No Jesus, No miracles, know Jesus, Know miracles #2

BELIEVE VS BELIEVE IN

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU KNOW OR HAVE IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU CAN TAKE AT THEIR WORD?

THESE WOULD BE PEOPLE THAT WHEN YOU ASK THEM SOMETHING YOU WILL GET THE TRUTH FROM THEM, OR YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GIVE THEM A TASK TO DO AND THEY SAY THEY WILL DO IT, THEY DO IT. IT’S CONSIDERED A DONE DEAL.

TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SECOND MIRACLE OF JESUS THAT IS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF JOHN.

THIS MIRACLE TAKES PLACE IN THE EXACT SAME TOWN AS THE FIRST. IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES WITH YOU, TURN TO THE BOOK OF

John 4:46–54 ESV

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. 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. So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 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.” 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. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR:

THE BOOK OF JOHN BEGINS WITH THIS MIRACLE OF TURNING THE WATER INTO WINE AT A WEDDING.

JESUS THEN TAKES OFF TO CAPERNUM WITH HIS DISCIPLES AND HIS FAMILY. THEN PASSOVER HAPPENS AND JESUS GOES TO CELEBRATE AS THEY ALL DID IN THOSE DAYS.

AND HERE WE ARE JESUS HAS RETURNED FROM JUDEA, TRAVELLED THROUGH SAMARIA AND IS BACK IN CANA.

THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US:

THIS WAS A ROYAL OFFICIAL - HE HAD AUTHORITY - MORE THAN JESUS - HE COULD HAVE ORDERED JESUS TO WHERE HE WANTED HIM.

BUT THE STORY TELLS US A FEW THINGS:

HE BEGGED JESUS TO COME AND HEAL HIS SON

THE SCRIPTURE ALSO TELLS US THAT THIS FATHER TRAVELLED +- 32KM TO BEG JESUS TO COME AND HEAL HIS SON

HE CALLED JESUS “SIR” - HE HUMBLED HIMSELF TO JESUS

JESUS SAID “GO” “YOUR SON WILL LIVE”

NOW REMEMBER I ASKED YOU AT THE BEGINING ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU KNEW YOU COULD TAKE AT THEIR WORD

THE REASON YOU KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD PERSONAL DEALING WITH THESE PEOPLE AND HAVE BUILT A RAPOR WITH THEM.

5. HE TOOK JESUS AT HIS WORD AND DEPARTED

IT ISN’T ENOUGH FOR US TO SAY WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR PROBLEMS. WE NEED TO ACT AS IF HE CAN. WHEN YOU PRAY ABOUT A NEED OR A PROBLEM, LIVE AS THOUGH YOU BELIEVE JESUS CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS.

STORY INSERT HERE: -

THIS OFFICIAL WENT BACK HOME - BELIEVING JESUS’ WORD. BUT BEFORE HE GOT HOME HIS SERVANTS MET HIM TO SAY THAT HIS SON WAS HEALED.

ALTHOUGH THE OFFICIALS SON WAS 32 KM AWAY, HE WAS HEALED WHEN JESUS SPOKE THE WORD. DISTANCE WAS NO PROBLEM BECAUSE JESUS HAS MASTERY OVER SPACE. WE CAN NEVER PUT SO MUCH SPACE BETWEEN OURSELVES AND CHRIST THAT HE CAN NO LONGER HELP US.

THIS OFFICIAL CAN TEACH US A LOT ABOUT HOW TO BEGIN TO GROW OUR FAITH

FIRST HE BELIEVED ENOUGH TO ASK

2ND HE BELIEVED JESUS ASSURANCE THAT HIS SON WOULD LIVE AND HE ACTED ON IT.

THEN HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD BELIEVED IN JESUS.

BOTTOM LINE:

FAITH IS A GIFT THAT GROWS AS WE USE IT.