When Jesus Speaks

Jn 4:43-54

With these next two miracles, John begins taking us on a journey that leads to the death of Jesus. Jesus hadn’t caused any real waves among the leaders of the Jewish people at this point with the exception being his cleansing of the temple. Now he heals one of the royal officials son’s. There is no doubt that this news would get back to the religious leaders. then he has the audacity to heal a man on the Sabbath! This sends the Jews into fits and he becomes a blasphemer in their eyes. From this point on, Jesus ministry comes into conflict with the religious leaders and he opposes them on a continual basis.

Despite all this, how do you argue with a man who simply speaks and the lame get up and walk. How do you deny a man who simply speaks and those near death make a total instantaneous recovery? For those involved in the miracles, there was no argument, only belief in who he was.

We all struggle with the sickness of sin. Do we look simply for the miraculous and spectacle? How will we respond when Jesus asks us, “Do you want to get well?”

PRAYER

I. The Official’s Son

A. People like a show READ v 45

1. It’s interesting to note that the Galileans welcomed him back because they had seen the shows he put on in Jerusalem.

2. Jesus gave them a diversion from the grind of every day life.

3. Many people followed him just to see what he would do next.

4. That concept hasn’t changed much in 2000 years has it?

a) Even today, many people attend a church because they have an exciting worship service or special music.

b) They follow a TV evangelist because he is dynamic.

c) They are looking for the show, a break from life.

d) When it comes down to it, they have no real attachment to Christ, just the show that comes with him.

5. Now, here is the kicker. Knowing how people think, Jesus still did miracles. Why?

a) Because for some people, those miracles truly affected their lives.

b) They became believers because of the show of divinity by Christ.

6. I don’t think we should use gimmicks at church for the sake of gimmick.

7. I don’t think we should focus on entertainment just to get numbers in.

8. However, by doing some things that capture people’s interest, there may be some who see Christ because of the show.

9. John 4:48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." NIV

B. When we put our total faith in Christ, it pays off

1. vs 49 tells us this royal official calls a wandering preacher and carpenter, sir.

2. He put his position of person under that of Jesus.

3. He would do anything to save his son, even submitting to Jesus in HOPES he really had the power to heal his son.

4. He really put his faith in Jesus as Jesus sends him home in the next verse and it says he took Jesus at his word.

5. Do we take Jesus at his word? Do we really put our faith in him?

6. Do we have the faith of this royal official?

7. He took Jesus at his word and his son was healed.

8. Jesus says “I am the way to salvation”. Will you take him at his word.

9. Jesus says “come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”. Will you take him at his word?

10. If you will, I guarantee it will pay off.

C. When Jesus speaks

1. READ vs 50-54

2. Jesus tells the man his son will live.

3. The proof of that came when he got home.

4. The power of Jesus words came when the official realized his son was healed at the exact moment Jesus spoke his words.

5. When Jesus speaks, it happens.

6. He has the power to make sure it happens

7. Do you have the faith to believe it will happen?

II. The Man at the Pool

A. Jesus saw HIM

1. Chapter 5 brings back to Jerusalem. To a pool with healing powers.

2. Imagine the scene,

a) every sick person with even a glimmer of hope probably hung around this pool waiting for the water to be stirred.

b) The sick and diseased of the region.

c) A mass of humanity, destitute, longing to be healed.

d) In that mass, Jesus sees one man

3. That is an important fact to catch.

4. When Jesus looks at humanity, he doesn’t see the masses, he sees the individuals.

5. You are not just man, you are a single person whom Jesus sees.

B. Do you want to get well?

1. READ 5:5-6

2. That seems like an unnecessary question, but it cuts to the chase of the matter.

3. All excuses get cut away.

4. How many people have years of excuses for not being spiritually healed?

5. When Jesus asked this man if he wanted to get well, it was a yes or no answer.

6. If we really want to get well spiritually, then we need to do whatever God wants us do.

7. No excuses, no delay, we really want to get healed right?

8. That is where this man is. He would do whatever Jesus asked to get well.

C. When Jesus speaks

1. READ v 8-9

2. again, the power of Jesus is brought to life.

3. at once the man was cured.

4. When Jesus heals us spiritually, it is always instantaneous and complete.

5. He doesn’t take away most of our sins.

6. He doesn’t forgive just some of sins.

7. He washes them away so completely that in God’s eyes they never happened.

D. Ruffled feathers

1. The problem with Jesus is that he just wouldn’t follow the status quo.

a) He had the gall to heal this man on the Sabbath.

b) How dare he!

c) READ v 9-12

d) They didn’t see a man made whole after 38 years, they saw a guy carrying his mat on the Sabbath.

e) They didn’t care about a man who heal with words alone, they only cared that he broke their Sabbath law.

f) They accuse him of that in the rest of the chapter and Jesus give his defense of stating who he was.

2. Sometimes doing God’s will might take us away from the status quo.

3. What Jesus is saying here is that just because that’s the way they always did it, did not make it right.

4. They needed to examine the purpose for the Sabbath.

5. We must be very careful about making laws where God did not.

a) So many churches have drifted away from God’s purpose because of laws they make in the name of God.

b) If God didn’t say it, don’t claim he did.

c) You quickly become a Pharisee when you do.

d) And we know what Christ thought of the Pharisees.

E. Stop sinning

1. The key to all that Jesus said and did is found in vs 14-15

2. Jesus wants us to stop sinning.

3. He isn’t talking about physical ailments but something worse spiritually.

4. What a waste to be made whole physically and then die spiritually.

5. Christ has made you whole and well again spiritually,

6. STOP SINNING OR SOMETHING WORSE MAY HAPPEN TO YOU!

7. If you are looking to be healed spiritually, don’t make any more excuses and do what Jesus asks of you.