Why do you believe in Jesus? Why do you live a Christian life? What do you want most from God? These might seem like funny questions, but if you think about your prayers, then you can probably work out what you want the most from God. What do you ask God for the most? Do you want Jesus to fix all your problems — do you want a fix-it Jesus, or do you want a Jesus that gives you salvation — a salvation Jesus.

The Jews in Jesus’ days just wanted a fix-it Jesus. They welcomed Jesus because of all the signs and miracles that he did. They wanted him to heal them and perform miracles. Jesus says when he responds to the nobleman, “You [by which he means all the Jews] only believe in my signs and wonders. You don’t believe in me, but just want me to perform miracles for you.”

But then we read about the nobleman who believes the words that Jesus speaks to him. The Spirit works faith in this man, and he believes without even seeing. And when he goes home and is told along the way that his son had been healed at the exact time that Jesus said that his son lives, then we are told again that he believes. He doesn’t just believe that Jesus can heal, but he believes that Jesus is the Saviour of the world. He believes what the sign points to. Jesus performed these miracles to show that he has come to be our Saviour. We were dead in sin and he makes us alive in him.

And that’s the Saviour that we need. We don’t need a fix-it Jesus, but a Saviour Jesus. We need him to forgive our sins and restore us to our God. Of course, we can still pray to God to ask him to help us in our difficulties. God wants us to do that. But even in these difficulties, and no matter how God answers our prayers, we know that we are safe with our Saviour Jesus.

Reflection with your child:

What do you want most from God?

Source: Sermon by Rev. R. Vermeulen