Love Reaching Out

Love Reaching Out John 4:46-53

INTRO.: There are many miracles of healing recorded. Jesus healed diseases, cast out demons, and raised the dead,. Each miracle was unique in some ways. In most cases, the people healed met Jesus and talked with Him either before or after the miracle. In most cases, He was present with the person.

But, here is a story of a great miracle performed on one whom, as far as we know, never met Jesus before or after. His healing was at the request of another and was performed over a distance.

Ths is a love story. A story of a man’s love for his son and for Jesus. A story of a man reaching out to Christ and the love of Christ reaching out to another in deep need.

By the time of this event, Jesus was getting well known. He had turned water into wine in Cana, cast money changers our of the temple, and attracted multitudes to His teaching

now, He returns to Cana and his activity is followed by a certain troubled father from Capernaum twenty miles away.

I. The man comes to Jesus:

A. He comes to a carpenter from Nazareth.

1. It’s unusual because he is a nobleman. Probably a member of Herod’s upper echelon staff.

2. Jesus had no great status.

3. This nobleman was desperate.

4. Swallowed a lot of pride.

5. When we come to Jesus, we must humble ourselves. Who cares what others think?

B. He could not be discouraged:

1. At first, Jesus seemed to rebuke him.

2. If he had been as touchy as we, he might have turned away and never come back.

3. It was a test of his commitment

4. v. 49 shows where his real concern lies.

C. He turned and left as Jesus instructed.

1. Must have been hard. “20 miles for just a promise?”

2. Onlookers might have wondered also.

3. “Took Jesus at His word.” What faith!

4. Wish we could do that more.

II. The reward of his faith:

A. He returned home. What did he think?

1. Had accepted authority of Jesus.

2. Imagine his feeling at receiving the good news of his son’s healing.

3. Imagine his excited questions about time, how it happened.

4. He knew Jesus had answered his prayer.

B. The power of Jesus was made obvious.

1. Not a mere carpenter. Unlike other men.

2. His power resides in His Word. Not in presence, touch, medical knowledge.

3. Matt 8:8 “say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

C. Finally, he and all his family believed:

1. It was not easy to accept a carpenter as Messiah.

2. Not easy to profess faith in Herod’s court.

3. Real surrender required & experienced.

III. Jesus comments on love. Jn. 15:9-14

A. Jesus loves and wants to bless us: 9

1. Even if we have never met Him personally.

2. No matter how far away we are, His love reaches out.

3. Just “take Him at His word”

B. We respond to His love by obeying Him. 10

1. He loves us as we are but doesn’t want us to stay as we are.

2. Obedience brings joy to Jesus and us. 11

C. One way to obey is by loving one another: 12

1. We can’t see Him. Love Him through His people.

2. Extent of the love He expects is seen in 13.

3. Demonstration of love is seen in 14.

4. Love goes full cycle from God to Jesus to man to other men and back to Jesus who obeys the Father and thus abides in His love.

CONC.: We see love around us every day. It is invisible and intangible but we know it by what it does. In His love, Jesus reaches out to us. Let us reach out to Him and through Him to others.