Your Son Will Live

John 4:43-54

As we move from point to point this morning, we will press in on a few subpoints of the text. But as we do that I want us to have in mind the main point of the text: Saving faith never comes from our eyes capturing displays of power, but from the power of Christ capturing our hearts.

(vv. 43-45) The rejected Messiah (no honor is His own town)

Is this not the carpenter’s son?

Matthew 13:57- And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

The same thing that was said about Jeremiah

Jeremiah 11:21- Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand”

They welcomed Him because they saw what He had done in Jerusalem

John 2:23- Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

False belief reiterated here

*A word to us about false faith

We must be careful not to assume all lip-service is genuine faith

Many of us have a bad habit of hearing “I believe in Jesus” from someone and automatically assuming that they are genuine believers

We are not God, so we do not know the heart of man, but we must be naive about the prevalence of false believers

If we simply assume by default that everyone who gives a nod to Jesus is saved, then our church will be filled with unbelievers

This is why we see the “church” in America hemorrhaging members.

The social benefit of being a Christian in the larger culture is gone and therefore they have no reason to pretend anymore

This IS God’s purifying grace for the American Church

Proceed with the expectation of signs of genuineness

Over time we can gain a high level of confidence whether someone is a genuine believer or simply a lip-servicer

How?

John 14:15- If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

John 15:14- You are my friends if you do what I command you.

I want to say publicly: I am so thankful for what God has been doing in our church

There is a genuineness of mutual love and faith that has settled over our congregation, and I have confidence that when I stand before you that I am standing before, by-in-large, genuine brothers and sisters in Christ

However, if you know in the depth of your heart that you have been hiding in the shadows of phony faith, then I plead with you to step out of the darkness of unbelief into the light of childlike faith in Jesus

(vv. 46-48) Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe

The official has a deathly ill son

He hears that Jesus has come from Judea and he goes to Jesus to beg for Him to heal his son

He knows the heart of man

Both occurrences of “you” in verse 48 are plural

He is using this as an opportunity to make a point

These Galileans will not believe in Him unless He shows them a sign

Some have said that if they would have seen Jesus and known Him, or witness His miracles, that maybe they would believe, but it simply is not true

We see the depravity of man on full display here

If it is not for New Birth, we cannot believe

If the God-hating heart of a person is not removed by God, then what they think will cause them to believe will only become a stumbling block to them

(v. 49-50) Your son will live

This official proves that he is not concerned about seeing a sign from Jesus

He is only concerned about the well-being of his son

He disregards Jesus rebuke toward the Galileans and again begs Jesus to heal his son

What does Jesus do in response to his request?

He tells him to go home and that his son will live

The NIV is wrong

It is not “you may go”

It is a command to “go”

The official obeys and goes on his way home

He shows that he believes Jesus’ word without seeing the miracle that He has done

(vv. 51-54) He and all his household believed

As he was returning to his home, his servants met him on the way

They told him that his son was recovering

He asks them what time he began to get better

They say that he began to get better around the seventh hour the day before

He realizes that this was the time that Jesus told him that his son will live

He responds in belief

As he sees the miraculous work that Jesus did he believes that for which he had no time to consider the day before

He believes that Jesus is the Messiah

He was not looking for a sign as some of the other Jews demanded, but Jesus’ miracle brought him to belief

This account was selected among all of the other miracles for a reason

John wants us to see that just as Jesus’ word is enough

We don’t need signs and wonders, we simply need to heed and believe the Word of Jesus

His entire household also believes

His servants, son, and presumably his wife

They see the healing of the son and hear the testimony of the father and respond in belief

Not only does the son experience renewed physical life, but far more importantly he receives eternal life through faith

This is what the story is all about. It is not primarily about the physical healing power of Jesus

Fathers, your role in your house is of untold importance

According to Lifeway Research-

If a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone else in the household will follow. If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17% probability everyone else in the household will follow. However, when the father is first, there is a 93% probability everyone else in the household will follow.

Never underestimate the importance and impact of fathers who lead their families in faith in Christ

May our eyes not wander from the cross and may our hearts not wander from the gospel as if there was something more valuable, or satisfying, or powerful. Let us walk together as those who have been captivated by Christ and love the glorious truth of the Gospel.

Saving faith never comes from our eyes capturing displays of power, but from the power of Christ capturing our hearts.