Introduction
Review "sign" definition. This is the second sign John chooses
to record in detail, again because it teaches us something about Jesus
and how to relate to God.
Read vs 45-47. This man, probably one of Herod's officers and maybe a
Gentile, hikes the 15 miles from Capernaum to Cana because his son is
"at the point of death," and because he has heard of Jesus'
ability to heal. Notice that he requested that Jesus "come down (to
Capernaum) to heal his son."
The ensuing conversation and sequence of events teaches something very
important, emphasized over and over again in the Bible: the relationship
between faith, experience, and God's Word.
The Wrong Way: Sign-Based Faith (vs 48)
Read vs 48. Jesus sounds awfully harsh! But realize that he is not speaking
to the nobleman--but to the people crowded around them ("you people"
>> vs 45). They had been in Jerusalem during Passover and had seen
or heard that he had performed miracles. Now this man's plight gives them
the opportunity to see another miracle!
Notice the wording of vs 48. Jesus is rebuking sign-based faith.
This is an attitude which insists on seeing miracles (or having dramatic
spiritual experiences) as a condition for faith in him. You know the mentality:
"Show me a miracle/give me an experience, then I'll believe in you/follow
you."
Miracles, along with other evidences (2 WEEKS), played an important accrediting
role in Jesus' ministry (Acts 2:22). But they were never the main point
and he did not want them to be the foundation of people's faith
in him. Ironically, the greatest miracle-worker who ever lived was constantly
concerned that people not exaggerate the importance of his miracles! This
concern is a theme in John's gospel:
Jn. 2:23-25 Jesus knew that this kind of faith was inauthentic.
Nicodemus was one such person (3:1,2), and his "faith" was
inadequate for the new birth.
Jn. 12:37 For the most part, the people who witnessed Jesus'
miracles did not truly believe in him. It was the same way with the
Israelites who spent 40 years in the wilderness. Isn't it ironic and
illuminating that the two groups who witnessed the greatest number of
miracles are infamous for their unbelief? Genuine faith is not caused
by a miracle; it is a choice to trust God's character.
Jn. 20:29 Though witnessing a miracle may help some come to
true faith in Jesus, it is better to believe in his based on the testimony
of the witnesses.
Why is this kind of faith defective? For two reasons:
It is excessively subjective. Powerful experiences and even
miracles can come from other sources besides God. Our own psyche and
circumstances can combine to deliver an emotional experience that is
powerful and real, but wrong (FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE BESIDES YOUR
SPOUSE; COMING UNDER THE CHARISMA OF A CULT LEADER; POWER OF SUGGESTION
& MASS HYSTERIA IN "LAUGHTER REVIVAL")!! People can also
be misled by genuine miracles from a demonic source (2 Thess. 2:9; EXAMPLES).
Also, people can hype themselves up into believing that miracles have
happened even when they clearly haven't (EXAMPLES). For these reasons,
faith needs something more objective as a foundation.
It is ultimately self-centered. If your sole or main reason
for following Jesus is the miracle or experience he gives you, if you
always demand supernatural, experiential proof before you are willing
to obey him--then who is the ultimate authority? You are! While healthy
faith is based on sound evidence (2 WEEKS), it is willing to trust Jesus'
character and follow his will even and especially in the absence of
such signs. At best, this kind of faith is immature. At worst, it perverts
Jesus into a COURT JESTER who must constantly perform another, more
exciting trick in order to merit our attention (Herod in Lk. 23:8,9).
This is what the people of vs 45 were into--they received Jesus as a
miracle-worker to be used, but not as the Messiah to be trusted. This
is why Jesus objects (vs 48). When the man persists in asking Jesus to
come with him and heal his son in his (and the crowds') presence (vs 49),
Jesus refuses--and instead calls on him to put his faith in something
else . . .
The Biblical Pattern (vs 50-53)
Notice the sequence in the following verses. They capsulize God's
way . . .
Hear God's Word (vs 50a)
Read vs 50a. Jesus is saying, "No, I'm not going to do a miracle
in your presence. Instead, I'm going to give you my Word alone,
without any miracle: Go your way; your son lives." He precipitates
a crisis in which the man must choose to take him at his word (and
thus trust him personally), or not trust him.
Notice that Jesus' word had two parts: a promise ("your
son lives") and a command ("go your way"). This
is precisely the pattern in God's Word to us (the Bible). Throughout
it, we find promises that God makes to us pertaining to a variety
of important issues in life. We also find commands that are connected
to these promises. These promises and commands form the proper object
of our faith.
This is why it is so important for us to regularly expose
ourselves to God's Word if we want our faith to grow. As we do this
through teachings, personal study, etc., God's Spirit draws our attention
to the promises and commands that apply to our situations and problems,
and this stimulates our faith (Rom. 10:17).
Exercise Faith in God's Word (vs 50b)
Read vs 50b. John tells us the nobleman exercised faith in Jesus'
word. How do we know that he trusted Jesus' promise? Because he acted
on his command! What would you think about his "faith" if
he had responded by saying "I believe you that my son is well--now
will you come home with me to heal him?"
Here is a profile of authentic faith. It is a decision to trust God's
promise for a specific issue in life, and it manifests itself by acting
consistently with the command connected to that promise. EXAMPLES:
Read Jn. 4:10. Jesus promises he has a gift of living water (EXPLAIN).
He is willing to give you this gift, but you must be willing to
do something, too. You must be willing to ask him for it
(EXPLAIN). This is how you begin a relationship with God. Have you
done this?
If you are already a Christian, God continues to work with you
in this same way. Not with regard to your salvation (that is permanent
and secure), but with regard to your spiritual growth. As you learn
his Word, he will continue to precipitate situations or call your
attention to issues and then call on you to respond with faith in
his Word in a specific way.
LONELINESS: Heb. 13:5; Ps. 23 >> TURN AWAY FROM SEXUAL
IMMORALITY/IDOLATROUS ROMANCE, COME OUT FROM YOUR ISOLATION &
CULTIVATE CHRIST-CENTERED RELATIONSHIPS
GUILT OVER PAST SINS: Col. 2:13,14; Jer. 31:34 >> QUIT
BEATING SELF; CONFESS THEM TO OTHER CHRISTIANS; FORGIVE OTHERS;
DRAW NEAR TO GOD WHEN FEELING GUILTY
MATERIAL ANXIETY: Matt. 6:33; Phil. 4:19 >> GIVE FINANCIALLY
TO GOD'S WORK; PASS UP PROMOTION/JOB WHICH TAKES YOU AWAY FROM
GROWTH & MINISTRY
FEAR IN MINISTRY: Acts 1:8; Phil. 4:13 >> STEP OUT IN FEAR
& TREMBLING TO WITNESS, ENCOURAGE, CONFRONT, etc.
WARNING: If you're like me, you will probably want God to "give
you a sign" (do a miracle; grant an experience) before
you step out in faith to act. Sometimes he may do this, but normally
he will not. Rather, as with this man, he will simply give you his
Word alone and call on you to act on it. This is something very
personal between you and the Lord. You will most likely feel afraid
and weak and part of you will argue that you'd be crazy to trust
God with this. But it is these decisions that make such a difference
in our spiritual growth . . .
Experience Confirmation of God's Word (vs 51-53)
Misread vs 51,52: " . . . I know--you don't need to tell me.
My son was healed at the seventh hour . . . " No! Read vs 51b-53
correctly. It is clear that the nobleman had considerable doubt as
he left Jesus and headed home. He was surprised and amazed to discover
that his son had been healed at the very time that Jesus gave him
his word. Although he believed (vs 50) enough to head home, now he
believes (vs 53) in a stronger way than he did before.
This is God's way for us. REVIEW SEQUENCE. He delights in giving
us experiential confirmation of his Word--but he normally gives this
as a result of our choice to trust him and act consistently
(REVIEW ABOVE EXAMPLES). These experiences are wonderful, and we should
rejoice over them.
Why is it that, over the course of a year, some Christians report
experiencing God's confirmation in perhaps several areas of their
lives--while others complain that "God isn't doing anything"
in their lives? Why is it that some of us can remember God confirming
our faith in the past, but we haven't seen him doing this lately?
Usually (not always, but very often) the reason is embarrassingly
simple: we haven't been willing to respond in faith to God's Word
in the specific, concrete areas in which he has been calling us
to do this.
If this describes you, ask God to show you where you are holding
back--agreeing in advance to trust him. As he does so, step
out--and you'll experience his confirmation!! Things can turn around
quite quickly . . .
Even more wonderful is the gradually deepening confidence in God's
faithfulness as we build our own personal history with him in this
way in area after area of our lives.
What level of confidence do you want to have 5,10 years from now?
Do you realize that you are either building in that direction (or
in the other direction) by how you respond to the steps of faith
God is asking you to take today?