Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

(from Gary Burge’s commentary):

A young woman had become critically ill and her prognosis was grim; she would likely die within a year.

Her family had a nominal "Easter and Christmas Eve" commitment to the church, so the discussions in the hospital between [a] young pastor and this family always plowed new ground.

The woman challenged him: if Jesus healed in the Bible, he should be able to help me today.

If not, what good was he?

So she prayed.

The pastor prayed.

The whole family prayed – and pleaded and begged and bargained.

If God would only show mercy, the family urged, they would completely recommit themselves and come to church every Sunday.

This earnest young pastor prayed with all his heart.

He refused to join the ranks of those who said, "if it is thy will."

It was God's will that she be healed, he concluded.

Then to his amazement, God healed her – completely.

And with the physicians shaking their heads, she was sent home from the hospital.

We talk a lot about prayer and faith and trusting Jesus.

We sometimes look for signs and wonders in order to reinforce our faith.

We may even want to see miracles.

But what will be the result?

Today, as we continue to study the Gospel of John together, we get to consider the second “sign” that John includes as he lays before us his argument, making the case for belief in Jesus, the Son of God, resulting in eternal life.

As we consider this brief section of scripture today, we are going to reflect on this theme:

Whether we are coming to Jesus for salvation or walking daily with Him, we must recognize how helpless we are and how help-full He is.

As we process through this theme, let’s begin by...

Understanding the Situation

Let’s briefly consider some of the implications and cultural elements of the context.

Jesus had been in Samaria and traveled a day or so to get to Cana, a mountain town in the region the sea of Galilee - actually a bit West of water itself.

Capernaum was on the north coast of the sea - about 20 miles from Cana.

This official was a governing official - not a religious one.

He served the King.

We don’t know how long Jesus was in Cana before this man heard that Jesus was there.

John simply doesn’t give us that information.

Being a royal official - this man had some means and some influence - even some power - and yet his son was gravely ill - and he was powerless to heal him.

So he came to Jesus and asked - or pleaded - for Jesus to come to heal his son.

To which Jesus replied:

Here - Jesus uses the plural “you” - so he’s likely referring in general to the people of the region.

It is interesting too that Jesus says “signs and wonders” - this is the only time that appears in John’s gospel - thought it appears in the other gospels.

It’s as though Jesus is calling out the people saying that they are looking for miracles to believe - they want a show.

In spite of Jesus pushing back a bit - this man was insistent:

Now, instead of pleading or begging - the man commands Jesus to come.

He says come down because even though Capernaum was a bit north and east of Cana, it was below sea level.

So Jesus responds with an equally insistent reply:

John 4:50 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.”

The command to “go” is the same type of imperative.

He tells him to go and promises healing.

At Jesus’ word, the man obeys and believes:

John 4:50 (ESV)

The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

Here this powerful man with a dying child was helpless and all he can do is trust, walk in faith and obey.

He believed.

Now, keep in mind that 20 miles is about what an average person can walk in a day.

We don’t know if he had a chariot or an entourage - it’s quite possible.

But this was not the 30-60 minute journey that it would be by car for us.

It was at least a half-day or more each way.

So he likely invested 2-3 days in this request.

The section concludes:

Now - not only had he expressed trust in Jesus at his Word, but he believed something more.

John seems to be signaling here that this man believed in Who Jesus is - a common theme for John in the gospel.

As we think about this encounter between Jesus and the official, let’s consider some applications that we can glean.

Applying the Word

There are elements where this experience really touches so much of our lives - our faith in Jesus, our prayer lives, and the very core of our salvation.

As we apply this passage, we’re going to consider some principles that we see depicted in this encounter.

First of all...

We must perceive our helplessness (4:46)

Just as the official recognized that in spite of all of his power and resources, he was helpless to heal his son, so too, we need to recognize our own helplessness.

As a society, we have so many resources.

Our standard of living is among the highest in all the world - even the poorest among us.

The freedoms we enjoy, the autonomy we exhibit - all speak volumes to the control that we seem to be able to experience.

But when it comes to our relationship with Jesus - we have to recognize that all of those resources and gifts are worthless.

We are still so helpless.

We like to throw money at problems.

The problem is that we are trying to fix spiritual problems with material solutions - that will never work.

We have to recognize that we are spiritually helpless - destitute - without hope - that is, without hope outside of Jesus.

But beyond just perceiving our helplessness, we can follow the official’s example and...

We should plead for help from the capable One! (47)

Jesus is that capable One.

Whether we are coming to Him for our eternal salvation or pleading for him to fix an unfixable situation, we need to recognize that

He is the One who can act,

He is the One who can save,

He is the One who can heal,

If you’re not yet a follower of Christ, if you’ve not yet trusted in what Jesus did on the cross for your sin and mine, let me encourage you to recognize your helplessness and repent of your sinfulness and rebellion against God - receive His salvation - our sin eternally separates us from God, but by Jesus sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, we now have a way of coming to God - by faith.

The Apostle Paul continues:

But, more than just coming to Jesus for our salvation, think about it from the discipline of prayer.

In prayer, we recognize our need, our helplessness.

In prayer, we plead for Jesus to act and move.

In prayer, we express our hope that Jesus will do exactly what is according to His will.

In prayer, we regularly submit to His will.

So, we can observe that the official perceived his helplessness, He came to Jesus and pled for Him to act.

We can follow his example in that we should...

Persist in hope that God will act (48-49)

When Jesus pushed back by stating that the people of that region only wanted a show, the man insisted - come down and heal my son.

His intentions were true and his situation was desperate.

How often do we toss up prayers like flower petals on a windy day?

God, would you bless me or bless this person?

Would you be with so and so?

And then we move on, never coming back to it.

My prayer is out there flowing in the wind, I hope it lands on Jesus’ ears.

Instead, our prayerful posture should be one of persistence.

Bringing requests before the Lord, insisting on action, trusting in His will.

Jesus has told us how we should pray: