信心需要成长
约翰福音四章43至54节
43过了那两天，耶稣离了那地方，往加利利去。
44因为耶稣自己作过见证说：「先知在本地是没有人尊敬的。」
45到了加利利，加利利人既然看见他在耶路撒冷过节所行的一切事，就接待他，因为他们也是上去过节。
46耶稣又到了加利利的迦拿，就是他从前变水为酒的地方。有一个大臣，他的儿子在迦百农患病。
47他听见耶稣从犹太到了加利利，就来见他，求他下去医治他的儿子，因为他儿子快要死了。
48耶稣就对他说：「若不看见神迹奇事，你们总是不信。」
49那大臣说：「先生，求你趁着我的孩子还没有死就下去。」
50耶稣对他说：「回去吧，你的儿子活了！」那人信耶稣所说的话就回去了。
51正下去的时候，他的仆人迎见他，说他的儿子活了。
52他就问甚么时候见好的。他们说：「昨日未时热就退了。」
53他便知道这正是耶稣对他说「你儿子活了」的时候；他自己和全家就都信了。
54这是耶稣在加利利行的第二件神迹，是他从犹太回去以后行的。
信息分享
经文所载的事件发生在加利利，当中牵涉到两个城镇和两位人物。这两个城镇是相距约二十五哩的迦拿和迦百农；而那两位人物是病童的父亲和耶稣。
那位心急如焚的父亲，知道只有基督可以帮到他。他两手空空地跑到耶稣面前，除了向祂提出自己的恳求和显示对祂的信心之外，再没有向耶稣提出任何的回报。他可能很富有，但他没有提出以金钱作为酬劳。他只向耶稣说：「我的儿子快要死了，你可否救他？」
基督当然愿意救他，但与此同时，祂又希望看见这名父亲的信心能够成长；因此，祂给他两个考验。首先，祂对他说：「人人都想看神迹，却没有人愿意相信我」。这个测试很快便证明那名父亲究竟是想看神迹，还是愿意去相信祂。
那名父亲听完耶稣的话，再重申自己的要求，显示他相信基督的能力。
基督接着说：「好吧，如果你真的相信我，那么，就照我的吩咐去做--你立即自行回家，你回去之后，就会看见你的儿子已经好了。」
那名父亲是否愿意听从基督的话，立即自行回家？是的，他愿意。他立即转身回去，甚至在回程途中，还在某处借宿了一晚(参51至53节)。当他知道儿子在何时痊愈的时候，他便获得了信心的确据(53节)。
只要我们研读神的话语--圣经--并愿意信从它的话而行，我们的信心便能逐渐成长。你的信心可能会遭受考验，然而，这却是信心成长的必经之途。愿你立志去经历考验，并获得信心的成长。
祷告：
主啊，求你加增我的信心。当我要经历信心的考验时，求你扶持我，使我能站立得稳。
Our Faith Must Grow
John 4:43-54
43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45 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.
A Nobleman’s Son Healed
46 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.
47 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.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 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.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 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.”
53 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.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Message
This happening took place in Galilee and concerns two towns and two people. The two towns were Cana and Capernaum, about 25 miles apart. The two people were the father of the sick boy and Jesus.
The father had a real need. He felt Christ could help him. He went to Jesus with nothing to offer except his need and his faith. He may have had money but he didn't offer it. He simply said, 'My son is dying, will you help me?'
Now Christ wanted to help, but he also wanted to see this man's faith grow. So he gave him two tests. First, he said, 'All you people want to see are miracles. You're not interested in believing in me.' That test would soon show what the man really wanted.
The father answered by stating his need again, and in doing so showed his faith in Christ's power.
Then Christ said, 'All right, if you believe in me, do this-go home now without me. When you get there your child will be well again.'
Was the father prepared to step out on Christ's word alone? Yes, he was. He turned and started going home and even stayed overnight somewhere on the way. (See verses 51-53.) Then the assurance came to him that healing had come (v.53)
Faith grows as we read God's Word, the Bible, and dare to believe what it says. Try it now. Your faith will be tested, but then that is how faith grows.
A Prayer:
Lord increase my faith. Help me to stand the tests that help my faith grow.