“Go”, Jesus told him, “your son will live.”

The second sign in John’s Gospel takes place in exactly the same town as the first – Cana. A royal official’s son was very ill. He had come from Capernaum, which was an important town approximately 20 miles away. The Bible tells us that this man pleaded with Jesus to go with him to heal his son. Royal officials did not plead, they commanded people to do what they wanted. From this we can see that his son must have been extremely ill, and the father was at his wits end, worn down by worry that his son may die.

Jesus knew what was in the hearts of the crowd around Him. They wanted the excitement of signs and wonders. They wanted what He could give, rather than wanting Him as their Saviour. This was perhaps true of this father as well.

The father pleads again, urging Jesus to go with him. His belief was in Jesus touching his son to heal him. He didn’t know that he was asking God for healing; the God who has power over distance. In verse 50 we read that the man believed Jesus’ words and then went on his way. This was not the same thing as believing that Jesus was the Messiah, but it was the beginning of faith. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal. Later, in verse 53, when he learned that his son had been healed at the exact time that Jesus spoke those words to him, his belief in the words of Jesus, became trust in Jesus as the Saviour. His whole household accepted that Jesus was the Messiah.

There are several lessons we can learn from this miracle story;

Jesus does not need to be physically present to heal. This boy was lying desperately ill 20 miles away. Jesus only needed to speak the word and the boy was healed. Jesus has power over sickness and over distance.

Believing that Jesus can heal is not the same thing as accepting Him as your Saviour. There were crowds at the wedding in Cana that knew that Jesus turned the water into wine, but that does not mean that they believed that He was God. God can work miracles for unbelievers, but that does not make them His children, or save them from hell.

Faith in signs and wonders is not saving faith. Later on in chapter 6, we read of many disciples who had been miraculously fed by Jesus, turning away from Him when He spoke of commitment. They followed Jesus purely for the purpose of getting something from Him, rather than giving themselves to Him.

Lord, cleanse our hearts from all self-seeking, that we may be those who love you for who you are, rather than for what you can do.