The Third Sunday after Michaelmas – Pr. Anderson sermon
St. John 4:46-54 “Faith in Action”
October 12, 2025 | Christ Lutheran Church
In Nomine Iesu
+ + +
Almighty and everlasting God, by Your Son You have promised us the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, and everlasting life: We beseech You, by Your Holy Spirit so enliven our hearts that in daily prayer we may seek our help in Christ against all temptations, and, constantly believing His promise, obtain that for which we pray, and at last be saved; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen. (Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary, by Veit Dietrich, p. 164)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. (Rom. 1:7, etc.)
The sermon text for today is taken from the 4th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John. We read selected verses in Jesus’ name:
The official said to Him, “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. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.
These are Your words, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your truth, Your Word is truth. Amen. (Joh. 17:17)
In Christ Jesus, who is your shield of faith, actively defending you and actively working through you, dear fellow redeemed:
What does it mean to be certain about something? The definition is you firmly believe it is true and have no doubt about it. Now what are those things that we can have certainty about? We can be certain that we will be paid by our job because we put in the work. As members of this congregation, we have certainty that if something happens to us, members will come to our aid because we are a tight knit group. As we look at the world we live in, it isn’t hard to watch as the certainty we have can start to decrease. Do we know for certain our government will get everything straightened out? Do we know for certain we will stay safe at our church? As the devil tries to get us to doubt certainties, our defender, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Our certainty is not our own, therefore, in the trials we face, we have certainty we will be taken care of. It is with this certainty, we will see our faith in action, revealing to the world the hope we have in our defender and Savior.
Our Savior is the only reason we have certainty to see our faith in action. We see this in the text as Jesus in the beginning of His ministry is already teaching His people about certainty and what their faith in action looks like. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.” To reveal this Word is truthful, an addition to Jesus’ Word is a miracle. Jesus has arrived where He performed His first one, turning water into wine. Now, Jesus is doing everything good, but as we know when man sees power, that power will be sought out for all the wrong reasons and our text reveals it is already happening as more people hear what He is doing. Jesus will quickly respond to this even though He knows it won’t fix sinful man’s desires. Some will come with faith, as they believe Jesus is the only One who can and will help. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
As we heard two weeks ago the account of Jesus healing the paralytic, this has been Jesus’ ministry to His people. When He teaches His people, He is also actively working to aid His people in their physical calamities. While Jesus is taking care of those who are neglected, someone of a much higher status has now heard Jesus is in town and for this official, things are in dire straits. And as the Lord has compassion on His people, this statement doesn’t sound like care when Jesus said to him, “Unless you [people] see signs and wonders you will not believe.” Jesus is teaching the certainty that is found in His work. And when it comes to His work, more than once He had to explain His Holy Word is enough.
While there are certainly people in the crowd that need to hear this, the official actually needed to hear it to and Jesus knew this as the official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” The official has shown much faith already as He believes that Jesus is the only one who can help his son and save him even from the jaws of death. Do you hear the problem in his response? There is a lack of certainty of who Jesus is. It is a very small detail, but a very important one. The official has said words we may have even said during times of trial and testing. “Jesus, why don’t you just come here and fix it?” The problem isn’t even in the demand; our problem is the lack of faith in asking Jesus to show himself to us. As everything falls apart, the certainty of Jesus’ Word can utterly leave us.
There are times it is easy to rely on the crutch of our time compared to the time when Jesus in our flesh walked on earth. And while there may be times that we want Jesus here and, in our presence to give us our aid, Jesus has said in His Holy Word, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b). The signs and wonders look better to our sinful eyes because it is something we can see. Without certainty, our faith is not revealed to be in action. Our faith turns to doubt and despair, allowing our great shield to fall down and not block the flaming darts of the evil one. Jesus didn’t need to go down to Capernaum and Jesus doesn’t need to come down in His flesh to stand right by your side. Jesus knows what you need and He says to you in His powerful Word, you right now are blessed because, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29b).
The joy you have for not seeing, comes from the joy found with this official. Jesus does not go and discourage this official’s faith. Instead, He uses this opportunity to strengthen it. Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” He reveals how His Word can save the official’s son right here and now. The official goes and sees that his son is healed at the moment Jesus told him to go. While many struggle with certainty the full certainty of what comes is found in the Word of Christ. And as He teaches the certainty that is found in His Word, He then takes the problems of those who love Him onto Himself because, a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice (Isaiah 42:3). The faith of the Savior in the plan and will of His Father. Faith, even when He knew He would be bruised.
This perfect faith in action that goes to be bruised, beaten, and crucified, is done so the people may be able to inherit it and live. The official’s faith was genuine, and Jesus’ faith to save him is gifted to him fully, revealing where true and certain faith ultimately comes from. It comes from hearing the Savior’s action in His Word. This miracle points to how powerful His Word is. Knowing that there would be many who would not see the His great miracles in this time period, Jesus’ powerful and holy Word was recorded for all to hear. St. John at the end of His Gospel writes, Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).
This saving faith truly believes He is here as He says He is. St. Paul points this out when he writes, But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:6-9). You don’t need to physically see Him in the flesh. You see in trials and tribulations your Savior is with you as He tells you in His Holy Word. You hear of His work of salvation and how it was done for you. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He was perfect in every way and with certainty you hear how you have the official’s saving faith.
This saving faith given to you by your Savior points you to this clear teaching. It will certainly be hard to handle the many trials you face. There will be plenty that will try to get you to give up. Yet, through each and every one of them, Jesus is with you taking your pain, and putting it on His shoulders. He knows there are times it would be easy to hide away but with His suffering on the cross and faith in the resurrection, He lifts up your shield of faith into action, dissolving the darts, so when you leave, you are refreshed in this great news, just like the official. The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. You walk away not because of lack of faith. You walk away with joy because of Jesus’ perfect faith in you. And Jesus’ faith in you will work wonders in your life with those you run into because this faith’s action is found in the power of His Word. The powerful Word is why you come believing and as St. John writes, but to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
You with the Official are sons of God. As His children, it is only natural for your faith to spring into action. The certainty you have in Jesus’ cross will not go unnoticed. After the miracle, St. John records, and he himself believed, and all his household. While this can happen in an instant, there are times where it feels like a daunting task. You hear Jesus say, In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Can this really happen, can you do it? Your faith shines before others by the work of the Spirit. You won’t physically see with your own eyes the Spirit at work, but you take your Savior at His holy and powerful Word. You won’t be needing a sign, and you won’t be sitting idly by. Your faith is actively working to share the love of the Gospel in your daily life and it will actively guard you as a shield. This shield will stand firm and you have certainty holding His Word sacred, and gladly hearing and learning it. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore. Amen.
+ + +