The Gospel According to John: 4:44-54
The Gospel According to John • Sermon • Submitted
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· 24 viewsThis is the 15th sermon in the series in the Gospel of John.
Notes
Transcript
The theme verse for our series is John 20:31
John 20:31 – “…these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
The purpose of this study is threefold. First, as we go through this together we will learn more and more about Jesus. We will get to know Him better, understand Him better and our faith and trust in Him will grow.
Second, as we go through this study together we will better know and understand the life that only Jesus can give. Life forever and life to the full. We will discover how we can know for certain that we will be in heaven and we will learn how to live on earth like we are going to live in heaven.
And third, we are not only knowing and growing in these things together, as we go through this we are being equipped to share these things with others.
[Read Text]: John 4:44-54
44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. 46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” 49 The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. 51 As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. 52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household. 54 This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
[Pray]:
When it comes to Jesus and the things of God, what are we looking for? What is our faith in the Lord based on? What is it that causes us to trust Jesus with our lives? What is it that increases our faith? What excites us? When it comes to God, what is it that lifts our spirits and truly causes us to believe?
The Gospel of John uses miracles (the signs and wonders Jesus performed) that proved He was God in the flesh. So they are important in that they point us to the truth of God but that is their purpose. We need to keep wonders in perspective.
The only way we know about the wonders of God is through the Word of God. And the only way the wonders make sense is through the truth of Scripture. And so, that’s what I am going to talk to you about today.
The Word of God vs. the Wonders of God
The Word of God vs. the Wonders of God
1 I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
(v. 48) “So Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.’”
11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.
The problem for us is that we see wonders for more than they are. They are special acts of God that demonstrate His power, glory and might and they are tangible displays of the truth of His word. But they sadly can become the mountain top experiences we are living for. And if the wonders of God are the source of your hope and peace and joy you are going to be miserable a lot.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
So let’s contrast the wonders of God with the Word of God so that we keep these things in perspective. And our text today is a great case study…
Wonders are sensory.
Wonders are sensory.
(v. 48) So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
The Word is spiritual. (taken by faith)
The Word is spiritual. (taken by faith)
(v. 50) Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off.
(v. 53) So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household.
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Wonders are external.
Wonders are external.
(v. 45) So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.
Wonders cannot save you.
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
(this same crowd abandoned Jesus when He spoke the word and stopped performing external signs)
The Word is internal.
The Word is internal.
We need the word of God to go deep down into our soul and give us life.
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
Wonders are uncommon.
Wonders are uncommon.
(v. 54) “This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.”
11 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
Why did the Psalmist need to remember “wonders of old”?
We wonder why we don’t see a lot of miracles today… apparently that was something people were wondering in OT life too.
(We treat miracles like they are the real Mountain top experiences)
The Word is unceasing.
The Word is unceasing.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
Wonders are amazing. Sure enough. But they should never be the basis of our faith.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Memory Verse of the Week:
51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.”
Discussion Questions: (John 4:44-54)
Why did the Galileans receive Jesus? (v. 45)
What do you think it is significant that Jesus was back in Cana? (v. 46)
Why do you think the official insisted Jesus physically come to Capernaum? (v. 47)
Why do you think Jesus rebuked the royal official? (v. 48)
In what ways did the rebuke of Jesus affect the official? (v. 49-50)
What can the official’s response teach us about faith? (v. 50-53)
What else does this passage tell us about God? Why does it matter?
What else does the text teach us about ourselves?
Did anything else stick out to you?
How do you believe God leading you to respond to His word?
