Healing of the Officials Son

Intro

Space

You just to have faith sister…have faith brother…

Series MIRACLES.

Built around the 7 miracles of Jesus.

John 20:30–31 NIV

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John calls them signs b/c signs are meant to direct you.

Scripture

Chapter 3 — Wine into Water — Jesus came to do something new. Things are not like they were.

Chapter 3 — Nicodemus // happens while he’s in Jerusalem during a Passover

Chapter 4 — Woman at the well

John 4:45 NIV

When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

He had a reputation. People started to figure out he was a miracle worker. John even remarks that some people started to “believe in his name.” In other words people are starting to whisper Messiah.

John 4:46–47 NIV

Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

This man was an official of Herod Antipas. This was the man who would eventually behead John the baptist. Certainly Herod knew of Jesus and his ministry at the time.

So this official did as well. He knew that Jesus could work miracles, he’d heard of all the signs and wonders Jesus had performed in Jerusalem.

He did what any parent does when they are desperate, he did what anyone would do when someone you love is hurting. He went to search for help.

He and his wife sitting in the living room talking about it. How can we help him? I’ve heard of a Rabbi from Nazareth that does miracles, well no one else is helping our son. You go get him and bring him here!

So this man goes and searches for Jesus.

John 4:48 NIV

“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

At first, this seems so insensitive, but Jesus isn’t speaking directly to this man, he’s speaking to the crowds still. He knows that the crowds are there only to get something from him and they will never believe unless they see more signs.

B/c remember signs are meant to direct you. What’s about to happen next is going to make a point for everyone to see.

John 4:49 NIV

The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

You can hear the pain in the officials voice. I think he says it with tears, as a last resort, Jesus please. You can come and make my son well…

Maybe you’ve been there before?

You want Jesus and you need Jesus to do something but it’s just not working out the way you expected or the way you had hoped.

you’re praying, mom’s still sick

gone to church, we’re praying and my wife and I still can’t get pregnant

I’m reading the Bible, following the commands to stay pure and i still don’t have a guy who’s worth anything interested in me

You’ve made this request of Jesus in some for or fashion before haven’t you?

Jesus, please come down…come to where I am…come down here we need your help.

I think Jesus looked at him and I think he looks at us and he says…

John 4:50 (NIV)

“Go,”

“Go,”Jesus replied, “your son will live…”

Jesus tells the man, the miracle is coming, the sign is coming, but you have to GO!

Notice, Jesus didn’t explain how he was going to do it, He simply said that he would do it.

And listen to this guys response, his is absolutely wild.

John 4:50 (NIV)

…The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

This man turned around, and went out on a limb and choose to trust Jesus. He truly did…

Walk by faith

Without any hard evidence that he would be healed, he trusts Jesus and just leaves.

Contrast that with what Jesus said before — some will only believe bc of a sign, but this took Jesus at his word.

Walked by faith.

Sometimes, he asks the same of us.

Why?

B/c this relationship is not about what you can get. Some people treat a relationship with Jesus or God that way and honestly it the wrong way to go about it.

Imagine if your relationship with your wife was all about what she could get from you. How far would that relationship go? Imagine if you relationship with him was all about what he could get?

You’ve meet people before like that right? Isn’t it true that when your GF came and told you about him, and it was clear he just wanted something from her and what advice did you give her? RUN right, leave him.

…but yet that’s how we treat our relationship with God. Only wanting something from him.

I don’t love it when my kids ask me what can I do for them. Now, do they get stuff? Of course, like food and water and shelter and legos, and Fortnite, but as a father I want a relationship with them, the things I do for them aren’t the point.

John continues with the story.

John 4:51–54 NIV

While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed. This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

Again, he calls them a sign, not a miracle although it was flat out a miracle. John wants us to see what he saw all those year ago.

Application

This sign is directing us to trust him. That he can be trusted and there are sometimes in life when you and I need to…

Walk by faith

Believe me I know what you’re thinking, Brandon this isn’t the best answer this isn’t the answer that I wanted, how on earth am I supposed to do that now, after what just happened…

at work

in our house

with my kids, Lord they’ve walked away from faith

in marriage, after all the space that we’ve had.

You’re right, it sure is, but this is varsity faith. This is next level stuff right here.

You know what this man did?

He believed that Jesus could and he behaved as if Jesus would.

Moses does this

Joseph does this

David does this

Nehemiah does this

That’s what walking by faith means…

Believing Jesus can and behaving as if he will.

Again, this is hard b/c it means we have to enter into the unknown and what happens if he doesn’t answer the prayer the way I want him to? What if he doesn’t come thru the way I want or need?

Then we trust that His will is right.

but until then…

Believe Jesus can and behave as if he will.

This is what it means to “walk by faith.”

So today, it’s time to take the first step. On the bottom of your message notes we have a connection card, with a prayer section on the back. Write what your believing Jesus for and put it on the alter.

Then turn around and behave as if Jesus will, and as you leave today, start walking by faith.