Tuesday, February 7, 2006
John 4:49-50 The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives."
BEHOLD THE POWER OF ONE WORD OF THE SON OF GOD
The father knows with each passing hour that his son is nearing death. He is aware of his every movement, his every action, his every breath. His love for his son is deep and abiding but there is nothing he can do. Nothing he will do. For this father has another son on his mind -- one entirely different than the older one who draws ever closer to death's door.
The other son is wayward and rebellious, no-good. Yet, because of His great love for the wayward one, this father lifts not one finger to save his obedient son. And there is no wonder-working rabbi to whom this father can go for help, to whom he can appeal, "Come, before my Son dies!"
You've probably realized that I'm not describing that father who came to Jesus in John 4, the nobleman from Capernaum. I'm talking about the Father who spoke from heaven at Jesus' baptism, the One who said, "This My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." He said that the day His Son began His ministry -- and put His feet on the road that would lead to Calvary and the cross.
And because of you, because he loves you, each passing day the eternal Father lifts not one finger to save his Son. Not only that, He will turn his back on him when He needs Him the most -- on the cross. He will treat him the way you and I deserve to be treated by a holy God.
That is his will, and miracle of miracles, the Son agrees. He willingly suffers and finally dies for your sins and my sins so that we might be forgiven and live where death will never touch us, with our older Brother, who lives again forever, in the Father's house, in heaven.
The eternal Father and His beloved Son are agreed on something else as well. The Father and the Son want you to know what happened when Jesus healed the son of the nobleman from Capernaum. That this sign (as John terms it) might point you to Jesus, the Lord of Life, and that your faith, like the first disciples', might be strengthened. So that "by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).
