John 4:43-54 Believing then Seeing

Intro

Well we have been into the book of John now for a few months…We just walked though the end of the book and now we are circling back to where we left off

So just to intro this, I want to circle back and help us to

Chapter 1: A new creation: We see a new creation story: in the beginning was the word and the word was with God! And this word has become flesh, he is the Messiah, Jesus…Chapter one tells us that it is the person of Jesus that connects heaven and earth

Chapter 2: Jesus turns water into wine. The point is that the arrival of the messiah on the earth is pure Joy! that Jesus is bringing the joy. But the next story is crazy, Jesus clears the temple and then he claims that the temple will be destroyed and rebuilt in three days…Of course he is talking about his body! This is foreshadowing of what we celebrate every year at Holy Week.

Chapter 3: Is this amazing theological conversation between Jesus and the teacher of Israel. Jesus says look you have to be born again. Not only is Jesus talking about how he is the new creation but Jesus is saying look how you become a new creation is that you have to be born again

And it is in the middle of this conversation that we get this anchor verse of our faith, of the character of Jesus:

John 3:16–17 (NIV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Father so loves the world that he sent his son, to save and not condemn. Some of you need to hear that…That the job of Jesus is to save and not condemn!

Then we get to where we are going to pick up today…

Chapter 4: This is the famous women at the well story, where Jesus, on his way to Galilee goes though Samaria, where the enemies of the Jews live because he has to meet this woman and redeem her life! She believes in Jesus, She goes and tells her whole town about who Jesus is…..

All through the gospel of John you see Jesus moving people from Darkness to light…All though John we see this amazing revelation of who Jesus is and how he is actually going though Israel and redeeming creation…

So today we are going to jump in and actually read the last of chapter 4

So try and keep these themes in Mind: Jesus is ushering in the new creation…Light in the darkness

John 4:43–54 NIV

After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 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. 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. “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 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.

Observations:

Ok John doesn’t want you to miss a few things.

1. People knew who Jesus was they had seen him at the passover in Jerusalem

2. This happened in Cana, this is where the first sign was

In the book of John there are really just three healings…

The healing that we will look at today, there is one next week and then the man born blind…

This is something radically different than the other gospels where there are healings everywhere…

So let’s get into the text:

Ok lets look at verse 43:

It starts off by saying: “After two days” And here is why this is impotrant. This is a familiar what scholars call a “Saddle Text” There are numbers of these in John and they are meant to link other stories together. I have been asked before…

How can we read this one text and link it to all the others. I just want to point this out so when you are reading your bibles you see it too….This is a really clear case because John just tells us what he is doing

He says “after this” then he talks about going back to Cana…John is teaching his reader that the way he is writing is layered…That other stories give light on this story. And I know that this seems like a small thing to focus on in a sermon but I just can not emphasize enough the importance of reading the bible in its context. John is telling us. Look there is a context for all these stories and you need to remember it before I give you the next story

Why? John is further revealing who Jesus is! and he wants you to know who Jesus is: he is basically saying, “Pay attention, we are going deeper”

So Jesus links two stories to this one. The wedding at Cana and Jesus flipping the tables at passover…

So John is like hey don’t forget chapter two when you read the last of chapter 4….

Why?

Because Jesus is going to give another big revelation as to who he is and these all stack up…

And John wants you to see who Jesus really is!

So let’s get to the meat of the story here:

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.

Once more He visited Cana: So what we have to remember is that there is this story floating around Cana…There was this wedding feast and something amazing happened…There was a disaster…They ran out of wine way too early…

Jesus had the servants fill these jars that were for ceremonial washing and all of the sudden the master of the ceremony scooped out wine..>Like the greatest wine too!

So there is a community here that has seen Jesus do some amazing things and so it is very likely that Jesus has a reputation when he goes into town….That’s the guy!

On top of this, Jesus disciple Nathanael is from the town of Cana

So there is some hype about Jesus coming to town…It is likely what prompted this royal official to come to Jesus with his request…

So we do not know who this royal official is exactly, Scholars argue since it says it is a “royal official” and seeing how this is very familiar to a story in Luke about healing a Roman Centurion’s son…

That this is a Roman official, likely associated with the house of Herod…So Herod is a half/Jew Half/Roman

And likely this was a non-Jewish roman official…

And here is what I love about this scene.

Remember John wants you to read this in light of what he just wrote before

And there is a progression to what he wrote before…

Jesus does his first sign at a Jewish Wedding…He goes to Jerusalem during passover and has a Jewish conversation regarding the temple…really revealing that he is the new temple

Then he talks with Israel’s Teacher about being born again but there is a Pivot point where John wants you to see that the Love of Jesus is both for the Jews and the world

It all Pivots around

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Pause here for a second: This verse is so familiar that I always sense when we read it, we gloss over it.

But some of you just need to read this verse and include yourself in it…For God so loved me…He came and he died for me. because I am worthy of God’s love

And after 3:16 John tells us about this little conversation between John the Baptist and one of his disciples…

His disciple Says…

John 3:26 NIV

They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

And so now…John shows us chapter 4

For God so loved the world that he went to Samaria! This hated place filled with a hated people

For God so loved the world, that he is actually having a conversation with a Roman Royal official!

There is this amazing progression in the gospel, where Jesus goes to his people but then his kingdom expands to everyone

This section preaches a vital truth

The love of Jesus is for everyone

Good Jewish rabbis didn’t associate with Romans but Jesus didn’t care about societies made up rules.

Jesus functions on love not on our terms or our rules.

And the love of Jesus even made people uncomfortable because he loved people that society was so comfortable throwing away

I want to tell you that I have been convicted so many times by Jesus…I have had encounters with some rough people…I was in this lobby on a rainy day…I had given a homeless person a warm cup of coffee and some food and we were calling around to shelters where he could stay….He told me he was just going to sleep in our building…When I told him that wasn’t going to happen he started yelling at me and threw the coffee into the air and it stained our ceiling…

In my fleshly reaction I started to get mad at him…And it was as if Jesus rebuked me right there and said, “Dave, he is the reason why I laid my life down, love him with my love”

And I was like but Jesus he threw coffee! ….And Jesus is like…Yes, at my building…You serve him…

The second you start writing someone off it is my prayer that Jesus convicts you the same way he convicted me.

We all have this tendency to think…This person is not worthy of my time, of my love…because they believe a certain thing or act a certain way…And It is my prayer that in the moment that we realize we are doing this that we remember that For God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son and he didn’t send his son for the purpose of condemnation but for salvation.

So there is a simple truth.

Jesus loves everyone and so should you

So this Roman official exercises great faith by going to Jesus and begs for Jesus to heal his son who is dying back in Capernum…Probably a day’s voyage away on foot…

So this story is going to begin to parallel the water into wine story

I want to show you here

The man has a request of Jesus

Now The community is rebuffed a little bit Jesus says

John 4:48 NIV

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

Remember…In the water to wine story…Jesus’s mom came up to him and was like Jesus they ran out of wine and Jesus said

“Woman, why do you involve me?”

In this case. The roman official asks Jesus but Jesus responds to the entire community

The “You” here is plural

In Greek it indicates that jesus is talking to everyone who is around, not just the royal official…in fact it is the royal official who will believe without seeing in this group

But why does Jesus say this?

Look John calls the miracles of Jesus ‘Signs” in his gospel why? Because a sign points to something

Jesus is saying here look don’t chase after the miraculous…Chase after me

I think when we are in real need we have a tendency to chase after the miraculous, I’m coming to church because I need my marriage to be right…I’m coming to church because I need God to provide financially…I’m coming to church because I am sick and I need to be healed…

And what Jesus is saying to this whole community is don’t come to me like I am some slot machine divvying out rewards…

Come to me for me

I am not saying that Jesus doesn’t do miracles things today…I actually have seen amazing things, I know he still heals and makes people new today. What Jesus is saying is believe in Jesus because he is the son of God who stepped out of heaven for the sake of love…Not for the benefits he can bring you!

In John’s gospel, Genuine faith is not built on miracles

If the man had been toying with the idea of viewing Jesus as a wonder-working, cure-all magician, Jesus stopped him immediately in any such pattern of thinking.

So John 4:49

The royal official replies

John 4:49–50 NIV

The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

The man doesn’t care about the miracles…He is not one of these people who are just searching after the miracles…He just wants his son to be well and he believes in Jesus

The royal official is not interested in Christology or fulfilled prophecy or even in signs and wonders: he is interested in the well-being of his child

His urgent prayer for help wins Jesus over

The man accepts Jesus’ word and departs, thus demonstrating that he, unlike most Galileans, is not simply interested in signs and wonders

By the way…Because John is always linking his stories

This follows the same stricture of Mary telling the Servants “Do whatever he tells you”

And then the Man took Jesus at his word and departed

the man obeyed the word of Jesus without seeing the sign.

In the ancient world miracles and acts of power were linked to the presence of the miracle worker, but here the healer refused to be present.

The story therefore is an important illustration of the purpose for which John wrote the Gospel.

Here believing the word is linked with not immediately seeing the sign

Do I take Jesus at his word, or do I demand proof?

This is what this section is asking

Remember Mary in Cana told the servants: Do whatever he tells you…In other words…Take Jesus at his word! If he tells you something do it

Or are you like a great many people who would never do that but demand proof before you put your faith in Jesus

I mean look Jesus dealt with both people

This story will actually set up another story…A story that happens after the resurrection

Thomas wasn’t at the party

John 20:25 NIV

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Unless I see

I will not put my faith in something I can not see

So Jesus shows up at the party just for Thomas

John 20:27–29 NIV

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Look, I understand

It is hard to take Jesus at his word

Seeing helps you believe

But I think that Jesus knows that when you come to believe based on Miracles then you will always chase after that next miracle to sustain you

But when you take Jesus at his word!

When you read the words of jesus and believe then That is when God does truly miraculous things and begins changing you from the inside out!

let’s read the rest of the text

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.

I love this

It is at taking Jesus at his word…and this royal official leaving and going home…displaying this amazing faith….Jesus said it so it must be done

It is at this that Jesus recieved confirmation that his son was alive

That the man believed…He and his whole family believed

I think the question arrises

What do you need to put your faith in Jesus?

What do you need to trust in Jesus?

Is his word enough?

For Thomas he was a signs and wonders guy

He needed a whole show

But is the word of Jesus enough?

Blessed are those who have not seen and believed.

Lastly John Points out that this is the second sign…And I want to just point out one thing before we close

John gives us seven signs because they echo the creation motif from genesis 1.

It is not a strict overlaying of the signs and the days

But here is the point

John wants us to see that Jesus is making a new creation:

The Signs Reverse the Effects of the Fall

Each of the seven signs targets something broken by Sin in Genesis 3 and beyond:

Water → Wine (joy restored)

Healing the official’s son (life over distance/death)

Healing the lame man (body restored)

Feeding 5,000 (Abundance of Eden)

Walking on water (chaos subdued—Genesis waters imagery)

Healing the blind man (light overcoming darkness)

Raising Lazarus (ultimate reversal: death → life)

It’s like Jesus is systematically undoing the curse of creation

The signs show us: A whole new world has begun in Jesus.

So I want to end with a question:

Will you believe?

Not after you see more.

Not after you have proof.

But right now—will you take Jesus at His word?

The official didn’t get evidence first.

He just got: “Go… your son will live.”

And John says, “The man took Jesus at his word and departed.”

That’s faith.

He walked away with nothing but the word of Jesus—

and the miracle happened before he ever saw it.

Some of you are waiting to see…

and Jesus is saying, “Believe—and then you’ll see.”

So here it is:

When Jesus says you are forgiven—believe Him.

When He says you are loved—believe Him.

When He says you can be made new—believe Him.

You don’t need another sign.

You have His word.

Will you believe?

Right now—tell Him.

“Jesus, I trust you. I’m all in.”

Because He is still speaking life:

“Go… you will live.”

Prayer

There might be some of you who say Lord I need to see, I have a harder time with this. You’re like Thomas

This father gets to keep his son

The heavenly father is giving away his son