Dear Christian friends:

What is faith? Many people say, "I believe in God," but they do not understand what they are saying. They don't know what faith is. Faith is not the same as knowledge. Knowledge we can see and prove with earthly things and facts. But faith we cannot prove by earthly things. If I believe I know God but can't prove Him with earthly things.

True faith is not established on earthly proof, or things that we can see and touch. Often we try to prove our faith by what we see happening to us. This wrong.

Our faith has many weaknesses and faults we must ask God to cleanse and improve our faith and say with the disciples:


In our text the royal official had faith. He went to Jesus for help but his faith was faulty and weak. So is ours often. He thought Jesus could could not help him unless He came to his house in person. Jesus criticized his faith. (verse 48)

He thought if Jesus will come and put his hands on my son and do some strange signs He will be saved. But Jesus wants us to believe His Word and promises. The royal official also thought Jesus couldn't help if his son would die. When Jesus delayed he said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." (verse 49) His God was too small.

So often our faith is like the royal official. If we have good health, and good times and good jobs we think truly God loves me and forgives my many sins.

But if we lose our job and have sickness and troubles then we complain and doubt if God loves us and forgives us. If our conscience blames us for some bad sin we surely think He can't love me and forgive me.

Especially when a dear one in our family dies we think, "Why did this happen to me. It doesn't help to pray or go to church now my husband is dead. God doesn't care about me."

When we become a lay visitor and visit someone and he hears us and he accepts our visit pleasantly and makes a good pledge, then we think, "God is with Me and blessed my visiting." But if we visit someone and they refuse to hear and give us a bad time, then we say, "God failed me. His word is not strong and good."

But if we do like that we show much weakness and blemish in our faith. We should not worry about results or happenings. We must learn to trust His Words and promises. "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20) "I will never leave thee, nor forsake. (Hebrews 13:5) This is My body and blood given and shed for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28)

Whether we are rich or poor, sick or healthy or dying makes no difference. His Word is true and He loves us. Whether people listen to your witness or not God is using you and with you as He promises. Don't seek other proof except His Word and promises in the Bible.

Here in our text we see how Jesus helped the royal official's faith to improve and increase. When he asked Jesus to "come down" to his house and touch his son, Jesus refused. He stayed in that place and said: "You go your way home, your son lives (is well)." Jesus only spoke the words and the father was a whole day's journey from home. He couldn't look and see if his son was well or not.

He had no earthly sign or proof. He only had Jesus' words: "Your son lives." Jesus could easily have gone with him and healed his son at home, but He wanted to teach the father to trust only His words without seeing any earthly proof.

And surprise! We read now, "the man believed the Word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way." Now the father was satisfied and had peace in his heart. He believed the words of Jesus, "Your son lives." No more worry and excitement.

That is what Jesus wants to teach also you with this lesson. Don't look around for earthly proofs of God's love for you. Earthly proofs are fickle: Some days are good and some days are bad. We must experience both sunshine and rain, happiness and sorrow, sickness and health, life and death. That proves nothing whether God loves you or not.

His holy Words in the holy Bible and His wonderful and precious promises never change. The Bible says: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus says, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

2. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
Hymn: "Abide With Me"

If we like this father trust only in Jesus' Words and promises our faith will grow more strong. The father believed Jesus' words although he had no other proof and went on the way home with comfort, hope and joy in his heart. On the way home his servants met him and told him, "You son lives!" The father asked them at what time his son began to improve. They said yesterday at the seventh hour. So the father knew that it was the same hour Jesus spoke to him, "Your son lives."

What Jesus' Words promise happened exactly. God's Word is true and what He promises He will do. The father's faith grew more strong. So you, if you trust His Words and promises by experience and practice you will find His words are true. He gives peace and rest to our souls by forgiveness of sins. He gives comfort in time of trouble and death, and power to overcome the temptations of Satan and the world. After these experiences of faith, our faith grows more strong.

Now the father's faith was so strong he preached to his whole household and they believed too. May God increase our faith by hearing and remembering His Word and promises and by the Holy Spirits experience in our hearts full of His comfort and joy. Then we, too, like the this father will witness to others and help them to grow in faith with us.

You who are lay visitors, learn from this father! You who will be visited, hear their words like the wife, children and servants of the house in our text. Our Every Member Visit, (E.V.M.) will be a real blessing to all of us in this way.

Amen.