AN EYEWITNESS TO JESUS--PART II

SERMON TITLE: SIGN TWO: HEALING OF THE NOBLEMAN'S SON

SERMON THEME: TAKING JESUS AT HIS WORD

SERMON TEXT: I JOHN 1:1-3; JOHN 4:43-54

 

INTRODUCTION: THE DISCIPLES DID NOT JUST BELIEVE OR TAKE IT BY FAITH , THEY TESTED THE REALITY OF THEIR BELIEF BY WHAT THEY HAD SEEN AND HEARD.

 

I JOHN 1:1-3

 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

 

·         JESUS CAME TO SHOW US THE FATHER AND HE PERFORMED SIGNS AS EVIDENCE THAT HE SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE FATHER.

 

JOHN 20:30-31

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 

THIS SECOND SIGN IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW FAITH GROWS

WHEN YOU TRUST

 

I) A BEGINNING FAITH

 

JOHN 4:43-47

43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

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. 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.

·         WHENEVER DIFFICULT AND TRYING TIMES COME YOUR WAY, TAKE THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE AND TO THE RIGHT PERSON.

 

PSALM 121:1-2
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

·         ANYTHING THAT DRIVES YOU CLOSER TO JESUS IS A BLESSING

 

II) A PERSISTENT FATIH

 

JOHN 4:48-49

48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

·         THIS CROWD WAS FULL OF MIRACLE-MONGERS AND SIGN-SEEKERS. THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN SALVATION.

 

JOHN6:68-69

68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

 

·         MOST PEOPLE NEVER LEARN THAT THE MIRACLES OF GRACE ARE FAR GREATER THAN THE MIRACLES OF GLORY.

 

MATTHEW 7:7-8

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

 

·         THE NOBLEMAN WAS HELPED BECAUSE HE PERSISTED IN SEEKING JESUS.

 

III) AN OBEDIENT, TRUSTING AND WITNESSING FAITH.

 

JOHN 4:50

50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

 

·         REAL FAITH IS BELIEVING THAT GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO.

 

JOHN 4:51-52

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.”

 

·         IF THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, THEN THE WORKS OF GOD WILL NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH EITHER.

 

JOHN 4:53-54

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.

54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

·         THIS MAN FIRST BELIEVED IN THE SIGN, BUT NOW HE BELIEVES IN THE SAVIOR.

 

HEBREWS 11:6

6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

 

·         THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE STORY WAS NOT IN THE SON'S PHYSICAL CURE, BUT IN THE FATHER'S SPIRITUAL CONVERSION.

 

 

CONCLUSION: I KNOW THIS MAN BELIEVED IN JESUS MORE THAN THE SIGN,

BECAUSE HE WANTED OTHERS TO COME TO BELIEVE IN JESUS.

 

JOHN 20:31

31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.