He came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. (John 4:46–47)
Genuine faith begins when a man or a woman is humble enough to come to Christ for help. In John 4:46, we see a royal official—perhaps a member of King Herod’s court—come to someone many thought of as a mere peasant for aid. It is an improbable scene, an event that would cause more than a ripple in this man’s social circle. But neither convention nor custom stopped him. He came humbly and sincerely, without caring what others might have to say.
We often would like to be among the ranks of the faithful. We like to say, “I have faith.” But too frequently, we want a faith that fits. We want a faith that saves face. We want a faith that allows us to do what we want to do with a Christ who will embrace us at the level of our interest and allow us some measure of control over our lives.
You may believe whatever you like about Christ, but it is an empty faith if you have not bowed at the feet of Jesus the Nazarene to ask for the mercy. True Christian faith begins with the humility of heart to come as the royal official did and to ask Christ to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves .
This article was adapted from the sermon “An Illustration of Faith” by Alistair Begg.
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