LISTEN TO JESUS: YOUR BOY'S ALIVE!

LISTEN TO JESUS

YOUR BOY’S ALIVE!

John 4:43-45 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

Reformation Study Bible:

4:44 no honor in his own hometown. “His own hometown” is probably Galilee rather than Judea (cf. v. 3). Galilee is considered to be the place of Jesus’ origin in this Gospel (1:46; 2:1; 7:42, 52). Though the Galileans “welcomed him” (v. 45), the text indicates that Jesus was displeased with their need to “see signs and wonders” in order to believe

Susan: Jesus had said that a prophet is of no consequential worth or value among his own people and family. 

Mark 6:4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”

Susie: The little kid that ran around Joseph’s carpenter shop surely could not be an important prophet!

Susan: And certainly not the Messiah due their honor, respect, and worship. 

Susie: Belief in Him as prophet or Christ did not bring the crowds out to see Him. What they wanted to see miraculous signs. 

Susan: All they wanted from Him was a “magic show”. . .

Susie: . . . and the physical healing He might give. 

Susan: Their motives for coming out to hear him were not those of sincere worshippers but adrenaline junkies. 

Susie: They did not come out of belief to sit at His feet to seek truth but as skeptics who needed to see signs . . . 

Susan: . . . or to find reasons to refute His authenticity.

John 4:46-47 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

Susan: Jesus returned to Cana where He manifested His first miraculous sign of turning water into wine at a wedding. 

Susie: An official in the service of King Herod Antipas traveled the sixteen miles from Capernaum to Cana to beg Jesus to heal his son who was near death at home.

John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Susie: Rather than praising the man’s faith, Jesus accuses the man of unbelief. 

Susan: He is exceedingly put out that people needed to see a “dog and pony show” in order to believe. It is almost as if Jesus is a puppet and they are wanting to pull the strings and see Him perform before they will believe. It shows the arrogance of the people coming and makes me wonder why they came in the first place. I suspect only out of curiosity.

Susie: Jesus’ response to the desperate father may seem harsh, but as we have seen before, Jesus knows the inmost thoughts of men. Also, the “you” in this case is plural so He was addressing not only the father . . .

Susan: . . . but the group of Galileans as a whole.

John 4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

Susie: The man does not argue or deny what Jesus has said about the lack of belief and demanding a sign but just pleads again for Jesus to come with him to Capernaum to heal his son. 

Susan: Jesus knows the hearts of men and sees the desperation and helplessness of the concerned father.

John 4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Susie: Jesus was not merely prophesying that the child would live. 

Susan: He was pronouncing life and healing over the child in that exact moment. In His compassionate mercy, He healed the man’s son.  In stark contrast to the arrogant, narcissistic crowd, the Lord Jesus displayed lovingkindness toward the father’s situation concerning his son. 

Susie: The man believed what Jesus said even though he had no proof that his son was healed. 

Susan: He accepted Jesus’ authoritative declaration as fact. 

Susie: He headed back home to Capernaum confident of his son’s recovery.

John 4:51-53 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

Susie: On his way back home to Capernaum, the father was met by some of his servants. 

Susan: This good news patrol tells the father his son is healed. 

Susie: He asked the servants when his son began to get well. When they answer him, he realizes . . .  

Susan: . . . that at the precise moment Jesus had pronounced him whole, he began to get better. 

Susie: If the man had harbored any doubt about Jesus before, this has removed it totally from his mind.

Susan: This miracle changes the dynamic of the entire household from unbelief to complete trust. 

Susie: I am sure the father explained to his wife, other family members, and his servants what had transpired in Cana. 

Susan: They all witnessed the rest of the story.

John 4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Susie: John writes of eight “signs” Jesus performed demonstrating that He was the Son of God. Changing the water into wine was the first and healing the official’s son without even being present was the second. Keep watching for six more.

Ways we can apply this to our lives:

·     We have the benefit of reading the gospels and knowing all the miraculous things Jesus did when He walked among men. However, many times we still crave a “sign.” Note that Jesus rebuked this attitude.

·     Are you seeking the signs, miracles, and wonders and Jesus as a cosmic Santa Claus or are you seeking the Almighty, Holy Son of God? 

·     Is your belief in the Lord dependent upon His meeting some demand? Or have you placed your complete trust in God’s plan rather than your own?