Believe In Miracles But Trust In God - 2The Healing of the Nobleman's Son
John 4:46-54 (NIV)
The miracles which Jesus performed are... "Miracles With A Message". They have a deeper meaning than meeting a physical need. The miracles of Jesus are illustrations of His desire and ability to meet our spiritual needs. John shared these miracles in order to give us illustrations of what God's great salvation is all about.
This particular miracle illustrates the importance of faith in our salvation. Faith is intricately involved in the salvation experience. Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are ye; saved through faith.." Romans 10:9 "That if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God that God has raised him from the dead thou shall be saved." John 3:16 makes it so clear, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."
We know that faith is essential to experiencing God's salvation. This particular miracle where Jesus healed the little boy of the nobleman we see the part faith plays in bringing God into our hearts and into our lives. Let's take a good look at this story and see how this father came to discover that Jesus can be the solution to our greatest problem.
1. THE PROBLEMS ARE OPPORTUNITIES
Here was a man who had a serious problem. Verse 46 indicates that he was a "nobleman", an officer in the kings court. He was a man of prominence, and a man of position. Money was no problem to him, and he had influence in the highest places. But he had a problem that his wealth nor power could touch. His son was at the point of death.
Look at verse 47 again. "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." Notice to whom this man eventually went to with his problem.
I am sure this man had spared no expense in finding help for his boy. I see him hiring the finest doctors and buying the most expensive medicines. He watched the life of his son ebb away. This was... THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAITH!
Note... don't miss this,
It was trouble and tragedy that brought this man to Jesus. His dying son that brought him to the Savior. Had he not known grief, he may never have known grace! There is a lesson to learn about the troubles and tragedies that come into our lives. Anything that drives you to Jesus is a blessing. Be it cancer, death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the desertion of a spouse, even a flood.
Anything that drives you to Jesus is a blessing. If this man had not been in danger of losing his son, he most likely would have lost his soul. Trouble brought him... THE OPPORTUNITY OF FAITH!
This man turned to Jesus with the problem of his dying son. Jesus was more interested in solving the man's greatest problem. ... the problem of a sin sick life. He needed to turn not only his burdens over to Jesus, but His heart. He would not be saved until Jesus helped him get beyond his secondary problem.
2. THE OBSTACLES OF FAITH
We could be tempted to think that this was a man with great faith. As we look closely at the conversation we learn that he had a flawed faith. He did not have a Saving Faith.
1. His faith was - Secondhand Faith
Many depend on a secondhand faith. The fact is, no one will get to heaven
on their mothers faith, their preachers faith, their mates faith, their
neighbors faith, or anybody else's faith. In order to be saved, one must
personally be trusting Jesus as their Savior. The nobleman apparently made
the trip from Capernaum to Cana because he had heard about Jesus. He had
no first hand experience with the Lord Jesus. He had heard of the miracles
of Jesus. Maybe he could heal his son.
2. His Faith was a Sign-Seeking Faith
The nobleman comes to Jesus and "besought Him" or literally begged
Him to go to and heal his son. Here is a man in desperate straights. Look
at the Lord's response to the nobleman's request... You don't need a sign,
you need a Savior. You don't need a miracle, you need a Master.
The problem was a sign-seeking faith. It is believing in miracles without believing in the Miracle maker. This man was more interested in the POWER OF JESUS than he was in the PERSON OF JESUS. He was more interested in what He could do than He was in who He was. Many fall short because they are waiting for the Lord to do something to prove to Himself to them. They are unwilling to accept His word.
Jesus said in Matthew 12:39 "..An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.." Matthew 27:42 "When Jesus was hanging on the cross at calvary, the mocking crowd cried out... " He saved others, himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him."
Jesus triumphed over death, hell and the grave... and they still would not believe. A second handed faith, and a sign-seeking faith are obstacles to saving faith.
3. His Faith was a Self-Designed Faith
This nobleman was a person of authority. In verse 49 it seems as if the
nobleman was trying to tell the Lord what he ought to do, and how he was
to do it. He had a preconceived idea as to how the Lord would help him.
Perhaps he pictured Jesus coming to his house, laying hands on his son,
speaking with a heavenly voice and healing him.
The Lord cannot be put in your box or mine. Nor can we dictate to Him. Many are not saved because they have a Self- Designed Faith. They are only going to have a relationship with the Lord on their terms. The nobleman said to Jesus..."Come.." Jesus said "Go.... thy way, thy son liveth". Let me make clear that this father's desire was right. He wanted his boy to be well. Jesus was more interested in the father's salvation than he was in sickness.
Jesus worked to remove the obstacles that keep us from saving faith and salvation.
Saving Faith involves....
1. Knowing
One must know....(1) Why they need to be Saved (2) Why they can be Saved
(3) What they must do to be Saved
2. Believing
The nobleman, not only knew what Jesus said He would do, but he "Believed
the Word that Jesus had spoken unto him.."
3. Obeying
In order to be saved, one must do more than just know the truths of salvation,
they must also believe those truths.
Jesus can solve your greatest problem...
through faith.