Sermon -- Octoberfest Vespers (October 6, 2019)

JOHN 4:46-54

THE WORD DOES AS THE WORD SAYS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus returned to Cana where he had performed his first miraculous sign.  Word got around that Jesus had returned.  One official in Capernaum had hoped that this would mean more miracles.  When Jesus had changed water into wine at the wedding in Cana, it was not a life-and-death problem.  The official, however, was trying to resolve a life-and-death problem.  His son was dying.  He traveled about 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana to plead with Jesus to come with him and perform a miracle.
     The official was right in turning to Jesus for aid, but Jesus' rebuke tells us that the official was misguided in his hope.  The official's hope was only for one thing—for his son to be healed.  He did not want a Messiah; he wanted a magician.  As far as the official was concerned, Jesus could have been world-renowned physician, a magic potion, or Aladdin's lamp.  He just wanted a miracle to save his son.
     After the official appealed to Jesus, Jesus replied, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” (John 4:48)  In fact, Jesus did not give this man a sign at all.  He only gave him a word.  The official pleaded, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.”  The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. (John 4:49-50)  
     The editors did not translate Jesus' word correctly.  It is not a future tense, “Your son will live.”  It is a present tense, “Your son lives.”  It was likely translated as a future tense because the man did not find out that his son was healed until the next day.  But Jesus gave an authoritative word, and the word does as the word says.  “Your son lives,” means that he survives and is healed.  It is like God saying the sun in the sky shines.  When we say it, it is an observation.  When God say it, it is a decree.  The sun shines because God says so.  The official's son lives because Jesus says so.
     The word does as the word says.  So when the Bible says that the law is good, it is not just an observation—as if to say, “If we followed God's law, it would be good for us.”  God's Law IS good.  It shows us what good is.  And since we cannot keep it, it shows that we are not good.  God is good.  He is the standard of good.  All he thinks, says, and does is good.  But we all fall short of the glory of God.  We are not good.  We have no place in God's presence because God finds no delight in what is not good.
     But Jesus gives us a new word.  He does not dazzle us with signs and wonders.  He preaches good news.  He takes away our sin and dies our death.  He endures our curse and puts an end to God's wrath.  And he then gives an authoritative word.  He declares that our sins are forgiven; and they are.  He attaches his word to water and says, “By this, you are cleansed;” and you are.  He attaches his word to bread and wine and says, “This is my body and blood;” and it is.  “For you for the forgiveness of sins”—so it does.  The word does as the word says.  So, when Jesus declares that you are children of God, this is what you are.  When the Bible assures you that God sees you as blameless, then you are.  It doesn't matter whether you feel like or look like it, Jesus says you are.  And the word does as the word says.
     The official and his family believed in Jesus because he had been given a word to cling to.  The word which healed the son also delivered the family.  By the word of Jesus, the son lives, and so did the family.  And so do you.  Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.  The word does as the word says.  And so, it saves you.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.