The Faith Of The Nobleman

The Faith of the Nobleman

John 4:43-54 Monte T. Brown

November 30, 2008 Sunday Morning

Heart O’ the Hills

Introduction

Throughout our lives we hear a lot about faith and the need of having faith in our lives.

We hear of it when we come to church.

We read of it in books and the Bible.

We watch it in movies.

However it seems that so many times our faith is initiated by a crisis in our life.

Many times we only put our faith in Christ as a last ditch effort when we should have our faith in him always.

This morning I would like for us to take a look at the nobleman who lived in Capernaum.

Let’s examine The Faith of the Nobleman and see how he reacts to crisis in his life as he comes to Jesus on behalf of his son who was grievously ill in hopes that Jesus would come and heal him.

If you would please turn to our text this morning, stand, and follow along as I read from John 4:43-54.

Scripture

Notice the four characteristics about The Faith of the Nobleman we will look at this morning.

1. Notice the Resolve of his faith.

Look at what John 4:46-47 says; So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

47When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

At this point he had reached the end of his rope; his son was about to die.

He had probably tried everything imaginable up to this point to try to restore his son but to no avail, nothing seemed to work.

He had almost given up hope when he heard of Jesus being close by.

He was roughly only twenty miles away from this man’s home.

He had heard of the many miracles that Jesus had preformed so he resolves in his heart seek him out and implore him of his help.

This is the first hint of any true faith in God abiding in this man’s heart.

Like the woman with the issue of blood, he resolved that he must get to Jesus.

2. Notice the Request of his faith.

Look at what John 4:47-49 says; When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

48Then Jesus said to him, Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.

49The nobleman said to Him, Sir, come down before my child dies!

This man sought Jesus out there in Cana of Galilee and upon finding Him he made a spectacular request.

He asked Jesus if He would come down to his house, where his ailing son lay dying, and heal his son.

His request would seem ridiculous to the most people because they would deem it impossible.

However, true faith reaches beyond things thought impossible and grasp hold of God; for with him nothing is impossible.

Is anything to hard for the Lord, was God’s reply to Sarah upon delivering the news that she would bare a son in her old age.

That is a good question for us to ask ourselves today.

Is anything to hard for the Lord?

If we believe the answer is no, then we will begin to make spectacular request of him, such as the nobleman did in our passage.

3. Notice the Responds of his faith.

Look at what John 4:50 says; Jesus said to him, Go your way; your son lives. So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

True faith takes God at His word. When Jesus told this man to go his way, his son liveth, this man took Jesus at His word and believed Him.

Notice the responds this man never squabbled with Jesus saying, No Jesus, that’s not enough, you must come to my house!!

He simply believed the word that Jesus spoke to him.

This is a mark of true, genuine faith.

Are you taking God at His word today?

If you’re not you do not possess true faith.

4. Notice the Reward of his faith.

Look at what John 4:51-54 says; And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, Your son lives!

52Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

53So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, Your son lives. And he himself believed, and his whole household.