Well, if you're visiting this morning, we are working through the Gospel of John, the Gospel of John, and we are at the end of John chapter 4. The end of John chapter 4, you'll find that on page 1057 in your Bibles in front of you, 1057, as we pick up the reading at verse 43 to the end of the chapter. We concluded last time our study here of the woman known as the woman at the well, you'll remember that all the Samaritans have come back to Jesus and believed that are here represented. And now we move on from that to the next section of John. Let's give our attention to the word of the Lord beginning at verse 43. After the two days he departed for Galilee, for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast. So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where they had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. So Jesus said to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. the official said to him sir come down before my child dies jesus said to him go your son will live the man believed the word that jesus spoke to him and went on his way as he was going down his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering so he asked them the hour when he began to get better and they said to him yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, your son will live. And he himself believed and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. There it's the reading of God's word. Well, you know that the heart of the gospel of John, the purpose of this gospel, every gospel has its own sort of intent and theological purpose. The heart of this is captured at the very end of the book when it says all of these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ and believing that you may have life in his name. And of course, it says at the end there too that there were many signs that Jesus did and really the books could not contain all of the signs that Jesus did. John is showing us this great purpose of our Lord to give life to people. That's what we've been studying in this book. It is a gospel of life. It's a gospel of new life. It's a gospel of regenerated hearts. It's a gospel showing us what a new birth looks like and the life that flows as people believe. When you receive all these different figures and helps are given to us to understand this, like last time, when you believe, you receive living water. Water that springs up in your lives to everlasting life. All of these figures and all of these expressions are really teaching us of Jesus, showing us Jesus as he's claimed the temple, as he's claimed the fountain, as he's claimed everything. All the figures of the Old Testament, he has owned and claimed and say, all of that pointed to me. I'm the life giver. Well, the challenge has been in John to see that Jesus has to overcome a lot of barriers, the big barrier being the human heart, but he has to overcome all of these barriers. Remember last time, the barriers that were set up of the walls between the Jews and the Samaritans, Jew and Gentile, all these barriers that people put up, Jesus is sort of systematically taking down and helping people understand how salvation comes and his great power to do so but there is a barrier to Jesus's ministry that we don't often think about that we don't often realize is present that we don't often appreciate like we should a barrier from you to receive his word and it's a big barrier a barrier that he has to pull down for you in your life, and he'll do it. You might think, you know, we were challenged last week to go out and take the gospel to our neighbors and invite them to church. You might think that's a huge barrier. You know, those are barriers that are really difficult when you're talking to people about the gospel. How do you bring down these walls and these barriers? I want to talk to you today about a different barrier that we face in-house. There are certain barriers that have to be overcome among us if we're ever going to be effective in going out and gathering Samaritans. And that's really what this passage is helping us with today. Before us this morning is a challenge with this truth. With this truth. And here it is. The most difficult people for Jesus to reach in the gospel ministry was his own. I want you to hear that. That's a tough message. The most difficult people for Jesus to reach in the gospel ministry was his own. An unwillingness of his own people to receive him. Remember the beginning of John said that? He came to his own, and his own did not receive him. That is a startling statement at the beginning of John. That should have been a troubling statement to us at the beginning of John. Why didn't they receive him? What is the barrier from his own people that would keep them from receiving their own Messiah? And that's the question we're exploring today. And it's a big question in John's gospel. This is one of the biggest questions that we have to deal with and barriers that I think the book is showing us and helping us with. In some ways, this is one of the most important passages for us. And today we put the spotlight on, the Lord puts the spotlight on, why is it so difficult often in-house? Why is it so difficult often in the church? What would you think? How would you answer that? What would you say? That's the sort of thing I think we have to explore today in light of this passage that is the heart of this text. The Lord is showing us again his desire for his own, that his own would receive him. But how? How should his own receive him? And what are the challenges to that? And that's what's in front of you this morning. There's just two points. Two points. Belief that Jesus does not believe and belief that Jesus believes. It's that simple. So we've got to kind of wade through the bad part to get to the really good part. Dr. Godfrey, I'm sure, will have three tonight. I'm setting him up. It'll be a longer sermon, I'm sure. In chapter 4, he had turned to Samaria. And you'll notice that these were Israel's, you remember, these were Israel's enemies. It was hugely successful. It was a marvel of the success out in Samaria with the gospel, wasn't it? Everything about that passage was meant to shock us and shock the Jews, the disciples. He saved an adulterous woman. Not only did he save her, through her, he saved the men and the city as they had come back. Remember, she had left her water pot behind. She was done going out to get her water. The symbolism being she had been filled with living water. she left her pot and she went back to the city telling everyone the wonderful things that the Lord had done for her to the people of Samaria and out came the city. Out they came in their white robes and Jesus says to the disciples, there they are, go get them. Those are the fields white for the harvest. Look up. This would be an interesting discussion, wouldn't it? An interesting picture and interesting imagery. Kind of be like the proud socialites of Escondido looking at the mountain and there come the valley center people. I say that because I know there's valley center people here. What good could come out of there? Here's what's powerful about it. Not one miracle was recorded in that chapter so far in this chapter. He didn't do one sign. In fact, the greatest success in the ministry so far of Jesus comes right here and look down at verse 41 and you'll see it. And many more believed because of what? His own word. Now we believe not because of what you said, the Samaritans say. We ourselves have heard him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. We believe because we heard him speak. We heard his word. They're referring to him as their Messiah and the Savior of the world, which the disciples must have had to pick up their jaws from a woman who had been divorced five times. They believed not because of the signs, stay with me on this, they believed because they heard the word. Now verse 43 is transitional. There are challenges here, and as I sifted through them, it would be easy to leave them alone, but I actually believe the challenges prove the point here that the Holy Spirit is helping us with and with John's intention to help us with. Look very carefully at verse 43, where it says, After the two days he departed for Galilee, for Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. So if you understand that, it's saying he went back home because he knew he would not be honored. Does that make sense to you? If you look at that, the translators have struggled with that. They don't like the word for or because, something like the NIV puts now as it's supposed to be an inclusion to help us understand this. But I don't see how you miss from the original here that he's giving us a cause. It's telling us why he went there and the purpose is that John wants to highlight the very thing that he said in chapter 1, why his own would not receive him. He wants us to study this. He wants us to look at this and understand Jesus went there so that generations would study this and understand this mammoth problem. And that's exactly what is shown to us in this. So after two days, he departed from there and went to Galilee because Jesus had testified that a prophet has no honor except in his home country. Such an important section. So you come to verse 45 and we read something that seems like a great start in Galilee in light of how it went in Samaria. We read that the Galileans received him. Sounds like another success. Having seen all the things, and here's the follow-up that should be the trigger for us. They received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone up to the feast. Now that's telling you you need to go back and read the end of chapter 2, which had an important little inclusion there. You remember they had traveled all these Galileans to the Passover, and they had witnessed all of the miracles, all the signs that Jesus was doing at the end of chapter 2. And these same people, we read at the end of chapter 2, believed in him when they saw the signs that he did. But Jesus, remember, on his part, did not, same word, believe in them. For he knew what was in man, and he knew why they were following. He knew their following was all phony. So he leaves this very successful ministry in Samaria, and he goes back to the hometown, and this is exactly what he knows he's going to face. This is exactly what he gets. Everyone immediately is excited to see Jesus. You're back. We're glad about that. Why? Because he's famous. In Jerusalem, They saw their hometown boy doing something amazing in their views. They took pride in him. You know, if Calvin Christian had a pro football player, and he came and sat right up here today, how would you respond to him? Hey, do you see who's up there? Hey, have my seat, you know. One day Jesus comes back. He had already made the water wine here. Fame is spreading everywhere. Remember, all the disciples had left John and were going to Jesus. Oh, he was a big name. Luke says that when he got into Galilee, he opened the scroll of Isaiah and began to preach. And he said, today, all of this is fulfilled in your hearing. And then he closed it, spoke many gracious words, and then confronted them that they would kill him. and then Jesus said this, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own home country. I assure you there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time when the sky was shut up for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land, yet Elijah was not sent to any of them but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon, and there were many people in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. all the people of the synagogue were furious when they heard this they got up i quote and drove him out of the town and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built in order to throw him down the cliff that that is what happened they tried to do that to him amazing it starts off they received him but they didn't like the word and that's what grieves me about the text this morning that's where I had to stand back from the text and say this is what burdens my heart is this hard to deal with contrast that often happens and not universally you know I'm not saying that but this contrast that often does happen as the as the pagans have not heard the gospel of the kingdom, and receive the gospel of the kingdom, they receive the living water, and then this brutal challenge at times in the life of the kingdom for his own to receive it. The greatest challenge for us is this. It was the greatest challenge, and I speak to me personally, this was the greatest challenge for me, catechized in the faith, raised in the church, brought up with families in the church, With this attitude toward the church. We've heard the word. We know the word. We get the word. We've had so much exposure that all of it is just so familiar. It's so commonplace. It's assumed. We get this. And what begins to happen? And what begins to happen is a loss of the hunger for the word. A hunger for the word that gives life. A hunger for the word that breathes life, that fills you with living water, that goes away. Sunday school, that's just for the kids. It's not for us. We don't need to learn anymore. You know, when the Bible was first translated into English, I've said this before, but I just think it's so powerful to think. They had to bolt it to the pews. because it was so rare people would steal them. They had to bolt it to the pews, and when they came to church, there would be long readings of just the Bible because the people had never heard it. It was, give it to me. I'm hearing the word that gives life. Was that the kind of drive when Jesus went home? The Jews that always had the word. If you read through the gospel, John, this problem is given over and over that they wanted a show. They were tired of the word. The Jews wanted a sign. Remember, Paul dealt with this in Corinthians. The Jews always want a sign. The Greeks want wisdom. Jews want a sign, though. They're after the sign religion. They wanted something bigger and better all the time. They were never satisfied with that word. Irony was, the signs, even if Jesus did them, and when he did them, and he would do them to confirm the word, that's why he did the signs. When it did them, he knew fully aware that even if they saw somebody rise from the dead and they had the greatest resurrection worship service that everyone went out and talked about, wow, somebody rose from the dead today and we saw it. They still wouldn't believe. I remember Reverend Cammingo telling me that one of his greatest confusions for him over the years in the ministry and over all the long course of his ministry was that when people left the church, he said it was always surprising trajectory to him that they never went in the direction of more of the word. It was always in the direction of the thrill. Well, that's an exit strategy out of the church. Always has been. That's been my experience, too. It's not been by those new who come in hungry for the word. It's been by people like me. I speak to me. Raised in it. Who this didn't set in and didn't take to heart. Israel had a long problem of this where they would always turn to those who would charm them with smoothing words and lying signs and lying wonders. I think Jesus is attacking that history here when he says this. They were attracted to other things, but they were never delighted enough to come and to receive the gospel of the kingdom. That's what happens in John 6 when Jesus comes and he actually turns the bread into food that feeds 5,000 there. Wow, you know, Moses did a lot of that. What else are you going to do for us? We love a miracle worker. In fact, in John 7, just to set this in stone here, listen to Jesus' own brothers, listen to the family. Now, the Jews' feast of booths was at hand, so his brother said to him, leave here and go to Judea that your disciples may see the works that you're doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world. See? And then it says this, for they did not believe. Make yourself great. You are powerful. I think the longer you're deep-rooted in a tradition, raised in it, you face the particular danger of not appropriating that word yourself. I think that's a real problem. The Samaritans were thrilled by the word. They would pack out the church carrying the Bibles in. Jesus comes to the hometown and they want a thrill. So how does this answer? How does Jesus deal with this? That's the kind of believing that Jesus doesn't believe in. Just understand that right out. That is exactly the kind of stuff Jesus does not believe in. If that's what you're after and you're not appropriating that word and believing that word, understand you are these people. But then comes the really amazing moment of this passage. it's beautiful how he captures for us belief that he believes in here comes this man who has a son you'll notice here verse 46 they came to cana this is where the water had been turned wine second sign there was a certain nobleman a royal kingly official we read that his son was sick at Capernaum, 15 miles away. When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and he said, please come help my son. He's sick. He's at the point of death. You'll notice that said there. He's at the point of death. Thrill seekers at some point get hit with reality. That's one of the points here I think you can't miss. Thrill seekers at some point get hit with reality and it all changes once you have something like this happen. Let a son get sick to the point of death. You're not asking for the show anymore. But I want you to notice how Jesus does address this, for he's willing to do it. But notice what he says in verse 48. Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe. All you've come is to see a performer. I'm not so sure he said that to the man. I believe that he, when the man came, Jesus looked at everyone and said this. For the man had been drawn by the Lord to demonstrate something that would be so crucial for everyone throughout all the generations to study. And I'm amazed at how Jesus answers this and how he deals with this. Jesus says, you will by no means believe unless you people see signs and wonders. I sat and pondered this. He condemns the empty sign-seeking as not something good. And then, in wonderful compassion and in long-suffering and in mercy, he gives a sign. But I want you to notice today how he gave the sign. That's the crucial part of this text. That's the heart of this text. I want you to notice that in verse 49. The nobleman said to him, Sir, come down before my child dies. Jesus said to him, notice that at the end there, Go, your son will live. He didn't have to do that. He did not have to do this. The crowd came out to him. So what did he do? Did Jesus make a big display and say, let me show you my greatness and let me put on display my power and so that I will answer your desire for a thrill? Is that what he did? No. He healed the son in such a way that it required faith apart from seeing the reality of the healing. That's the brilliance of this. It's this common experience of life that you all know. How often has he done this for you? Think about this. How often has he done this? Sick loved ones, situations that come upon us that are unbearable, we worry, we fret, And what is the first thing that we're doing? Everything gets very serious. And what's the first thing that we're doing? Lord, would you heal my son or daughter? Would you do that? Psalm 103, the Lord heals all of your diseases. He loves to do this. He cares for us. Parents, when you face these things, spouses, when you face these things with a loved one, He hears. He knows that you're weak. And who can say that he has not often given healing? Why does he do that? So that you might know of his power, that you might know that he has power over death and sickness in the grave, but he does that with a goal that you would not believe unless you see a sign. but that you would believe him for his promise and his word. I believe that's exactly why, beloved, we don't see in the church today whiz-bang-bam healing services like the charlatans do try to do. They try to do it all the time. Slain in the Spirit, whiz-bang-bam. If you saw that, do you think it would do any good for you? No, no, he's going to require you to pray. He's going to require you to trust him. He's going to come, and you're going to have to cry out before him like Martha and Mary. And even after Lazarus is raised, he still has to die again. Because the ultimate answer is in the resurrection. But notice what Jesus does. He says, your son is well. Where's the son? Fifteen miles away. Who can validate that? Who can validate that? No one. And he has forced the man to the issue of whether he will believe the word. I want you to hear that. Just like the Samaritans, he has forced the man into the issue, will you believe my word? That's why this is given to us. Isn't that what just happened in some sense with the baptism of Hank? You know, and Kevin and Ashley? You know, they're not going to see this change until 15 years later. The Holy Spirit has to come and give life to the heart. And the Lord makes promises in baptism. And you're called to believe those promises. To trust His Word. That's what He wants from us. That's what He's calling us to. Go your way. Your Son lives. So, what do we read? Notice what he says. As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better. And they said to him, yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him. The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said, your son will live. And he himself believed and all his household. Covenantal right there. The first covenantal we see, New Covenant household believing the gospel this way. Fifteen miles away, Jesus speaks, fifteen miles away, up in Valley Center, chemical changes in a body, healed. The text is showing us the power of our King by just a mere word who created everything, through whom everything was created and he spoke it all into existence. This is the eternal son of God. And the point of the narrative is as the son of God, Jesus has the power to give life. And he does it through his word. That's the point of this story. That's why I always press you to sit under this word. What is the hometown attitude when I press you to the Word and not the thrill. That's the heart of this. Is it faith in the Word that Christ has spoken to you? So the man believed the Word. There it is. The end of John's Gospel says this, and truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But I went ahead by the inspiration of the Spirit and wrote down a whole bunch of signs for you that are inspired in the word so that you would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And that believing that you may have life in his name. So my question then today in closing is this. How do you relate to verse 50? So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. that's what he's after. That's faith that he believes in. And may all of us have it by grace. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your living and abiding word this morning that is spoken to us. Faith in your word. Forgive us that we have often been thrill seekers, never satisfied enough, always wanting something more, and yet you call us to faith. We bless the name of the Lord and we trust your word for there's no safer place to be. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.