702
THE KING’S BUSINESS
needed. Learn the power o£ my mere Word.” In the case of the centurian who came to Him realizing and con fessing his unworthiness and at the same time confessing his faith that it was not necessary that Jesus come to - his house but that the bare word would do, Jesus had actually gone to the house (Luke 7 :6), thus crowning the centurion’s strong faith; in this case, a weak faith is strengthened. The words of Jesus were not only words of assurance but words of test ing, will this man believe upon His naked word? The man’s faith rose to the occasion; his faith stood the test, he rose to the height of faith to which Jesus was calling him; he accepted His mere assurance unsupported as yet by any other evidence, and went back to Capernaum satisfied with the naked word of our Lord. There is a world of meaning in John’s statement, “ The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him.” Oh, that each of us might learn that lesson, and when Jesus says anything believe it. without other evidence, simply because Jesus says it. The word that Jesus spoke did not seem at all probable, the sole ground the man had for faith was that Jesus had said it. The son was miles away; the man could see no change that had taken place but he had Jesus’ word and rested upon that—that was faith. He proved that he “ believed the word that Jesus spoke to him” by doing as Jesus had bidden him. “He went his way.” He asked for no sign, he no longer asked Jesus “ to come down” ; he counted that it was all done because Jesus said so. From Cana to Capernaum, about thirty miles, he walked by faith. Jesus often demands of us to walk in the same way. He gives us His bare promise—nothing else—and demands that we walk by that; that is enough. Happy is the man that counts it enough.
than the healing of the king’s officer’s son, that was the development of the king’s officer’s own faith. He had a faith that rested upon the sight of signs and wonders; Jesus would lead him into a faith that rested upon his naked word (cf. ch. 20:29; 1 John 5: 10, 11; 2 Pet. 1:17-19). The Samari tans had regarded Jesus and sought' Him as a Saviour. The nobleman had regarded Him and sought Him as a healer. There are some to-day who talk more of Jesus and seemingly seek Him more as a healer than as a Sav iour, and they even seem, to assume that this is a higher form of faith than the faith of those who seek Him as a Saviour, but surely one who care fully and candidly reads the Gospels must see that Jesus desires more to be sought as a Saviour than as a healer. Nevertheless, the compassion of our Lord goes out toward this man in his distress arid He instantly responds to his cry. It is to be carefully noted, however, how He responded to it. He does not go down as the king’s officer had asked Him to do, He simply speaks the word, but that word is effective and this man discovers that our Lord can not merely heal by His presence and touch, but can heal by His bare word at a distance. Never had that king’s officer heard such sweet music as when he heard our Lord say, “ Go thy way, thy son liveth.” And Jesus is ready to say the same thing to many to-day if they will only seek Him as this man did. Our Lord’s answer was even bet ter than what the petitioner had asked, or dreamed of. There was to be for the son no long waiting until Jesus could get there but instant healing. And yet the answer had correction in it as well as compassion. It was as if our Lord had said,. “ You have asked for my personal presence. You have thought of me that I could only heal, if heal at all, when I was present. Learn that my personal presence is not
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online