Transcript

Breeding Faith Through Adversity

John 4:43-54
Sunday, November 3, 2002
Pastor Randy Smith

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Charles Misner, a scientific specialist in general relative theory, expressed Albert Einstein's skepticism over the church. "The design of the universe…is very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion…He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty then they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he'd run across did not have proper respect…for the author of the universe." I agree that with Mr. Misner that Sunday morning worship often concludes just prior to the sermon. I agree with Mr. Misner that most ministers preach unbiblical man-centered messages catered to felt-needs according to the existential/pragmatic spirit of the age, instead of exalting the glory of God each Sunday morning. Nevertheless, Einstein came face-to-face with the glory of the Lord every day in his scientific studies and never appeared to follow the God of the Bible. Why?

These past few weeks we have been studying the testimony of the Samaritan woman. We learned how her salvation enabled her to forsake the broken cisterns of the world and find true joy and true satisfaction in God. Nevertheless so many professing Christians are bitter and depressed people. Why?

Why didn't Albert Einstein embrace God? Why don't Christians find their joy and satisfaction in God? The answer to both of these questions is faith. When we witness, we can push the existence of God and all the benefits of salvation to the "nth degree," but embracing God will always take a step of faith from the recipient. Likewise, we can encourage Christians to pursue their joy in God through serving and giving and fellowship and prayer and evangelism (like the delightful obedience of the Samaritan woman), but practicing these disciplines will also take a step of faith from the recipient. Faith is the link between God and us both in salvation and sanctification. Faith ensures us that God cannot only be trusted for our salvation, but that He can also be trusted for our joy as we mature in our walk with Him. Hebrews 11:6 proclaims, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

This morning as we continue to prepare our hearts for communion, I would like to discuss this crucial topic of faith. We'll chronicle three levels or progressions of faith as it is found in a "royal official" from Capernaum.

FAITH LEVEL #1 (4:43-48)

Let's begin with faith level one.

The Sinless One definitely knew the feeling of being misunderstood. Many accused Jesus of being "a gluttonous man and a drunkard (and) a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Mt. 11:9). Some went as far to say that He was empowered by demons (Mt. 12:24). Others were simply indifferent to the message of Christ. The apostle John in our text this morning addressed another unacceptable response to the ministry of Christ, those who followed Him merely out of a fascination for the signs and wonders.

Beginning in verse 43, "After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast" (Jn. 4:43-45).

In first reading this text, there appears to be a flat-out contradiction. In quoting some familiar (unbiblical) proverb, Jesus states that that "a prophet has no honor in his own country." From the Bible we know that Jesus' "own country" was Nazareth of Galilee (Mt. 21:11). But when Jesus arrived in Galilee, the text one verse later says that the Galileans welcomed Him. Therefore, why would Jesus say that a prophet receives no honor in his own country, despite the hero's welcome He received when He arrived in Galilee, which is His "own country?"

I believe the answer must be sought in the reason or the motive as to why the people welcomed Him. Were they receiving Him as the promised Messiah, the anointed Son of God, the Savior of the World? Or were they receiving Him as a miracle worker similar to one tacked on to the sideshow of a circus?

The context gives us a clue. First, the latter half of verse 45 says, "The Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast." The reference is to the Passover Feast. What did He do at the feast? He cleared the Temple (Jn. 2:13-22) in addition to performing a variety of other signs (2:23). Most likely news also spread of His miracle just prior to the festival when He changed water into wine (Jn. 2:1-11). The Galileans' faith here was similar to what Jesus and His disciples observed from the multitudes in Jerusalem at that time. People who followed Him simply for the "Jesus show." You will recall John's commentary about such individuals whose faith is based only on the spectacular: "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man" (Jn. 2:22-25).

This conclusion regarding an improper welcoming is further solidified in verse 48. Jesus therefore said to him, "Unless you (plural) people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." I think it's clear that those who received Him in Galilee did so based on a selfish expectation of power and not a selfless attitude of worship. Twice in the book of Matthew, Jesus is recorded as saying, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign" (Mt. 16:4; c.f. 12:39).

What a contrast this was to the ministry of Jesus in Samaria mentioned just one chapter earlier. As far as we know, the only miracle that Jesus produced in that district was the conversion of a sinner's heart! Based on the biblical record, Jesus did not create food or restore sight or cast out a demon or control the weather or heal lepers. He simply preached the gospel and a whole town walked away converted and satisfied!

Now Jesus returns to His own people, even His hometown and the reception He receives is selfishly motivated. Their faithless reception was in actuality a slap in their Messiah's face. It was reminiscent of John 1:11, "He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him." Paul said in 1 Corinthians that the "Jews ask for signs…but we preach Christ crucified" (1 Cor. 1:22-23). The Jew's fascination for signs (coupled with politics) was so strong, it eventually lead them to reject their Messiah and hang Him on a cross.

Now, I am not dismissing the biblical place for signs and wonders, however faith based only on signs and wonders is insufficient level 1 faith.

Now considering all in the crowd at Cana who did received Jesus with this insufficient faith Cana, the apostle John does identify one man in particular. His name is not recorded, but verse 46 refers to him as a "royal official" (basilikos). Most likely he was an influential man of power and wealth, serving in an authoritative position under Herod Antipas (the current ruling leader in Galilee).

Verse 46 also records that he has a very sick child. Despite all this man had going for him; there was nothing he could do to restore his son's health. His son was on the brink of death. He felt hopeless. Similar to any father, he was willing to go to any extreme to save his child's life. He was desperate. Perhaps the Miracle Worker who had recently arrived in Cana was the solution. Maybe He could work His "magic" in Capernaum as well. He saddled his horse and anxiously made the 20-mile trek from his home in Capernaum to Cana.

Verse 47, "When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him, and was requesting Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death." The tense of the verb suggests a persistent plea. The man had heard that Christ performs miracles and tenaciously holds Him out as the last resort for His Son. This man obviously had a degree of faith, probably more than the sigh-seekers, but nevertheless, his faith was weak. Even his own plea sought to limit the power of Jesus to a place (Jesus You come to Capernaum) and a specific mode of operation (Jesus You must touch my son). His faith was unlike the Roman Centurion in a similar predicament who said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed" (Mt. 8:8). It's doubtful that the royal official had the faith necessary for salvation at this point. I believe that's why Jesus responded to him in verse 48 by saying, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe."

The reply from Christ is surprising! Jesus took the royal official's genuine request to heal his sick son and turned it into a scathing rebuke for both he and the crowd who sought another miracle. I don't know about you, but that seems pretty harsh! The man's heart cry was never addressed. His son is another minute closer to death. And the crowd who sought to generously welcome Jesus was no doubt greatly offended. Why would Jesus say such a thing?

I believe the answer was because Jesus wanted to deal with the man and the people in a way that would inspire faith. I believe He wanted to test their faith. I believe He wanted to remove all the imposters and all the "trick-or treaters" (if I can coin the seasonal phrase). I believe He wanted to send home all of the sign-seekers and then begin a work of grace in the hearts of those who truly sought to know and love Him as the Messiah. Jesus wanted the hearts of those who were willing to ground their faith in His Word and not in His miracles. He wanted to take those who were willing to a new level of faith.

Let's move to faith level #2

FAITH LEVEL #2 (4:49-53a)

How was the royal official to respond? Would he withstand Christ's test of his faith or would he join the others and walk away disappointed? Interestingly, he was not offended, nor did he seek justification or speak of his authority. He simply stood his ground, humbled himself before Christ and once again reiterated his plea for mercy. In verse 49, "The royal official said to Him, 'Sir, come down before my child dies (no longer a 'son'-huios (vs. 47) but now he used a term of affection, 'my child'- paidion).'"

This account is also very similar to the Syrophoenician woman who had a sick daughter. Do you remember when this Gentile woman bowed down before the Lord and begged Him for help? And Jesus responded that He came for only for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mt. 15:24), saying "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs" (Mt. 15:26). Do you remember her response? "Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table" (Mt. 15:27). In response to such trust Jesus said, "O woman, your faith is great; be it done for you as you wish" (Mt. 12:28). The narrator concludes, "And her daughter was healed at once" (Mt. 15:28).

Likewise, in our text this morning, in response to the royal official's faith, Jesus said to him in verse 50, "Go; your son lives."

Verse 50 continues, "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off."

Isn't it funny how so many need to see in order to believe? If I can coin the modern proverb, "Seeing is believing." But in spiritual things the order is reversed. It is only when one believes in Jesus he will see spiritual things happening. Was it not Jesus who said to Thomas, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" (Jn. 20:29). The royal official did not receive even the smallest of signs. Jesus gave the man a test of pure faith. He simply said, "Go; your son lives." The man took Jesus at His Word. He departed in faith. He passed the test.

James Boice commented, "Needless to say, if it had been a mere man speaking the belief of the nobleman would have been absurd. No one believes without sight. Yet in spiritual matters it is entirely logical to do so-because we are dealing not with man but with God. Jesus is God. Hence, to believe Him is the most logical thing in the universe." The sign-seekers left dissatisfied, but this man left satisfied, believing the word of Christ with all his heart that his son had been cured.

Beginning in verse 51, "And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. They said therefore to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.' So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, 'Your son lives'" (Jn. 4:51-53a).

I'm sure this confirmation further increased this man's faith, but one word in hidden verse 52 reveals how much he had already trusted Jesus before he received the good news from his servants and before he saw his fully recovered son. It is the word "yesterday." Verse 50 says he departed immediately after hearing the word of Christ. Verse 52 says the child was healed at the seventh hour, that's about 1:00 PM. We know his journey took approximately 4 hours. Now if this were you, wouldn't have been home by 5:00 PM that evening to see if the promise came true! But the servants said he was healed "yesterday," meaning the Nobleman returned home the following day!

That panic stricken, heart throbbing ride to Cana to entreat Jesus was replaced with a leisurely return fully trusting in the word of Christ. The same word that spoke the universe into existence (Jn. 1:1-3) was the same word that healed his precious child. His faith knew it was a word that is powerful, sufficient, reliable and trustworthy.

Due to the lack of details in John's dialogue, it's hard to tell if this man was saved at this juncture, level 2 faith. Probably he was, but John leaves us no doubt in the remainder of verse 53.

FAITH LEVEL #3 (4:53b-54)

"And he himself believed, and his whole household" (Jn. 4:53b). Based upon this man's testimony that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, His whole household trusted Christ and came to level 3 faith.

What a wonderful story as to how Christ used this man's adversity to breed the faith necessary for salvation, whereby the royal official and all his household are now satisfied "true worshippers" of the living God.

Before we welcome our 12 new members, let me ask you a few questions of personal examination as we continue to prepare our hearts for communion.

At what level is your faith? Do you have level 3 faith, the necessary faith for salvation? A person can enjoy church and Christian fellowship and never be truly saved. Matthew 7 says some will even "perform many miracles" only to hear the Lord say, "I never knew you; depart from Me." Do you have the necessary faith that believes in the Person and substitutionary work of Jesus Christ on the cross as the sacrifice for your sins? Paul said, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).

Second, if you do trust Christ and call yourself one of His children, do you have faith similar to the royal official? Do you eagerly receive Christ's Word? Do you obey His commands with delight? Is your faith increasing? Are you saturated with the Bible realizing that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Rom 10:17)? Do you find yourself taking "risks" for the kingdom that you never would have dreamed of in the past? Do you really believe that you will be more blessed in giving than receiving (Ac. 20:35)? Do you really believe trials are a joyful experience (Jas. 1:2)? Do you really believe that the prayer of a righteous person can accomplish much (Jas. 5:16)? Do you really believe that those without Christ will suffer an eternity of torment in hell (Mt. 25:41, 46)? Do you really consider yourself blessed when you are persecuted for Christ's sake (Mt. 5:12)? Do you really believe that your financial offerings for the kingdom will produce greater and eternal riches in heaven (Mt. 6:20)? Do you really believe that everything is worthless when compared to having Christ (Phil. 3:7-8)? Do you really believe that delighting in the Lord is the key to receiving the desires of your heart (Psm. 37:4)?

These are some of the questions that test the reality and depth of our faith. Do we have faith akin the royal official when it comes to trusting the word of Christ? Is there evidence that God is also breeding our faith whereby we might bring Him greater glory in the decisions we make?