Ill:
• Faith is central to all of life.
• For example, you go to a doctor whose name you cannot pronounce.
• And whose degrees you have never verified.
• He gives you a prescription you cannot read.
• You take it to a pharmacist you have never seen before.
• He gives you a chemical compound you do not understand.
• You then go home and take the pill or medicine as per instructions.
• All the time, trusting and having faith in others!
• TRANSITION: Faith of course is only as good as the person we place it in.
• That is why we go to a reputable doctor and pharmacist,
• And not somebody we find on the internet!
In this story we have a turn up for the books (British expression for an unusual or unexpected event):
• An official (probably wealthy, a somebody),
• Coming to Jesus who humanly speaking was a nobody (carpenter turned preacher).
• The official comes asking a former carpenter for help!
• Again, humanly speaking that did not make sense.
• But Jesus as we know, was more than a carpenter,
• And this official and those present were also about to find that out!
(1). The beginnings of faith (vs 46).
46” Once more he 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.”.
• The first miracle that Jesus performed was turning water into wine.
• The Quran and apocryphal gospels (rejected by the Church Fathers),
• Have Jesus doing miracles as a baby and also as a child.
• But John in his gospel makes it very clear (chapter 2 verse 11),
• This was the first miracle that Jesus performed.
“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”
• That first miracle was the request of his mother Mary (chapter 2 verses 3&5),
• This second miracle at Cana in Galilee.
• It is a request that comes from a desperate father (vs 47).
Question: Who was the nobleman?
Answer:
• If we are honest, we don’t know!
• But we can have a good guess!
• This man is called a nobleman, a nobleman.
• Translated from the Greek word, ‘basilikos’.
• You will have heard of a basilica?
• Which is a medieval church or a medieval worship canter structure.
• But the original term,, ‘basilikos’.
• Means one who belongs to a king, one who belongs to a king.
• So this nobleman, this , ‘basilikos’., is one who belonged to a king.
• Question: Which king?
• Answer: It was probably Herod Antipas.
• If you remember the Christmas story, the baddy in the story was Herod the Great
• He lived in Jerusalem in the South,
• And he was the one who killed the babies in Bethlehem,
• He's now dead.
• One of his sons, Herod Antipas, ruled in Galilee (in the North).
• So, this nobleman probably worked for Herod Antipas.
• This position would have given the man great influence and power.
• It would also mean that he would have been a man of great wealth.
• Many people would have envied him,
• He probably had everything he needed to live a very comfortable life.
And yet he had a need that his position and wealth could not meet:
• As a man of means.
• He has no doubt tried every solution money could buy.
• But we all know that there are many needs and problems that money just can’t solve.
• Money can buy medicine.
• Money can hire doctors.
• Money can buy the very best health care.
• But money cannot buy life and health.
Like many of us who have stood next to a loved one dying:
• I was on the phone on Friday talking to a friend whose husband has brain tumours,
• He is back home waiting to die; doctors and medicine can no longer help him.
• This nobleman, this father was willing to try anything that might restore his son to health,
• But his situation seemed hopeless!
Ill:
• Years ago, an S-4 submarine was rammed by a ship off the coast of Massachusetts;
• It sank immediately.
• The entire crew was trapped in a prison house of death.
• Every effort was made to rescue the crew.
• But ultimately failed.
• Near the end of the ordeal, a deep sea diver,
• Who was doing everything in his power to find a way for the crew’s release,
• Thought he heard tapping on the steel wall of the sunken sub.
• He placed his helmet up against the side of the vessel;
• And he realised it was the Morse Code.
• He attached himself to the side.
• And spelled out in his mind the message being tapped from within.
• It was repeating the same question.
• The question was, from within: “Is ..there…any…hope?”
• TRANSITION:
• For this nobleman the same question was going around and around in his head:
• And when he discovered that Jesus was in his locality,
• He had found that one ray of hope!
(2). The approach of faith (vs 47).
“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.”
You can feel the sadness and despair in that verse.
• This father would have travelled 200 or 2,000 miles to get to Jesus,
• Never mind the 20 miles he did travel,
• In the hope of finding a cure for his son.
Notice the man went himself:
• Maybe he thought his status would have some influence on Jesus.
• If he did, then he was in for a shock.
• Social position or wealth never impressed Jesus.
• Like so often it impresses us.
• The characteristic that Jesus looked for in people was always faith!
• He commended or rebuked people again and again on the basis of their faith.
Quote The great reformer Martin Luther once said:
“God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”
If the man was as many scholars believe:
• Was a royal official who was working for king Herod.
• And overseeing that area of Galilee in some capacity.
• But he did not come giving orders,
• He came to Jesus in humility.
• He was a nobleman, a somebody.
• But he humbled himself and came to Jesus.
Ill:
• A couple of years ago I took the family to Israel.
• We hired a car and pottered around.
• One of the places we visited was the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
• The church was originally commissioned in 327 AD by Constantine & his mother Helena.
• It is supposed to be built over the site that is still traditionally considered;
• To be located over the cave that marks the birthplace of Jesus.
• Now if you are gullible to believe that is the actual cave and spot;
• Then you are welcome to you opinion.
• The point I want to make and I shared this with my kids;
• Just outside the Church before we went in.
• The door to the main entrance of the Church of the Nativity is very small.
• Only about 4 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
• It was built as a very small entrance in ancient times.
• To keep people from driving their carts or riding their horses into the Church.
• These days, the caretakers of the Church of the Nativity;
• Don’t really have to worry about people trying to drive carts,
• Or others riding horses into the Church.
• However, the tiny doors still help to keep something else.
• From entering the spot where Jesus was born: our own pride and egos.
• Today, the main entrance to the Church is called “The Door of Humility.”
• Because when you pass through it, you must bow down to enter.
• TRANSITION: Anyone who wants to encounter Jesus must come humbly;
• Quote: James chapter 4 verse 6:
• “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble”.
• “God resists (stands against, opposes, hinders) the proud (arrogant, smug),
• But gives grace (help, aid, assistance, ability) to the humble.”
The father in this story had to swallow his pride:
• Pride makes us self-sufficient, I am ok, I can manage,
• Whereas humility is admission that I cannot manage, that I need help!
• This father who had a good position in society and was always self-reliant;
• Had to admit before others that he was powerless to help his son.
• The man of wealth and position.
• Asks a penniless carpenter turned preacher for help!
• You can bet that got the gossips of Cana tongues wagging!
• He was willing to lose his reputation among the people of Cana;
• So that he might win the favour of God!
• Application: We too can come to Jesus for help.
• But like the father in this story, we much come humbly.
• The place to start is always to admit our need:
• RE: Salvation – admit, confess and repent of your sin!
• And experience God’s “gives grace (help, aid, assistance, ability) to the humble.”
(3). The rebuke of faith (vs 48).
“Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, Jesus told him, you will never believe”.
Ill:
• Sir Walter Raleigh was an English statesman, soldier, writer and explorer.
• One of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era.
• He once made a request of the Queen, and she reluctantly answered,
• “Raleigh, when will you ever stop begging?”
• Sir Walter Raleigh replied, “When your Majesty stops giving.”
• His request was granted.
• TRANSITION: I believe the God of all grace never grows weary of our asking,
• He never rebukes us for coming.
• Notice in this incident the rebuke of Jesus is not to the man but to the crowd!
• The response is really addressed to a wider audience (“You people”).
• There were many people following Jesus around for the wrong reasons,
• For them Jesus was nothing more than a showman, a religious entertainer.
• They were only interested in him to see the miraculous.
• And not to discover the truth about God.
• And so Jesus places the challenge before them.
• Let the miracle lead you onto belief, don’t just stop at the miracle.
• The miracles are simply signposts pointing out the way to the Messiah.
• The miracle is not in itself the end, but a means.
Ill:
• If you are going on a journey, no one stops at a sign saying;
• “Your destination is 10 miles away, or welcome to your destination”.
• The purpose of the sign is to remind you that you are on the right way;
• But keep going and soon you will be at your destination.
We live in a world that says; "Seeing is believing"
• But faith operates on different rules.
• It is always, believing first and then seeing.
• “Without faith it is impossible to please God”.
• Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6
Ill:
• The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet;
• And cover a distance of greater than 30 feet.
• Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall.
• The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall.
• TRANSITION: Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see,
• And with genuine faith in Jesus Christ.
• We are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.
• These verses will contrast the lack of faith of the crowd;
• And the faith of the sick boy’s father.
• e.g. Verse 50: “He took Jesus at his word.”
• e.g. Verse 53: “He and his household believed.”
• We are not told if his faith was great or small;
• But the most important thing is where his faith was placed!
Ill:
• The story is told of a good woman:
• Who was known for her great calmness in the midst of many trials;
• And also known for her simple faith.
• Another woman who was troubled, heard of her and said,
• "I must go and see that woman, and learn the secret of her strong and happy life."
• She went, and speaking to her asked: "Are you the woman with the great faith?"
• "No," she replied,
"I am not the woman with the great faith.
but I am the woman with the little faith in the great God."
Faith operates on different rules to; Seeing is believing":
• But faith is not blind, just believing anything.
• It is sourced in a person Jesus Christ who has proved himself to be trustworthy.
• Jesus always keeps his word, he is 100% trustworthy.
• Faith is not blind, faith is not wishful thinking, and certainly not blind;
• Because faith is sourced in him.
(4). The rewards of faith (vs 49-50).
“The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.”
• In verse 49 the nobleman repeated his request for Jesus to come home with him.
• And this time his request was becoming more urgent.
• In the narrative, he now uses a different word for his son;
• This time he refers to him as; “My child” or “My little boy.”
• You get the impression that this child is his whole world!
Note:
• To his credit the nobleman believed that Jesus could heal his son,
• But notice he made two mistakes in his thinking:
• First mistake:
• That Jesus had to go to Capernaum to save the lad,
• Second mistake:
• That if the boy died before he arrived, it would be too late.
• He had faith but it was very small.
• Yet a little faith in the right source can produce incredible results.
I love the response of Jesus in this narrative:
• He made a request asking Jesus to “Come”:
• The nobleman receives a positive but totally unexpected instruction, “Go!”
Ill:
• These are two contrasting words,
• Especially for children.
• We like the word, “Come.”
• “Come and join in” or “Come and have one of these!”
• We don’t like the word, “Go.”
• “Go to your room!” or “Go and wash up!”
• TRANSITION:
• The nobleman made a request asking Jesus to “Come”:
• But in response Jesus told him to, “Go!”
• “Go home for the healing has taken place”.
Notice:
• Jesus will help the man, but in helping he refuses to go with him.
• Jesus is determined to do a miracle that does not draw attention to Himself.
• For the crowds, it’s a disappointment.
• There is going to be no show.
• And for the nobleman his faith is about to be fully stretched.
• Jesus gives the man no sign - just His word!
• But the man offers no arguing or pleading.
• There is no insistence for a sign – the word of Jesus is enough.
• He believes what Jesus says and goes his way.
• And he proves that faith is not what you feel, it is what you do.
Ill:
• A man was lost in the desert and was near death for lack of water.
• Soon he came across a pump with a canteen hung on the handle and a note.
• The note read as follows:
"Below you are all the fresh water you could ever need, and the canteen contains exactly enough water to prime the pump."
• TRANSITION:
• Now it takes GREAT FAITH to pour out the whole contents of the canteen;
• For a promise of unlimited water.
• Question: What would you do?
• Drink the limited supply in the canteen, or trust the instructions for unlimited water?
When Jesus told this man to go home and that his son would live, the Bible says,
• “The man took Jesus at his word and departed” (vs 50).
• What a great response. The man took Jesus at his word.
Quote:
How many times have I failed to do that?
I know what Jesus has said, but I fail to take him at his word.
I believe my word over his word. I take the word of others over his word.
I ignore his word. I pretend I don’t hear his word, or that it does not apply to my situation.
I forget his word. I’m too busy to listen to his word — too distracted.
• Without any visible sign this man takes Jesus at his word;
• And the reward of trusting would be the healing of his son.
(5). The confirmation of faith (vs 51-53)
51 “While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed..”
Quote: Augustine (one of the early Church fathers):
“Faith is to believe what we do not see;
and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe”.
• Note: The boy was healed the instant Jesus spoke those words (vs 50),
• “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
• Twenty miles away back home are the servants of the nobleman;
• Not knowing what had happened only that the boy was better.
• The servants start out to find the nobleman, so they could share this good news.
• The boy had been healed at the seventh hour,
• Which, in Roman time, would be 7 o'clock in the evening.
• The journey home would require a night stop for the father.
• ill: 10 miles a day on foot.
• (12 to 15miles meant you were in 6th gear and looking for a speeding ticket).
• Remember that no-one travelled at night,
• Not even the servants, it just was too dangerous.
• The father would have to wait in his accommodation without a visible answer.
• Remember no phones, no texting, ne emails, no Facebook etc.
• Question: I wonder how he slept that night?
• Was he tossing and turning as the thoughts of a sick child race through his mind.
• Or did he sleep soundly, knowing that Jesus had promised to heal his son?
• Verse 51: Tells us that the next day as he was heading home;
• He was met by his servants, and their report confirmed his faith.
• The nobleman’s confident faith became a confirmed faith.
• To his amazement, the boy had been healed!
Ill:
• The renowned artist Paul Gustave Dore (1821-1883).
• Once lost his passport while travelling in Europe.
• When he came to a border crossing, he explained his predicament to one of the guards.
• Giving his name to the official,
• Dore hoped he would be recognized and allowed to pass.
• The guard, however, said.
• That many people attempted to cross the border by claiming to be persons they were not.
• Dore insisted that he was the man he claimed to be.
• “All right,” said the official, “we’ll give you a test, & if you pass it we’ll allow you to go through.”
• Handing him a pencil and a sheet of paper,
• He told the artist to sketch several peasants standing nearby.
• Dore did it so quickly and skilfully.
• That the guard was convinced he was indeed who he claimed to be.
• His work confirmed his word!
• TRANSITION: For the nobleman the works of Jesus confirmed his word!
(6). The spread of faith (vs 53b)
“So he and his whole household believed.”
• The healing took place at the very time when Jesus spoke the Word.
• It was this fact that made a believer out of the nobleman and his household.
• He believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God;
• And he shared this story and his new found faith with his family.
• Faith is infectious.
• It’s a bit like when someone has the measles – be careful or you might catch it!
• When this man shared the story of what Jesus had done;
• Those in his house also believed.
Ill:
• One Mercedes Benz TV commercial.
• Shows their car colliding with a cement wall during a safety test.
• Someone then asks the company spokesman;
• Why they do not enforce their patent on the Mercedes Benz's energy-absorbing car body,
• A design evidently copied by other companies because of its success.
• He replies matter-of-factly,
• "Because some things in life are too important not to share."
• TRANSITION: How true that statement is:
• Some things in life are too important not to share.
• This is good news that the church may not and cannot keep to herself.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=SmZIwawVVMFVlHqUilR34zcX8JHIPqMW
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/E_JFe37Bjw8
SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The beginnings of faith (vs 46).
(2). The approach of faith (vs 47).
(3). The rebuke of faith (vs 48).
(4). The rewards of faith (vs 50).
(5). The confirmation of faith (vs 51-53)
(6). The spread of faith (vs 53b)
SERMON BODY:
