STRONG FAITH CAN BE CONTAGIOUS – As contagious as a lit match dropped in a box of matches.
John 4: 46 – 53 “Jesus Heals a Government Official’s son”. That is the headline if you read the story. However, if you study (that word again) the story it is about Faith. The lesson, is about faith.
In the story, this ultra-important government official’s son is near death……
Hearing that Jesus, the man performing great miracles, was in another town 20 miles away the official traveled the 20 miles to find Jesus. No small undertaking in those days but he had enough faith to make the two-day journey, enough to believe that this man named Jesus could heal. The official had……. “some faith”.
Upon finding Jesus the official, who had legal authority over him, requested that Jesus accompany him back to his home in order to heal his ailing son. Jesus scolded the man for thinking he actually needed to be with his son to heal him. So little faith. In reality, what the official needed was to “see” Jesus heal his son. His limited faith kept him from being sure or certain of what he could not actually “see”.
Jesus tells the man, “You may go. Your son will live”. The official took Jesus at his word and departed, believing that his son would be healed at some point. In leaving the official demonstrated that he now had enough faith that he didn’t need to “see”, he believed it would happen. The official had……. “stronger faith”.
The next day while the official was still on his way back home one of the man’s servants met him on the road with the great news that his son was healed. Inquiring as to the specific time of the healing the official learned it was the precise hour the day before when Jesus told him his son would live.
The official believing his son would be healed in time learned that he had in fact already received the healing that was promised. What he had hoped would be there one day for his son was in fact already there, waiting for the official long before he was able to actually “see” it. The official had……. “complete faith”.
Not only did the official accept Christ and believe but his entire household ultimately accepted Christ. The official had……. “contagious faith”.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”.
When faith becomes so strong it can’t go un-noticed by others it can become contagious. I’m working on it.
Get in the boat. Do your part.
1:6 / Nose to Toes / #16