Who needs Jesus?
Notes
Transcript
Healing of the Official's Son
Healing of the Official's Son
43 After the two days he departed for Galilee.
44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.)
45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.
47 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.
48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”
49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
52 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.”
53 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.
54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
What does our passage say about God? First, He rewards faith regardless of who is asking. It is not about us, it is all about Him. Look at verses 46, 50 & 51
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.
We just finished studying Jesus’s interaction with the woman at the well. And how would you describe her social standing? She was an outcast right? Society looked down on her. Jesus knew she was ready to be harvested didn’t He?
50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
It isn’t about us at all.
Most people I know have suffered through financial difficulties or at least have struggled with desiring more money. And if we aren’t careful we can start to think that all our problems would be swept away if we had more money. It really becomes evident when you look at the lottery. Just last week Someone hit the lottery worth 1.08 Billion dollars. And every time the pot gets big, it is funny to listen to my co-workers talk about how great their life will be when they hit. Because they believe that their life will be so much better after because they won’t have to work again and work is another major source of stress in our lives isn’t it? But what are we reminded of in our passage this morning?
The dwellers in palaces often sleep more uneasily than the dwellers in cottages. Gold and silver can lift no man beyond the reach of trouble; they may shut out debt and rags, but they can not shut out care, disease, and death.
~ J.C. Ryle
What is another truth we learn about God this morning? We learn that it takes complete faith to be saved.
50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.
52 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.”
53 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.
Let’s look at another example in Mark
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”
20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
You can’t come half-harted and be saved. We know this man respected Jesus enough to want His opinion, look at verse 17
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus gives him the key to eternal life.
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Jesus wants all of us. Complete surrender. You can’t go half way it Jesus. It is all or nothing. Look at the outcome.
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
And then we contrast that with the official from our text in John and see the difference.
53 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.