The Book of John - 26

Introduction: As we move into verses 46-54, we will be finishing out the last of the witnesses according to our general outline.

We will be moving to a section in John where we will see the coming rejection.

We began in this series by John issuing an opening prologue. In that prologue, He identifies the central message of this Gospel message and that is the Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.

Then from chapters 1-4, as we have seen, John by inspiration of the Holy Spirit presents to us certain witnesses.

In chapters 5 through the end of 6 we will see the the coming rejection of the Word of God.

III. The Coming Rejection of the Word 5-6:71

At the end of this chapter, chapter 4, we see the final testimony of the noblemen.

All of the witnesses that have been presented by John up to this point have seen the Lord and believed.

We might think of this presentation as a witness stand in a court case.

You can imagine the line up of witnesses as they are presented:

John the apostle take the stand, tell us about when you met the Lord Jesus Christ, who is He?

Andrew and Peter, you two know Jesus, who is He?

James, son of Zebedee can you testify of who the Lord is?

Nathanael, your a practical man who is this man whose name is Jesus....

All of these witness are presented to speak to who the Lord is.

Though these witnesses come from different backgrounds and social standings they have found that the Lord Jesus Christ “full of grace and truth.”

They testify that He is the Christ the Son of God.

In this last section we will see the same revelation from the Noblemen’s son.

We begin with this account in verse 45.

The Bible that the Lord arrived in Galilee and the Galileans received Him.

John 4:45 “45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.”

The Word of God says they had seen what He had done at the feast.

This is a reference to John 2:23.

John 2:23 tells us “23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.”

You will remember in that chapter, we have recorded for us really the first opposition the Lord encountered in Jerusalem when He cleared out the Temple Court of the money changers and those selling sacrificial animals.

It was in that chapter that the Lord gives the first allusion to His resurrection.

He stated in John 2:19 “19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

We see that some listened and others would not.

One expositor stated this, “A man can never be led to believe in Christ until he is receptive to Christ. He must be willing to listen to the message of Christ.”

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004), 98.

It is evident that these Galileans at these at this point were willing to listen.

Sometimes in our efforts to witness to others of our wonderful Savior, we discover rather quickly that they are unwilling to listen.

As the Gospel record of John progresses we will see that the people by and large will become increasingly unwilling to listen.

It is truly a fact of our task that many we encounter unfortunately who will not listen or are not yet in a place to listen.

I believe another valid point that we can make here is that it does matter how we live day to day and moment to moment.

You will notice that these Galileans had witnessed what the Lord had done at the feast.

Because of this, they were willing to hear him in Galilee.

More to the point, unlike the Lord who is omniscient we never know who is watching us as we go through our day to day lives.

Example: Our neighbor and someone going to HRSOTB

People witness our manner of life.

People observe the way we speak.

People certainly notice how it is that we treat one another.

Notice further what the Bible testifies by way of introduction in verse 46.

John 4:46 “46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.”

We see the foundational connection between this passage and the wonderful truth that was taught in 36-40, and that is that our labours will have a profound affect into the future.

In verse 46 John first names the location where the Lord went, which is Cana of Galilee.

Then we see that John reminds the reader, this was where Jesus began with this first miracle at the wedding feast.

No doubt in connection with the Lord’s first recorded miracle/sign in the book of John coupled with His testimony from the feast in Jerusalem, we see a welcome reception here in Galilee.

And with that the stage is set for the Lord to broaden His ministry.

The Bible tells us there was a certain noblemen whose son was sick.

The word that is used here translated as noblemen is an interesting word.

It is the word ‘βασιλικός’ Basilikos which means royal or royal official—or petty king.

It is where we get the word Basilica— which used to mean royal court.

It spoke to the design of the buildings used by the Romans for halls of justice.

Eventually, under Constantine these type buildings were made into church buildings.

Here in out text, I want you to understand that this certain noblemen was in fact someone connected to the royal court perhaps of Herod Antipas.

The fact is that the Lord in His short 3 1/2 years reached all kinds of people.

We can see other examples of this in the Scriptures.

For instance in Luke 8:3 “3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.”

In Acts 13:1 we see Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch.

Acts 13:1 “1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.”

This emphasizes the whosoever call of the Gospel.

The Lord was not a respecter of persons.

Which brings us to another point.

This noblemen, though he was living at the top of ladder had needs that could not be met by the world.

This man perhaps had access to the best doctors of the day.

He had access to the top religious leaders no doubt.

He would have had influence and connections to get help and yet all his connections could not help him in this time of need.

One commentator stated it this way, “Eventually the severe needs arising from accident, illness, disease, suffering, and death strike everyone. No one is exempt. One may be an official in government or even the king himself—it does not matter. The day eventually comes when every man needs help. The severe disasters of life are beyond any man’s control.”

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004), 100.

Not only did this noblemen have a need, but verse 47 tells us something important.

John 4:47 “47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.”

He heard something of this man Jesus.

We do not know exactly what he had heard outside of the news of the Lord being in town, but it is obvious by the context of the passage, that he believed that Jesus could help.

I thought about this kind of occurrence in the life of a Christian. Many times, a lost person will come and ask the Christian to pray in times of difficulty.

I wonder if the world sees you as the Christian to go to in their time of difficulty?

This healing of the noblemens son will be the second of seven signs presented in John. This first occured here as well, which we already referenced, where Jesus turned the water into wine.

Warren Wiersbe says of these seven signs that they illustrate the way in which a person is saved.

He goes on to say that the turning of water into wine illustrated that salvation is through the Word.

The healing of the son in this passage shows that Salvation is through faith.

How do we se faith exhibited in this passage?