The Long Distance Miracle

Welcome

1. Good evening! (welcome to English Bible study) (as always, we like to do some introductions… type your name and where you are from)

2. Announcements:

3. Please keep us “up-to-date” on you how you are doing. (words of care and love from Amanda)

4. Share about a competition that you found especially challenging. (tour-donut and 1/2 marathon)

The Gospel of John

1. Tonight, we are continuing our study of the gospel of John. (the John is one of the four gospels... but not a “synoptic gospel.” (it’s different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke ... and there seem to be two levels of understanding … there is basic level and a deeper level.

2. In the gospel of John there are 7 signs. (a sign is something that points to something else) (these are also miracles) (there are always two levels - an “immediate” or surface situation… and then there is something “deeper”)

3. We saw the first sign… a few weeks ago (Jesus turned water into wine) (this miracle immediately meet the need of the wedding… but on a deeper lever it showed that Jesus was cleanse the world of sin.... and I like to notice something else… Jesus cares about the little things!)

4. We see the second sign tonight. Our passage is John 4:43-54 Read. (follow along here...)

Miracles in the Gospels

This is a miracle of healing for an official’s son.

There are several different of miracles in the Gospels. (for example... exorcisms—are the most prevalent kind in the gospel of Mark, yet we don’t seem this miracle in the Gospel of John) (then there are nature miracles: Jesus stills the storm, Jesus walks on water, Jesus turns water into wine) (then there are healing miracles: lepers are cured, lame people are made to walk, and blind people are given vision… and we find healing at a distance) (and then, of course, there are raisings of the dead as well… Jesus raised a boy, a girl, and Lazarus)

The miracle reveals: Jesus has the power of God

The miracle reveals that Jesus has the power of God.

We can see that this miracle of healing at a distance would have been seen as a more stupendous miracle than just turning water into wine when you’re right next to the water. (healing at a distance was seen as a sign of very great power, because it meant His power could act elsewhere when He was not there) (a power only God had, here, we see that Jesus Himself also had)

The miracle brings significant healing! (they use the term “fever” to refer to all kinds of diseases—not just having a fever, but all kinds of diseases) (so we don’t know why this boy was near to death) (it probably involved a fever, but it wouldn’t have just been because of a fever—that’s a symptom of a larger problem)

The miracle show that Jesus is the God of perfect timing! Jesus replies, “Go, your son will live.” (moving on faith, taking the order, he goes) (and then it says, “And while he was still on the way, his servants from Capernaum met him with the news that his boy was living. He then inquired, ‘At what time did my son get better?’ And they said, ‘Well, it was yesterday at one in the afternoon when the fever left him.’ ”) (the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus said to him, “Your son will live.”)

This reveals the deeper reality of the miracle… because of Jesus’ power over distance and timing, not only he but his whole household believed. (the reality of this experience helped an entire household come to faith in Jesus)

**A note about this, is very relevant for us today! (today, we struggle with “distance”… we are not allowed to meet as group, some of us are unable to travel, some of us are struggle because our class or job is “online”) (and we struggle with the “timing” we are in middle in terms of how long this thing could go) (it’s like the 3rd lap of the 1600 meter run) (**it’s important to know that God can be and is at work through these circumstances) (maybe you can see it now, maybe for you it “not yet”) (this is where faith come in)

Faith

The miracle reveals that faith is an important part of the equation.

Who was the royal official? (the royal official probably worked for Herod’s court) (it is likely someone heavily involved in military and politics) (probably wealthy, powerful, educated,...everybody knows him and everybody likes him) But he has a son who is very sick.

It’s clear that this father is at a point of desperation and when he hears about Jesus, he thinks, “Well, there’s this teacher, he claims to be a prophet, seems to have some authority and power. Maybe if I go talk to him, maybe he can do something.” (the father is willing to take a risk, that he takes a couple days off work, he makes a long journey on foot, and goes to see about a possibility)

It had to be humbling for him as well. (because Jesus in that day, was not as respected as we would think) (He was an amateur preacher / teacher from a working class family who grew up in a little town in a rural part of the country) It’s quite a picture, if you think about. (here you have a very prominent, important, public official coming to beg from a simple, humble teacher for a miracle)

It was a big risk for the man as well. (Jesus says in verse 48, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonder… you will never believe.”) (oftentimes... in the gospel of John, Jesus performs a miracle so that people will believe) (He does it so that people who don’t know God can see God’s power in Jesus and say, “Wow. This man obviously comes from God. He has the ability to do things that no one else has the ability to do.”)

Jesus knows that this kind of belief is easy to have. (it is easy to believe if you witness a sign or wonder) (that’s why He says, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonder… you will never believe.”)

Jesus says this because He knows that the people want to see the miracles, but they don’t always want to see God. (they want the power, but not necessarily the person)

Yet, the Bible tells us to trust God...and we will see His power at work. (it’s what the book of Hebrews describes as being “sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”) (Heb. 11:1)

Faith is a matter of "trusting" God. It ultimately, means stepping out into the unknown future and you just don’t know what’s out there. (ever had a moment like that?).

It’s like what airline pilots describes as the “point of no return.” (if you were inside the cockpit of an airplane just before liftoff, you might hear the copilot or captain call out, “V1,” which means the “point of no return”) As the airplane accelerates toward the end of the runway, the pilot must decide if the plane is moving fast enough for a safe takeoff. The pilot holds the throttle as the plane approaches the V1 speed so that the takeoff can be aborted if something goes wrong. However, after V1 the plane absolutely must take off.

It’s the same for followers of Jesus. (once you have claimed the Lordship of Jesus in your life, you have reached the "point of no return") (there is no turning back) (you need adjust your vision, apply the truth of the gospel to your life, and trust in the promises of Jesus)

That’s exactly what Jesus requires in this passage. (when the father pleads, “‘Sir, come down before my child dies.’”) (he’s hoping that he can convince Jesus to make the trip) (the phrase to “come down” was a reference to geography) (Cana was geographically above where he lived in Capernaum) (he was begging, Jesus to go, but Jesus doesn’t do it) (because Jesus has something else in mind)

He says to him, “Go… Your son will live.” (Jesus speaks, and then all of a sudden there’s supposed to be healing) (it’s a beautiful thing actually, that Jesus has such authority, that he doesn’t need to go lay hands on the boy) (Jesus doesn’t need to pray over the boy) (He doesn’t need to pull everybody into a big stadium) All he has to do is speak. (that’s all he has to do, and the boy is healed!)

It’s a beautiful thing, but the father now has a dilemma on his hands. Does he believe Jesus and go home, or does he say, “Well, wait a second. I want you to come with me, because if he really isn’t healed, then what? Then he’ll die. You need to come with me and keep an eye on him and we need to check this out.”

This is a difficult decision because the father knows if he walks home, a couple days, and his boy’s not good, it takes a couple days to walk back, his boy is as good as dead. So the father has a choice here. Will he exercise faith, trusting the Word of God that had come through Christ, or is he going to struggle with doubt and worry?

It is the “point of no return” and what does he do? He chooses to trust the word of Christ. Don’t you love the beauty of this. *At this point, he’s not in the church all his life. He wasn’t even a believer. Yet, for some reason, he sees the authority of Jesus, he trusts the authority of Jesus, and Jesus tells him, “Go home. Everything’s going to be ok.” The man believes it. That’s what faith is all about.

The apostle Paul tells us that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) (faith is when you hear what God has said, particularly through scriptures, and then you actually believe it and then live as if it were true) That’s faith.

And so the father, hears the word of Jesus and then he steps out on faith. (he begins his journey back home and believes) “The man took Jesus at his word.” (that’s one of my favorite verses in the gospel of John) (He just took Jesus at his word) Jesus said it; it must be true. (the man went home)

And, “While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.” (servants had run from the home to meet him on the path and tell him as he was journeying home, “Your boy’s been healed”)

The story has powerful moment in it though. (because when the royal official asked about the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him”) (the father realized this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, ‘Your son will live.’ So he and all his household believed.”

Now, do you think that was coincidence? ...that it just sort of worked out that way? Don’t believe it for minute. Because Jesus is the God of perfect timing!

The father found out that when you act in faith, you get to experience God in the most amazing ways. (this is what the miracle reveals) (Jesus wants to give you something greater than you could ever get on your own) (He wants you to see with your own eyes, and to touch with your own hands, and to believe with your own heart that He can do anything.

This miracle of Jesus did more than authenticate Jesus as God’s spokesman… it demonstrated that Jesus’ power is unbounded.

The 1st miracle, turning water into wine at Cana was a molecular miracle. It was a chemical reaction that changed simple water molecules into a complicated chemical for wine, and very good wine at that! It revealed that Jesus has authority over sub-atomic particles, His power over the electrons and protons of every atom.

And the 2nd miracle reveals His power over all space and time. It’s geographical and it’s chronological. Jesus heals the fever from twenty miles away! Jesus’ power is unbounded.

Jesus spoke the word... and the son’s recovery was instantaneous and complete. (it’s the same truth we celebrate tonight) (there are no boundaries for Jesus) (Jesus is in heaven, but He is also here with us)

Every word He speaks will be obeyed, to the outer limits of the universe. (no matter what the emergency or the need, He is close and ready to change our lives) And just as Jesus reached across the miles to meet this father’s need, He wants to reach out to meet your need today. Do you believe that? Do you believe that Jesus wants to meet your need and because of His unbounded power that He is able?

Robert Wilson, a well-known professor of Hebrew, says that there are two kinds of people in the church. He calls them “little-godders” and “big-godders.” Some people seem have a little god and He can’t do much. He can’t provide resources for mission. He doesn’t break through to heal, strengthen, encourage. And so, these people don’t trust their god because he doesn’t do much. But then there are those who have a great God. He speaks and it is done. He provides resources when none are apparent. He knows how to show Himself strong on behalf of them that fear Him. And he is continually working in their lives.

Do you have faith in a great God or a powerless god? It’s a good question because if you wake up in the morning and go through the day with a powerless god, there are consequences. You will live in a constant state of fear and anxiety because everything depends on you, and you mood will be governed by whatever circumstances hit you that day. If you live with a powerless god, you will find it unnatural to pray when you have a need, because you’re not really sure that prayer matters. If you live with a powerless god, you become a slave to whatever other people think.

*But if you know the power of Jesus, you are set free! (you will see God at work in some powerful ways) (and you can see the unbounded power of God)

1. Maybe you need to hear that . Maybe there is something in your life that’s broken and it seems as if it is too far from the hand of God? Maybe you have accumulated enough disappointments that you have become afraid to hope, to ask, to trust in what God can do, but here is good news... God wants to free you!

2. Jesus wants to touch and change your life. He wants you to know the joy and blessings that come when you walk by faith and not by sight.

Prayer

Discussion Question:

1. What is a "big" thing God wants to do in your life?