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Title:-- A ROYAL OFFICIAL

Theme:-- Persevere – And Believe

Text:-- John 4:43 - 54

Date:-- Sunday, June 12, 2016

Occasion:--

Series:-- THEY MEET THE MASTER

Place:-- CCC

Code:-- CA – 07

John 4:43-54New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

43After the two days he left for Galilee.44(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)45When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.47When 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.48“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”49The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”50“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”The man took Jesus at his word and departed.51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”53Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

Intro: -- We are exploring stories of people meeting the Master in John’s Gospel. We need to remember that John purposefully selected these stories with a very specific purpose: John 20:30 states “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30, 31). The purpose of these narratives is to inspire faith, and subsequently, to discover life in the Name of Jesus. Belief and life.

Not only do these encounters show us how to find Jesus, but for those of us who are followers of Jesus, these stories have a great deal to teach us about approaching Jesus in prayer. There are so many powerful and practical lessons which inspire us in HOW to approach and talk to Jesus in such a way that we actually have a meaningful encounter with Him and receive what we have requested.

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT APPROACHING JESUS

Let’s review how the ROYAL OFFICIAL engages Jesus, how JESUS responds, and extract some valuable lessons about having a real encounter with Jesus.

  1. OVERCOME PREJUDICE: -- This morning’s story is all about a ROYAL OFFICIAL with a precious son, who is on death’s door. ROYAL OFFICIALS represented the Roman government and were not really well liked. And most of them, as Romans, were not very fond of the Jews. Perhaps this ROYAL OFFICIAL would never, under normal circumstances, have sought out Jesus. But when you have a son who is ill, at death’s door, your perspective changes. Sometimes God allows extreme pain, severe human need, to enter into our lives so we will look at Jesus in a new way. C. S. Lewis said that pain is God’s megaphone to a world often turning a deaf ear to His whispers. Perhaps his ROYAL position impeded him from normally approaching someone who claimed to be the KING OF THE JEWS. This man held loyalties with ROME. Perhaps he had deep-seated prejudice. One commentator states: The greatest men must go themselves to God, must become beggars (Matthew Henry).
  1. GAVE PRIORITY: -- Our text reads in verse 47 “47When 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.” Jesus is in Cana, where he turned the water into wine. This ROYAL OFFICIAL was based in Capernaum, about 25 kilometers away. Quite inconvenient to walk 25 kilometers. Even by horseback or in a ROYAL chariot, it would have been inconvenient. But these were no normal circumstances. His son was at death’s door. DESPERATE TIMES CALL FOR DESPERATE MEASURES. Sometimes we need a keen sense of need before we turn our hearts to God and give Him the proper priority that He deserves.

GIVE JESUS THE PROPER PRIORITY. SEEK HIM OUT!

  1. EXPRESS YOUR NEED “Our text reads in verse 47 “47When 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.”
  2. When we have a need, just how serious are we in expressing our need. In this case, the ROYAL OFFICIAL’s need was for his son. Family is super important. The original language uses a term for this son which captures the affection, the tenderness, that existed between this official and his boy.
  3. We see that this father approaches Jesus “begging him”. The word used here is significant. Different versions use different terms to capture the feeling here: besought, prayed, begged, urged pleaded, asked him repeatedly.
  4. The particular tense of the verb that the Evangelist John employs here emphasizes a repeated action. He doesn’t just ask once. As one commentator puts it: “He pressed his plea”. He’s insistent and persistent and desperate and determined to have an audience. We see his father’s heart here.
  5. This ROYAL OFFICIAL is not used to begging anyone. He is used to having others beg him. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Again, the importance of family, the closeness of the relationship all lead him to beg.
  6. Just how persistent are we when it comes to taking our human needs to Jesus? Are we easily deterred? Are we easily dissuaded? Often our lack of determination is indicative of a lack of heart preparation, or a lack of heart-felt need. We’re not desperate enough to persist. Persistent and dogged perseverance is something that God admires in those who seek him, and is always rewarded.
  1. SOMETIMES HEAVEN IS LIKE BRASS 48“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
  2. Wait a minute. This doesn’t seem to be a very merciful response to someone who has just opened his heart and with great pain.
  3. Why this rebuff? Why so harsh? What is Jesus doing with this man? And more importantly, why do we often find Jesus to be “aloof” and perhaps even “disinterested”. Jesus reacts in ways that are unexpected.
  4. On another occasion, a woman approaches Jesus on behalf of her ill daughter. Jesus responds by saying “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).
  5. WHY THE REBUFF? I believe that, far from being frustrated or annoyed, Jesus is carefully responding to purify the man’s motives. When the heavens are as brass, when we feel rebuffed in our approach to Jesus, it’s always good to review our motives.
  6. Was this man just looking for something sensational, or was his approach to Jesus more respectful.
  7. Do we see Jesus as a magician or as the Master?
  8. Do we see Jesus as a Sensationalist, or as the Saviour?
  9. Do we approach God so that we can use him, or do we approach God so that He can use us?
  10. Do we have a utilitarian type of faith, or is our faith more authentic than simply utilizing God to get what I want? (No one likes to be utilized and manipulated – so don’t approach God that way).
  1. PERSIST 49The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
  2. The ROYAL OFFICIAL IS NOT EASILY DISSUADED.
  3. What would you have done? Got all upset? Ticked off by the way Deity responds to your situation?
  4. This persistence onbehalf of the OFFICIAL is a good sign. Too often we give up so easily. Our superficial and half-hearted prayers betray a half-hearted faith and a “couldn’t care less” attitude. Small wonder we don’t see answers from God. Small wonder we feel so barren!
  5. I believe this is a test. Jesus is trying to discover what’s really in the heart of this man, and just how serious and desperate he is.
  6. Earlier I mentioned a woman who approached Jesus with a very needy daughter. Jesus had told her: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26). “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” (Matthew 15:27) Jesus replied “Woman, you have great faith” and her daughter was healed that very hour.
  7. When heaven seems like brass, persist. What you begin to show interest in spiritual things, but Jesus doesn’t seem to take notice, persist. The quality or your faith, and the true nature of your heart, is being revealed.
  8. Often when we are rebuffed or “put off” by heaven, God wants us to intensity our seeking. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. And God often waits until we feel the “extremity”, the “severity” of our need, so our hearts will be in the right position, the right condition, with the appropriate sense of submission and humility and desperation.
  1. BELIEVE GOD“Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
  1. Notice that Jesus gives him a word of promise “Go, your son will live”. This is significant. The man’s request was “Come down before my child dies”. Jesus doesn’t respond the way the man had hoped. Are you willing to accept the unique way that DIVINTY manifests Himself or does God need to submit to Your ideas of HOW HE SHOULD WORK?
  2. Jesus had said earlier: 48“Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” Now he seems to be giving this man an opportunity to see whether or not He will believe based on the word.
  3. The man passed the test! Our text says: The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
  4. Learn to take God at His Word! When He gives you a promise, hold onto that promise. Never let go!

The rest of the story: 51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”53Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

Notice, the man inquired as to the time when his son got better. He was putting things together! Something happened in this moment. So he and his whole household believed.

His faith evolved from a belief that Jesus could heal his son, to a belief that this one who had just healed his Son was more than a Healer. He was the Son of God, God’s gift of love. He placed his faith personally in Jesus. He trusted in Him as His Saviour, not only as the healer of his son.

The father’s son was restored to life, from being on the brink of death. But more importantly, a man who was spiritually dead in trespasses and sins was radically converted and regenerated by the power of God, as He placed His faith in Jesus.