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The DEEP

Signs

of "multi-level" faith.

John 4:43–54

Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”

Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”

Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.

This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

A prophet may have no honor in his own country, but Jesus seems to have plenty. He must be more than just a prophet. So, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast.

Then the nobleman shows up. While “nobleman” could refer to almost any kind of official, it definitely means a Roman official. Once again, Jesus is ministering to gentiles—and this gentile is an interesting case. It looks like he believes that Jesus can cure his child. He’s obviously desperate and counting on Jesus to save his kid. Yet Jesus says he needs to see a miracle to believe.

He’s right. When the nobleman saw the “sign” that Jesus had cured his son, he himself believed.


This kind of “multi-level” faith is normal, if not universal. That’s the point of Mark 9:24.

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

The child’s father believes, but it’s a normal finite belief, not some infinite, rock solid, super faith.

We all need signs and wonders. Faith doesn’t normally go from zero to 100% in an instant. It did for the eyewitnesses to the resurrection, but that makes my point—the resurrection was the ultimate sign.

We need to be more honest about our faith. We’re so afraid to talk frankly about our beliefs that we delude ourselves into thinking our faith is perfect. That freezes all progress.

Nowadays, the signs that strengthen our faith spring from prayer. You want more faith? Pray more.


These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.

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