Let's start today by talking about Jesus, and the life that Jesus offers.
The gospel of John began like this, John 1:1-5:
(1) In the beginning, the Word was,
and the Word was turned toward God,
and God, the Word was.
(2) This one was in the beginning turned toward God.
(3) Everything through him [happened/came/was created],
and apart from him not one thing [happened/was created] that has [happened/been created].
(4) In him was life,
and the life was the light of people,
(5) and the light in the darkness shines,
and the darkness didn't overcome/understand it.
Jesus has life inside of himself. And everything that was created, has life through him.
Now let's turn to Jesus' last words to Nicodemus, starting in 3:10:
(10) Jesus answered,
and he said to him,
"You are the teacher of Israel,
and these things you don't know?
(11) Truly, truly, I say to you, that what we know,
and what we have seen, we testify,
and our testimony y'all don't receive.
If the earthly things I told y'all, and y'all don't believe, how, if I tell y'all heavenly things, will y'all believe?,
(13) and no one has ascended into heaven,
except only the one from heaven having descended-- the son of man,
(14) and just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, in this way the son of man must be lifted up,
in order that each one giving allegiance to him will have eternal life.
(16) For in this way God loved the world,
so that He gave his unique son,
in order that each one giving allegiance to him shall not perish
but shall have eternal life.
(17) For God didn't send his son into the world,
in order that he would condemn the world,
but in order that the world would be saved through him.
(18) The one giving allegiance to him isn't condemned.
Now, the one not giving allegiance already has been condemned,
because he has not given allegiance to the name of the unique son of God.
Now, let's read Jesus' words to the Samaritan woman, in John 4:13:
(13) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.
Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,
will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,
but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.
So what do we know about Jesus, and life, so far in the gospel of John? What Jesus claims, and AJ claims, is that Jesus has life inside of himself. And Jesus can take from that life, and give life to anyone he wants.
What is this life?
At its most basic level, "life" is breath. It's the thing that makes you alive, instead of dead. John 1:1-5 told us that everyone lives through Jesus. Jesus, as God's word, is the means through which God created everything. Every breath we draw, we breathe because Jesus gives it to us.
But the life that Jesus offers, must go way beyond this, right? When Jesus offers life to Nicodemus, and to the Samaritan woman, he is offering life to people who are already breathing.
What this means, is that there is a deeper life, or a higher life, that is available to people. There is something more, that Jesus offers. At least, that's what AJ and Jesus are claiming.
This life is connected to the Holy Spirit. And this life is one that satisfies every human longing.
How can we gain access to this life?
Well, that question has already been answered a couple different ways. And I think John expects us to be good enough readers, to hold these different answers together-- and not pick and choose the ones we like.
When Jesus talked to Nicodemus, he focused on "giving allegiance" to Jesus and baptism (John 3:14-17). Nicodemus found himself drawn to Jesus, knowing that Jesus must be in some sense from God, but there was this gap between Nicodemus and Jesus that couldn't be filled. And at the heart of that gap, I think, was his unwillingness to be an open disciple of Jesus. The type of commitment, and loyalty, that Jesus demands, is an open one. Everyone needs to know that you follow Jesus-- that you've given your allegiance to him. And the main way you do that, is by getting baptized. There are no secret Christians.
Now, when Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman, all of this came out a little different. Jesus told her that she would receive this life if she "asks." If she knew who Jesus was, and God's gift that he offered, she would ask, and he would give her life that becomes springs of water inside of her, welling up to eternal life.
Now, many of us have been Christians so long, that none of this maybe seems very controversial, or difficult. We know we need to give our allegiance to Jesus. We remember when we asked Jesus to give us life.
And we experience the life that Jesus offers. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us, and we find ourselves living in joy, and peace, and hope-- and in relationship with God (John 17:3).
But when we try to witness to Jesus, talking to people on the outside, all of this seems controversial, and difficult. R
ight?
How can we successfully point people to Jesus? How can we witness to Jesus, in a way that people find themselves starting their own journey toward Jesus (John 1:46; 4:29)?
How can we persuade people, that Jesus can actually offer this life? And, if you find yourselves doubting Jesus' words, how can I persuade you that Jesus can do what he claims?
These are the types of questions today's passage answers.
John 4:43:
(43) Now after two days, he departed from there to Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet in his own homeland, honor he doesn't have.
What is Jesus' homeland? Scholars argue about this. But I think (siding with Barrett, O'Day, Keener, and others) that Jesus' homeland is Judea. Jesus "came to his own, and his own didn't receive him" (John 1:11). And every time Jesus goes to Judea, bad things happen to him.
Now, though, Jesus goes to Galilee. So we should expect good things to happen.
Verse 45-47:
(45) Then, when he came to Galilee, the Galileans received/welcomed him,
all things having seen,
whatever he had done in Jerusalem at the feast.
For also they came to the feast.
(46) Then, he came again to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water, wine,
and there was a certain royal official,
whose son was sick in Capernaum.
(47) This one, hearing that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, went to him,
and he asked,
that he would come down
and heal his son.
For he was about to die.
Let's pause here. This royal official has a sick son-- a son that's dying. And he's heard that Jesus is a healer.
People who are truly sick, eventually become desperate enough to try anything. Right? People who are dying will go anywhere, and try any type of experimental treatment. They don't care about the risks, or long-term consequences, or the cost. They are perfectly willing to be guinea pigs; they just want to live. And the worse you are suffering, and the closer you get to death, the more true this is.
This man has walked roughly 15 (?) miles, from Capernaum to Galilee, because he's heard that Jesus is someone who does signs and wonders, and healings.
Verse 48:
(48) Then, Jesus said to him,
"If signs and wonders you (plural) don't see, you (plural) will absolutely never believe/give allegiance."
Jesus' response shocks us, right? Jesus looks at him, and the crowd that's around him, and says, "if you-- plural-- don't see signs and wonders, you will absolutely never give allegiance.
Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus has been able to see straight through people. He knows what's in their hearts, either for good (John 1:47) or bad (John 2:23-25).
Jesus knows that there is something lacking in this man, and this crowd. The royal official believes Jesus is a healer. But he's not coming to Jesus as one of his disciples. He wants the blessings Jesus offers, without offering his commitment.
And so Jesus doesn't simply do what the man says. Instead, he puts up a low wall in front of the man. "If signs and wonders you don't see, you will absolutely never give believe/allegiance."
This is not the first time Jesus has done this to someone in the gospel of John. When Jesus' mother asked him to help at the wedding, what had Jesus told her? John 2:4: 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
And Jesus' mother pushed past Jesus' objection, and placed her trust in him regardless.
What will this man do? Verse 49:
(49) He says to him-- the royal official--
"Lord/sir, come down before my child dies."
The man sidesteps Jesus' statement, and asks a second time that Jesus come, and heal his child. He knows that Jesus can heal his son. He just needs Jesus to travel the 15 miles, and do so.
Verse 50:
(50) He says to him-- Jesus--
"Go.
Your son lives."
The man "believed" in the word
that Jesus spoke to him,
and he went out.
The man had faith, at first, that Jesus could heal his son if Jesus traveled to him. But Jesus doesn't do that. Instead, he simply tells the man, "Go. Your son lives."
And the man takes Jesus at his word. He believes that his son's healing is fact. And he goes.
What we are seeing here, is the man coming closer to discipleship. He "believes in Jesus' word."
Verse 51-53:
(51) Now, while he was going down, his slaves met him, saying
that his child lives.
(52) Then, he inquired/investigated the hour from them
at which he had gotten better.
Then, they said to him
that yesterday, at the seventh hour the fever left him.
(53) Then, the father knew
that [it was] that hour at which Jesus said to him,
"Your son lives,"
and he himself gave allegiance,
and his whole household.
When you've asked God for healing, for you, or someone else, you will always have this moment afterward where you ask yourself, "How were they healed?" WHO healed them? You have to make a decision about who is responsible, and who receives the glory for it.
The boy's father hears the word that his son lives. And then he investigates this, trying to determine if Jesus did this or not. Did his son just recover? Did the father overreact, and it would've all turned out okay? Or did Jesus heal him? These are natural questions. Questions you have to make a decision about.
And when the father investigates, he finds out that his son recovered at the exact hour that Jesus gave his word.
At that point, maybe, you could still throw up roadblocks in front of faith, and ignore the truth. But the man, hearing this word, doesn't do this. He responds by giving his allegiance to Jesus, along with his whole household.
And when this happens, Jesus' words are proved true a second time. Let's reread verse 48:
(48) Then, Jesus said to him,
"If signs and wonders you (plural) don't see, you (plural) will absolutely never believe/give allegiance."
Lots of people will never give their allegiance to Jesus, without seeing signs and wonders. They need to see proof that Jesus is who he says he is. They need to see evidence that Jesus can give, what he claims to give.
And what does Jesus claim to give?
Life.
Our story ends in verse 54:
(54) Now, this again, a second sign Jesus did,
coming from Judea to Galilee.
When Jesus heals the child, what we are seeing is not simply a miracle. It's a sign. And those are not the same things. A "sign" is a miracle that points beyond itself, to a higher truth.
How does this healing work as a sign?
Jesus gives life. And he can give this life to others, through his word.
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Let's do the application here in two steps. First, I'll address you-- Christians. Then, I'll talk about evangelism.
As long as you've been in church, you've been taught that Jesus gives eternal life. And you understand, hopefully, that this eternal life is something that's both a "now and later" thing.
Right now, already, you have received divine life from Jesus (2 Peter 1:3-4). Your sins have been taken away. You have the Holy Spirit; you know the Father and the Son (John 17:3), and (more importantly), they know you. You find yourselves content, happy. The deepest desires of your hearts have been met, in Jesus. And you know that this eternal life, that you already experience, is something that will become even greater one day. There is a "now," and a "later."
So this, more or less, is hopefully what you've been taught. The question is this: Do you ever find yourself doubting this? Do you ever wonder if Jesus can actually do what he says he can? Do you ever still worry about what will happen after you die? Or wonder if you'll get to your death bed, and go, "Oops."
How do we KNOW, really, that Jesus can give the life he promises?
We know that Jesus can give life, because he gave this boy life.
The whole point of this sign, is that if Jesus can give one type of life, he can give another. Life, is life. There really is no difference. There aren't even really two types. Life, is life. And Jesus can either give life, or he can't.
The fact that Jesus can give physical life, shows that he can give eternal life. And this works the other way as well-- the fact that Jesus gives eternal life, means he can give physical life and healing now. Life, is life.
So every time you read stories about Jesus healing people physically in the Bible, let them be an encouragement to you. They are a sign to you, that Jesus gives life.
And every time you see people healed, NOW, through the name of Jesus, let that be an encouragement to you as well. Let that strengthen your faith. Jesus still gives life.
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Now, let's talk about evangelism-- about sharing the good news about Jesus with others.
Jesus gives life. But how can we show the people around us that this is true?
Let's reread John 4:48:
(48) Then, Jesus said to him,
"If signs and wonders you (plural) don't see, you will absolutely never believe/give allegiance."
People tend to hear Jesus' words to the man and the crowd as a criticism. But I think Jesus is simply stating a fact. Jesus sees through all of them, and knows what's in their hearts. He knows that what all of these people need, before they will give allegiance to Jesus, is a sign. They need evidence that Jesus is actually able to give life.
And if they don't see this, there's zero chance they will ever give allegiance. The Greek here is emphatic-- they will absolutely never do this.
I assume that people today, are often no different than they were then. There are lots of people that we can talk to about Jesus until we are blue in the face, but they will absolutely never give allegiance until they see proof that Jesus gives life.
Where does that leave us?
Are these people hopelessly lost?
Most evangelical churches go out of their way to apologize about healings, and signs, and wonders. If you are sick, they will pray for you, absolutely. But they will do so, talking about how healing is something many people receive on the other side of the grave. Or they'll talk about healing, as something that's only for some people. They think "spiritual" healing, and "physical" healing, are two completely different things.
But our question is still really the same. Does Jesus still heal? Does Jesus still give life? Does he still do signs and wonders? Or are many people just hopelessly lost, forever?
And if Jesus no longer gives life, then why are we even here?
To answer these questions, let's cheat ahead, to John 14:12-14:
"Truly, truly, I say to you, the one giving allegiance to me, the works that I do, that one also will do,
and greater than these, he will do,
because I toward the Father I am going,
and whatever you ask in my name, this I will do,
in order that the Father may be glorified in/by the son.
If anything you ask me in my name, I will do it.
Jesus is still perfectly willing to heal. In fact, he says that we will do even greater signs than he did-- through him. All we have to do, is ask in Jesus' name.
Let's read a story from Acts, that shows us what this should look like in church. Starting in Acts 3 (using NKJV, for no particular reason):
3 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to [a]ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
There is power in the name of Jesus for healing.
Now, let's drop down to Acts 4:13. Peter and John got arrested for doing this, and this is what happens next, after they defend their actions:
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a [a]notable miracle has been done through them is evident[b] to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Prayer for Boldness
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who [c]by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.
Here, let's slow down, and really focus (this is my translation now):
(29) and now, Lord, see their threats,
and give your slaves with all boldness/confidence to speak your word,
(30) as your hand you stretch out
for healing and signs and wonders to happen through the name of your holy child/servant, Jesus,"
(31) and when/after they were praying, the place where they were gathered was shaken,
and all were filled with the Holy Spirit,
and they were speaking the word of God with boldness/confidence.
Who prays this? Who asks that God would do signs and wonders through the name of his son Jesus? Is this something only for apostles-- for Peter and John?
The church prays this. The church prays that God would do through them, what He had been doing through Peter and John. That God would stretch out his hand for them, in connection with the name of his son Jesus-- that God's mighty hand would be linked with the name of Jesus.
This is the kind of prayer that God is happy to answer. And God answers this, for the church. All of them were filled with the Spirit, and all of them spoke the word of God with boldness.
I had a friend once who asked me, why did God do signs and wonders through the first century church, and He doesn't now. My answer at the time was terrible.
But I think the truth has two parts:
(1) God still does signs and wonders through his people. But He only does them in some churches, for some Christians, through some Christians. Christians who don't think Jesus still gives life, will never see true healings, and signs, and wonders. All they can do, is pray that God would give wisdom to the doctors at Mayo, and then comfort your family if you die. And I say that, knowing that this was me, for most of my life.
(2) God does signs and wonders for people who want them, and pray for them, and are zealous for the lost.
There are lots and lots of people, probably, who will absolutely never give allegiance to Jesus without seeing a sign that shows that Jesus gives life.
You can write these people off as hopelessly lost. You can criticize them. OR. You can believe that Jesus still gives life. And you can pray, that God would use you as his instrument to bring healing to the lost.
Life, is life.
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Didn't ever figure out how to work this story in from The Collected Writings of John G. Lake:
John G. Lake was preaching one evening in South Africa, on a night when it was storming terribly. The kind of night, only the brave and dedicated would go to church. As he looked around his church, only having maybe a few dozen people that night, he made a comment about how almost everyone there had seen signs and wonders before being saved-- they'd come to faith in Jesus, after seeing what Jesus is still willing to do for people. They'd all been freed from something physically. And they, and their families, had all responded to that by giving their allegiance to Jesus.
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Translation:
(43) Now after two days, he departed from there to Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified
that a prophet in his own homeland, honor he doesn't have.
(45) Then, when he came to Galilee, the Galileans received/welcomed him,
all things having seen,
whatever he had done in Jerusalem at the feast.
For also they came to the feast.
(46) Then, he came again to Cana in Galilee,
where he had made the water, wine,
and there was a certain royal official,
whose son was sick in Capernaum.
(47) This one, hearing that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, went to him,
and he asked,
that he would come down
and heal his son.
For he was about to die.
(48) Then, Jesus said to him,
"If signs and wonders you (plural) don't see, you will absolutely never believe/give allegiance."
(49) He says to him-- the royal official--
"Lord/sir, come down before my child dies."
(50) He says to him-- Jesus--
"Go.
Your son lives."
The man "believed" in the word
that Jesus spoke to him,
and he went out.
(51) Now, while he was going down, his slaves met him, saying
that his child lives.
(52) Then, he inquired/investigated the hour from them
at which he had gotten better.
Then, they said to him
that yesterday, at the seventh hour the fever left him.
(53) Then, the father knew
that [it was] that hour at which Jesus said to him,
"Your son lives,"
and he himself gave allegiance,
and his whole household.
(54) Now, this again, a second sign Jesus did,
coming from Judea to Galilee.
