John 4:46-54

WEBVTT
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Well, this afternoon, we're going to look at this passage, and before we do, I just want to put it into some sort of context quickly, because John, up to this point in his gospel has been emphasizing that salvation is a work of God.
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When Jesus spoke to Nicodemus back in chapter 3, you may remember, he said, you must be born again.
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You must be born of the Spirit, and only God can do that.
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It's a divine work.
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Salvation is a divine work to which man or a woman are not able to add anything to.
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It's solely God.
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And while it's right that John emphasizes salvation as the sovereign work of God,
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John also emphasizes the necessity of the sinner's faith,
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and the fact that the sinner must believe.
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At the end of John, chapter 20, verse 31,
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John is very explicit as to why he actually wrote this gospel.
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He says, he's written these words so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
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and that by believing you may have life in his name.
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In other words, John is writing with the hope that as we read his words,
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we will see Jesus for who he really is and believe in him.
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And I think it's interesting that John uses the word belief over 90 times in his book.
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And belief is not only the theme of John's gospel, but it is also the essence of the Christian faith.
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One must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
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And whenever we look outside of Christian faith,
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we find that all the other religions have one thing in common that is not taught in the Bible.
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They teach that salvation does not belong solely to God,
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that people themselves are actually able to accomplish a righteous relationship with God
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and achieve salvation from judgment on their own.
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In other words, false religions provide a platform for men and women to rule themselves,
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to sit on the young throne of their lives and decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong.
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However, here in the Gospel of John,
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John is emphatic that there is only one way to have sin forgiven.
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There is only one way to get to heaven.
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And that is by believing in the work and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And for those who do not, there is no salvation.
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There is only eternal damnation and torment.
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Now, in the opening verses of John chapter 1,
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John made the statement that when Jesus came from heaven,
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he came to his own people, but generally as a rule, they didn't receive him.
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And we see throughout the Gospel of John that there are people who refuse to believe Jesus.
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Some receive him while others reject him.
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And that is what we see here in the healing of the royal official's son.
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As the story is meant to show us the contrast between a false faith and a true faith.
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In fact, in many ways, the story expands on the statement of John's at the end of chapter 2,
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where he said,
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Jesus did not need any testimony about men and women,
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because he already knew what was in each person.
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Jesus knew what men and women were thinking and feeling,
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what was really and truly in their hearts.
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Now, in our passage here in verse 43,
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Jesus returns to Galilee from Samaria.
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You'll remember that Jesus had stopped off at the well in Samaria,
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and he'd met the woman,
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and he'd been received by a large number of people who believed in him,
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and many, many people were saved before he left.
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However, Jesus knew that when he arrived in Galilee,
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his reception would be very different from Samaria.
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Verse 44, John uses a proverb to make a very specific statement,
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that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
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And the fact that that proverb rings so true
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is a testimony to the utterly perverse state of mankind,
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that men and women hate things that are familiar to them.
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In fact, they breathe contempt in us.
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Their problem was this, though, his message.
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It was offensive to them.
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They loved the miracles of Jesus,
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but they hated the message that he brought.
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And if we look at verse 45,
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a simple reading gives us the impression
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that Jesus' reputation was spreading like wildfire.
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They welcomed him.
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They had all seen what he had done at the Passover festival.
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You see, Jesus had been performing miracles there,
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and we know that he used those miracles
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in order to show his credentials
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as the one who had actually been sent from heaven.
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But you know, as I read this,
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I wondered how seriously
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the Lord Jesus really accepted
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the enthusiasm of the Galileans as he arrived.
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We've already been told that Jesus knew
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what was in the heart and mind of every man and woman.
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And the fact is,
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their welcome was superficial.
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To say they welcomed him
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has a sort of ironic feel to it.
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And if we have any doubt
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about how Jesus felt about the welcome he received,
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we all have to read his response
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to the man who approached him there in verse 48.
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Unless you, and that's plural,
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unless you people see signs and wonders,
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you'll never believe.
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This man is described to us as a royal official.
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He was most likely a member
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of the court of Herod Antipas.
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And he had walked 25 miles
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to find Jesus in Cana
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because we're told his son was sick and close to death.
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This is a situation that every parent can empathize with.
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A sick child.
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And not just sick, but dying.
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And I think we can assume
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that the official would have had
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access to all the known remedies of the day.
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I mean, he had servants,
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so apparently he had money.
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He was a royal official in the court,
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so he would have had some access
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to the physicians in the court.
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And I'm quite sure
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that all the finest medical advice
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had been tried,
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and still the child woke up every morning
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in a worse state than the day before.
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And we see there in verse 47
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that the official had heard the news
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that Jesus had returned to Cana.
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So he left his home in search of Jesus
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and with a hope that Jesus would help his son.
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And when he finds Jesus in verse 47,
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he implores Jesus to return home
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and heal his son.
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Many translations say
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that he begged,
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he begged Jesus to come.
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Again, in verse 48,
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notice how the reply of Jesus
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was short and sharp.
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It's almost like a rebuke.
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Notice, too,
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that he expands his audience
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from just the official alone
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to all the Galileans who were there.
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Unless you people,
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he's saying in the plural.
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You see, Jesus is saying
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to the official and to the crowd,
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you are nothing but curiosity seekers.
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You have no interest
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in the message that I bring.
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You see, it was like going to the circus
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for many of them.
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They thought of him
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as a sort of super magician.
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But Jesus knew
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that the miracles on their own
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had no lasting, eternal effect.
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The people were pleased
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to see the miracles.
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In fact, they yearned
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to see the miracles.
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But they had no desire
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to recognize Jesus
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as Lord and Savior.
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And John makes it clear
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throughout the gospel
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that the human heart
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is so blinded by sin
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that not even miracles
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can produce a true
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and living faith.
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You remember Judas.
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He saw countless miracles.
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In fact,
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he performed miracles himself
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in the name of Jesus.
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But he didn't have
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a true and living faith.
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So Jesus knew
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that these miracles alone
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would not produce
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a sincere saving faith
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in the people.
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And John is showing us here
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that their faith
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is simply a manifestation
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of their enthusiasm.
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A faith produced
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by their enthusiasm
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over the miracles.
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And the problem
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is not an issue
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of having faith
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or not having faith.
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I mean, we all have faith
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as something
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to some degree or another.
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There are many people
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who call themselves Christians,
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but they still do
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and have a sincere faith.
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And we see this problem
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throughout the Bible,
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even in the Old Testament.
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It was one of the primary themes
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in the prophets.
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They spoke to a congregation
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who had the outward sign
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of circumcision,
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but they were lacking
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the inner reality
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that the circumcision
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was supposed to represent.
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These people looked forward
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to the day of the Lord.
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They were always talking
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about when the day
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the Lord would come
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and He would draw near to them
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and rescue them.
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But it was Amos
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and the other prophets
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who warned them
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of their folly.
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The prophets told them,
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You talk about
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the day of the Lord,
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but the day of the Lord
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is not going to be good for you.
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In fact,
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it is going to be
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a terrible day for you
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because your faith
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in the Lord
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is not real.
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You talk about
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your faith in the Lord,
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but look around.
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You are unfaithful
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to the Lord.
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And that was the problem
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in the Old Testament.
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And it remained the problem
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even during the time of Jesus.
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His ministry began
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with the same warning
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over and over and over again
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throughout His teaching.
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He warns the people.
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You remember Jesus said,
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Many of you will say to me
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on that day,
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Lord,
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did we not drive out
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demons in your name?
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And I will say to you,
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depart from me.
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I never knew you.
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It was always a part
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of His public teaching.
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He spoke again and again
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about the hypocrisy
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of the Jews.
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And their faith
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was all posture
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and not a true
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and sincere trust
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in the grace
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and the mercy of God.
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And the distinction
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between true
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and false faith
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is a large,
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large part
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of the teaching
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of Jesus.
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I just think about
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all the parables
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and the illustrations
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that He used
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throughout the Gospels
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to illustrate false faith.
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the Pharisee,
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the tax collector,
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the prodigal son,
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the rich man
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and Lazarus,
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the narrow door,
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the wise and foolish virgins,
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and so on and so on.
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And just look at His teaching.
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In every case,
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without exception,
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the one who has
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the Lord's approval
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and is set before us
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as the true believer
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is the person
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in the lowly,
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humble position
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who simply acknowledges
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his need
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and cries out
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for mercy.
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And of course,
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in the end,
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we saw the manifestation
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of all the warnings.
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We actually saw
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the reality
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of false faith
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in action.
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It was the religious element,
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the upright,
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the respectable,
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who finally,
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in a frenzy
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of what they thought
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was religious zeal,
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murdered Jesus.
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Because of false faith,
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they murdered
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their own Messiah.
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And Jesus was always
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concerned about false faith
00:10:34.740 --> 00:10:36.180
because He did recognize
00:10:36.179 --> 00:10:37.699
that it's the easiest
00:10:37.699 --> 00:10:38.339
thing in the world
00:10:38.339 --> 00:10:39.120
to think of oneself
00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:39.799
as a Christian
00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:40.599
when one is not.
00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:42.359
Or to think of oneself
00:10:42.359 --> 00:10:43.319
as being at peace
00:10:43.319 --> 00:10:44.000
with God
00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:44.979
when one is not.
00:10:46.339 --> 00:10:47.179
Examine yourself
00:10:47.179 --> 00:10:48.079
to see whether you
00:10:48.079 --> 00:10:48.779
are in the faith,
00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:49.439
Paul writes.
00:10:50.239 --> 00:10:51.000
Again, he writes,
00:10:51.099 --> 00:10:52.019
let the one who thinks
00:10:52.019 --> 00:10:52.699
he is standing
00:10:52.699 --> 00:10:53.539
take heed
00:10:53.539 --> 00:10:54.699
lest he fall.
00:10:56.319 --> 00:10:57.199
Now, with regard
00:10:57.199 --> 00:10:57.779
to the official,
00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:58.319
at this point,
00:10:58.739 --> 00:10:59.859
he's not really interested
00:10:59.859 --> 00:11:01.019
in any of these issues.
00:11:01.719 --> 00:11:02.639
He simply wanted
00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:03.359
a healing
00:11:03.359 --> 00:11:04.359
for his son.
00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:05.759
He believed
00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:06.300
that Jesus
00:11:06.300 --> 00:11:07.860
had the power
00:11:07.860 --> 00:11:09.159
to grant his request.
00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:10.659
However,
00:11:10.740 --> 00:11:11.360
instead of tending
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:12.120
the bedside
00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:12.759
or offering
00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:13.620
an obvious miracle,
00:11:13.740 --> 00:11:14.480
verse 50 says,
00:11:14.560 --> 00:11:15.379
Jesus simply said,
00:11:15.680 --> 00:11:15.980
Go,
00:11:16.560 --> 00:11:18.039
your son will live.
00:11:19.100 --> 00:11:20.100
The man took Jesus
00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:20.779
at his word
00:11:20.779 --> 00:11:22.019
and departed.
00:11:23.180 --> 00:11:24.580
The man took Jesus
00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:25.159
at his word
00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:25.860
and left for hope.
00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:26.060
I mean,
00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:26.680
imagine that.
00:11:26.899 --> 00:11:28.600
A 25-mile walk,
00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.240
16 words with Jesus,
00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:33.019
and he turns around
00:11:33.019 --> 00:11:33.639
and starts walking
00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:34.220
back home.
00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:36.500
But as he left
00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:36.779
for home,
00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:37.539
we are seeing
00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:39.259
a man take steps
00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:39.759
of belief.
00:11:40.579 --> 00:11:41.539
And we know he believed
00:11:41.539 --> 00:11:42.600
because he left.
00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:44.399
There's no more pleading.
00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:46.100
There's no more desperation.
00:11:47.100 --> 00:11:48.100
He did what Jesus
00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:48.980
said to do.
00:11:49.079 --> 00:11:49.299
He just,
00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:50.360
he went home.
00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:52.779
It says he believed
00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:53.579
the words of Jesus.
00:11:53.980 --> 00:11:54.159
I mean,
00:11:54.179 --> 00:11:55.299
this man took Jesus
00:11:55.299 --> 00:11:55.919
at his word,
00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:57.059
which showed that
00:11:57.059 --> 00:11:57.600
he was not like
00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:58.419
the rest of the crowd
00:11:58.419 --> 00:11:59.620
who were only interested
00:11:59.620 --> 00:12:00.699
in seeing the signs
00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:01.320
of the wonders.
00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:03.080
And his trust,
00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:04.420
the faith that he put
00:12:04.420 --> 00:12:05.420
in the words of Jesus,
00:12:06.660 --> 00:12:07.800
led to the healing
00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:08.460
of his son
00:12:08.460 --> 00:12:09.580
at that exact hour
00:12:09.580 --> 00:12:11.920
some 25 miles away.
00:12:13.660 --> 00:12:13.900
See,
00:12:13.940 --> 00:12:14.379
the official
00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:15.480
was asked
00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:16.120
to believe
00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:16.900
without saying,
00:12:17.160 --> 00:12:18.180
to accept the words
00:12:18.180 --> 00:12:18.640
of Jesus
00:12:18.640 --> 00:12:19.920
without the visual
00:12:19.920 --> 00:12:21.180
assistance of a miracle.
00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:23.300
It may have been hard,
00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:24.160
but the man did it.
00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:26.020
And that's what
00:12:26.020 --> 00:12:26.900
made the difference.
00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:28.280
He believed,
00:12:29.020 --> 00:12:30.020
and then he received
00:12:30.020 --> 00:12:30.400
a miracle.
00:12:31.660 --> 00:12:31.840
You see,
00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:33.040
that phrase in verse 50,
00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:34.300
the man took Jesus
00:12:34.300 --> 00:12:35.020
at his word
00:12:35.020 --> 00:12:35.800
and departed,
00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:37.840
is an important phrase
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:39.000
because as he accepted
00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:40.120
the words of Jesus
00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:40.940
and believed him,
00:12:41.300 --> 00:12:42.180
the omniscient,
00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:44.200
omnipresent power
00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:45.120
of the Lord Jesus
00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.360
was 25 miles away
00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:48.660
touching the body
00:12:48.660 --> 00:12:49.860
of that boy.
00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:52.180
And Jesus never left
00:12:52.180 --> 00:12:52.800
the spot
00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:54.160
that he was standing on.
00:12:55.520 --> 00:12:56.640
And as the official
00:12:56.640 --> 00:12:57.320
believed the words
00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:57.759
of Jesus,
00:12:57.900 --> 00:12:58.460
he moved from
00:12:58.460 --> 00:12:59.700
a detached,
00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:01.420
philosophical view
00:13:01.420 --> 00:13:01.820
of Jesus
00:13:01.820 --> 00:13:02.360
to a view
00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:03.400
that was focused
00:13:03.400 --> 00:13:04.420
on who Jesus
00:13:04.420 --> 00:13:05.600
really is.
00:13:07.040 --> 00:13:07.280
I mean,
00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:08.000
if you think about
00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:08.379
the crowd,
00:13:08.500 --> 00:13:09.120
the popular view
00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:09.460
was,
00:13:10.280 --> 00:13:10.700
look,
00:13:11.020 --> 00:13:11.840
we're not denying
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:12.300
that Jesus
00:13:12.300 --> 00:13:13.220
is a miracle worker.
00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:14.120
We've all seen it.
00:13:14.520 --> 00:13:15.180
Everybody knows
00:13:15.180 --> 00:13:16.000
it's supernatural
00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.259
and no one denies it.
00:13:18.540 --> 00:13:19.520
But what is it
00:13:19.520 --> 00:13:21.000
that moves a man
00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:21.500
or a woman
00:13:21.500 --> 00:13:22.500
from having that
00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:23.460
detached view
00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:24.240
of an observer,
00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:25.660
a person who sees
00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:27.079
Jesus as a showman
00:13:27.079 --> 00:13:28.120
or a miracle worker
00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.379
to a view that sees
00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:31.079
the reality
00:13:31.079 --> 00:13:32.519
of who he is.
00:13:33.819 --> 00:13:34.500
And that catalyst
00:13:34.500 --> 00:13:35.579
for the transformation
00:13:35.579 --> 00:13:37.019
we see here
00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:37.579
is need.
00:13:38.579 --> 00:13:39.259
It's recognizing
00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:40.039
that one has
00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:41.600
a desperate need.
00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:43.219
In Matthew 9,
00:13:43.299 --> 00:13:43.799
Jesus said,
00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:45.019
the people who aren't sick
00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:45.679
aren't out looking
00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:46.279
for a doctor,
00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:46.679
are they?
00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:48.799
It's that moment
00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:49.699
when we recognize
00:13:49.699 --> 00:13:50.299
that we are in
00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:51.659
a desperate situation
00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:52.579
and that under
00:13:52.579 --> 00:13:53.480
our own power
00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.340
we have no remedy.
00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:56.480
It's when we recognize
00:13:56.480 --> 00:13:58.100
that left to our own devices
00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:59.220
and our own schemes,
00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:01.159
there is only failure
00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:01.980
on the horizon.
00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:03.680
We must admit
00:14:03.680 --> 00:14:05.139
our need for help.
00:14:06.139 --> 00:14:06.500
And you see,
00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:07.659
this sort of desperation
00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:09.379
will drive people.
00:14:09.680 --> 00:14:10.700
And it drove this man
00:14:10.700 --> 00:14:11.200
to Jesus.
00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:13.100
And when he found him,
00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.440
he begged Jesus
00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:15.740
to give life
00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:16.440
to his son.
00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.000
Now the difference
00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.039
between the Galileans
00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:21.779
and their superficial interest
00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:22.940
and this father
00:14:22.940 --> 00:14:23.480
who begged
00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:23.960
for the life
00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:24.580
of his son
00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:26.640
was desperation.
00:14:28.140 --> 00:14:28.780
Here was a man
00:14:28.780 --> 00:14:29.860
who loved his son.
00:14:29.940 --> 00:14:30.600
He was terrified
00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:31.420
that he would die.
00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:32.540
So he came
00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:33.740
to the Lord Jesus.
00:14:34.640 --> 00:14:35.780
He implored.
00:14:36.180 --> 00:14:37.300
He begged Jesus
00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:38.100
to come with him.
00:14:38.700 --> 00:14:39.320
Imagine that.
00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:40.040
A royal official
00:14:40.040 --> 00:14:41.280
walking 25 miles
00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:42.040
to beg
00:14:42.040 --> 00:14:43.240
a Nazarene carpenter
00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.480
for his help.
00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:45.920
What would you think
00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:48.100
his friends and colleagues
00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:49.160
would have said
00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:49.780
about that?
00:14:49.779 --> 00:14:52.240
But in his need,
00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:54.000
he has found
00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:54.959
a true friend.
00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:55.679
He's realized
00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:56.259
that this man,
00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:56.699
Jesus,
00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.199
could obviously
00:14:58.199 --> 00:14:59.000
do much,
00:14:59.100 --> 00:15:00.100
much more for him
00:15:00.100 --> 00:15:00.579
and his family
00:15:00.579 --> 00:15:01.019
than that.
00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:03.639
C.S. Lewis once wrote,
00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:04.639
You never know
00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.620
how much you really
00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.799
believe anything
00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:08.519
until its truth
00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:09.579
or its falsehood
00:15:09.579 --> 00:15:10.819
becomes a matter
00:15:10.819 --> 00:15:11.819
of life and death
00:15:11.819 --> 00:15:12.259
to you.
00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:14.379
And that was
00:15:14.379 --> 00:15:14.819
the problem
00:15:14.819 --> 00:15:15.759
for the Galileans.
00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:17.139
There was never
00:15:17.139 --> 00:15:17.799
an admission
00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:18.980
of terrible need.
00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:20.539
There was never
00:15:20.539 --> 00:15:21.379
a cry for help.
00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:21.860
I mean,
00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.000
they were in danger
00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:23.679
to be sure,
00:15:23.939 --> 00:15:24.620
but they never
00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.480
recognized it.
00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:27.000
They simply
00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:28.080
couldn't see it
00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:28.559
through their
00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:29.939
self-satisfied
00:15:29.939 --> 00:15:31.100
hearts and minds.
00:15:31.259 --> 00:15:32.100
They were happy
00:15:32.100 --> 00:15:33.299
with the status quo.
00:15:34.740 --> 00:15:35.299
While on the other
00:15:35.299 --> 00:15:35.480
hand,
00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:36.200
the royal official
00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:38.159
had come to realize
00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.299
that he needed
00:15:39.299 --> 00:15:40.519
Jesus desperately.
00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:42.679
And some of the
00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:43.399
Galatians were
00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:44.259
fascinated,
00:15:44.579 --> 00:15:45.159
as the people
00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:45.579
will be,
00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.299
with someone
00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:46.799
who can work
00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:47.259
miracles.
00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:47.899
But otherwise,
00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:49.639
the message,
00:15:49.899 --> 00:15:50.319
the meaning,
00:15:50.439 --> 00:15:51.079
the significance
00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:52.240
of Jesus Christ
00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.579
completely escaped
00:15:54.579 --> 00:15:54.779
them.
00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.879
It just passed
00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:56.419
them by.
00:15:57.679 --> 00:15:58.259
He was offering
00:15:58.259 --> 00:15:59.299
forgiveness and
00:15:59.299 --> 00:16:00.299
righteousness with
00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:01.500
God, but they
00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:02.079
were sure that
00:16:02.079 --> 00:16:03.019
they already had
00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:03.299
that.
00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:06.059
As we have said,
00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:06.879
the story throughout
00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:07.419
the ministry of
00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:08.379
Jesus was the same.
00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:09.419
Those who came
00:16:09.419 --> 00:16:10.220
to realize
00:16:10.220 --> 00:16:11.580
their great needs
00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:12.519
suddenly saw in
00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:13.580
Jesus the one
00:16:13.580 --> 00:16:14.180
who could help
00:16:14.180 --> 00:16:15.440
them when no
00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.460
one else was
00:16:16.460 --> 00:16:16.879
able to.
00:16:18.800 --> 00:16:19.759
But those who
00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.580
refused to admit
00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.080
their need,
00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:23.000
well, first they
00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:23.680
found Jesus
00:16:23.680 --> 00:16:24.379
interesting.
00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:25.920
Then they found
00:16:25.920 --> 00:16:26.540
him entertaining.
00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:28.519
Then he became
00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:29.399
irritating and
00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:30.960
finally he became
00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.779
infuriating.
00:16:32.820 --> 00:16:33.500
His message
00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:34.060
offended them.
00:16:34.300 --> 00:16:35.160
He required them
00:16:35.160 --> 00:16:36.259
to admit the
00:16:36.259 --> 00:16:37.200
darkness in their
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:37.960
hearts, but they
00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:39.320
resented even the
00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.260
very suggestion
00:16:40.260 --> 00:16:40.760
that there was
00:16:40.760 --> 00:16:41.760
anything to admit.
00:16:43.300 --> 00:16:43.960
And what we see
00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:44.840
in this father is
00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:45.840
a man who learned
00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:47.520
as a result of
00:16:47.520 --> 00:16:48.280
his son being at
00:16:48.280 --> 00:16:48.920
death's door,
00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.400
that he had needs
00:16:50.400 --> 00:16:51.680
that only Jesus
00:16:51.680 --> 00:16:52.780
could deal with.
00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:54.360
You know, the
00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:55.420
Lord often brings
00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:56.300
men and women to
00:16:56.300 --> 00:16:57.100
faith in this way.
00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:57.980
Instead of a
00:16:57.980 --> 00:16:58.860
person immediately
00:16:58.860 --> 00:17:00.240
seeing themselves
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.320
as a sinner
00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:02.379
in need of
00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:02.960
salvation,
00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:04.580
very often men
00:17:04.580 --> 00:17:05.059
and women are
00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:06.160
shown first to
00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.440
realize how weak
00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.019
and needy they
00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:08.860
truly are through
00:17:08.860 --> 00:17:10.019
some trouble or
00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:11.600
failure or through
00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:12.299
some extreme
00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.240
disappointment in
00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:13.660
life.
00:17:15.120 --> 00:17:15.820
But once that is
00:17:15.820 --> 00:17:16.660
acknowledged, the
00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:17.580
dam is broken
00:17:17.580 --> 00:17:19.600
and their need for
00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:20.080
other things,
00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:21.140
especially peace with
00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:22.700
God, could actually
00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:23.460
be acknowledged.
00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:25.620
And that seems to
00:17:25.620 --> 00:17:26.420
be what happened
00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:27.039
with this man.
00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:28.279
Verse 51 tells us
00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:29.320
that he was going
00:17:29.320 --> 00:17:29.840
home when his
00:17:29.840 --> 00:17:30.500
servants came out
00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:31.400
to meet him with
00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:32.140
the news that the
00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:33.000
boy was recovering.
00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:35.620
The miracle had
00:17:35.620 --> 00:17:35.900
happened.
00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:36.799
His faith had been
00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:37.279
rewarded.
00:17:38.119 --> 00:17:38.720
The boy was
00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.639
alive and well.
00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:40.919
And the official
00:17:40.919 --> 00:17:42.000
asked at what
00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:42.899
time the boy was
00:17:42.899 --> 00:17:44.539
revived and he
00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:45.119
found it was at
00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:46.059
the exact moment
00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:46.980
that Jesus spoke.
00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:49.940
Verse 53 there
00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:50.720
confirms that the
00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:51.779
official was a
00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:52.559
believer as he
00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.799
shared his faith
00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:54.319
with his whole
00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.000
house and they
00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:55.579
believed too.
00:17:56.099 --> 00:17:57.119
He turned into
00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:58.059
an evangelist just
00:17:58.059 --> 00:17:58.539
like that.
00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:01.099
He began by
00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:02.440
looking to Christ
00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:03.059
for the earthly
00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:04.039
life of his son.
00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:05.720
And he's ended
00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.379
up looking to
00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:07.660
Christ for his
00:18:07.660 --> 00:18:08.360
own eternal
00:18:08.360 --> 00:18:09.020
life and that
00:18:09.020 --> 00:18:09.560
of his family
00:18:09.560 --> 00:18:10.060
as well.
00:18:11.340 --> 00:18:12.560
And there is
00:18:12.560 --> 00:18:13.200
the distinction
00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:13.940
that the Lord
00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.600
Jesus makes
00:18:14.600 --> 00:18:15.440
between true
00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.480
and false
00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:16.900
faith.
00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:18.480
False faith
00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.160
looks to Jesus
00:18:19.160 --> 00:18:19.720
for what will
00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:20.360
interest and
00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:20.860
entertain.
00:18:21.780 --> 00:18:22.640
True faith on
00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:23.180
the other hand
00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:23.820
looks to Jesus
00:18:23.820 --> 00:18:24.780
in desperation
00:18:24.780 --> 00:18:26.580
and realizes that
00:18:26.580 --> 00:18:27.420
he and he
00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:28.140
alone is the
00:18:28.140 --> 00:18:28.740
only one who
00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.500
can give you
00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:31.120
what you must
00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:31.860
have for life
00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:32.700
now and
00:18:32.700 --> 00:18:33.340
forever.
00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:35.419
and with
00:18:35.419 --> 00:18:36.079
that recognition
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:36.959
a person finds
00:18:36.959 --> 00:18:37.959
in Jesus a
00:18:37.959 --> 00:18:38.779
savior and a
00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.259
friend with
00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:40.720
every worth
00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.659
every ounce of
00:18:41.659 --> 00:18:42.639
loyalty and love
00:18:42.639 --> 00:18:43.119
that one can
00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:43.659
muster.
00:18:44.939 --> 00:18:45.619
Now at the
00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:46.059
start of the
00:18:46.059 --> 00:18:46.659
story the father
00:18:46.659 --> 00:18:47.319
had a sort of
00:18:47.319 --> 00:18:47.559
faith.
00:18:47.659 --> 00:18:48.159
He was a
00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:48.899
religious man.
00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:50.039
He believed
00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.859
that Jesus was a
00:18:50.859 --> 00:18:51.819
miracle worker and
00:18:51.819 --> 00:18:52.959
he sought out
00:18:52.959 --> 00:18:53.779
Jesus in the hope
00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:54.559
of receiving a
00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:54.879
miracle.
00:18:56.119 --> 00:18:56.639
But at that
00:18:56.639 --> 00:18:57.139
point he had
00:18:57.139 --> 00:18:58.480
no living trust
00:18:58.480 --> 00:18:59.359
in Jesus Christ
00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:00.480
because his
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.079
heart had not
00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:02.079
yet been engaged
00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:02.759
by the Lord.
00:19:03.899 --> 00:19:04.240
And it was
00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:04.839
not until he
00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:05.419
believed the
00:19:05.419 --> 00:19:06.179
words of Jesus
00:19:06.179 --> 00:19:07.439
that his
00:19:07.439 --> 00:19:08.399
blindness cleared
00:19:08.399 --> 00:19:08.799
and he could
00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:09.980
see Jesus for
00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.500
who he really
00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.079
was.
00:19:11.679 --> 00:19:12.439
The son of
00:19:12.439 --> 00:19:13.059
God and the
00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:13.639
savior of the
00:19:13.639 --> 00:19:14.039
world.
00:19:15.399 --> 00:19:16.539
Now both the
00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.559
Galileans and the
00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:18.439
father had faith.
00:19:18.899 --> 00:19:19.359
I mean both
00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.240
states of mind
00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:20.960
are in the
00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:21.839
Bible and they
00:19:21.839 --> 00:19:22.419
are both called
00:19:22.419 --> 00:19:22.879
faith.
00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:24.299
But the
00:19:24.299 --> 00:19:24.960
difference between
00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.319
them is the
00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:26.839
difference between
00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:27.399
light and
00:19:27.399 --> 00:19:28.579
darkness, life and
00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:29.960
death, heaven and
00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:30.240
hell.
00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:32.120
I mean you
00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:32.940
can call Jesus
00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:34.019
the greatest
00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.680
miracle worker
00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:35.400
that ever lived.
00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:36.680
You can call him
00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.039
the greatest
00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:38.000
teacher that ever
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:38.640
lived and you
00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.740
would be right.
00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:41.839
But you see
00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:43.700
John teaches us
00:19:43.700 --> 00:19:44.319
that that is not
00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:44.680
enough.
00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:46.700
John wants us to
00:19:46.700 --> 00:19:47.319
learn from his
00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:48.099
words that Jesus
00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:48.920
is the Christ,
00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:50.359
the son of the
00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:51.079
living God, the
00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:51.660
savior of the
00:19:51.660 --> 00:19:52.779
world and you
00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:53.920
must believe that
00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:54.920
who he is and
00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:55.660
what he came to
00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:57.799
do is the only
00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:58.980
way to receive
00:19:58.980 --> 00:20:00.160
eternal life.
00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.440
And that is the
00:20:02.440 --> 00:20:04.279
gift that God
00:20:04.279 --> 00:20:05.259
gives to those of
00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:06.220
us who believe
00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:07.160
in his son.
00:20:08.420 --> 00:20:09.279
Let me pray for
00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:09.500
us.
00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:39.480
Thank you.