A Study of John's Gospel. Pt. 21 Faith is Essential. Believe on Jesus Christ.
Good morning...
Jesus returned to Galilee but was not honored there.
John 4:43-45 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44) For Jesus himself testified that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45) Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
John tells us what happened when Jesus left Samaria. He returned to Galilee and said that a prophet receives no honor in his own country. Matthew, Mark and Luke record the disrespect that some Galileans had toward Christ (Luke 4:16-30; Matthew 13:57).
There were some Galileans who had been with Jesus at the marriage supper when He turned water into wine. It appears from reading the other gospel accounts that only those who accompanied Christ to the feast in Cana were receptive to His teaching.
A nobleman comes to find Christ because he needed a miracle.
John 4:46-48 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47) When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48) Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Back in Cana a certain nobleman had a son who was very ill. This official was not identified but he was prominent either by his office or his wealth. He was from Capernaum which is about 25 miles away from Cana. The nobleman exhausted all normal avenues to find healing for his son and they failed. Therefore he went to see Jesus for he had heard how Jesus had changed water into wine at Cana.
Jesus points out something that is going to come up several times in John's gospel. People get all excited about signs and wonders like healing this man's son or feeding 5,000 but their belief or faith was to be in Christ alone.
This goes back to that old saying "Seeing is believing" and it is a false statement. Literally thousands of people saw what Jesus did in terms of signs or wonders but they did not believe on Him (See John 6:60-66).
"Go thy way" are words of comfort from Jesus.
John 4:49-54 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50) Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51) And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52) Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53) So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54) This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
The certain nobleman pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his son because he was near death. Jesus met this father's need and healed the boy. Notice what the text says. Jesus commanded the man to go back home and told him that his son lived. The nobleman obeyed.
The phrase "Go thy way" comes from a word that means to be a follower and it also implies laying your cares aside because the problem has been handled. When Jesus said "Go thy way" it carried a sense of finality that Christ cured his son and that this man should hereafter follow Christ.
Faith is absolutely essential.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
John wants us to see that this man believed the words that Jesus said to him. This is faith because faith is hoping for that which you do not yet see. John wrote his gospel so men might believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. John used the word "believe" 96 times so that we would understand today that we must believe on Jesus Christ.
On his way home the nobleman was met by his servants who told him that his son was cured. He asked them what hour of the day that the boy recovered and it corresponded to the exact moment that Jesus told him to go his way for his son lived.
Not only did the nobleman believe, but he witnessed about Christ and his entire household believed. John concluded this chapter with a note that this was the second miracle Jesus did early in His earthly ministry.
Thoughts to Ponder...
At this point in time some of Jesus' relatives did not yet believe that He was the Messiah. However, we do know that several of His brothers did become believers as we read later in the New Testament.
I think one take away for us is that as we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our lost family members, friends, and neighbors, we will probably encounter skepticism and resistance. Don't give up. My wife lived a Godly life before me for quite a few years before I was born again (1 Corinthians 7 & 1 Peter 3:1-6).
The reason Jesus saved us and left us here is so we share His truth in love with the lost. We must do this by exercising faith and trusting God for any fruit that comes from sharing the gospel.
We must also remember that sometimes we may sow the seed when someone hears the gospel for the first time. Other times we may enter into someone else's labors and pour the water of truth onto the good seed they have sown. Still, other times we may have the privilege of sharing truth when a person is born again.
Second, we must exercise faith in Jesus Christ alone. He is the Son of God who came to earth in a human body in order to fulfill God's law to die in our place as an innocent substitute on the cross.
When Jesus cried "It is finished" on the cross He declared that ALL sin was now atoned by his shed blood and death. His resurrection is proof that He did what He said He would do.
Last, we may become discouraged when we do not see anything happening in another persons life that we have witnessed to. We may not pray for them as fervently as we ought because it seems that God is not at work in their lives.
Do we believe the scriptures? Do we trust that God will do what He said He will do? I pray that the answer is a resounding "yes" in our hearts.
Therefore, we must not grow weary in well doing but press on each moment of each day, loving God and loving others, faithfully serving Christ as long as He gives us life. We must keep in mind that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Are we praying for the lost people we know to be born again? Are we taking God at His word and trusting Him to do the work as we sow and water the seed of His word? (See Matthew 13)
Bob
Jesus returned to Galilee but was not honored there.
John 4:43-45 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44) For Jesus himself testified that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45) Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
John tells us what happened when Jesus left Samaria. He returned to Galilee and said that a prophet receives no honor in his own country. Matthew, Mark and Luke record the disrespect that some Galileans had toward Christ (Luke 4:16-30; Matthew 13:57).
There were some Galileans who had been with Jesus at the marriage supper when He turned water into wine. It appears from reading the other gospel accounts that only those who accompanied Christ to the feast in Cana were receptive to His teaching.
A nobleman comes to find Christ because he needed a miracle.
John 4:46-48 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47) When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48) Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Back in Cana a certain nobleman had a son who was very ill. This official was not identified but he was prominent either by his office or his wealth. He was from Capernaum which is about 25 miles away from Cana. The nobleman exhausted all normal avenues to find healing for his son and they failed. Therefore he went to see Jesus for he had heard how Jesus had changed water into wine at Cana.
Jesus points out something that is going to come up several times in John's gospel. People get all excited about signs and wonders like healing this man's son or feeding 5,000 but their belief or faith was to be in Christ alone.
This goes back to that old saying "Seeing is believing" and it is a false statement. Literally thousands of people saw what Jesus did in terms of signs or wonders but they did not believe on Him (See John 6:60-66).
"Go thy way" are words of comfort from Jesus.
John 4:49-54 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50) Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51) And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52) Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53) So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54) This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
The certain nobleman pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his son because he was near death. Jesus met this father's need and healed the boy. Notice what the text says. Jesus commanded the man to go back home and told him that his son lived. The nobleman obeyed.
The phrase "Go thy way" comes from a word that means to be a follower and it also implies laying your cares aside because the problem has been handled. When Jesus said "Go thy way" it carried a sense of finality that Christ cured his son and that this man should hereafter follow Christ.
Faith is absolutely essential.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
John wants us to see that this man believed the words that Jesus said to him. This is faith because faith is hoping for that which you do not yet see. John wrote his gospel so men might believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. John used the word "believe" 96 times so that we would understand today that we must believe on Jesus Christ.
On his way home the nobleman was met by his servants who told him that his son was cured. He asked them what hour of the day that the boy recovered and it corresponded to the exact moment that Jesus told him to go his way for his son lived.
Not only did the nobleman believe, but he witnessed about Christ and his entire household believed. John concluded this chapter with a note that this was the second miracle Jesus did early in His earthly ministry.
Thoughts to Ponder...
At this point in time some of Jesus' relatives did not yet believe that He was the Messiah. However, we do know that several of His brothers did become believers as we read later in the New Testament.
I think one take away for us is that as we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our lost family members, friends, and neighbors, we will probably encounter skepticism and resistance. Don't give up. My wife lived a Godly life before me for quite a few years before I was born again (1 Corinthians 7 & 1 Peter 3:1-6).
The reason Jesus saved us and left us here is so we share His truth in love with the lost. We must do this by exercising faith and trusting God for any fruit that comes from sharing the gospel.
We must also remember that sometimes we may sow the seed when someone hears the gospel for the first time. Other times we may enter into someone else's labors and pour the water of truth onto the good seed they have sown. Still, other times we may have the privilege of sharing truth when a person is born again.
Second, we must exercise faith in Jesus Christ alone. He is the Son of God who came to earth in a human body in order to fulfill God's law to die in our place as an innocent substitute on the cross.
When Jesus cried "It is finished" on the cross He declared that ALL sin was now atoned by his shed blood and death. His resurrection is proof that He did what He said He would do.
Last, we may become discouraged when we do not see anything happening in another persons life that we have witnessed to. We may not pray for them as fervently as we ought because it seems that God is not at work in their lives.
Do we believe the scriptures? Do we trust that God will do what He said He will do? I pray that the answer is a resounding "yes" in our hearts.
Therefore, we must not grow weary in well doing but press on each moment of each day, loving God and loving others, faithfully serving Christ as long as He gives us life. We must keep in mind that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Are we praying for the lost people we know to be born again? Are we taking God at His word and trusting Him to do the work as we sow and water the seed of His word? (See Matthew 13)
Bob
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