What is Saving Faith?

If you have your bibles please turn with me to John Chapter 4. As we you turn there I just want to pray this morning for the message and for the people who may here it before we get started.. Pray… We are off the heels of the interaction with Jesus and the women at the well, and being with the people of Samaria for 2 days, and Jesus is going to finally go to the place he was heading after being in Jerusalem. And as he goes to this place he is going to interact with an official whose son is at the point of death, and many around the official and the official himself wants Jesus to heal his child. They want to see a miracle. In the process of all this something incredible happens the official came to find healing but got so much more.

Let us see what the word of God has for us this morning.

Gods word says this, …

John 4:43–54 ESV

After the two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. 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.

If you are taking notes this morning or following along in your bulletin. The Main point I have for you this morning is this.. Saving faith is found in Jesus alone.

Jesus finds himself leaving Samaria and heading for Galilee. A place where he grew up. It was the third day of his journey, and John gives us insight of what Jesus said, that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. Jesus himself just got done doing fruitful ministry in Samaria a place where he is not from. A place where Jews did not go. We seen many come to know Jesus, yet the place where he was at people did not recognize him as Lord like many of the Samaritans did.

Its interesting that John would include this statement but fitting, because not only did people from Galilee not recognize him as Lord, but his people the Jews did not either. Sure some of the disciples believed, but throughout the book of John we see Jew after Jew reject Jesus as Lord.

But ironically it says the Galileans welcomed him for a specific reason though. Having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. They welcomed Jesus, because he did incredible things before there own eyes. But they did not welcome him as Lord.

They welcomed him so they could see more of this man who did incredible things. They only wanted part of Jesus not all of him.

Jesus ends up in Cana the place where the first sign of this book takes place, the place where Jesus turned water into wine.

And there he comes across a man an official looking for his son to be healed. This official had come along way to find Jesus. Capernaum was 20 miles from Cana. According to google maps this would have been an 8 and half hour walk. It was not just a simple journey either. Cana was on high ground, and Capernaum was by the Lake on lower ground.

The official was probably a man who worked for Herod. He had influenced, he had money, he had power, but despite all that he had a son that was very sick. No doubt this man had heard about the incredible things Jesus could do. So in a last gasp of desperation he seeks Jesus to come and heal his son.

The bible says that He went to Jesus and asked him to come down and heal his son for he was at the point of death. Now this asking was not just a one time thing the greek implies that the official begged Jesus to come and heal his son. He was desperate. Im sure a man with his resources could have had some of the best people come and look at his son, but none of that was working. He was truly desperate. JESUS COME DOWN AND HEAL MY SON.

And rather than Jesus coming down to heal him, he rebukes him and the crowd as a whole. Jesus says, Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.

For those taking notes my first point is this..

Saving faith in not found in signs and wonders

For the Jews they needed repeated signs to believe. They wanted to see a show every time Jesus was around. Sure the official wanted Jesus to heal his son, but those around him just wanted to see that Jesus could do it. Wanted to see this miracle take place in this young boys life. The Jews loved seeing something incredible. For them Jesus was nothing more than a good show.

Miracles alone cannot produce real faith. These amazing things that God does cannot alone save. Remember what I told you last week Church family.

People will want to know more about Jesus because of your testimony, because something amazing has happened in your own life, that God did something in your life that he didn’t do in there’s. But people stay because of Jesus.

I want to read you a story that I read this week that puts this idea of Saving faith is not found in signs and wonders.

Listen to these words…During my first semester in seminary a professor told me a remarkable story from his early years as a pastor. ( This is someone else in seminary not myself) A young woman had become critically ill and her prognosis was grim; she would likely die within the year. Her family had a nominal “Easter and Christmas Eve” commitment to the church, so the discussions in the hospital between this young pastor and this family always plowed new ground. The woman challenged him: If Jesus healed in the Bible, he should be able to heal me today. If not, what use was he? So she prayed. The pastor prayed. The whole family prayed—and pleaded and begged and bargained. If God would only show mercy, the family urged, they would completely recommit themselves and come to church every Sunday. This earnest young pastor prayed with all his heart. He refused to join the ranks of those who said, “If it is thy will.” It was God’s will that she be healed, he concluded.

Then to his amazement, God healed her—completely. And with the physicians shaking their heads, she was sent home from the hospital. Next Sunday, the entire family was there in the front pew, dressed and sparkling. The young woman gave her testimony, praising God for his goodness. The following Sunday, the family was there again. In four weeks, it was only the woman and her husband. And after that, attendance was sporadic until they dropped into their previous pattern. Before long, the woman rationalized the entire incident. She had experienced the most dramatic sign God could give her: healing, bathed in prayer and surrounded by the church. But after only two months, its power dimmed to nothing.

God continues to this day to do incredible acts of healing, and those acts often attract people to the church, or to Jesus, but unless, but unless the are truly changed by God, they wont stay. The wont see the value of coming together each and every week. The Jews had Jesus before there very own eyes, yet they sought him for only the miraculous, only the signs and wonders, not for him being Lord. Not for him being the one who could give them peace between God and Themselves.

R.C. Sproul says, They pursued Him for the benefit they could derive from Him without any sense of repentance for their sins, without any intent to bow to Him as Lord, and without any willingness to receive Him as the Savior.”

Many people want what Jesus can give but don’t want Jesus. I remember reading what John Piper said one time, He said, “The critical question for our generation—and for every generation— is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ were not there? ” The answer for me is no, but for the people of Israel is was Yes. They wanted all he could give but not himself. And Jesus knew there heart.

Who knows what happened to the crowd after Jesus said that statement in verse 48, but we do know that the official still hanged around and something incredible was about to take place.

Point number 1. Saving faith in not found in signs and wonders

Second point is this.

Saving faith is trusting God when you cant see whats happening.

The officials son was sick, he did not care what Jesus had just said, he needed Jesus. He needed him to do something in the life of his son. This official who was use to telling others what to do needed Jesus just like the women at the well.

He said Sir, come down before my child dies. I need you Jesus to do something for me. I know you can save him. And rather than Jesus going down making that long trip, where he would show him a sign before his very own eyes, he tells him Go, Go your son will live. No sign from him, no taking him by the hand and walking with him back home. All he says is go your son will live.

I like what one man said, I would love to know how Jesus said that. I don’t think He said it this way: “Get out of here, your son’s OK.” I believe it was more like this: “Go your way. Your son is fine. I’m not going with you, but it’s all right.” There must have been something in how He said it that elicited trust from this man, who just seconds before had been in a panic, begging Jesus, insisting that Jesus come with him. I say that because of the man’s response: So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

The man believed Jesus. He believed he son could be saved. Saving faith is trusting God when you can’t see what happening.

I think for a-lot of this this is well and good, I mentioned the story of the lady getting healed, and now the boy, but what about the reality many of us face when these things don’t happen when healing is not there, when the miracle does not come, when we dont see God actually working. how can we have a faith that trusts God when you cant see what is happening.

I have shared this story before many times, but its something that is impactful in my own life and journey and studying this text reminded me of not a story of healing, but a story of death.

Back when my wife and I found out we were having a baby. We were overjoyed, but quickly found ourselves scared because of some bleeding that was happening with my wife. And as we made our way to the hospital not even having our first ultrasound yet the doctor found two healthy strong heartbeats. My wife had a tear that was causing her to bleed, but with medication the doctors believed everything would be ok. And for awhile it was, until an ultrasound in memorial day would prove other wise. One of the baby’s was gone, disappeared had passed away. Our life was changed in but a moment, not because of a radical healing by God, not because of a miracle but because of a death of a child.

I think about this story and I wish I was more like the official all throughout pregnancy begging and pleading with Jesus to make sure both my children were safe, sure I did it at times, but not like this man, but God had other plans. God used that to grow my faith to trust God when I could not see what was happening.

God doesn't always provide the miracle but he always provides the Son. Can I say that again for you? God doesn't always provide the miracle but he always provides the Son.

I can have faith to trust God, because I know who God is. Not all promises of God are earthly promises. Despite losing our daughter Hannah, Isabellas twin my faith grew, because his promises, and his promises are not null a void when things don’t go according to my plans, or my wife’s plans or your plans.

God used the healing of the officials son to stir faith in him , to make him understand that Jesus is the giver of life and death. Just like in my own situation with a different outcome.

The official faith grew from the promise God made, and ours should be like that as well.

Point number 1. Saving faith in not found in signs and wonders

Point number 2. Saving faith is trusting God when you cant see whats happening.

My third point is this..

Saving faith is a faith that grows.

Believers Faith is strengthen when you see God’s promises happen.

For the official he went on his way. He traveled the long road back. It wasn’t like today when you could get in your car and be there in less than 30 min. This official probably had a horse or maybe he even walked we dont know. All we know is he went back home.

And on his way home something happened. His servants or his slaves met him, and told him what Jesus had already told him. That his son will live. Could you imagine the relief this man had my son is going to be okay. What Jesus said is true, but the official wanted to inquire something else about his son.

When did he start to get better he asked? They told him Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. Now the time is debated if they used a roman clock or something else, but in the end that does not matter. What matters is what happened. Jesus healed the boy as the official went his way. Not later, not when the official got there, but right when Jesus said he will life.

All the members of this household had seen this boy sick, seen him at the point of death, but also seen him healed. Without knowing initially what happened. The household was not there only the official was. And the father and the household believed, because of what happened. Believed in the who could save.

But the incredible thing is not only the father believed but so did the whole household.

During that time the father often dictated what his house believed, the moral systems they embraced, and things they did, but in this text it says that the whole household believed. Believed in Jesus.

They were forever changed by what Christ has done.

But for believers we can hold on to a promises of God even if we are not delivered from something like the officials son was. He can deliver us from our sin. We know this because of his Word. And in his word we see the promises of God. The promise that God made back all the way back in the beginning of the bible. in Genesis 3:15 which says,

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

And what God did through that promise was sending Christ in the flesh. Born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died on a cross, and rose again on the third day. You are going to hear this often, because I think these verses are so impactful. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

The gospel is worth believing in. Because of who the gospel is about. Having faith in Christ does not always mean you will get the healing the officials son has. But, BUT you will get something better which is Christ. And having a saving faith means you can have eternal life. Have a relationship with him, and salvation.

Believer we dont need to see a miracle amongst us to have faith. Because God has already given us one in his Son. God knew exactly what the official needed, and that was for Jesus to come and save his son, but what we need most if for the son to rescue us from sin!

As we think about this story this quote I found is fitting. “ The royal official may have come to Jesus because of what he had heard about him. In his encounter with Jesus, it became clear that his man understood Jesus to be the one whom life depended. Jesus was the difference between life and death. We likewise must see Jesus as the difference between life and death. We ought to come to the Bible and to prayer as if our life depended on it, for our life and the lives of those we hold most dear do depend on Jesus.

Listen to this, John declared that he wrote his Gospel “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:31). The healing of the nobleman’s son is just one more glimpse of the person of Christ, the person who, by His command, by His very word, brings life out of death, safety out of danger, healing out of disease, salvation out of lostness. This is our Jesus, in whom we believe. This is why we’re called Christians.

For you today I would ask where you are at. Are you basing your faith on some event that happened in the past that you place your faith in , and not in Christ alone. God may have used that event, but you can’t rest in that event for salvation you must rest in him alone of salvation.Because Saving faith in not found in signs and wonders its found in Christ and Christ alone. God may have done something incredible in your life, but he did something more incredible in his own. Living a life you and I could not, dying a death you and I deserve, and raising on the third day.

Do you have a faith that trusts God when you cant see whats happening. God makes so many promises to us that we can’t often see, but that doesn’t mean he is not working. Sometimes our prayers are answered, sometimes they are not. And each and every one of us is going to go through things in our lives that can break us, are we going to have faith when it does not seem like he is there? We can trust in Christ because of who is is, and what he has done.

Do you have a faith that is growing? God does the big miracles in our life sometimes like the healing of the officials son, but he also uses ordinary means as well to grow our faith, like a conversation with another brother or sister in Christ, studying God’s Word , Sunday school, prayer, or by listening to the word taught or preached each and every week. Whatever means he uses are you growing in your own faith?

Saving faith is only found in Jesus alone. Saving faith in only found in Jesus alone.

If you dont have a realationship with him today, here is your chance. All you have to do is repent and believe. The work you think you have to do has already been done for you in the person and life of Christ, and in him and him alone can you find eternal life.

If you want to make any other decision today, such as stepping out in faith to be baptized, or to join this church, or just need prayer. Come and respond however the Lord leads you today.