Take Jesus at His Word
John 4:42-54
"Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed... So he and all his household believed"
(John 4:50, 53, NIV).
John’s purpose for writing his gospel is found toward the end of the book in verses 30-31: "But these (signs) are written that you may
• believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God"
• and that by believing you may have life in his name" (Jn. 20:31).
What is a sign? Obviously they are miracles, but miracles with a purpose. In John the miracles
• are focused upon who Jesus is, that is, the preexistent one sent from God.
• are divinely empowered acts or words which demand a decision for or against who Jesus is, that is, the preexistent one sent from God.
• elicit wonder, a puzzle, and to some looking on a misapprehension.
Signs contribute to the stages of faith; but they are never an end in themselves.
I. This Man Came to Jesus
The fist thing we note is that this man came to Jesus. He lived in Capernaum, about 20 miles from Cana. It’s not clear whether he was already in Cana on business or whether he traveled 20 miles from Capernaum specifically to see Jesus in Cana. He obviously had heard of Jesus and the miracles performed and was ready to try anything that would heal his son.
It is interesting that the man in our story today is described as a royal official. He is most likely a Roman official who was overseeing that area of Galilee in some capacity. According to Roman law, he would have had authority over Jesus, who was merely a peasant living in his jurisdiction. But he did not come giving orders, he came to Jesus in humility.
He was a nobleman, but he humbled himself and came to Jesus. There are many people who do not come to Jesus because they have to humble themselves to come. They have to admit that they cannot do it by themselves. They have to admit that they have a need. And that is hard for some people. If they could come to Jesus while standing tall and proud they would come, but when they have to come with head bowed they will not do it. This lesson teaches us if we are going to have Jesus meet our needs: we have to go to Jesus.
If you saw the movie with Tom Hanks entitled Cast Away, you know who Wilson is. Wilson is a volleyball which floated ashore in a package after the FedEx plane, in which Hanks was riding, crashed into the sea during a bad storm. Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a fast-paced FedEx executive who gets stranded on a remote island in the South Pacific after his plane crashes, with little chance for survival.
In trying to survive, he tries to start a fire with a sharp stick and cuts his hand severely. In anger, he takes the volleyball and throws it as hard as he can. When it lands he sees that his bloody hand has made an imprint that looks like a fiery head. With his finger he fashions a face in the blood — an idol, if you will. He talks to his new friend. You could even say he prays to Wilson as he attempts to make a fire.
All through the film he communicates with this volleyball, asking his help and currying his friendship. The interesting thing is that nowhere in the film does Tom Hanks every talk to God. He prays to the volleyball, but never to God.
Now, you have to ask yourself why he has more trust in a volleyball than God. But then you have to ask why other people trust in all kinds of things rather than God. They will talk to their friends. They will call Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz. They will read a self-help book, but they will not come to Jesus. Maybe the key word here is “self-help.” We have more trust in self-help than God’s help.
Yet, this royal official comes to see the Lord. But notice that his interest is only in his son’s health and not in God’s presence. Notice that he thinks Jesus must be where the boy is and to physically touch him in order to heal. So if we ask, “What does this fellow believe about Jesus?” our answer is: “Jesus is a first-rate magician, not the God who created the sun and stars with a mere word of power.”
In this story, Jesus seems to dismiss the official’s request. He brushes him aside as he says, “Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe” (John 4:48). In the Greek , the word for ‘you’ is in the plural. Jesus is speaking to the crowd of curiosity seekers and not to this individual man.
Jesus is saying, “You came here because of what you have seen and heard. What will it take for you to believe, to have faith, and to know God’s love for you?” You see, signs and wonders appeal to our reason. But belief is not a product of reason -- it is a product of faith.
Jesus had been gaining a reputation for being a bit of a miracle worker. Although the text calls this His 2nd miracle, it’s only the 2nd one that the writer John has described. So Jesus returned to His home province of Galilee, to the town of Cana, where He had done His 1st miracle of changing water into wine for a wedding banquet.
The Galileans welcomed Jesus’ miracles but did not honor him as a prophet. They had seen “all that he had done in Jerusalem” and they wanted his magic.
In a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip, Calvin desperately wants snow. He demands, he begs, he whines, he throws a temper-tantrum. Finally, when no snow comes, he shouts at God: “Do you want me to become an atheist?”
The cartoonist understands our problem with miracles and magic. They are addictive; they leave us wanting more; and if God once does not come through, we might just abandon him.
Surely you have played the game: a genie shows up with three wishes. What do you ask for? One thing is three more wishes. The rules (of course) prohibit that, but our hearts always long for more. Before we find the genie, we may be content; but stumble upon a magic lamp, and three wishes suddenly seem insufficient
II. The Man Believed Jesus' Words And Went.
This official was neither offended nor deterred by Jesus’ words. He continues to plead with Jesus: “If this is the one who can heal, then this is the one I will beg.”
The official said to Jesus, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” Jesus said to him, ”Go, your son will live.” The man believed the words that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.
The man is forced to trust the bare word of Jesus: “Go, your son will live.” He is given no sign to encourage his faith. Simply, “Your son will live.” Belief depends on accepting God’s word.
This teaches us that if our spiritual needs are to be met we need to take Jesus at His word. How often have you and I failed to do that? We want proof. We want assurance that our prayers will be answered. We take the words of others before we take the words of Jesus.
The man in our story had no reason to believe that what Jesus had said was, in fact, true. Usually, Jesus healed by laying his hands on someone — but his son would not be touched. Jesus refused his request to go with him to his home. The man believed without anything to prop up his faith.
This is the dilemma of faith — when we are asked to believe God before there is any evidence that what he has promised will happen. What will we do when we have no outward assurance? We have to trust Jesus before we see anything — before there is any evidence. If we believed after God gave us evidence, then we would not be operating in faith. Faith must come before there is any evidence or sign. Faith must come even when there is no particular benefit to believing.
He took Jesus at his word and look what happened. Before he arrived home, his servants met him with the news that his son was not only alive, but was completely well. It was in his going, not in his arriving that he received the assurance that his faith had been rewarded.
Good news comes and good things happen to those who take Jesus at his word. What it takes is a willingness to step out in faith. It is not enough just to say you believe God, you have to act on that belief. It means that you believe against all odds. You have faith when it seems ridiculous to believe. It means that you walk in obedience in spite of your feelings. You trust God even when you have no evidence or sign that your faith will be rewarded.
III. How Does This Sign Lead Us to Faith?
• This miracle shows us that Jesus is (patient) with the persistent, that Jesus is (compassionate) with the needy.
• The miracle tells us that Jesus is (powerful) beyond comprehension!
• The miracle states that Jesus is a (rewarder) of "... those who earnestly seek Him" (Heb.11:6). He has the power to say, "Go...he lives" (v.50).
• This miracle verifies that Jesus helps us as we are when we come to Him... no matter who we are.
• This miracle tells us that Jesus has authority and power to execute His will long distance! Christ’s physical location is not the fulcrum upon which the power of God rests in our lives—our faith in Christ is
You and I have to walk in faith, just as that man walked in faith toward the answer to his prayer. When he arrived home and saw his son alive and healthy, his faith went to a whole new level. He not only placed his faith in Jesus’ ability to heal, but he placed his faith in Jesus as the divine Savior. And he wasn’t the only one; his entire household believed.
Conclusion
You were made for another world you know. Will you put your hope there? Will you believe in Jesus’ promise to take you there, rather than relieve you here?
Do you believe in Jesus the prophet, or simply receive the miracle worker as long as he will make things better?
Will you take Jesus at His word today? Or will you continue to listen to voices that do not give you the right answers?
Will you trust Jesus with whatever burdens your heart? Or will you continue to carry them alone.
Will you walk out of here trusting Jesus as Savior? Or will you walk out of here in unbelief
Let us pray:
Lord we receive your love through the faith of a converted heart. We know you -- not because we have seen -- but because your Holy Spirit has led us to believe. We pray that you will help us to deepen our walk with you and to trust the words of Jesus, Your Son. Guide us this day, as we step out in faith -- and receive new eyes and ears and hearts. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
