John Series Sermon 23 The Evidence Of Faith John 4:43–45 Series

John Series Sermon 23 The Evidence of Faith John 4:43–45

(4:43–45) Introduction: this passage is very simple, yet it pictures one of the great lessons of the gospel—the evidence of faith.

1. The setting: Jesus entered Galilee (v.43).

2. The first evidence of faith: honoring Jesus (v.44).

3. The second evidence of faith: welcoming and receiving Jesus (v.45).

1 (4:43) Jesus, Ministry: Jesus entered Galilee. He had spent two days with the Samaritans and had experienced great success. However, Galilee was the area especially prepared by God for the Lord’s ministry, so Jesus returned to the area where most of His ministry was to be conducted. (

DEEPER STUDY

(4:43) Galilee: the district of Galilee was the northernmost part of Palestine. Palestine was divided into three districts: Judaea in the far south, Samaria in the middle, and Galilee in the north. God had prepared Galilee down through history for the coming of His Son’s ministry. Several facts show this

1. Throughout history Galilee had been invaded and repopulated again and again with different people and cultures from all over the world. Over the years such an influx of differing people had created an atmosphere susceptible to new personalities and ideas.

2. Galilee was strategically located. The world’s leading roads passed right through its borders. Merchants from all over the world passed through and boarded in the inns of the cities.

3. Galilee was heavily populated. It was also surrounded by the Samaritans, Phoenicians, and Syrians, making it an open door for world evangelization. It was one of the most fertile lands in that part of the world. This fact, plus the travelling trade, led numbers of people to settle within its borders. There were within the district over two hundred cities with a population of fifteen thousand people or more.1 There were multitudes for Jesus to reach.

4. Galilee was open to new and fresh ideas. Its people, having come from all over the world, were liberal minded, always looking for new and fresh ideas to stimulate and challenge their thinking.

It was for these reasons that Jesus chose Galilee to begin His ministry. The area was an open door for people to spread the news that the Messiah had come and that the Kingdom of Heaven was being ushered in.

2 (4:44) Honor—Jesus Christ, Honored—Belief: the first evidence of faith is honoring Jesus. When Jesus went into Galilee, He stayed away from His hometown of Nazareth. His neighbors and fellow citizens had rejected Him and had attempted to kill Him (Lu. 4:29). As a result Jesus had declared, “No prophet is accepted in his own country” (Lu. 4:24).

? Joseph was not honored by his brothers (Ge. 37:23–36).

? David was not honored by his brother (1 S. 17:28).

? Jeremiah was not honored by his hometown, Anathoth (Je. 11:21; see Je. 1:1).

? Paul was not honored by his countrymen (Ac. 9:23–24; see note—2 Co. 1:12–22).

? Jesus was not honored by His hometown (Mk. 6:1–6).

Now as Jesus returned to Galilee, bypassing the city of Nazareth, He again referred to the fact that a prophet has no honor in His own country.

A question needs to be asked. Why did Jesus make the declaration about dishonor here? It seems out of place. Glance at the three verses again (vv.43–45). There are at least two reasons.

1. Jesus’ heart was broken over His hometown. They were a special people to Him: He had played with some of them as a child, grown up with them, lived as a friend with them; and had fellowshipped, worked, eaten, and moved among them day in and day out. The thought of their rejection and hostility toward Him often preyed upon His mind. (See outline and notes—Mk. 6:1–6 for discussion of their rejection.)

2. Jesus had to prepare the disciples for persecution. They were to be severely persecuted by their fellow countrymen. He repeated the fact time and again to drive it into their minds. He wanted them prepared and not caught off guard when persecution came.

Now, note the point: the first evidence that a person has faith is that he honors Jesus. A sharp contrast is being drawn between the refusal of Nazareth to honor Jesus and the receiving of Him by other Galilaeans. Several things need to be considered.

a. Jesus is due honor. He is due all the honor and glory in the universe.

1) He is the Son of God who brought God’s presence among men.

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Mt. 1:23).

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).