I make no claims as this being an original sermon as I have read and studied multiple accounts, some on Sermon Central in the development and flow of this message.
TITLE: GROWING OUR FAITH
SCRIPTURE: ST. JOHN 4:46-53
Before we deal with this text there is one area I would like shine some light upon. Some say or would suggest to us, this narrative is another version of the healing of the Centurion’s servant as recorded in St. Matthew 8:5-13 -- Although there are some similarities there are more differences between that text and our text read this morning. I want to point out a few of these differences:
• The Centurion was a Gentile - the Nobleman appears to be Jewish
• The Centurion’s slave suffered from a paralysis - the Nobleman’s son was ill with a fever
• The Centurion is in Capernaum - the Nobleman is in Cana
• The Centurion’s faith wins Jesus’ praise - the Nobleman and others are rebuked for a deficient faith
• The Centurion urges Jesus not to come, but only to speak the word - the Nobleman urges Jesus to come
• The Centurion has Jewish elders to plead his case - the Nobleman pleads with Jesus personally
Let’s take a look this morning at this subject of ‘Growing Our Faith’ - in particular we will examine the events surrounding this Nobleman of Capernaum.
• Jesus had been in Cana earlier, where He performed the miracle of turning water into wine at the marriage feast
• From there, He went to Jerusalem, where he drove the money-changers and merchants out of the Temple
• While in Jerusalem, He had an encounter with Nicodemus
• On His way back to Cana, He passed through Samaria, where He had an encounter with the Woman at the Well
• Now Jesus is back in Cana and He is apparently speaking to a crowd of people
A Nobleman interrupts Jesus while He is speaking to the crowd. Who is this Nobleman?
• He was a high ranking official
• A royal officer who served under King Herod
• He may have even been related to King Herod
• He was a rich and powerful Jew
• A man of great means and influence
He also had a Problem. His son was sick and dying. He had probably gone to the best physicians for help but there was nothing they could do for him. He had exhausted all resources. There was nothing he could do, but sit by the bedside of his son, and watch him grow worse by the hour. Up to this point, he probably hadn’t known what it was like to be in need.
• The twenty miles from Capernaum to Cana was not the only distance the nobleman had to cross
• He had to cross an even greater distance socially
• He a nobleman had to lower himself to seek help from a HUMBLE VILLAGER – CARPENTER – ITINERANT PREACHER
VS. 47 We find a very interesting word – “HEARD” – This Nobleman had “HEARD” about Jesus. The Nobleman lived in “Capernaum” - about 20 miles away. Jesus had stayed there after He performed the miracle at Cana. Maybe it was here that he had heard about what Jesus had just done in Cana. I don’t know about you but turning Water into Wine would have gained my attention.
This Nobleman interrupts Jesus as He’s teaching, and begs Him to come with him to Capernaum and heal his son. Think what the crowd must have thought! A Nobleman - begging! Jesus is a Jewish Rabbi - a carpenter. This rich, influential, powerful man may have been on his knees, and begging Jesus to stop in the middle of his sermon, and go with him to Capernaum. There are several things I want to note here -- FIRSTLY -- TROUBLE LED HIM TO JESUS. He had tried everything else. Nothing had worked. Now he was going to try Jesus, as his last resort.
Sometimes, our troubles and trials are there to bring us to Jesus. If it hadn’t been for the terminal sickness of his son, he never would have come to Jesus.
• Sometimes, it takes something drastic in our lives before we will see the need to come to Jesus
• He has nowhere else to turn
• But, what’s the alternative?
• Sitting by your son’s bed, and watching him die?
• It’s sad to say, but some people choose the alternative, and never come to Jesus
The text informs us, he personally went to Jesus. Being a Nobleman, he could have sent a servant. But, this was such a personal matter to him, that he went himself.
• You can have people praying for you
• You can be on every prayer list in every church in the county
• But, Jesus wants you to come to Him Personally when you have a need that only He can meet
• Intercessory prayer is good
• We ought to enlist others to pray for us
• GALATIANS 6:2 – “Bear ye one another’s burdens”
• In this way, others will be blessed when they see God answer prayer
• But a Personal need requires Personal prayer and personally going to Jesus
• Jesus couldn’t have had a personal impact on this man’s life, if he hadn’t personally been there
He asked for Mercy. Notice he didn’t appeal to Jesus because he was – Somebody – Rich – Powerful Nobleman. He didn’t ask Jesus to bless him because of any merit that he had. He went to Jesus in a humble spirit because he had a need. Don’t go to Jesus and ask Him to bless you because you deserve it. Look at all I’ve done for you, Jesus. I TITHE – GO TO CHURCH – READ MY BIBLE - GOOD PERSON – LIVE GOOD CHRISTIAN LIFE. This is the least You can do for me. It’s pay-back time, Jesus. The Nobleman appeals to the Grace and Mercy of Jesus - not to any merit he may have as a Nobleman. We don’t Deserve anything from Jesus. Anything good that He gives us, is because of His grace and mercy.
I can't imagine a worse crisis for a parent. And no doubt he had drained all his options from medical science. He was out of hope, until He heard about Jesus working miracles and being regarded as the Messiah.
• Crisis often brings people to Jesus
• And there's nothing wrong with that when it is genuine
• Of course, it is sad when sometimes God solves the crisis and then the people leave church
• They wanted their problem solved
• But didn't want a relationship with the problem solver
• They wanted comfort, but not commitment
MAYBE THIS WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM THIS NOBLEMAN EVER HAD THAT HIS MONEY COULD NOT SOLVE. Our government says that if you throw enough money at a problem it will go away, but it doesn't work. We don't need to educate heads, we need to change hearts!
• Money can buy Insurance - but not security
• Money can buy Entertainment - but not happiness
• Money can buy Medicine - but not health
• Money can buy A House - but not a home
• Money can buy A Bed - but not a good night's sleep
• Money can buy Companionship - but not friendship
• And money can buy a Crucifix - but not a Savior!
This Nobleman wanted Jesus to go with Him to Capernaum. In his mind, that’s the only way Jesus could heal, to be at the bedside of his son. “The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" This father is expressing a limited faith. It is limited to the belief “that while there is life, there is hope.”
• He thinks that Jesus can only help as long as the boy is alive
• It was also limited in that the nobleman thought that Jesus had to be present with the boy to heal him
• He had the faith to believe that Jesus could heal him if he were at his side but not from 20 miles away
• 20 miles may not be very far by automobile
• It is a good distance when you have to walk and there is a crisis
These two things had to be in the same place - his sick son and Jesus. Only then, could a miracle take place, if it was going to take place at all. Can I give you my NEXT POINT -- DON’T TELL JESUS HOW YOU WANT HIM TO ANSWER YOUR PRAYER.
• Have you ever done that?
• You have a need and you go to Jesus
• You tell Jesus your need
• Then you tell Jesus how you want Him to meet that need
• We try to Limit Jesus
• We try to Tie His Hands
• We try to Dictate to the Master
• We try to tell Jesus what to do and How to do it
Maybe Jesus has something else in mind. The problem with telling Jesus how to answer your prayer is when Jesus doesn’t do it the way you have it all planned out, you end up disappointed. Not only Disappointed, but Disappointed in Jesus.
• Go to Him with your need
• Then let Jesus meet your need His Way
• Don’t limit the power of Jesus. Jesus wants to do so much more than you will ever ask Him for
• EPHESIANS 3:20 – “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us”
Jesus is speaking to the crowd here. “YE” is plural in the Greek. He’s talking to the crowd, not necessarily to this father initially. Everything stopped when this Nobleman approached Jesus. When the Nobleman asked Jesus for a miracle, the crowd wanted to see what Jesus would do. They were hoping for another miracle maybe they had missed the last one at Cana. They were following Jesus, not because they believed in Him, but because they wanted to see Him work a miracle. They didn’t have Faith in Jesus, because they hadn’t seen Him work a miracle.
• HEBREWS 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”
• II CORINTHIANS 5:7 – “For we walk by faith, not by sight”
Jesus turns away from the Nobleman, to talk to the crowd. The Nobleman redirects Jesus’ attention from the crowd, back to himself. It’s like he’s saying - Uh, Jesus, I don’t care about their need to see a sign or miracle. All I care about is that my son is sick and dying and I believe you can do it, if you hurry up.
• I don’t need you to preach a sermon to them
• I need a miracle
• And I need it right now
This man didn’t give up. Notice the growth of his faith.
• When he heard about Jesus
• He decided to try Him
• When he refused to give up after Jesus seems to ignore him his faith elevated
That’s why there are still so many on the outside of the Church and don’t have time for what is going on in here each week.
• They tried Jesus at some point
• They took their concerns and pains to Jesus
• Because Jesus did not move when they thought
• They gave up on the Lord
• They gave up on the Church
• But this Father found in our text refused to give up!
Notice here, that Jesus denied his first request to go to Capernaum with him. Jesus said “No! I’m not going with you.” You see, Jesus had something better in mind. Jesus was going to heal his son without ever laying hands on him. This reminds me of Lazarus. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus because their brother Lazarus was sick. Jesus said “No!”
• Lazarus died
• Jesus didn’t grant their request
• They tried to tell Jesus how to meet their need
• But, Jesus had something better in mind for Lazarus
• Jesus was going to raise him from the dead!
Sometimes when Jesus says “No!” - He has something betteer in mind. It might not be what we had prayed for. It might not be what we Expected or even what we Wanted. We may never understand How it could be better. But just because Jesus says “No!” doesn’t mean that He doesn’t know what He’s doing. It doesn’t mean that Jesus hasn’t acted in our best interests. That’s why it bothers me to hear so many say from the Pulpit – “GOD IS GETTING READY TO DO THIS OR THAT” - Now we see this father’s faith take off and begin to Grow. How do we know this? The Bible says “HE WENT HIS WAY.”
• The more you Obey Jesus, the stronger your faith will grow
• His Obedience demonstrated his faith
Sometimes I wonder – “WHAT IF HE HAD NOT LEFT, BUT STAYED AND CONTINUED TO BEG JESUS TO COME TO CAPERNAUM?” It would have showed he didn’t believe Jesus could heal his son without being there. The text tells us, He left and headed home. He had faith what Jesus said was true - so he obeyed.
• Prior to this account he had believed because he had heard the reports of Jesus from others
• Now he believes because he hears the Words of Jesus himself
His servants must have really loved him, because they couldn’t wait for him to come home to tell him the good news. They headed out for Cana.
• Notice with me they said the Exact same thing Jesus said
• “Thy son liveth”
• When he heard the words, I am sure this put chill bumps down his arms
• “That’s exactly what Jesus said!”
Notice several things here – he got more than he bargained for. The Nobleman asked when his child – “BEGAN TO AMEND” - the servant said: “THE FEVER LEFT HIM.”
• The Nobleman was expecting his son to Gradually get better and live
• When Jesus healed him, He healed him fully, totally, instantaneously
• When you stop trying to tell Jesus what to do, He’ll do much more than you ever expected
• Don’t put Jesus in a box
• Trust Jesus to do what he does best
He Took His Time To Go Back Home. The text says “YESTERDAY.”
• It was about 20 miles from Cana to Capernaum
• Jesus healed the boy at 1:00 PM
• He could have made it back home by dark
• The Nobleman took his time going home
• Perhaps spending the night in Cana or somewhere along the way
Why didn’t he immediately go home? No need his son was going to be OK. When you pray, and give your need to Jesus – You Can rest in his promises. Jesus Promised him that his son would be OK. He had Peace about it. He knew that Jesus had taken care of it.
• Why do we Pray, Pray, and Pray
• Why do we Worry, Worry, and Worry
• When Jesus told us He would never leave us alone
• When Jesus told us He would never Put more on us than we can Bare
Don’t get me wrong, you should Pray. You can stop asking when you see the answer to your prayer. Or if you never see the answer that you expected, pray until Jesus gives you Peace.
• Sometimes Jesus won’t meet your need the way you asked
• But, He will give you Peace that He has taken care of it
• His way
• His time
• His will
The words of Jesus are not intended to turn this father away but to turn him to Jesus in faith. Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." The words of this verse use the imperfect tense to help us see that the nobleman believed Jesus so implicitly that he simply picked up his work where he had left it and went on about his business. “… So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.”
• We don’t want to fail to notice the difference in the nobleman’s rush to get to Jesus and his leisurely pace in returning home
• Since the miracle took place at the seventh hour - one o’clock in the afternoon - he could have made it home the same day
• But he arrived the next day, spending the night somewhere along the route
Some Christians become bitter, they have prayed yet they were not healed or helped in the way that they sought. They thought they had a promise of God and that God was obligated to heal them or bless them financially.
Can I tell you as I hurry to a Close --
--WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROMISES IN THE BIBLE
1. There are GENERAL PROMISES as in St. John 3:16 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
2. There are PROMISES THAT APPLY ONLY TO BELIEVERS - - I WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE YOU
3. There are SPECIFIC PROMISES that apply only to the individuals to whom they were given – I WILL MAKE YOU A GREAT NATION
This father in the text this morning, because of his Grown and Escalating Faith received a Specific Promise and he believed.
--The nobleman came seeking a physical healing - yet God gave him a spiritual healing as well
--Today, looking into the Scriptures, we also place our trust and faith in Jesus
--As we do, we are given eternal life in his name
--Eventually this young child not even named in the text died anyway
--Even faith healers die
--The best that a miracle of healing can do is to postpone the inevitable
--The saving of a soul is the only eternal miracle
