Believing is Seeing

Introduction:

We come now to . In this second miracle or sign Jesus performs, we see the essence of true faith. True faith is taking God at his word.

1. I’ve been reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down.

2. When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

2. A man who stole a calendar got 12 months.

3. When chemists die, they barium.

4. I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.

5. I changed my wireless headphones’ name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.

6. England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

6. I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.

7. I know a guy who’s addicted to drinking brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.

These verses concern the second sign or miracle that John’s gospel records for us. The first was the turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Jesus returns to this area and is met there by a royal official, most likely an official of the court of Herod. He therefore would have been a man of great influence and wealth. Yet this man has a great and sorrowful problem, his son is ill and about to die. I suppose one of the first things we should notice from this text by way of introduction is that problems and sorrow come to all, regardless of race, social or economic status. As the book of Job relates, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” () This man’s money or position could not heal his son.

8. A dentist and a manicurist got married but they fought tooth and nail.

9. A bicycle can’t stand alone because it’s just two tired.

10. Police were summoned to a daycare center where a 3 year old was resisting a rest.

We’ve all heard the saying that “seeing is believing”. In this passage and as well as throughout the bible we discover that a dependance on the miraculous is not faith. That faith as the writer of Hebrews states, it “is the evidence of things not seen. Faith is believing and then seeing.

These verses concern the second sign or miracle that John’s gospel records for us. The first was the turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Jesus returns to this area and is met there by a royal official, most likely an official of the court of Herod. He therefore would have been a man of great influence and wealth. Yet this man has a great and sorrowful problem, his son is ill and about to die. I suppose one of the first things we should notice from this text by way of introduction is that problems and sorrow come to all, regardless of race, social or economic status. As the book of Job relates, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” () This man’s money or position could not heal his son.

As it has been said, “Money can buy you a fancy bed, but it can’t buy sleep. Money can buy or build a big and fancy house, but it cannot buy a home. Money can buy you acquaintances, but it cannot buy a true friend. Money can buy education, but it cannot buy wisdom. Money can buy you a church building even, but it cannot buy you into heaven. And money cannot ultimately buy life and health. This wealthy man had come to a place of desperation and had no recourse. So it is with many today. They live hopeless lives of desperation because their hope is in the things they own, the people they know or the money they have. Yet when sickness or death calls, none of these things can buy eternal life in heaven or peace in the heart.

No doubt this man had heard of Jesus miracle in Cana and was also aware of Jesus’ arrival back in the region. He rushes himself in desperation to meet Jesus and pleads for a miracle. The use of the language here in the Greek concerning pleading carries the idea of repeated begging. He kept it up. The words that come from Jesus here penetrate and probe to the core of men’s hearts.

I. Superficial and Shallow Faith (v.48)

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”

Superficial and shallow faith is dependent upon the senses. What one can touch, taste, handle. This type of faith is very emotion based, constantly seeking a new feeling in order to sustain it. Much like a drug addict that is constantly looking for the next high..shallow faith tends to seek the “next miracle” or the “next spine-tingling moment” in order to continue on.

The Crowds were only Seeking a Magic Trick from Jesus

Without question in the time Jesus walked this earth, there were a great deal of people who followed him only because of his miracles. They treated Jesus like a circus that rolled into town, looking for the newest magic trick or performance. When we come to John chapter 6:66, we discover that many would stop following Jesus due to his teaching. What was true of that day is also true today. The weakness of superficial faith is that it only seeks a sign. As a result, it misses the true identity of Jesus. This official was guilty of this at first as well. Sensationalism is confusing many today.

Jesus Desires Faith In Him - Not in Miracles or Signs

Now I believe that Jesus can perform miracles, he did in his time on earth and people believed. I also believe that emotions are a part of the Christian experience, from joy to celebration to indeed spine tingling moments. Yet we do not subject our faith to these tangible things. Faith is both objective and subjective. It is emotional but also practical. In my time in the ministry I have witnessed this short-lived superficial faith…much like the seed that fell on the shallow ground and did not take root…these individuals fall away when the road gets difficult. True faith is persevering faith. The question is what do we do when what we think of as “sensational” is not taking place.

, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.”

People today are no different than they were in the time this official came pleading to Jesus. The crows clamor after miracles or signs as validation for God’s existence. They want dramatic visions or dreams, spine-tingling experiences and physical miracles of some kind. This kind of faith is not biblical faith and is not saving faith. You can believe in a God of miracles because of something you may have experienced and yet still be lost in your sins because you have missed the greatest miracle of all…the miracle of the new birth by faith in Jesus Christ, not in his miracles, but in his person and finished work to rescue and save from the penalty of sin.

II. Desperate and Growing Faith (v.49)

The official’s response to Jesus’ words is one of desperation and humility. His heart is being moved in the right direction. He doesn’t use his authority and position to make demands of Jesus - he is humble. He understands that Jesus is his only hope of healing for his son.

A Cry For Mercy

With the limited understanding he had of Jesus, he still cried out to him for mercy.

John Bunyan, “I was driven to such straits that I must of necessity go to Jesus; and if he had met me with a drawn sword in his hand, I would sooner have thrown myself upon the edge of his sword than have gone away from him; for I knew him to be my last hope.”

III. A Test of Genuine Faith (v.50-54)

“The man believed what Jesus said to him and departed.”

This man had moved from a shallow faith to a dependent and confident faith. He believed the word of Jesus without seeing the miracle actually take place. How often do we balk when we cannot see the answer? This man had such confidence in the words of Jesus that he did not rush home (some 20 miles away) he waited until the next day and his servants informed him while he was on his way home. Interesting that in both the miracle of turning the water into wine and here the servants were the first to know.

Verses 52-53 reveal to us the saving faith of this man as well as those in his household…you see, crisis faith does not save you, faith in the bible does not save you, faith in the church does not save you, faith in miracles does not save you, faith in faith does not save you, it is faith in Jesus alone that saves.

We see from this scripture that true faith involves:

Listening to God’s Word

, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

There is power in the word of God.

When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony.”

, “ He said to him, “Am I to come and heal him?” 8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Believing God’s Word

8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Believing God’s Word

Hebrews

, “When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, pleading with him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony.” “7 He said to him, “Am I to come and heal him?” 8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

, “7 He said to him, “Am I to come and heal him?” 8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

You can sit here and listen to me preach this morning; but if you don’t believe the Word of God, you’re not going to have faith. You have to believe the Word of God. I can stand here and preach truth but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth. That is why before I preach every Sunday morning I am begging God to move upon your hearts to impart faith and belief.

Obeying God’s Word

Obeying God’s Word

Obedience is a birth-mark of true faith. Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated, “Faith is only real where there is obedience, never without it, and faith only becomes faith in the act of obedience.”

Conclusion:

Real faith is belief with legs on it. James told us in James chapter 2, verse 26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” () You don’t have strong faith if you do not obey the Word of God. You hear the Word of God, you believe the Word of God, and then you obey the Word of God. Had this man still had his superficial, superstitious faith, he would have still have been there begging Jesus for a sign, a wonder. But no, he just leaves it with Jesus. He does exactly what Jesus tells him to do, and he believes the Word of God.

Conclusion:

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive C. Obey the Word of God

Do you know what real faith is? Real faith is belief with legs on it. Real faith—don’t miss that—it is belief with legs on it. James told us in James chapter 2, verse 26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26) You don’t have strong faith if you do not obey the Word of God. You hear the Word of God, you believe the Word of God, and then you obey the Word of God. Had this man still had his superficial, superstitious faith, he would have still have been there begging Jesus for a sign, a wonder. But no, he just leaves it with Jesus. He does exactly what Jesus tells him to do, and he believes the Word of God.

“I’ve not seen clear, statistical evidence that fewer Christians die of cancer than nonbelievers, or that they are immune in greater degree from the diseases that afflict the human race. Some of the kindest, most selfless persons I have known have had more than their share of bad health. The fact that they belong to Christ did not insulate them from disease. Therefore I will not follow Christ for promised healing. I will not deny or dispute evidence of restoration of health. I will rejoice at every recovery from what seems to be hopeless, threatened death. I will not hesitate to pray for recovered health for my loved ones and acquaintances. I will set no limits on what God may do, but I will not follow Christ for promised healing.

“I see no sign that Christians escape disaster and accidents more often than others. I have helped dear friends empty muddy water out of dresser drawers and new appliances after a disastrous flood. I remember, as a child, taking clothes to a widow with five children whose house had burned to the ground. A bullet makes no detour around the body of a believer. Therefore I will not follow Christ for any promised protection from disaster. I will not scoff at amazing survivals nor deny that providence has and continues to work through the good of God’s own. I will continue to pray for protection from wicked men and tragedy, but I will not follow Christ for promised protection from accident or catastrophe.”

“I do not observe that Christians are especially favored with prosperity. Like James, we have all seen the rich oppressing the poor. And justice is rarely perfect in this world. The psalmist has said that he had ‘not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.’ () And in the deepest needs of life that is certainly true. But all of us have known people of integrity who have not prospered. Therefore I will not follow Christ for promised freedom from physical want or the hope of affluence.

There are a multitude of people today who are like this crowd that Jesus rebuked. They are seeking the miraculous signs and healings, yet far too many will miss the greatest miracle of all-true salvation. This miracle performed by Jesus reveals that his power is unlimited to perform miracles. Many other signs or miracles Jesus would perform…but the greatest miracle of all is the miracle of the new birth thru faith in Jesus Christ. Have you been born again?? Do you have faith in Jesus?

This miracle performed by Jesus reveals that his power is unlimited to perform miracles. Many other signs or miracles Jesus would perform…but the greatest miracle of all is the miracle of the new birth thru faith in Jesus Christ. Have you been born again?? Do you have faith in Jesus?

Do you know what real faith is? Real faith is belief with legs on it. Real faith—don’t miss that—it is belief with legs on it. James told us in James chapter 2, verse 26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” () You don’t have strong faith if you do not obey the Word of God. You hear the Word of God, you believe the Word of God, and then you obey the Word of God. Had this man still had his superficial, superstitious faith, he would have still have been there begging Jesus for a sign, a wonder. But no, he just leaves it with Jesus. He does exactly what Jesus tells him to do, and he believes the Word of God.