but not practicing faith. They have faith for salvation but they do not have faith for today. They are not living a life of faith. The reason for this is due to the sin and worldliness that consumes their lives. May we allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and remove those things from our lives that keep us from living a life of faith. May we as believers have persistent faith, believing faith, and contagious faith.
[1] The New King James Version (Jn 4:48). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[2] The New King James Version (Jn 4:49). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[3] The New King James Version (Jn 4:50–51). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[4] Borchert, G. L. (1996). John 1–11 (Vol. 25A, p. 217). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[5] The New King James Version (Heb 11:1). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[6] The New King James Version (Jn 4:51–53). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 