In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the story of a royal official whose son was healed by Jesus. The official had faith in Jesus' words and was able to sleep peacefully knowing that his son would be healed. The speaker emphasizes the importance of specific prayers and supplications, as well as having a childlike faith in Jesus' promises. The sermon also mentions the urgency of preaching the gospel and the reality of hell, as illustrated by the story of the rich man in hell pleading for someone to warn his brothers.

Second in a series of eight messages titled, God Can Solve Every Problem. What we're going to do is look through the miracles of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of John. John wrote his Gospel last of all. In fact, it's one of the last books of the Bible written. He wrote the Gospel in the three letters and the book of Revelation. All five of them about 65 years after the day of Pentecost. And he had a lot of opportunity to observe how things had developed in the church through many years. With decline and decay as we read in Revelation 2 and 3. And he wrote this Gospel and in it he selected eight of the miracles Jesus did. Jesus did hundreds of miracles. In fact, at the end of the Gospel, John says that. There are so many miracles Jesus did, there's no place to write all of them. But he selects eight of them and in John chapter 2, verse 1 to 11, we saw that in our first study this morning. That was the miracle of the water being turned into wine. Which is a picture of Jesus taking that which is ordinary in our life and turning it into something beautiful. But he calls it in verse 11, a sign. John doesn't call the miracles, miracles. In fact, the word miracle never occurs in the Gospel of John at all. Like it does in the other Gospels. John prefers to call them signs. He was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Indicating thereby that every miracle was a sign. There was a message in it. There was a spiritual application to our life for Christians through 20 centuries in every miracle. And so, there must be something special about all these miracles that Jesus did. Which are selected by John. Now if you go to the second last chapter of John, John chapter 20, verse 30. This is the verse I quoted earlier. Many other signs also Jesus did in the presence of the disciples. Which are not written in this book. So there must have been hundreds. In fact, in chapter 21, he says, if I were to write all the things that Jesus did. The world itself wouldn't contain the books that were written. There were so many thousands of things that Jesus did. But what we read here is that which is selected. John selected eight signs. So each of those signs must have some significance. Because he says, these have been written, John 20, 31. That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ. So today we are going to look at the second sign. Which is found in John chapter 4, verse 46. Here we read that Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee. Where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain royal official. Whose son was sick at Capernaum. Now the first miracle we read. Jesus used the servants. I mentioned that in our last study. They were the lowest level of people in the house. He used them as his co-workers. In turning this water into wine. He got them to fill the water and he turned it into wine. And I was saying that this is the Lord's way. In all of his dealings with us. He does not want to do anything alone. You know God could have done many things. Without our cooperation. For example. He gets the planets to move in their orbits. Without any cooperation from them. For thousands of years. Those stars and planets have moved in perfect obedience. Without disobeying God for even a single second. And God could have made man like that. You know just I mean shaped like a man. But obeying God just like those planets. And we would automatically have done everything. That God wanted us to do. But we could not have been children. You know planets cannot be children. And God wanted children. He did not want robots that just move around mechanically. Obeying him. That is why he gave us a free will. And even after we are born again. He still gives us freedom to choose. And even after we are filled with the Holy Spirit. He still gives us freedom to choose. It is one of the wonderful things about God. That he wants us to freely choose. Choose him and he wants to work together with us. And in all the miracles. You find that there is Jesus and the human agency. Working together. And if either of these are absent. There is no miracle. For example if the Lord. We read of an instance like that. In the last verse of Matthew 13. Where it says that Jesus wanted to do many miracles for them. But he could not do them. Because they would not believe him. You know I believe that verse is one of the saddest verses. In all of the New Testament. Matthew 13.58 He could not do many miracles for them. Because of their unbelief. I will tell you how I applied that verse to myself. I said Lord. Is it possible. That in the day when I stand before you. In the final day of judgment. And you review my whole life. And I see my whole life too as you review it. That you let us say those words about me. That there were many wonderful mighty works. That God wanted to do in me. But he could not do. Because I would not trust him. Or there were many mighty miracles he wanted to do through me. For others. But he could not do it. Because I would not trust him. And I said Lord. I do not want those words. To be said about me. In the day of judgment. I am willing to pay any price. But I do not want those words to be. I cannot do anything about my past life. But about the future. And I want all of you to think of that. Will those words be said about you. There were miracles that Jesus wanted to do in you. But he could not do it. Not because you were so filthy. Or you had made such a mess of your life. No. Those things do not matter. It is because you would not believe him. You would not trust. That he was a God who cares for the weak. And the foolish and the stupid. And those who made a mess of their life. You felt you are too far gone. Or something like that. You would not believe. That he would do it. That is the only reason. You never read in the New Testament. That Jesus would not do something for someone. Because he was too poor. Or because he had made such a mess of his life. Even a woman caught in adultery. He was willing to do a miracle for her. There is nobody. There is not a single case. Of Jesus not doing miracles for someone. Except where they would not believe. If we can be convinced about this thing concerning miracles. Jesus does miracles even today. God can solve every problem. But he needs faith. He needs some cooperation from us. He does not ask for much. You know I was saying that in the case of the water and the wine. They only had to bring the water. And he did the difficult part of turning it into wine. And it is always like that. And we see that here too. Now here Jesus does a miracle. For someone at the other extreme of society. There it was servants. Here it is through a royal official. Someone who is pretty close to King Herod. The Lord cares for people at both ends of society. He does not care only for the rich or only for the poor. He has created all. He died for all. And he is willing to help all. And here we read of this man. His son was sick. And we are trying to learn what is the meaning of this sign. What is the spiritual meaning behind this second miracle that Jesus did. That the Holy Spirit has selected to put before us in John's Gospel as a sign. The first one was turning the water into wine. Where you know our life is empty, dried up. No love, no joy. It could be a marriage. No love, no joy. It could be a church where the wine is all dried up. No love, no joy, no power. It could be one who is a preacher. From whom the anointing is gone. And the Lord, if the man was honest about it. Church or marriage, if they are honest about it. The Lord could turn their water into wine. Now here we read of a man whose son was sick. It was not he himself. He himself was okay. Physically anyway. But his son was sick. And here is a picture of this man who is a concerned father. Who goes to Jesus. Travels a distance. Comes to Jesus and pleads for his son to be healed. It is a picture of a father. Who has a son or a daughter. Who has perhaps gone away from the Lord. Backslidden. Or not converted. Or into some bad habits. Rebellious. All those things I mentioned are sicknesses. Much worse than the sickness this boy had. And it says here in verse 47. The last part. He wanted to ask Jesus to come and heal his son. For his son was at the point of death. It was a pretty serious sickness this boy had. He was so sick. He was about to die. The doctors had given up hope. This man was a royal official. And being so close to Herod the king of that whole region. He had the influence and the money to get the best medical help. He could go to the best hospitals, the best doctors. And none of them could do anything for his son. It's a picture of a father as I said. Who is praying for his son or daughter. Or a husband praying for his wife. Or a wife praying for her husband. Who is seriously sick. Or one of you praying for another church member. It's someone who has a concern. It's a picture of someone who has a concern. Because he sees another one whom he loves. Spiritually dying. Now unfortunately. We don't take sin as seriously as we take sickness. Now we can understand that in unbelievers. Because they don't understand anything about the seriousness of sin. You know we have folks. When we go down to our village churches. My wife is a doctor. She treats the sick people there freely. And we discover that among illiterate village people. They don't even think cancer is serious. They don't know what cancer is. I mean if there was something visible on the outside. Like a sore. I think that's serious. But things that are invisible inside. The illiterate village person who is not educated. Does not know it's serious. They don't know that blood pressure or high cholesterol or diabetes is serious. They don't know these things. Because there is no physical evidence in the beginning. In fact there is no physical evidence. Till things have become so bad. That it's too late to do anything about it. And it's something like that I've thought with sin. When a man is spiritually illiterate. He doesn't think sin is serious. It's just like those uneducated people who don't care two hoots about high cholesterol or blood pressure till they die. But I mean whether they know it or not. Sickness still takes its toll inside them. And it's like that with sin. The mark of a spiritually illiterate man. Is that he doesn't take sin seriously. He doesn't know that sin is serious. You know Jesus said. Take a sin like lusting with your eyes. Now how many people think that's serious? Jesus said it's so serious. That it's better to pull out that eye. You know that Jesus said that in Matthew chapter 5? You go to a doctor and say. When do you remove a person's some organ from a person's body? When do you cut off somebody's foot? You know that people who got diabetes. Who the doctor sometimes says. Your thing is so far gone. The gangrene is spreading up your foot. There's no way to cure you except by cutting off that foot. This is the type of treatment Jesus said. You got to do with an eye that refuses to stop lusting. Now how many Christians in the world you think believe that? That this is such a serious thing. That if your right eye offends you. He said in Matthew 5. Pull it out. Now what do you do after pulling it out? You lust with your left eye. Well pull that out too. In other words. Well what he meant was not do it literally. But that sin is such a serious thing. That when you're tempted in that area. You got to imagine. Now imagine if I were blind. What would I do? If I were totally blind. And I say Lord. I want to be blind towards sin. When I'm tempted in my eyes. That's how radical one has to be. You know it's no use praying. Lord help me. Deliver me. You can ask God to help you. But Lord do it all. He won't do it all. It needs a cooperation. I remember hearing the story of a young man. Who went to a man of God and said. Will you pray for me that. I can get up early in the morning to read the Bible. I'm so sleepy. I just feel like lying around in bed. And this man was a wise man. He said. Well he said if you'll do one thing. When you get up in the morning. If you pray that you'll put one leg outside your bed. I'll pray that God will help you to take your other leg outside of your bed. But if you're so lazy. That you want God to lift you up. And put you out of the bed. He's not going to do it. It's like that. There's got to be a cooperation. I said that in the last message. You got to fill the water pot with water. Then God will turn into wine. But if you sit back and say. Well God you can do miracles. Just fill up the water pot yourself. And make it into wine. Make wine from nothing. I'm sure he can do it. But he won't do it. God can make wine out of nothing. But he wouldn't do it. He got to get the people to fill the water pot with water. And here. This man. Had to have a concern for his son. And he wouldn't have a concern for his son. If he didn't know how seriously sick he was. I'm amazed at parents. Who take sin lightly in their children. I hope you're not one of those parents. It's a sad thing. When a son or a daughter. Is not following the Lord. They're headed for hell. And I don't think. Any of us. Including me. Realize how terrible hell is. There was a great man in England. 120 years ago. Called William Booth. Who founded the Salvation Army. And he used to have his training school for. His Salvation Army soldiers. And he said to them. When they finally graduated. After their six month or one year course. He said. I wish. I could. At the end of your course. Suspend all of you. Over hell. For 24 hours. Just to watch the agony. Of people who. Have not repented of their sins. And not trusted in Christ. And he says. Sing that for 24 hours. And then send you out into the streets. To preach. Boy. He said. You'd preach in a different way. Do you believe. What Jesus said about hell? You know. There was a rich man. Who went to hell. Jesus said. Spoke about him. And that man in hell said. Abraham. He said to. Abraham was in hell. Please. Send someone to my brothers. I've got five brothers there. This man's got a burden from hell. Because he knows what it's like. He says. Please. Send someone to my five brothers. And tell them to repent. Because he knew. That's why he went to hell. He may have believed. But he never repented. Do you realize. How serious it is. For your son. Or daughter. Not to have repented from sin. Your husband. Or your wife. Or someone you love. Whom you're going to see. Separated from you. For all. Eternity. When Christ comes back. Never again. You're going to see them. Forever. Never. Forever. Forever. Forever. For millions of years. They're gone. They're going to be burning. In that lake of fire. Where the worm never dies. And the fire never gets quenched. That's how serious sin is. Now. I'm not. Telling you fairy tales. They're all in the gospel. Jesus spoke about hell. More than anybody else. I'm just trying to point it out. To you. To show you. How serious a thing. Sin is. So. When you read here. About a royal official. Whose son was at the point of death. That was a physical death. And he was concerned. He was concerned enough. It says here. Verse 47. He came. He heard that Jesus was there. In Cana. 20 miles away. And he went there. 20 miles. He didn't wait till Jesus came to Cana. He went all the way there. And requested him. Saying. Please come down. And heal my son. A picture of a father. Who was burdened. And you see. At the end of the story. The son was miraculously healed. And he went. Do you know that God answers prayer? Do you know that God can. Do something for that. Family member. Whose back slid in. Or who's gone away from the Lord. Who's not converted. Who doesn't seem to have any interest in God. Who's headed for hell. Who's sick. And doesn't know it. Seriously sick. At the point of spiritual death. It doesn't matter how serious it is. If God can find one person. Who loves that. Lost soul. And comes to him. And says. Lord. He pleaded with Jesus. And Jesus did it. God can solve every problem. I heard of this great man of God. George Muller. Who ran the orphanages in England. About 150 years ago. He says. Sometime. Soon after he was converted. God gave him a burden. In his heart. For three people. And he prayed for them. And I think one of them was converted. About three years. After he prayed for them. Another one was converted. After 30 years. Of his praying for them. And the third one. Was converted. After George Muller died. Maybe 50, 60 years of prayer. And someone asked him. George Muller shared this with someone. And someone asked him. He said. How are you praying for these three people? Do you think they'll be saved? He said. Well God wouldn't have put a burden on my heart. Unless he had a plan to save them. Now I don't know what would have happened to them. If George Muller had not prayed for them. I don't know. And I don't want to use human logic. Clever people think all types of things here. And I don't want to be one of them. I want to be like a little child. Like Jesus said. And come to Jesus. And believe. That what he said. What he meant. I want to show you a very lovely verse. It's in the last chapter of the book of James. And the last two verses. It's the last two verses. Of James's letter. Verse 19 and 20. James 5, 19 and 20. My brothers. If any of you. Strays from the truth. And one turns him back. Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way. Will save his soul from death. And will cover a multitude of sins. I want to show you another verse. Just turn three or four pages further to 1 John chapter 5. 1 John chapter 5. And see what it says here. This is an amazing promise. Which I'll tell you. I have found very, very few believers claim. An unclaimed promise. Is like somebody sending you a check. And you frame it up and hang it on your wall. You don't get anything from it. Or you keep it inside your Bible. You don't get anything from it. You got to take that check to the bank and cash it. There's a lot of checks like that in your Bible. That have never been cashed. Here's one of them. 1 John 5, 16. If anyone sees his brother. Anyone. Sees his son. His daughter. His brother. His wife. Her husband. Committing a sin. Not leading to death. And almost all sins don't lead to death. I'm talking about physical death. God doesn't punish with physical death for every sin. There are some sins for which he punishes with physical death. There are very, very few. So almost every sin falls in this category. He shall ask. Like this royal official we just read of. Who went to Jesus and asked on behalf of somebody else. We had to go and ask. And God. Now, you got to understand the meaning of this word. The word will. Not may. You know there's a difference between might. God might do it. And God will do it. Oh, there's a world of difference. If it says God may give him life. I don't know. Perhaps. May work. May not work. But when the word of God says God will. Give life to the man who's committing sin. Boy. What a promise. Do you see your son or your daughter. Going astray. Perhaps. Living in sin. Are you as concerned as this royal official was for his son. If not. You may say you're a believer. But I want to say to you. You have not understood how serious sin is. You have not understood the gravity of sin. You have not understood the seriousness of hell. You probably don't believe. That sin leads to death. And to hell. There's a very lovely. Verse. In the book of Job. In the middle of the Old Testament. Which I want to read to you in this connection. In. There was a habit that this man Job had. Now Job was one of those great saints in the Old Testament. But he had a habit. Which is a very beautiful habit. For all parents to have. So if you're a parent. I want you to remember this verse. It says here Job had ten children. Seven sons and three daughters. The book of Job chapter 1. Verse 2. It says he had seven sons and three daughters. I don't think his wife was a woman of prayer at all. His wife had no interest in praying for the children. And sometimes that can be like that. Where one parent only has a burden. I don't know about this royal official. Whether his wife had any faith in Jesus. Or had it burdened like that. But thank God this father had. And it's a wonderful thing when at least one parent has a burden. When one person in a home. If the Lord's laid hold of one person in a home. God got a foothold in that home. And he can reach that whole home for Christ. So if you're one person in a home. Remember you are God's foothold in that home. That royal official was the only one there. Who had faith in Jesus. Probably. Anyway Job was one person in his home. And you know what he did? His sons used to have birthday feasts. They would call all the others. And then they'd celebrate their birthday for a number of days. And listen to Job 1 verse 5. When their days of feasting had completed their cycle. Job would send for them. They were all staying separately. They were all grown up. He would send for them. He'd say boys and girls come here. My sons, my daughters. And he'd call them home. All ten of them. And he would consecrate them. He'd get up early in the morning. Call these sons and daughters together. And he'd offer offerings to God. Ten separate offerings. Not a general prayer for all of them. He would name them one by one. Lord this offering is for this son of mine. And this is for this daughter of mine. And this is for this son of mine. Separately for each of them. What for? He'd say well. During this time of feasting. Perhaps they sinned. He wasn't conscious of their having sinned. He says perhaps. They may have sinned. I know what happens when young people have a feast. He says it was like that those days too. They may have sinned. They may have cursed God in their hearts. Imagine this man. Not even with their lips. In their hearts. They probably had some bad thoughts. Oh God. Please forgive this son of mine. Please forgive this daughter of mine. I plead with you. He was a man of God. And I want to tell you. God's looking for parents like that. Think if this royal official. Had not bothered. Like some fathers and mothers. Today. Who don't bother. Even when they see their children drifting. Towards the world. Maybe they were saint once. But they are not wholehearted disciples of Jesus today. Are you happy just because. Ten years ago your son or daughter said the. Magical formula Lord Jesus come into my heart. Is that enough? But he's not a disciple today. He's not following the Lord today. Maybe he was once. Devoted to the Lord. But he's drifted. He's sick. He's about to die. When you're physically sick. It's easy to discover whether you're about to die. When a person is spiritually sick. You got to have discernment. And most Christians don't have discernment. So it's possible that some family member of yours. Is pretty close to death. Spiritually. And you don't even know it. It's like I said. Some of these illiterate people in the villages. They can have cancer. And not even know it till they die. Or diabetes. And wonder why something's not getting cured. Till they die. They don't know that there's a sickness. Raging in their body. They don't know it. Well thank God this man had a burden. For his son. And although he was a royal official. He didn't send one of his servants. To go and tell. Please tell Jesus to pray for me. He says he went himself. Remember this. You got to get this picture clearly. You know we know who Jesus is today. Those days. He was just a carpenter. Imagine this royal official coming in his chariot. To meet this carpenter. You got to see some humility there. God. Reserves his blessings. For the humble. The Bible says God gives his grace. To the humble. 1 Peter 5.5 But he resists the proud. Many people. I told you earlier. Many people don't get God's blessings. Because they don't have faith. I will tell you another reason. Many people don't get God's blessings. Because they are proud. He sends the rich away empty. But he fills the hungry. With good things. That's our God. That's how Jesus is. He didn't send his servants. He went himself. And when he came to Jesus. Jesus said. Unless you people see signs and wonders. You simply will not believe. It's almost as though Jesus rebuked him. But imagine this. A carpenter. Turning around to this royal official. And saying. Hey. You. Unless you see signs and wonders. You simply won't believe. This royal official. He was not a believer then. He said. Sir. Please come down. He took that rebuke. He was not offended. You notice other examples like that. Where Jesus. You read of a Canaanite woman. Who once came to Jesus. And said. Lord. Please heal my daughter. Somewhat similar situation. Please heal my daughter. I couldn't bring her. She is demon possessed. She is at home. She won't come. Do you have a son or daughter like that? Who is not interested in coming to the services of the church. Well. We can come to Jesus on their behalf. Like that Canaanite woman. She said. Please. Heal my daughter. Get her to have an interest in spiritual things. She is influenced by the devil right now. And do you know what Jesus said? He tested her. He said. I didn't come for. I came for the people of Israel. Not you Canaanites. You can't take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. You see. And she took it. She didn't get offended. She didn't say. Hey. What do you mean calling me a dog? Okay. I know. God's covenant is with the Jews. But he said. Lord. But she said. Lord. Can't the. You know. When children eat. A little few crumbs fall from the table. Can't the dogs eat the crumbs? That's enough Lord. One crumb is enough. To cast the demon out of my daughter. Do you believe that? You don't need the whole bread. One crumb. Is enough to drive the devil out of my daughter. Lord. Give me a crumb. And Jesus said. For that saying. Go your way. Your daughter is healed. But. That daughter would never have been healed. If she hadn't persisted. If she hadn't humbled herself. If she refused to get offended. By that apparent rebuke. Jesus once said. Blessed is the man. Or the woman. Who is not offended in me. I want to ask you. Are you offended? Are you hurt? With the Lord about something today? Something you feel he should have done for you. Which he didn't do for you. Some grudge you have. Some prayer unanswered. It's because you're proud. A humble person can never be offended. What if the Lord turned and called you a dog? Would you say. Yes Lord. Actually I'm worse than that. You know. The mark of a proud man. Is that he feels. He deserves more. Than what God has given him. Do you feel like that today? I haven't got. What I justly deserve. From God. I'll tell you something. Don't ever ever. Ask God to give you. What you justly deserve. You know what that is? Hell. Don't ever say. God. Give me what I deserve. I never pray that. Say Lord. Give me what I don't deserve. So. That woman. I want to tell you something. About the story of that Canaanite woman here. Because it's a similar situation. It's an example of a mother coming in. Pleading with God. For her daughter. Just like this man pleaded for his son. And. If you read that story. I don't have time to turn to it right now. It's in Matthew's Gospel. It says Jesus left Galilee. And walked all the way. To a place called Tyre. Syrophoenician. Syrophoenician. It's a distance of 50 miles. And Jesus didn't have carriages and horses. To ride on. He walked. It took him a whole day. To walk to Tyre. And it says. He healed this one. Why did he go first of all? He felt a prompting. In his spirit. Spiritual men and women. Feel that sometimes. If you walk close enough to the Lord. As Jesus did. He just felt a prompting. I think I should go to Tyre. And he went. Not knowing what was there. When he reached there. He comes across this Canaanite woman. And he healed her. And it says immediately he came back. 50 miles back. People have sometimes asked me. Why did Jesus call this person a dog? I said. Do you know before he did that. He walked 100 miles just to heal her daughter. Don't forget that. There must have been a very good reason. Why he called her a dog. Just to teach her. You don't deserve anything. You know I believe we all got to learn that lesson. As I said. We don't deserve anything. Everything is a free gift of God. We got to be humble to the place where we say. Lord I don't deserve anything. And then we are thankful. And when God can get a spirit of thankfulness in us. He can do a miracle for us very quickly. It's a spirit of grumbling. And complaining. And feeling I haven't got what I deserve. Which prevents God from doing many miracles for us. That's the place he wanted to bring that. You see this humility in this man. You see that humility in the centurion. He was another example. A Roman centurion. The fellows who were ruling Israel. Going to this humble Jewish carpenter. And saying can you please come and heal my servant. And Jesus says I'll come. And he said no. Lord I'm not worthy that you should come to my house. He has a cat. I'm not worthy you should come to my house. Just speak the word. And I'll be healed. And my servant. There he was praying for his servant. My servant will be healed. You see these wonderful examples in scripture. You know where people themselves didn't have faith. Did this royal official's son have any faith? As far as I know. No. Did the Syrophoenician woman's daughter have any faith? How could she? She was demon possessed. And that's the one example of a demon who was cast out 10 miles away. Jesus didn't have to go near. It's wonderful to see these examples in scripture. Demons cast out at a distance. And people healed at a distance. They didn't have. Jesus didn't have to actually come there. Here's another example like that. Of this man whose child was healed. But it always required. Somebody. To exercise faith on that person's behalf. And if that person. It may be your son. It may be your daughter. It may be your wife. It may be somebody you love. Doesn't have any faith. May be influenced by the devil. Don't just criticize them. And find fault with them. That's not going to help. You're just doing the devil's work for him a little more. That's all. Instead of that. All the energy that you spend in criticizing and finding fault. If you could spend a little bit of that. In going to Jesus. And saying Lord. I've got this problem son. Problem daughter. Lord this wife. Who makes life hell for me. Or this husband. This husband who. Has no interest in you. Could be anyone. Family member. They don't know. They don't know how sick they are. Lord will you please do something. And even if the answer doesn't come immediately. Even if it looks as if the Lord is. Sort of kept me waiting like this man. Lord please. Do it. He loves us more than any earthly father does. The Lord pities. Those who love him. The Bible says in Psalm 103. He remembers that we are dust. He never forgets that. I love that. God remembers that I'm only dust. There's a limit to how much I can bear. He doesn't allow me to be tested beyond my ability. You don't have earthen vessels here in the United States. Like we have in India and the villages. It's earthen vessels everywhere. Earthen vessels you got to be so careful. If you just put them down to the ground a little hard. They break. It's that easy. God knows we are made of dust. Earthen vessels so easily cracked. So easily broken. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability. But he wants to stretch our faith. To make us strong. And so Jesus said to him. Verse 50. Go your way. Your son lives. And here is the exercise of faith. The son didn't have faith. The man believed. This is one of the wonderful things. As I said I see in scripture. Where if a person doesn't have faith. Somebody else's faith. Can work a miracle for that person. You read of another example like that. Where you know that story. Where people tore up the roof. Where Jesus was preaching in a house. And opened up the roof. And lowered this man who was paralyzed. And it says there in Mark's gospel. That Jesus saw their faith. And healed this man. He saw the faith of those four people. Who wouldn't let anything come between them and the Lord. Even tear up the roof. And what faith they must have had. To tear up the roof. And Jesus saw their faith. And healed this man. These things are written for our instruction. Very often. We have heard it said that you must have faith. I agree. There were cases where Jesus told them. You don't have faith. Then I can't do anything for you. But here are these amazing examples in scripture. And I have already quoted a number of them to you. Where somebody else exercised faith on behalf of someone. And I pray that that will be true in our life. Go your way your son lives. Here is verse 50. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke. And he started off. Now his faith. Was not as great as the centurion's faith. Who said Lord you don't need to come to my house. This man's. Was a second level of faith. But still it was faith. That when Jesus told him. Your son lives. He immediately believed it. There was something instantaneous. He started off. It says here. And then. We read here. This is something wonderful here. I want you to notice. You know there is something you miss. When you don't read scripture carefully. If you had to sign a legal document. You would read every word carefully. You got to read scripture carefully. I want to show you something here. It says here in verse 52. No. Verse 51. As he was now going down. His slaves met him. And said that his son was living. The son that was dying. Was suddenly healed. It was not a gradual. You know. Freedom from sickness. It was immediate. And then he asked him. He was a bit curious. He was a smart guy. He asked him. What time. Did he get better? Verse 52. And they said to him. Yesterday at the seventh hour. That means at one o'clock in the afternoon. The day for the Jewish people began at six a.m. Yesterday at the seventh hour. Means yesterday. At one o'clock. He was healed. And then the father knew. That was exactly the same time. That he had spoken to Jesus. I remember hearing the story. Of Hudson Taylor. That great missionary to China. When he was a young man. And he was not converted. He drifted away. He was never converted. And his mother was a very God fearing mother. And his son was away somewhere. In some other town. And his mother was praying for him. And there in that other town. This young man 17 or something. Got converted. And he came the next day home. And said mom. And his mother said. I already know. And I prayed yesterday. The Lord told me. That my son was converted. It was just like this man. It happens even today. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. But it requires a God fearing mother. Or a God fearing father. Or a God fearing brother or sister. Who will pray for that person. And say Lord I believe. You can do something. The exact time. As soon as Jesus said. Your son lives. That was the moment he was healed. The other thing I want you to see here is. Do you know the distance. When I read about Cana and Capernaum. And all in the Bible. I go to the back of my Bible. And I always have this habit of looking at these maps. And there is a scale given here. So that I know the exact distance. From Capernaum to Cana. Is less than 20 miles. Imagine a man in a royal carriage. At one o'clock in the afternoon. The Lord has told him. Your son lives. One would think he would want to rush back home. How come he reached the next day? He stayed overnight. In an inn. And said. My son is okay. The Lord told me. Something wonderful I see about his faith there. That he could sleep that night peacefully. Because when he met his servants. His servants said. Verse 52. Yesterday at one o'clock. There is something wonderful about the faith of this man. That once he knew the Lord had spoken. He could be at rest. He could sleep. The Bible says. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything. By prayer. And supplication. Philippians 4 verse 6. Supplication means specific request. Not Lord bless me. That is not specific enough. What exactly? That is supplication. And then with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. Lord thank you. You have heard me. Then I can sleep in the inn at night. And find the next day. That the Lord answered my prayer. That thanksgiving. Is the mark. Of your faith. So he slept that night. And thanked the Lord. He was not in a rush. It was only 20 miles away. But he was not in a rush to go home. He slept at night. And the next day he got up. And went. And he heard these people say. Yesterday he was healed. I know I just wanted to make sure. The time was exactly the same. It was the same. And this was a sign it said. It was not a coincidence. That healing. I want to say to you my brothers and sisters. When you pray to the Lord for something. And you get an answer. Don't give the credit to the doctors. And to the hospital. And to that good surgeon. And to this new medicine that's been discovered. Give the glory to God. It was the Lord. Who answered that prayer. For a child of God. There are no such things as coincidences. Etc. There are no disappointments either. Because everything is his appointment. There is no disappointment at all. Everything is appointed by God. So much. Yeah. I wanted to say this before I close. And that is the best part of it. Sorry. It says this man believed. Verse 53. And his whole household. The last part. He led his whole family to the Lord. He said isn't it wonderful to believe in a Lord. Who can do things like this. He was converted. First he believed just for the healing of his child. And then he was converted himself. And he led. His whole family. To the Lord. What a wonderful home that was. After that. Is there somebody here who needs this message today. Somebody who. Has a similar problem. I want to say to you. First. Ask God. To show you the seriousness. Of sin. That's the first thing. That will bring a little more desperation into your prayer. The seriousness. Of this drift. Towards worldliness. That we see in young people. All around us in this country. It's a demonic. Satan inspired thing. People who once upon a time. Kept their mind pure. Are comfortable now. With R rated movies. And internet pornography. You think that's not serious. It's sad. When believers think these things are not serious. They are so terribly serious. And the devil is trying to. Dull our conscience. By letting these things go on. You know. He gradually gets. Things worse and worse and worse. On the television. And worse and worse and worse in the movies. So that you gradually get acclimatized to. More and more sin. More and more sin. Till it becomes normal. That's the devil's way. It's pretty serious. Things are going downhill. Very quickly. Very steep this road downhill. All over the world. And many of our children. Are on that road. We need to pray for them. We need to pray for our loved ones who are not saved. Or if you are not saved yourself. You need to come to the lord. And say lord before I slip any further downhill. Save me. He is the same today. Let's pray. You are invited to visit. Our website on the internet. At www.cfcindia.com