John’s Gospel #6 Believing is Seeing
CHCC: February 10, 2008
John 4:43-54
INTRODUCTION:
You’ve all probably heard the saying, “Seeing is Believing.” Well, the man we’re going to talk about today showed that in God’s Kingdom, the opposite is true. This man didn’t have to “see it to believe it.” For him … and for everyone who chooses to follow Jesus … Believing is Seeing.
This is the 6th sermon in a series we’re doing on the Gospel of John. The last two weeks, we talked about two conversations Jesus had early in his ministry. One was with Nicodemus in Judea. The next was with the Woman at the Well in Samaria. Today we’re going to look at another conversation … this time with a government official in Galilee.
Jesus and his disciples had returned to Galilee because the Jewish Religious Leaders around Jerusalem were looking for a way to arrest him. When they reached Galilee, Jesus immediately began to draw crowds. Many people in Galilee had been down to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration.
And so, His reputation as a miracle-worker preceded him. As it happened, the reports about Jesus caught the attention of a high government official.
John 4: 46-47 says, Once more Jesus visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
The Greek word used to describe this man literally means “King’s man.” He was an officer of king Herod Antipas. Do you think this powerful, busy King’s Man would have walked the 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana in search of Jesus if his Son had not been deathly ill? I doubt it. It took a Critical Situation to motivate this nobleman to leave his home early one morning in search of a miracle.
1. The Value of a Critical Situation
This King’s Man was used to being in charge. A man in his position didn’t have to worry about how to take care of his family. He could get pretty much anything he wanted … any time he wanted it. If his wife or children had a need, he could fill it. He could buy them the best clothes, the best chariots, the best house. And if they were sick, he could afford the best doctors. But his money and political power were useless in the face of a sickness that threatened to kill his son.
How many people have turned to God when they hit bottom? That’s the value of a Critical situation. A terribly sick child or some other kind of dangerous situation can strip away the pride and self-satisfaction that holds us back from our Creator. After all, who else can we turn to when we desperately need something that no human being can give?
I’ve noticed that if we have the right attitude, those Critical Situations can be turning points in our lives. Most of my maturity came from hard situations I’ve been through. (Now, I know you’ve all wondered how I could have become so wise!) I’ve been through a lot of situations where I had to turn to God … because the outcome was not in my control. That’s when we really learn to trust God and to wait on His answers to our prayers. That’s when our personal connection with Christ can take hold and grow.
This “King’s Man” could have sent one of his many servants to find Jesus and bring him to Capernaum. But he was a DAD before he was an Official. So he came to Jesus personally and he begged him to come back with him and heal his son.
Jesus’ response was a surprise. It was not really an answer at all. He said, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe.” John 4:48
Jesus said this to the Official, but he was referring to the crowds around them. You see, Jesus was back on his home turf … in Cana, where he had turned water to wine. And Jesus knew that most of the people following him around were just wanting a show. They wanted to see more amazing supernatural feats.
But Jesus did not perform miracles in order to show off. He performed some miracles in order to give evidence that He truly was God’s son. But many other times, I think He performed miracles purely out of compassion. That’s why he often told the people he healed not to tell anyone about it. Jesus knew the Danger of people who were only Seeking Signs.
2. The Danger of Seeking Signs
* A person who is seeking for signs and wonders has turned God into a personal Genie in a Bottle.
And because of that, when God fails to come through for them, they often turn away from Him completely. Ted Turner (the founder of CNN and some other enterprises) has been known to make a few insulting remarks about Christians. But in an interview with the New Yorker magazine in April of 2001, he said he had once planned to become a Missionary. He said he turned his back on Christianity when his younger sister died of an immune system disease. He said, “I couldn’t understand how someone so innocent should be allowed to suffer so.” (Mark Riley, Sydney Morning Herald, Aug. 28, 2001)
This kind of misunderstanding about God has caused a lot of people to turn away from their best and only hope in this world. Somehow we get the idea that Christianity offers us the Premium Plan. When you get God, you get rich, comfortable, healthy, safe, and happy. Jesus made some amazing promises, but he never promised anyone a perfectly healthy, safe, pain-free life. In fact, he said clearly, “In this world you will have trouble…”
Don’t misunderstand what God has promised. This is still a Fallen World. And “In this world, we will have troubles…” but remember the rest of what Jesus said: In the world you will have trouble; but take heart, I have overcome the world. John 16:33
* If you are a Sign-Seeker, you do not have a real relationship with Jesus
It’s like someone who marries for money. As soon as the spouse loses the money … you’re out of there. There was never a real love relationship at all. We sang a song today that says Jesus is more than enough. That is the point. Faith means trusting in God … not in the goodies He can give. If we put our trust in God, then He Himself will always be more than enough.
That’s how these people in Cana were. Jesus had grown up in that area. He performed his first miracle there. Many of them had witnessed even more miracles during Passover when they saw him around Jerusalem. But Jesus knew that no matter how many signs and wonders they saw, they would only want more and more. Even the most amazing miracles would not bring these people to true Faith in Jesus.
A young pastor in another church told about an experience he had with a family who tended to be the “Easter and Christmas” variety of church attendees. A young woman in the family became critically ill. The prognosis was bad. In fact, doctors expected she might die within weeks.
The woman asked the Pastor, “If Jesus healed in the Bible, why doesn’t he heal me?”
The Pastor told her that God certainly COULD heal her and he prayed with the family.
Then the family began to beg and bargain that “if only” God would heal her, they would completely recommit themselves to him and they would be in church every Sunday for the rest of their lives.
To the amazement of the Doctors … and the family … and the Pastor … God healed this woman. She came out on the other side of the sickness and was released from the Hospital. Sure enough, the next Sunday the entire extended family filled up a row at Church.
The young woman gave her testimony and everyone praised God for his mercy.
The next week the family was there again. But after about a month, only the young woman and her husband were attending. And before long, their attendance became sporadic until they dropped back to the old Christmas and Easter pattern.
For a sign-seeker, even an amazing personal miracle is not enough to produce lasting faith.
Real faith means trusting Jesus for who He is … not for what he can do for us.
* Another problem with Sign-Seeking is that you can easily be fooled
People who are looking for amazing experiences often find themselves trapped in cults, following any leader who can give a good show. I remember a dear friend of ours who got deeply involved in a strange little cult. In his home, he had a black and white picture of the cult’s leader with a sort of a glowing halo over his head. That supposedly proved he was the 7th angel of Revelation or something.
Just because someone is exciting --- or charismatic --- or even appears to do miracles --- that is not enough reason to jump on their train. There are always leaders who try to build a following with those kinds of tactics.
But Jesus did not want those kinds of followers. And as it turns out, the Royal Official was not a sign-seeker at all.
In fact, this Kings Man he had only one thing on his mind. You can almost hear the desperation in his voice when he begs Jesus, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” The word he used changed from “son” to a word that means “my little child.” His heart was breaking for his sick child.
And Jesus answered him with great compassion, “You may go. Your son will live.”
What happened next shows this was a man who did not have to See in order to Believe. Verse 50 says, “The man took Jesus at his word and departed.”
3. The Joy of Believing and Seeing
This Royal Official could have ORDERED Jesus to come with him to his son’s bed. But he was willing to believe without seeing, and this nobleman soon discovered that BELIEVING is SEEING.
We know this because he did what Jesus said. He started walking back home. He didn’t know it, but at the same time, his servants were rushing to meet him with the news that his son was out of danger.
First the man took Jesus at his Word. THEN he saw the wonderful confirmation of his faith. Jesus had healed his precious little son. In fact the fever suddenly left the boy at the very time when Jesus said, “Your son will live.”
This miracle is like many I’ve seen. It’s not beyond all question. People could argue it was just a coincidence (in spite of the amazing timing.) But the official KNEW this was a miracle. And he KNEW he could put his trust in Jesus. Verse 53 tells the result of this miracle. This King’s Man and all his household put their trust in Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
Where have you put your faith? Is Jesus Himself ENOUGH for you, or is your faith based on what you want God to do for you?
I don’t mean that we should avoid ASKING God for healings. When our loved ones are sick, the FIRST thing we should do is exactly what this Royal Official did. We should go strait to Jesus and ASK for a healing. I’ve seen God answer those kinds of prayers many times right here in our congregation. But I also know that God does not heal every person every time we ask. Don’t rest your faith in what God does for you. Put your faith in who God is.
We can’t expect that God will answer every prayer with miraculous healing. But there is one miracle Jesus has guaranteed every time anyone will ask for it. If you will put your trust in Him, Jesus will give you Eternal Healing from the deathly consequences of sin. None of us are promised everlasting life here on earth. But if you will put your trust in Jesus, he will absolutely give you eternal life in heaven.
