The Desperate Cry to God

First let us review the people Jesus evangelized to. In John 3 Jesus evangelized to the religious. Earlier in 4 who do we see evangelized to? The Samaritan woman at the well. So we have seen the religious and the outcast evangelized to. Now who are we seeing evangelized to? The official would been more than likely someone working with the Roman government. Did Jesus discriminate who he evangelized to? No.

Jesus evangelized to all.

What is somethings these people had in common? They were in desperate situations. As humans, no matter our bank account or background or gender or age. we will all face desperate situations. What is going to make the difference is where we turn in those situations. Do you turn to Jesus? Or away from Jesus?

Desperation does not discriminate

Tonight's lesson is going to look at the desperate cry of a man who did turn to God. We are going to see what we can learn from him.

Know of Jesus vs. Knowing Jesus

Seeds had been planted in this man’s life. He knew of Jesus. So he had been hearing of people testifying of who Jesus was. He had been seeing his followers walk in His power, but it took this man getting to one of the lowest points in his life to turn to him, threat of losing a child to disease. Up to this point he knew of Jesus.

He had not yet experienced the power of Jesus. He had heard of and seen God working in other people’s life's but had yet to experience it himself. In a sense he had an academic knowledge of Jesus, like many in today’s world. Does knowing of Jesus save? No. Having an intimate relationship with Jesus that cause you to surrender to Him and causes you to get you to know his heart is a saving relationship.

Every one of you in this room can give the Sunday school answers to who Jesus is. I got news for you God will not be fooled by Sunday school answers. God knows rather or not you are answering from a heart knowledge or a brain knowledge. You will truly know if you have experienced the soul changing power of Jesus. If Jesus truly controls your steps. I am not going to lie, at times I have felt like some of you have given me Sunday school answers.

A relationship with Christ is about more than just living a good life, it is about living a life of surrender to Christ.

Knowing of Jesus sent him seeking and Jesus was there ready to give a response.

Knowing of Jesus needs to go to knowing Jesus.

There is always hurting people. there is always people with seeds planted and seeds needed planting.

I have read studies that say people will hear the gospel 8 to 10 times before being saved. Am I going to share it all 8 times with that person? Probably not.

What we do as Christians in our interactions with people is going to affect how that person is going to interact with other Christians. That is one reason I always stress if you are not a Christian don’t claim to be. It is blasphemy and you are mocking God and leading others down a dangerous path with you.

Put Hope in Christ, Not Miracles

In verse 48 we see Jesus rebuff the request made by the official to heal his son. Why does Jesus not just right off the bat tell him “Go; your son will live.” Does Jesus ever waste words?

People who don’t believe in god or don’t have a relationship with God have a tendency in times of extreme stress to all of a sudden believe in God or go to begging God for mercy, but once the storm has passed they are back to living how they were and all of a sudden don’t believe in God.

Jesus in a way was telling him don't just believe in me because you saw an amazing healing or provision of a physical need, but for who I am, your creator, your identity restorer.

We believe in Jesus because of who He is.

Who is Jesus?

Salvation comes from a heart change and a heart of surrender. Abraham says in Luke 16:31

Luke 16:31 ESV

He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

Bring the dead back to life is an amazing miracle. But what did Abraham have to say about this? If they do not listen to Scripture (the heart of God) seeing that miracle ain’t going to do no good. People who don’t know Jesus will find other “explanations”? Yes. Human life is a miracle. They find other illogical explanations. People who get completely healed of cancer in today's world are just said they are a medical phenomenon. Cancer some explanations are they ran a fever or changed their diet. If someone has not made up their mind to believe in God, no miracle is going to convince them.

Miracles are to strengthen faith.

Does that mean miracles are useless? No. They have purpose. This one had purpose in helping the mans faith grow. Did this man believe before or after seeing the miracle occur? Before. This man encountered the words of Jesus and came to faith. If this man did not believe he would have stayed arguing Jesus come with him to heal him i believe. So what was the purpose of the miracle? To strengthen the faith of the man and to give a platform. The official was able to testify of the words of Christ to his household.

Miracles are to give a believer a platform.

How do people get saved? They get saved from hearing the word of God, not from seeing miracles or hearing your opinion. His household got saved after he testified.

In this miracle the official pointed to Christ.

Miracles can strengthen faith. Miracles can give a platform. If a miracle occurs in your life you are given a platform. Salvation is a miracle. Your spirit was dead, but it is now alive. When you go from living lost to saved people are going to take notice.

The Perfect Timing of Jesus

What hour did the officials son get healed? The seventh hour. What is significant about that number? That is God’s number and the number of perfection. Was it a coincidence they met in the seventh hour?

Jesus’ timing is perfect timing because He has created all.

It is easy to question God and his timing. We often do it. The official could have just as easily came to Jesus going why God why. Why is my son dying. Why cant it be me. Why do you allow evil to exist. God why don’t you end the evil. It is tough understanding why God does what he does sometimes and why he doesn’t interfere sometimes.

Trust God’s timing.

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

If we have faith in God we can know no matter how bad things get, God will work things out for our good, eternal good. So first of all if you want strength and hope in the dark you need a relationship with Christ.

Bad circumstances turn into a platform to display the hope of Christ.

We are given the cure all solution for all problems and sickness. Eternal life.

1 Corinthians 15:54–57 ESV

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know Christ will take the sting of death and sin away when we leave this life. We know eventually he will forever end this cursed world.

2 Peter 3:8–10 ESV

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

God has not ended things yet due I believe to his grace. If God struck you down the first time you knowingly sin, where would you spend your time for eternity, in hellfire. This world has a lot of wicked people in it. A world full of wicked people is a world full of people in need of the gospel. With every passing day we should be making efforts to make sure the gospel is known to all.

In applying what we do know we can make a little bit more sense of the questions we don’t fully know the answers to.

Why is someone dying? Sin has corrupted. A Christian gives them a platform to share. There is hope, death has lost its sting for those who are covered in the blood of Christ.

God why don’t you end the evil? One mankind is responsible for letting it enter the world. Secondly grace. If God had already destroyed because of evilness we would have never had the chance to exist.

Well why did God create evil? God did not create evil. Evil is the absence of the morals God created.