Week #19 Long Distance Healing John 4:43-54

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Charleen Webster
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Week #19 Long Distance Healing John 4:43-54 Presented Live on March 5, 2017 I. Introduction and review A. So far in Chapter Four, we have been told of a Samaritan woman who became a believer 1.

1 Week #19 Long Distance Healing John 4:43-54 Presented Live on March 5, 2017 I. Introduction and review A. So far in Chapter Four, we have been told of a Samaritan woman who became a believer 1. Thereafter, she brings most if not her entire village to Jesus 2. And it could be that this Samaritan village has more believers in Jesus the Messiah, than all of Israel 3. Jesus agrees to alter His plans and stay there for two additional days B. At the end of Chapter Four, there is story recorded by John, that: 1. Tells of Jesus second miraculous sign 2. It. Like His first sign arises out of a family crisis 3. And a man who was considered a very important person, who is willing to anything, in order to save his son II. [4:43] After the two days, that is after He had spent time in the Samaritan village of Sychar, He was ready to continue His trip to Galilee Page 1 of 8

2 A. On the third day He was in Cana III. [4:44-45] Jesus testimony A.... A prophet has no honor in his own country. 1. What does that mean? 2. He knows what will happen in Galilee and He is preparing His disciples for what is to come 3. Even though His return may be warmly received at first, He knows the hearts of men 4. Consider John 2:23-25 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. 5. Consider Luke 4:14-21, B. When people get what they want, belief becomes easy 1. How will they respond when presented with the truth 2. When the clash occurs between the real Messiah and the Messiah of their expectations, that is the conquering hero and king 3. There will always be clashes between human expectations and the sovereignty of God C. Many of the inhabitants of Galilee had been in Jerusalem in order to attend the feast 1. Jesus had performed miracles or signs during the time He was in Jerusalem for the feast 2. Jesus decides to travel once again to Cana where He had performed His first miracle why? IV. And it is at Cana where Jesus meets someone described as a royal official [4:45b-50] A. Why would Jesus return to Cana? 1. As it turns out, both His first and second signs were performed in Cana B. What does that mean royal official? Page 2 of 8

3 1. This man could have been a member of Herod Antipas extended family 2. Or he could have been one who served in the royal court of Herod 3. Whatever he was, he was a man of influence, wealth, and privilege 4. He undoubtedly wielded significant authority C. The son of this official was in the town of Capernaum where his family lived 1. Capernaum was an important town located on the North shore of the Sea of Galilee D. This boy was grievously ill, so much so that he was near death E. He father was pleading with Jesus for his son s life 1. The word used in the NASB is imploring 2. evrwta,w erotao {er-o-tah'-o} Meaning: 1) to question 2) to ask 2a) to request, entreat, beg, beseech 3. This word could have been translated as begging 4. The grammar indicates that his imploring was ongoing or repetitive 5. Jesus initial response seems a bit harsh as this man is pouring his guts out F. Jesus response is a statement which He will repeat often, that is that the Jews always want a sign or a wonder 1. The word people is added by the translators after the pronoun you, because the pronoun is plural 2. That tells us that Jesus response was not aimed at this supplicant but at the crowd and/or the nation as a whole 3. Is Jesus drawing a distinction between those who believe because of a sign and those who believe without one? a. Clearly He is b. Remember the passage 2:23-25 c. He is creating a distinction d. His people believe as the result of signs and wonders Page 3 of 8

4 e. The Samaritans believe based on His word 4. Remember the important pronouncement He made in John 20:29 Jesus said to him (Thomas), Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed. 5. Consider again how Jesus spoke about those who believe as a result of a sign 6. Remember the demands of the Jews after Jesus cleansed the temple G. The official wanted Jesus to accompany him to Capernaum 1. Why? 2. This official wanted two things: a. For Jesus to go to Capernaum (1) Capernaum was 13 miles from Cana as the crow flies (2) But Capernaum was an 18 mile journey from Cana (3) It would take 6 hours to get there on foot and 2 hours to get there by horseback or chariot, a little long by donkey b. Before his son dies c. He clearly believes that if Jesus doesn t come to Capernaum, his son will die d. Both of his assumptions are wrong (1) Jesus does not have to go to Capernaum to heal his son (2) And He doesn t have to get their before the son dies to save him e. Do we ever limit God by how we ask for His help? 3. Jesus chose a different scenario a. He wanted to heal the son physically, and b. To heal the family spiritually c. You see this family was spiritually dead 4. He told the official to go home for his son lives a. Lives za,w zao {dzah'-o} Meaning: 1) to live, Page 4 of 8

5 breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead) b. This verb is present, active, indicative (1) The present tense represents a simple statement of fact or reality viewed as occurring in actual time. (2) The indicative mood is a simple statement of fact. If an action really occurs or has occurred or will occur, it will be rendered in the indicative mood. 5. What was the official s response? 6. He believed [4:50] a. But what did he believe? b. Let s consider that question a little more thoroughly V. The official then appears to go about his business in Cana [4:51-54] A. How can we know that? 1. It would take six hours to walk home to Capernaum, causing him to arrive about 7 p.m. 2. But a man of influence, wealth, and privilege would not be walking but riding and therefore it would only take him two hours to get back 3. That would place him in Capernaum around 3 p.m. on the same day 4. But he instead returned on the next day 5. As he was on his way some of his servants met him 6. They told him of the good news, that his son was now well 7. He learned from them that the boy was miraculously made well at the same hour that Jesus stated that the boy would live, which was yesterday B. Verse 53 indicates that the royal official believed along with his whole household 1. Didn t he believe back in verse 50? 2. There are two explanations: Page 5 of 8

6 a. In verse 50 he believed his son was healed and kept from physical death b. But in verse 53 He and his family believe in Jesus as their Messiah, or c. Faith is not static, nor did God mean it to be d. It should always be growing, expanding and deepening e. And he and his family s faith grew even stronger in verse 53 VI. Since Jesus returned to Cana and performed this second sign, let s compare these two signs Order 1 st Miracle 2 nd Miracle Location At Cana At Cana Crisis Public Disgrace Death of a Son Faith Mary The Royal Official Ability Changed the chemical Cured a sever illness from of Jesus nature of water 13 miles away Impacted The Disciples and the The Royal Official s Servants family Method of Jesus spoke Jesus spoke implementation VII. There was physical restoration of the boy, and spiritual restoration of the household VIII. This miracle was all about faith A. Jesus understood that a faith that depends upon miracles is not a sustainable faith B. Consider the faith of this father and the stages it went through 1. First there was crisis faith a. This man believed that Jesus, if he could just get Him to come to Capernaum, could heal his son b. It not much faith, but it s the beginnings 2. Second there was confident faith a. This man looked into Jesus face and heard Him Page 6 of 8

7 say, your son lives b. He didn t even hurry home, because he was confident that his son would live c. If you look the Lord in the face, faith is a lot easier d. That s why the Gospel of John is all about bringing people to Jesus (1) Andrew brought Peter (2) Phillip brought Nathaniel (3) The Pharisees sent Nicodemus to Jesus (4) The Samaritan woman brought her village (5) And his son s illness brought Chuza to Jesus (6) And there will be many more 3. Third there was confirmed faith a. When the man heard when his son was healed, he believed b. The confirmation of Jesus had done, turned this man to the Messiah 4. Finally there was contagious faith a. This man did not keep his faith to himself b. But very soon his entire family had received Jesus as their Messiah also c. Consider Luke 8:1-3 d. I believe that Chuza was the royal official of John 4:43-54 Don t Forget Next Sunday Spring Forward 1 Hour! Don t Be Late! Page 7 of 8

8 Yup.... We are on the Internet. All the Lessons All the Notes Eight years worth are there for you! and Believer s Bible Class, & Douglas W. Brady Page 8 of 8

Miracle # 2 A Nobleman's Son Healed. John 4:46-54

Miracle # 2 A Nobleman's Son Healed. John 4:46-54 A lot has happened in John's gospel between last week's sermon and our text today. Jesus has cleansed the temple, running out the money changers (John