INTRO TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, Sarah Barry
GO, YOUR SON WILL LIVE!
Passage: John 4:43~54  
Key verse: 50
Jesus Heals an Official’s Son
43 After the two days(A) he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)(B) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival,(C) for they also had been there.
46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.(D) And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea,(E) he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,”(F) Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household(G) believed.
54 This was the second sign(H) Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Come and heal my son (43-47)
Jesus went to Cana in Galilee where he changed water into wine. Many welcomed him but Jesus did not recognize them because their faith was based on his miracles and not on his word as the people in the Samaritan village. A royal official came from Capernaum and asked, "Come and heal my son, for he is almost dead." Jesus rebuked the Galileans as well as tested his faith saying, "You will never believe until you see the miracles."
2. He took the Lord at his word (48-54)
The royal official persisted, "Lord, come before he dies." Jesus challenged him again saying, "Go! Your son will live!" What did the royal official do? Taking the Lord at his word, he went home! He found then his son was alive! When he carefully checked, it was exactly the same hour when Jesus commanded him to go. So he and all his family believed in Jesus. Praise Jesus who trains and blesses his people to have absolute faith in his word.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for challenging each of us to have absolute faith in your word. Let me take the Lord at his word!
One Word: Take the Lord at his word.