Believing Without Seeing!
John 4:45-54
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BelievingSeeing.html
Jesus returns to the site of His first public miracle, and He’s going to work a second public miracle. In between the two was a miracle not so public. It was more internal than external, and it was the greatest of all miracles...saving the soul of the Bad Samaritan.
The Nobleman works directly for the King. A man of prominence and means. He seeks out the Lord and besought [begged] Him to work a miracle for his sick son. Jesus says, go back home, it’s all fine now. [Home was at least 20 miles away!] The Nobleman didn’t question or doubt it, but instantly believed...without seeing!
John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
While walking home he’s met with his own servants whom he had left with his son. Most of us would see them and assume they were coming to tell us the child had finally died. But he knew better, and seeing the smiles on their faces he knew what they were about to say. Indeed, they were come to tell him the child was fine now.
Truly fascinating is what the Nobleman asked them. "What time did he get better?" It was at the exact moment Jesus spoke the word. This is how faith is supposed to work.
1. Man has problem.
2. Man brings problem to Jesus.
3. Jesus makes promise to man.
4. Man takes Jesus at His word.
5. Jesus comes through!
This is how faith is supposed to work. Without faith it’s impossible to please God. Faith is humble trust in the promises of God.
This story is a beautiful illustration of salvation. In his gospel, John selected seven of the many miracles of Jesus to tell us about. And he had a specific reason for choosing these seven. It was so people would believe in Jesus.
John 20:30-31
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Each of these seven miracles are an illustration of salvation. Like water to wine, the water of the Word turns to the wine of salvation. In this second miracle, the emphasis is on faith, because salvation comes thru faith, not by works. Now, good works can result from salvation, but they are not the cause of salvation. They are the fruit, not the root. The root is faith!
Contrast Jesus’ first and second miracles:
Water to Wine: Healing Nobleman’s Son:
Power over nature Power over disease
Time of joy Time of sorrow
To bring pleasure To relieve suffering
Power over time Power over space
[Turns water into wine all the time!] [Long distance healing]
This list reminds us that we need Jesus in all seasons of life. Good times/bad times. Joy/struggle. Going well/falling apart.
"I need they every hour...in joy or pain"
I. The Nobleman had a great sorrow.
A. The Condition of the son.
He’s at the point of death, and death is no respecter of age. We think it only happens to the elderly, but no matter our age, we have no promise of tomorrow. Don’t put off salvation.
ill.--a pastor was counseling a girl who wanted to know more about salvation. She was almost ready and agreeing to it, when she backed up and said, "I’m going to go through with it, but not right now. There’s some things I want to do first, I have plans to have some fun, and then I’ll take care of it." The Pastor said, "Just promise me you’ll wait at least one year before you follow thru and get saved." She said, "I can’t promise that, I could die in that period of time." "Well, six months then." he said. "No, I don’t know what I’ll be doing in six months." "How about one month?" "Who knows where they will be a month ahead of time? I might very well want to be saved before a month’s time goes by." He followed up, "OK, I’ll be flexible. Our next appointment is one week from today. I could help you then, just don’t ask for help any earlier than that." She said, "Listen, I don’t know what you’re doing but I can’t promise you anyth..." and then it hit her...she realized the folly of waiting at all to be saved, and that she didn’t have the promise of even tomorrow!
Death is no respecter of age. The death rate on earth remains 1:1
This passage also reminds us that Jesus can take the point of death and turn it into the point of life.
Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death...that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
This means that Jesus tasted death so we could have eternal life. He took the point of death and turned that very point into the point of life.
If a person dies lost, they move from death to death. Physical death leads to spiritual death...the 2nd death in hell.
Revelation 20:14-15
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The lost person’s body dies, and soul is separated from body. But then the soul is separated from God! It’s sad enough to experience physical death, but all the more tragic to experience spiritual death.
The saved moves from death to life.
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
At the point of death, I will move into life like I’ve never experienced it before.
ill.--D. L. Moody said, "Someday you will read that I am dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all. In a body that death cannot touch, and sin cannot taint."
And if the end of the world continues to approach as quickly as today, don’t be looking for the undertaker, but the ’uppertaker,’ and we may indeed move from life to life!
Actually, it was the son’s condition which brought his father to Jesus.
B. The Position of the father.
He was in authority and good social standing, and yet he has a major crisis in his life. Problems are no respecter of means. Because you have money doesn’t mean you don’t have problems. You probably have more! Silk and satin cover many a heavy heart.
Maybe this was the first problem this nobleman ever had that his money could not solve. Our government says that if you throw enough money at a problem it will go away, but it doesn’t work. We don’t need to educate heads, we need to change hearts!
Money can buy insurance but not security. Entertainment but not happiness. Medicine but not health. A house, but not a home. A bed, but not a good night’s sleep. Companionship but not friendship. And money can buy a crucifix but not a Savior!
II. The Nobleman had a great Savior.
This nobleman had a great sorrow and he took it to the Great Savior! He had faith, and believed without seeing!
His faith was simple, and childlike and that is alright. It wasn’t mature yet, but it was a start.
A. He had a crisis faith.
I can’t imagine a worse crisis for a parent. And no doubt he had drained all his options from medical science. He was out of hope, until He heard about Jesus working miracles and being regarded as the Messiah.
Crisis often brings people to Jesus. And there’s nothing wrong with that when it is genuine. Of course, it is sad when sometimes God solves the crisis and then the people leave church. They wanted their problem solved, but didn’t want a relationship with the problem solver. They wanted comfort, but not commitment.
v. 49 He thought Jesus had to be present to heal his son. But God is not bound by distance. Don’t tell Jesus HOW you want Him to answer your prayer. His plan of action is better than any we could lay out for Him. We don’t want to limit Him by putting Him in a box.
ill.--Sometimes I, your pastor, watch TV. And to do so, I must hold the remote. It’s like my King’s Sceptre. I’m not as interested in ’what’s on’ as ’what else is on’? I’m making up for lost time, because as a kid, we only got 3 channels, and as for the remote...you’re looking at it! What an invention is the remote...it conquers distance. So does the phone. I spoke to far off loved ones this week in seconds. Every week I write to at least one of our missionaries online. Conquering distance!
God is not bound by distance. He is as close as your need!
B. He grew a confident faith.
v. 50-52 That’s faith. Jesus said it, and the man believed it. He was so confident in this news, that he wasn’t even hurrying home. He delayed ’til the next day. He believed without seeing!
This reminds me of the faith of Peter in Acts. He was on death row, about to be executed, but he went to sleep. It was because he had a promise from God that He was going to spare him. And it was a deep sleep, because the angel had to kick him in the side to wake him! He must have been a deep sleeper...and I can relate, because my wife says I snore, though I’ve never heard it! And I know what it is to be ’smote in the side.’
C. He had a confirmed faith.
v. 53 Do you think the Nobleman ever doubted Christ for the rest of his life? Is there any way you could ever talk this guy out of his faith at this point? Could you convince him that Christ was not God?
One of our greatest joys is seeing people’s faith be confirmed through definite, specific answers to prayer. Bring on the philosophical arguments, scientific objections and none of it means anything to me because I’ve seen way too much! God is too real for me to ever deny! Now, will we believe without seeing?
D. He had a contagious faith.
v. 53b ’His whole house!’
His wife, his kids, servants, etc. They saw God work, they heard the nobleman’s testimony, and they believed as well. This is why we challenge you to share your faith.
Faith and doubt are BOTH contagious. Hang out with people that are ’gloom, despair, and agony on me’ and it will bring you down. But be around people of faith and you will be lifted up!
"Look at yourself and doubts will increase...look at God, and doubts will cease." Spurgeon
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/BelievingSeeing.html
