The Gospel of John. What is Faith? John 4:43-54

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1 The Gospel of John What is Faith? John 4:43-54 P EOPLE HAVE A LOT OF STRANGE IDEAS ABOUT FAITH. Some sound a lot like belief in The Force. It is some kind of mystic power in the universe that we can simply tap into and accomplish great things. Here faith is this unidentifiable power simply labeled The Force. The Word of Faith movement is similar in that it sees words put together in some particular way have power in and of themselves. God created the universe by words. Word s can control God. Word s can make us healthy, wealthy, and wise. But words used incorrectly can be destructive. As we saw last time, Rev. Ike would have us believe that if we sing/say the old hymn, I AM weak we make ourselves sick. So we, and God, are subject to words. A blogger, Jonathan Ellerby, wrote an article on what he thinks is faith. The following is excerpted from that article. Defining Faith I think of faith, perhaps idealistically, as the absolute trust that there is wisdom and power beyond what we can measure, know or control, and that the mysterious nature of the universe (God included) can actually work in our favor if we welcome it. For some, this literally means they have faith that God will intervene or take over their situation for the better. For others faith is more of a sense of assurance that the world is ultimately not corrupt and that things will work out for the best - eventually. Still, for others faith is more ambiguous, it's just a kind of feeling, a felt-sense, or a knowing that defies explanation. Such people might say they have faith in someone, or something - it may not be a higher power, but its built on an inner knowing of something beyond the evidence presented. Faith Is An Experience In the end, faith can be linked to extraordinary things from outright miracles, to human endurance to the hope that gets us by. Too often opponents of "faith" want to debate what exactly we have faith "in," while it is my experience that the act of faith itself is the most powerful healing dimension of any faith experience. Whether life goes your way, people are good to you, God lifts your burdens, or not, the true act of faith will always help in some way. 1 If you want to talk about faith as a leap in the dark, or wishful thinking, Ellerby s definition certainly fits. It doesn t matter what the source of this some kind of power in the universe is, all that matters is you believe in it. And I bet Satan loves this kind of faith. VII The Christ Revealed to Israel Chapter 2:1-12:50 G. Return to Galilee Chapter 4: On the Road Again Verses Meet the Official Verses Ellerby, Jonathan, The Huffington Post The Five Forces Of Faith: Creating Everyday Miracles, Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, Archie England, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Sin, Holman Bible

2 Introduction: And so this morning we will see an example of what true faith is, but first in Samaria Jesus demonstrated what it is to follow the will of the Father. It meant going where the traditional Rabbi wouldn t go, spending time with a woman. And the result was not only her salvation, but many of the citizens of Sychar also following Him. These events provide a clear lesson for us. We too are called to offer the message of God s love to all people, regardless of how we feel about them. Our enemies, God s enemies, only remain such as long as they remain in rebellion against Him. Remember the definition of SIN Actions by which humans rebel against God, miss His purpose for their life, and surrender to the power of evil rather than to God. 2 This means specific sins are simply symptoms of that surrender. Accordingly, the only answer for sins is behaving better. What is required is repentance for rebellion against God and turning to Christ. Of course this includes repentance and acknowledgement of personal sin. Or, in other words, people need to deal with the underlying issue, their rebellion rather than the symptoms, which are sins. Otherwise they re just whitewashing tombs. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed (1 Cor. 15:3 11 ESV). 1. On the Road Again: So now let s return to the Gospel of John. Having had a couple of successful days in Samaria, it s time to again get moving toward Galilee. But first John marks one of his parenthetical remarks. And this one is a bit tough to follow. John records one of Jesus quotes. Jesus points out that the people who are hardest to reach are those from home. This parallels Mark 6:4 and a reference to Nazareth. And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household. (Mark 6:4 ESV) The problem is, if Jesus thought He was about to be rejected, then why would He go to Galilee and why does John tells us in the next verse that Jesus was well received? 2 Brand, Chad, Charles Draper, Archie England, Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Sin, Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN, ) 114 (

3 John may simply be giving a preview of Jesus general rejection. The statement can also be seen as ironic because of how well He was received by the Samaritans in contrast to what happens when He gets home. The problem arises because of the Galilean acceptance as noted in the next verse. Some question the nature of this acceptance. For example John MacArthur notes John s statement, so when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, does not mean that they believed savingly in Jesus as the Messiah. Oun (so) refers back to Jesus statement in the preceding verse, and confirms that the Galileans did not honor Him for who He really was. On the contrary, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast (cf. 2:23), they welcomed Him merely as a miracle worker. They were curiosity seekers, eagerly hoping to see Jesus perform some more sensational feats. Thus the apostle John writes with a sense of irony; the Galileans reception of Jesus was not genuine, but superficial and shallow. 3 The fact is, people want a show. This is why some of the seeker-sensitive churches are successful. They put on a good show. They don t make people uncomfortable. They don t challenge people to acknowledge their sin, repent, and turn to Christ. MacArthur believes the Galileans wanted Jesus around as long as He was entertaining. But don t challenge them or else. By the way, the all that he had done, may be referring to Jesus cleansing of the Temple. On the other hand, some see this passage as saying that Jesus actually considered Jerusalem His true home and so His remark was in reference to the city, not the Galileans. But I ll go with MacArthur as that seems to be the most consistent with the general context and seems to be the more generally understood interpretation of the passage. We have many spiritual people today. We have the acceptance of spirituality. But what people don t want to accept is a God Who gifts them with unearned salvation while at the same time holding them accountable for how they chose to live. It s one thing to sit passively in the pew, watching the show and another to be actively involved in a life of obedience to God s unchanging standards. 2. Meet the Official: So not only is Jesus back in Galilee, but He s in Cana, the sight of His first miracle. And as soon as He arrives He is approached by an official in trouble. Now we don t know exactly who this man is. All we know is he is an official and therefore important. The Complete Jewish Bible describes him as an officer in royal service. Because of the Greek word Basilikos, royal official, it is generally assumed this individual would have been in service to Herod Antipas. This being the case, he could have been either a Jew or a Gentile. He could have been a centurion or a minor official in the court. Some speculate he was Jewish because Jesus lumped with those who wanted to see signs and wonders, but this is to insubstantial to draw any conclusion. So we see this official who lived in Capernaum. He had heard that Jesus had returned to Galilee and was staying in Cana. So he rushed from home down to Cana to ask His help. This 3 MacArthur, John, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, John, Moody Press, Chicago, IL ) 115 (

4 would have been a mile trip. We don t know how he traveled, but whether by foot or conveyance it would have been time consuming. Now I want you to picture the situation. Here s a father traveling a significant distance to see Jesus to help his dying son. The whole trip he s worrying. Is his son still alive or has he already died? Will his Father be able to find Jesus, and if he does, will Jesus be willing to help out? And even if Jesus is willing, by the time they get back home, will the boy still be living or will it be too late? Put yourself in this individual s position. How would you be feeling? Well, the official does find Jesus. He asks for help. And what is Jesus response? It is always the same with you people. You don t believe in me unless you see some kind of miracle! How would that make you feel? It may well be that under the discernment of the Holy Spirit, this statement was just an acknowledgement of the spiritual immaturity of the official. But since the you is plural, we know this was a general statement to the Galileans who were observing the interchange and therefore may not have been directed specially to the official after all. Whichever the c,ase there is a general principle here. The Samaritans believed Jesus because of His words. The Galileans believed because of signs and wonders. A faith grounded in signs and wonders is an immature faith. It is one that is unstable. What if God doesn t perform the requested miracle? Does this mean the individual will lose their faith and trust in God? This may well happen. And it is this Jesus is warning against. Put yourself back in the official s place. You won t be surprised that we re told he implored Jesus. That means he was literally begging over and over that Jesus would save his little boy s life. It is in these situations one learns that neither position, power or money, or anything can solve ones problems but the mercy of God. The man totally humbled himself for the sake of his son. And he sees Jesus as his only hope. This is faith! It is also faith demonstrated. Jesus responds to the man s faith in Him by telling him his son will live. He tells him to go, to take Him at His word. The man in turn demonstrates his faith because as soon as Jesus says this, he immediately leaves and heads for home. Jesus said it. I believe it. There are two very interesting aspects to this miracle. First, like the turning of water into wine, it is what Card describes as an unmiraculous miracle, 4 That is, it is unspectacular. It is quiet. And only those it directly affects actually are aware of the results. While there may have been individuals around who heard the interchange, it would only have been the official who would have seen the results. The only aspect that is somewhat unique is the fact it was a distance miracle. That is, Jesus performed it from a distance, never appearing on the scene. Since this is very rare by Old Testament standards, this would have been a demonstration to the people of just how powerful Jesus really was. 4 Card, Michael, John: The Gospel of Wisdom, InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL, 2014, p. 72. ) 116 (

5 Finally, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, looking at the words Your Son will live, notes This may be an allusion to Elijah and the woman of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:23. If so, Jesus messianic activity is here placed within the compass of the miraculous healing ministry of Elijah in the Old Testament. 5 And he said to them, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself. What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. And he said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:23 27 ESV) I believe that Köstenberger s point here is this is another example of Jesus, by identifying with an Old Testament prophet, of offering up his credentials as the Messiah. In any case, the official heads back to Capernaum. And as he gets close to home, members of his household come out to meet him on the road. I can t help but wonder when he first sees them coming down the road if he thought it was too late. They were coming to tell him the boy died. Or was his faith such that he knew they were bringing good news? And that s what the man heard, the good news that his little boy was alive. And as he questioned his household further, he learned that the boy miraculously recovered at the very time Jesus said to him the boy would live. The end result was, that as this man told everyone in his household what had happened, as he testified to his own belief in Jesus, his entire household also believed. So as great as the miracle of the boy s healing was, the greater miracle was the conversion of the entire household. Conclusion: So what is faith? It is not grounded in circumstances, that is, what we literally see. It is faith in the character of God/Jesus. It was this faith that caused Abram to leave Ur based on the word of God. Now the LORD said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram went, as the LORD had told him (Genesis 12:1 4 ESV). It is this same faith that allowed this man to immediately leave for home, without Jesus in his company, based on Jesus say so. 5 Köstenberger, Andreas J., Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Vol. 2, John, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, ) 117 (

6 What faith isn t is a leap in the dark. This is one definition of faith from the dictionary. firm belief in something for which there is no proof. This isn t biblical faith. And faith isn t the force we referred to in this morning s introduction. Unger s notes: Theological Faith in the theological sense contains two elements recognized in the Scriptures: there is an element that is intellectual and also an element, of even deeper importance, that is moral. Faith is not simply the assent of the intellect to revealed truth (emphasis mine GK); it is the practical submission of the entire man to the guidance and control of such truth. The demons also believe, and shudder. Indispensable as is the assent of the intellect, that alone does not constitute the faith upon which the Scriptures lay such emphasis. The essential idea is rather that of fidelity, faithfulness, steadfastness. Or, as has been well said, Faith, in its essential temper, is that elevation of soul by which it aspires to the good, the true, and the divine. 6 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God (John 3:18 21 ESV). Biblical faith is grounded in revealed truth, that is it is factually supported. After all, the demons also believe, and shudder. And it requires a response to this truth, not simply and assent. Faith is grounded not in a belief without proof. It is grounded in a person, God, who has demonstrated His faithfulness. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV). Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass (Joshua 21:45 ESV). I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations (Psalms 89:1 ESV). Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old (Luke 1:68 70 ESV). Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23 ESV). 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 (2 Peter 3:9 ESV). 6 Unger, Merrill F., R. K. Harrison, ed., The New Unger s Bible Dictionary, Faith, Moody Press, Chicago, IL, 1966, p.396. ) 118 (

7 The Gospel of John What is Faith? John 4:43-54 VII The Christ Revealed to Israel Chapter 2:1-12:50 G. Return to Galilee Chapter 4: On the Road Again Verses Meet the Official Verses Introduction: (1 Corinthians 15:3 11) 1. On the Road Again: (Mark 6:4) 2. Meet the Official: (Luke 4:23 27)

8 Conclusion: (Genesis 12:1 4; John 3:18 21; Deuteronomy 7:9; Joshua 21:45; Psalms 89:1; (Hebrews 10:23; 2 Peter 3:9) Personal Application: This week, using scripture, meditate on God s faithfulness. What are the implications for your walk? Prayer for the Week: Lord, we praise your for Great is Your Faithfulness. In Jesus name, Amen.