Hearing is Believing

JOHN 4:30-54

Lesson 11

Intro:

THE FOURTH CHAPTER of John, like the third chapter of John has a major section of the chapter about an encounter Christ had with an individual concerning their soul. John 4 may be outlined as follows:

I. The Detour – 4:1-8

II. The Discussion – 4:9-30

III. The Disciples – 4:31-42

IV. The Deliverer – 4:43-54

III. The Disciples – 4:31-42

A. Their Meat – 4:31-34

1. They all went – possibly because no one wanted to deal with Samaritans.

2. They misunderstood Christ’s meaning of meat – 32-33

3. They heard only the literal like the Pharisees, Nicodemus, and the woman at the well.

4. Christ explained He desired to do God’s will. 34 Like He told Satan in Matt. and Luke 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

5. Christ desired to “finish” – gr. Teleioo = “accomplish”, “bring to a perfect end”

B. Their Mission – 4:35-42

1. The time of the harvest – 4:35-38

a. The need for reapers – 35 – “No man cared for my soul” – Psalm 142:4

b. The nature of rewards – 36-38 – “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6

2. The token of the harvest – 4:39-42

a. The Samaritans arrived and Jesus spoke to them

b. Jesus broke many Jewish shibboletghs, visiting in their homes, eating their food, sleeping in their beds, teaching them the word of God, and revival broke out. 4:41

c. Unlike the Jews, the Samaritans asked for no signs and Jesus performed no miracles and yet, they believed.

d. They came because of the woman’s word and believed because of the words of Jesus. – 4:42

e. Jesus said salvation is of the Jews and the Samaritans said it was. The proclaimed Christ not just the Savior of the Jews, but “indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” 4:42

IV. The Deliverer – 4:43-54

A. The reasoning – 4:44

1. Went to Galilee in spite of knowing no honor in own home area – gar = because of, not in spite of

2. Went because of no honor in Judea – Fatherland always Galilee

3. Jesus went to Galilee after being honored in Jerusalem – not really honored in Galilee

4. Jesus went to Galilee because there He did not need to fear such honor would bring him into a collision with the Pharisees.

a. Simplest and obvious

b. In harmony with 43-44

c. In harmony with succeeding context – Happy to receive Him 45, did not honor Him 48, began to grumble 6:41, and leave Him 6:66.

B. The Return to Cana – 4:43-46a

1. Received by Galileans, perhaps at Passover in Jerusalem. 2:23

2. Christ went back to the site of the first miracle, Cana.

C. The Request from Capernaum – 4:46b-54

1. His plight – 4:46b – a nobleman (literally king’s man – officer of Herod Antipas Matt. 14:9) had a son who was very sick.

2. His plea – 4:47-49

a. Walked 15-20 miles to get there

b. Hear Christ explain the miracle – signs (spiritual) and wonders (external aspects)

c. Urgency for small child – son in 46b and “little child” in 49.

d. Showed he believed two things

1) Christ had to be there to heal

2) Christ could not raise from the dead

3. His path to healing – 4:50 faith in God’s word – no presence there

4. His proof – 4:51-54

a. Confirmation of the rescue

b. Confirmation of the reason

c. Confirmation of the Redeemer

1) He believed Christ’s promise 4:50

2) He believed in Christ’s person