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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… “Sir, come down before my child dies.” John 4:47, 49

To this man’s credit, he refuses to be put off. After Jesus speaks, he repeats his request.

The royal official thought that for his son to be healed, he needed to persuade Jesus to travel 20 miles and come to his house. But Jesus does not need to travel 20 miles to heal the boy. Jesus says to him, “Go; your son will live” (4:50).

This tells us something very wonderful about the authority of Jesus: what Jesus says happens. If he says, “Your sins are forgiven,” your sins are forgiven. If he says, “Your son will live,” your son will live. If Jesus stands at a graveside and says, “Lazarus, come forth,” Lazarus will come forth. And when he calls out “Rise!” on the last day, every grave will be emptied. It follows, of course, that if on the last day Christ should say to any of us, “You are condemned,” we would be condemned. He is the sovereign Lord and no one resists his will.

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mat. 28:18). Having been raised by the Father from the dead, Jesus has been given the name that is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (see Phil. 2:9-10). Here Jesus speaks these wonderful words of grace: “Your son will live.”

Are you living your life as though Jesus’ authority actually worked like this?