Unlocking Blessings

David Jones

John 2021 • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

John 4:43–54

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Humbleness Opens the Door For Blessings

The Bible says here that a royal official heard that Jesus was in Galilee. He knew about Jesus miraculous healings and the things he had been doing. This royal official had a son that was at the point of death. He believed Jesus could heal his son. He could have very easily sent some of the royal guards to get Jesus and bring Jesus to him. He did not do this, instead he went to Jesus and asked if He would come to his house and heal his son. I see several attributes of a humble man that I would like to point out.

He did not use his position to get what he wanted

The bible says that this royal official was imploring Jesus for help. It gives the connotation that he was repeatedly begging Jesus for help because his son was at the point of death. He could have commanded Jesus to go to his house, but he chose to beg instead. This is a point of humbleness because he recognized that his only hope of his son getting well was Jesus. He was willing to put his pride aside and ask Jesus for help.

Asking people for help is a sign of humbleness. It is an acknowledgement that you cannot handle your situation on your own. When you realize that you need others is a way to demonstrate that you are not prideful enough to think you can handle life on your own. We must surrender pride and embrace our need for others

C.S. Lewis understood that confidence and arrogance were components of pride, too, and that humility was what kept them in balance. There was no simpering, sniveling, “I can’t do anything,” in what he did, but neither was there the pride that says “It’s all me.” He suggested a definition that I certainly can’t argue with.

He says “Humility is the ability to be the greatest architect in the world, to build the most beautiful cathedral that ever existed so that people who saw it would weep tears of joy. And then,” he adds, “humility is the ability to be equally as happy if it was my neighbor who built it.”

Young Boozer shared with me while I was at the bank that we were the strongest team because no one gets credit.

THE DISEASE OF "ME"

Basketball coach Pat Riley in his book The Winner Within tells about the 1980 World Championship Los Angeles Lakers. They won the NBA Championship that year, and they were recognized as the best basketball team in the world.

They began their 1980-1981 season considered likely to win back-to-back championships. But within weeks of the season opener, Magic Johnson tore a cartilage in his knee, and he needed a three month recuperation period. The team and the fans rallied, and the remaining players played their hearts out. They determined to make it through that period without losing their rankings. They were winning seventy percent of their games when the time began to draw near for Magic Johnson to return to action.

As his return grew closer, the publicity surrounding him increased. During time-outs at the games, the public address announcer would always say, “And don’t forget to mark your calendars for February 27th. Magic Johnson returns to the lineup of your World Champion Los Angeles Lakers!” During that announcement, the other players would look up and curse. They’d say, “We’re winning now. What’s so great about February 27th?”

As the day approached, fewer and fewer things were written or said about the players who were putting out so much effort. All the media attention was focused on the one player who hadn’t been doing a thing. Finally the 27th came, and as they clicked through the turnstiles every one of the 17,500 ticket holders was handed a button that said, “The magic is back!”

At least fifty press photographers crowded onto the floor while the players were introduced. Normally only the starters were introduced, and Magic Johnson was going to be on the bench when the game began. But he was nevertheless included in the introductions. At the mention of his name, the arena rocked with a standing ovation. Flashbulbs went off like popcorn. Magic Johnson was like a returning god to the crowd that night.

Meanwhile the other players who had carried the team for three months and who were totally ignored, were seething with jealousy, resentment, anger, and envy. They were so resentful that they barely won the game that night against a bottom-of-the-bucket team, and eventually the morale of the entire team collapsed. The players turned on each other. The coach was fired. And they eventually lost their opening game of the play-offs, having of the most disastrous records ever.

Riley said, “Because of greed, pettiness, and resentment, we executed one of the fastest falls from grace in NBA history. It was the Disease of Me.

God will not unlock the blessings of heaven when you have pride in your heart.

He went to Jesus

He did not care what others thought of him. He knew that Jesus could heal his son and he was going to beg Jesus to do it. He was willing to jeopardize his reputation for the sake of his son. Humility is understanding who you really are in the eyes of Christ. A sinner in need of salvation!

Many people are too concerned about their personal image. They are fearful of what others may think of them if they knew the truth. A true friend knows who you really are and loves you anyway.

He took the criticism of Jesus

Jesus told him and the people that they would not believe unless they saw signs and wonders. He was saying that their faith was weak. This official could have said, “how dare you call me weak. I could have you arrested and put in jail.” He did not do this. He instead continued to beg Jesus to heal his son.

God’s Grace is the Source of Blessing

John, Volumes 1 & 2 The Grace by Which Jesus Saves

This is exactly what this passage shows: Jesus saves the official’s son not because any payment was made or because the official was less a sinner than others (as a servant of Herod, he was likely a greater sinner), but because his is a merciful grace. This is good news, because Jesus has the same mercy for us. Jesus said, “Go; your son will live” (John 4:50). Likewise, because salvation is by grace—that is, by God’s free gift—Paul writes, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).

Notice as well that Christ’s is a sovereign grace. The ruler apparently thought that Jesus had to be physically present to perform a miracle, since he asked him to come to his son. But Jesus merely spoke and the salvation occurred. The next day, when the official returned home, he learned that his son had been cured at the very moment Jesus spoke (John 4:52). This shows that Jesus has the authority to save by his own will, and with a might that is equal to any need. This is why John so often emphasizes Jesus’ divine nature (see 20:31): if Jesus is God, he has divine power to save us. Jonathan Edwards points out that knowing this ought to strengthen our resolve to trust in Christ: “What are you afraid of, that you dare not venture your soul upon Christ? Are you afraid that He cannot save you, that He is not strong enough to conquer the enemies of your soul? But how can you desire one stronger than the ‘mighty God,’ as Christ is called (Isa. 9:6)? Is there need of greater than infinite strength?”

Together, this shows that Jesus is both willing and able to save all who humbly come. He is willing because his is a merciful grace. He is able because his is a mighty, sovereign grace.

Moreover, we see what Christ’s grace does: it conquers death and the sin that makes death terrible. Jesus said, “Your son will live,” and his saving grace has the effect of imparting forgiveness and life. Most important is the gift of eternal life to those who are spiritually dead. Paul explains, “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked.… But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:1–2, 4–5). This is what Jesus wanted not merely for the official’s son but for the ruler himself. The man should not merely have come, saying, “I am a father whose son needs to be healed,” but should also have said, “I am a sinner and I need to be saved.” The greatest need that each of us has is to be born again to spiritual life so that we may believe, be forgiven through Christ’s blood, and enter into eternal life. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

God’s Sovereign grace has the power to bring God’s blessings into your life. Because He knows whats best for you, He will always provide that. It is when we believe we know what is best for us and it does not line up with God’s best that creates stress.

A true sign of spiritual maturity is having a heart of gratefulness in all things, knowing that God is using it for our best. We may not like it at the time, but just wait and see what God does.

28 And we know that [a]God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Rom. 8:28-29

Trust in the grace of the Lord! When God says it it comes to pass. When Jesus said that the boy lives, he was completely restored at that moment. Please understand when Jesus Speaks into your life it will come to fruition.

Faith Unlocks the Blessings

When Jesus said that the officials son would live, the Bible says the official believed the word of the Lord. It is important to understand that there is a difference in believing the Word of the Lord an believing in the Lord. Initially this man believed that his son would be well because Jesus told him he would. He believed that what Jesus said would come true. We know this because he didn’t immediately run home to check. It wasn’t until the next day that he got a report that his son was healed.

17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? 18 [a]Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith [b]has made you well.” Luke 17:17-19

30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” 31 And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has [a]made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:30-34

Faith in what god can do brings the blessing. Faith in who Jesus is brings salvation!

What happened next was of most importance. The Bible says that when He got the report Him and his whole household believed in Jesus. They believed that He is the Son of God. He realized that the sickness of his son was the catalysis to lead him to salvation.

Miracles of God can lead to a genuine belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. But what is of utmost importance is to believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus wants to save souls he does not just want to perform miracles. I like what Mark Johnston says: Jesus is not interested in satisfying crowds who want to be entertained. He is interested in sinners who feel their need and are prepared to take him at his word.”

Richard D. Phillips, John, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, 1st ed., vol. 1, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 283.

That is why John 3:16 is so very important

16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

It is through believing in who Jesus is that we escape perishing and receive eternal life.

Jesus is God’s Son. He satisfied the perfect requirement of the law. He died on a cross because he qualified to take our punishment for sin. He will give eternal life to those who put their faith in Him!

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