John 4:43-54 

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.

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.”

⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 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.”

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.

Denomination

There once was a Baptist Pastor who went to the bank to withdraw money for his tithes.

The teller looked at him and asked “What denomination?”

The Pastor told her, “Baptist!” The teller realized that the pastor did not get what she meant.

So she asked the pastor again, “What denomination?”

Then the Pastor realized she was asking about the money he was withdrawing so he answered.

“20s & 10s” please!!!

What does the Baptist Denomination have to do with the withdrawing money?

It pays to be attentive.

It also pays not to listen at times.

Let’s take a quick look at how the Gospel of John presented our Lord Jesus in relation to His care and love for humans.

In John 1:3 in the beginning—even without our consent God created and gave us life—without human knowledge or premeditated thoughts God created us.

Our Lord Jesus (in John 1:48) made it clear to Nathanael that He knows what we are doing even if we cannot see Him.

At the wedding in Cana, the Gospel of John portrayed our Lord Jesus providing the best enjoyment even without the awareness of the bridegroom.

At the Temple, our Lord Jesus made it clear that the place of worship is not for personal gain or business.

That clearing of the Temple was the only time Jesus got angry when the supposed people of God are using the place of worship to promote their cause.

            This is a warning for all of us.

Jesus got angry with those people at the Temple, not because they were selling but because they were in the wrong place to promote their personal cause or gain.

This is one reason my father suggested that when you get inside the Sanctuary, observe a prayerful mood, to meditate on the glory of God in this Sanctuary.

We need to prepare ourselves in this place to experience in our inner being the presence of God in our life.

So if you can hold off catching up with someone about their day, then I highly recommend to keep those conversations until after the service. Let’s continue to prepare our hearts and minds for worshiping our Lord 5 minutes before the service starts.

In Chapter 3, our Savior Jesus made it clear that He cares also for the eternal life of those religious and self- righteous people like Nicodemus.

In Chapter 4 our Savior Jesus made it clear that He cares also for the eternal life of those who are rejected by society and those who are considered as unclean people.

Our Lord Jesus made it clear that He cares for individuals as well as the whole community. Our Lord Jesus showed us that the despised and the rejected can be very useful in the Harvest of Souls.

In our Passage today we will learn that our Lord Jesus tests every believer’s faith in Him.

The way this sermon was made is different from how it usually structured. Instead of major points shown on a slide, write down the things you think God is telling you.

Our passage is about “Jesus’ Healing the Son of a Royal Official.”

 ⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee.

Jesus’ stay in Sychar for 2 days was the most productive of the ministry of Jesus. In just two days of listening to Jesus’ words many believed.

      Can Jesus bring the city of Winnipeg to His church?

⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)

This is one of the many paradoxical activities of our Lord Jesus. Our Lord Jesus went to Samaria where Jews are not in good relations with them.

Now, He proceeded to Galilee where His town Nazareth is located. It is also amazing that most of the 12 apostles were from Galilee where Jesus Himself should not be honoured.

This is a very significant lesson for today’s generation.

In North America, the Word of God or the Bible is prohibited in many public schools or public establishments. Will Jesus—like in His time—get many faithful believers in schools or in your work places where the Bible is not acceptable?

This is where we can check if the Lord of the Harvest is actively working in, working with, and through us.

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.

This is remarkable. Earlier it says a prophet is not honoured in his own country yet the Galileans welcomed Jesus… Why?

That was because many of them went to Jerusalem and had seen all that He had done at the Passover Feast. They are expecting Jesus to do miracles among them.

The Galileans are like most church-goers of today. Many church-goers come to Worship Services because they expect miracles from Jesus. Many so-called Tele-Evangelists are miracle workers.

TMEC members, don’t talk about your pastor. Point them to Jesus instead.

^46a Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.

Another paradox… Cana is where Nathanael whom Jesus describedJohn 1:47 “here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”

Nathanael said in John 1:46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

Jesus grew up in Nazareth where many like Nathanael think that there is nothing good that can come from there. Yet Jesus who is from Nazareth—a town where no good thing comes from—is in Cana again. Cana where righteous people like Nathanael lives.

Jesus is showing here that those people perceived by believers who are good for nothing are the ones who do miracles in a town of good people like Cana.

Most of the time, we are like Nathanael.

We are righteous because we have Jesus in our life and then we judge people, we judge other ethnic groups; we judge other religious denominations as good-for-nothing.

But our Lord Jesus is showing us here that He can transform a Nathanael like you as His bearer of His Gospel… in Cana… Yes in Canada… Amen??!!

Jesus loves to let somebody see that He does miracles in Cana… Amen??!!

TMEC are you listening? Jesus is doing miracles in Cana… Yes in Cana–da?!?.. is that a coincidence?

Let’s continue…

^46b 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.

Our question here is will the rich man go to Jesus? Will the Royal Official of Capernaum walk 15 miles if he was not in a dire or extreme need of healing for his son?     

      Your answer is as good as mine.

Pray that your rich neighbour will have an extreme need of our Lord Jesus so that they will seek Him.

We are like the rich man. We do not desire to come to Jesus if we are not sick. We do not desire to come to Jesus if we are not in need of financial help. We do not desire to come to Jesus if we do not have any problems.

That is the status of humanity—to be independent.

      Man wants to be live on his own.

This is one reason God lets us experience difficulties so that we have a reason to go back to Him.

There are also so-called religious people who are coming to Jesus not because of any physical ailments or any problems but for Spiritual Fulfillment—like Nicodemus—

There are those like Nicodemus who are silent believers.

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

If you were the Royal Official—wouldn’t you be insulted with those strong words of Jesus?

Our Lord Jesus was not only talking to the Royal Official but to all people around Him. Many of us stumble because they hear some kind of strong, offensive sermons.

We transfer to other churches where preachers give us sermons that tickle or give delight or are smooth to our ears.

The Bible teaches 2 Timothy 4:3 …that a time will come when people gather around those preachers who will teach what their itching ears want to hear

When you feel like the Word of God strikes you point blank, you’ve got two choices. You would either forget and turn your back and look for a teacher that would scratch your itching ears or you would just listen attentively and seek God more and experience His disciplinary love for His children.

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

      This is persistence.

      This is an example of a prevailing prayer.

The enemy will tell you. Hey! You are attending TMEC because you want the pastor and the church to pray for you just to meet your need…

Whatever reason you have for coming to church, the enemy will distract or discourage you anyway.

We can learn from this Rich Royal Official.

The Royal Official was very persistent because he loves his son so much.

Young people listen to this…

This Rich Man received strong offensive comments from Jesus but he did not mind that defamation.

…The life of his son is more important.

…The life of his son is more important.

In Matthew 15:26 Jesus called the Syro-Phoenician Woman “dog” but this mother did not mind that offensive comment.

The life of her daughter is more important.

There was no mention in the Bible where a son or daughter received a sermon from Jesus because they wanted their father or mother healed.

This is an exhibit of the love of parents for their children.

A father’s love or mother’s love cannot be equaled or cannot be matched by their children. 

It is but proper to give honor and respect to our parents     

⁵⁰ Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

There are many ways our Lord Jesus heals the sick.

He can use local medicine, or an imported one, also by touching, but mostly, sick people were healed because they obeyed Jesus’ Words.

Obey what Jesus says and you will be healed.

To the Phoenician Woman Mattew 15:28—Jesus said… “You have a great faith! Your request is granted.

To Bartimaeus Mark 10:52 Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.

      The centurion (Luke 7:1ff) believed that Jesus does not need to go to his home… the centurion requested that Jesus would just utter a word so that his servant will be healed.

To the ten lepers (Luke 17:11ff) Jesus said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priest” and as they went, they were cleansed.

Have you had a sickness where healing is impossible?

Are you sick physically? Are you sick emotionally?

Are you sick in your relationship with your spouse?

Are you sick in your relationship with your children?

Are you sick in your relationship with your parents?

Are you sick in your relationship with your friends?

Let us be like the Royal Official, like the Phoenician Woman, like Bartimaeus, like the Centurion. Let’s take Jesus’ word for our healing. Jesus paid it all at the cross.

1 Peter 2:24 say, “By His wounds we are healed…”

⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.

This is a classic example that when we put our faith in the Words of Jesus—even if we haven’t seen the results yet—Jesus had completed the answers to our prayers.

I am NOT saying here that Jesus will always answer your prayer according to your request.

If what you are requesting from Him is not for your betterment, He might not answer you according to your request.

One of my father’s favourite Christian writers is Wesley L. Deuwel.

In his book, Mighty Prevailing Prayer, he told a story about a man who earnestly prayed for his dying son to be healed.

The man prevailed upon God that God answered His prayer according to his request.

His son lived again but grew up to become a problem child and a headache to him.

This is the very reason the Bible teaches us to pray according to the will of God because our will or desire (maybe in our eyes) is good but our will is not the best for us. Only God knows what is best for us.

Our Lord Jesus knows what is best for us

⁵² So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” (NASB)

The Royal Official inquired to check if his son was healed according to the Word of Jesus or it was just a coincidence.

This verse reminds us to be realistic and NOT become a fanatic believer of some sort.

We need to make sure if the answer to our prayer is the will of God before we conclude that it’s God’s will.

Ask the question: Is the Bible in agreement with the things we think are God’s will for us?

Check everything if it is in accordance to the Scripture.

The 7^th hour here is somewhat a coincidence yet it is not.

The number seven in Hebrew culture is a perfect number.

This seventh hour clarifies that a perfect answer to our prayer request is a possibility.

When we take Jesus to heart and believe that He answers our prayer, the perfect answer—even if we have not received yet—will come to pass.

⁵³ So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son is alive”; and he himself believed, and his entire household.

Our Lord Jesus when He answers our prayer the expected end result is believing in Him. Trusting Him as Lord and Savior.

Because of the Royal Official’s faith in Jesus…

Because of the father’s faith in Jesus all of his household believed in Jesus.

      Fathers… your faith in Jesus is very important.

Fathers… The faith of your household depends on your trust in Jesus.

If you Fathers—if your faith is shaky… listen to this … the faith of your family will be also shaky…

Seldom will you find someone who trusts in Jesus even if their fathers are not believers… seldom.

Yes, there are some but that’s not often.

More children come to Jesus because their Father is a believer.

Fathers and mothers… have a family devotional time.

Listen together, as a family, the CD of Ray Comfort… Hell’s Best Secret.

⁵⁴ This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

The Gospel of John listed seven miraculous signs that Jesus performed to drive some points.

The miraculous signs that Jesus performed point to the Deity of Jesus.

The miracles that Jesus did, help us to trust in His Words.

To trust in God’s Word is to read our Bible daily.

When we read and meditate on the Word of God,

we are claiming that we trust Jesus’ Words.

The more we read our Bible the more we can claim that we trust God’s Word.

The more we spend time with our Bible… the more we acknowledge that we trust in Jesus’ Words.

We can know how deep and how strong our trust in Jesus is by the amount of time we spend reading our Bible.

Remember Mary and Martha. Jesus said Mary has chosen what is better. To listen to His Words and Jesus said it will not be taken away from her.

When you serve God… by leading Worship, playing musical instruments, leading fellowships, sharing the gospel, teaching Sunday School, giving good things to others… Remember also NOT to neglect your Bible…

The mother of a family friend in Baguio was sick with a blood related disease called “hypertension.”

Our family friend would buy any medicine that her doctor will prescribe.

Even after all this, her mother complains that she is not getting any better.

The problem is not because her doctor prescribed the wrong medicine or gave the wrong diagnosis.

The problem is her mother does not like to drink the medicine she is supposed to take.

If you want to grow and have a healthier Spiritual life, take your spiritual medicine.

Read your Bible regularly.

Jesus can heal you… Take Him at His Word today.

     Jesus tests every believer’s faith in Him.

Jesus does miracles.

Jesus is actively working in, with, and through us.

Jesus’ Words heals.

Jesus answers our prayers.

Jesus knows what is best for us.

><((‘> .. ><((‘> … ><(((> tmec\lmms <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <“))><