So, our text this evening is John chapter 4, verses 46 through 54. John chapter 4, verses 46 through 54. These are God's very words. So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he 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, the servants met him, 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 said, and he himself believed in all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. There is the reading of God's word this evening. So I've had the privilege these last couple of months to walk us through John chapter 3 and chapter 4. I wish I would have known this was God's plan the whole time when I would have began with John chapter 1 verse 1 and worked our way through it, but, you know, God does what he wants to do. So I thought, why not tonight just break down the whole Gospel of John from chapter 1 to chapter 21? Not word for word, but just an overview of how he breaks it down into sections. John has two main sections in this Gospel. He has the Book of Signs, which is chapter 2 through chapter 12, where Jesus is revealing who he is by signs and wonders. In the remaining chapters, 13 through 20, it's called the Book of Glory, where we see the glory that Jesus had in heaven be given back to him by the Father. Within these two sections, though, there are smaller sections in the Gospel of John. And this evening, we come to the end of the first smaller section. This smaller section begins with the wedding in Canaan in chapter 2. And we'll be back in Canaan at the end of chapter 4. What John is doing is he's showing us that everything in between chapter 2 and chapter 4 is all connected. He's given us little barriers to understand that this is important between chapter 2 and chapter 4. Not only that the beginning and end in Cana, but there's a driving theme for the narrative in these three chapters. One pastor said that the theme is the old has passed away and the new has come. And I think he nailed it. The old has passed away, the new has come. In the beginning of chapter 2, Jesus turns the old purification water into new covenant wine. Also in chapter 2, the old temple, Jesus says, is no longer needed because the true temple is dwelling among them. When we get to chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he needs to be born again, born from above. He needs to become a new creation, something that he cannot do on his own. Next, with the Samaritan woman, Jesus shows us that we need living water to bring us to eternal life and not stale well water. Really, this whole driving section is to show us the old has to pass away and the new has to come. And at the end of chapter 4, John brings us full circle back to Cana. And just with the turning the water into wine, we will see how this comes to play out. Not only are we going to see Jesus heal an officer's son, an official's son, who is near death, but more importantly, we're going to see a family that was dead in sin be brought alive with the word of Christ. The picture behind this whole story is that we're dead. We're dead. First death, then life. I think we forget that, right? We think it's the other way. I think we live and then we die. But that's backwards. That's not how it's supposed to be. You might think you're coming to Christ for another reason. It could be anything why you come to Christ. But until you are born again, you still need to be brought from death to life. The old needs to pass away and the new needs to come. When we get to these last few verses of chapter 4, John will show us again that he's been showing us this whole time. That people all around Israel are hearing about this Jesus, this miracle worker, this prophet. But we know he's more. We know he's more. In Galilee, Jesus has gotten so popular that even when he enters the region, people hear about it. I want you to think of this. In Galilee, people don't have phones. They don't have social media. They can't just put on everything they ever wanted to do every day. No. The word had to get out in the entire region of Galilee that Jesus had shown up. Jesus is 20 miles away from this official. And yet he hears that Jesus is in the region. To me, that's crazy. who in here would want to walk 20 miles because they heard somebody was in the region? That's like walking from here to Oceanside because you've heard somebody's here. So let's jump back into the text of verse 46. So he came again, this is Jesus, came again to Cana in Galilee where he 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 to heal his son, for he was at the point of death. At first you might be thinking that this is a story you've all heard before. A story that's in the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Though there's some similarities here, I believe they're two different stories. In one, you hear about the centurion who speaks to Jesus about healing his servant. In our story, it's an official that asks Jesus to heal his son. And the centurion asks Jesus to heal him, doesn't want Jesus to go. And Jesus praises him for his faith. He had not heard of faith like this in all of Israel. In our story, it doesn't go that way. He asked Jesus to go, and Jesus at first says no. So they might seem to be the same story being retold. But there's two different healings. This is two different occasions. And I only tell you this because somebody might open up the Bible and say, your Bible is full of contradictions. Look, this is the same story, but they can't get their story right. But really, this is two different stories, two different healings that Jesus is doing. So at first, who is this official? Who's the official? Well, we know that Herod Antipas, or you may have heard about him in other gospels, named Herod the Tetrarch, is in charge of Galilee. This is the Herod that beheaded John the Baptist. This is the Herod that Jesus calls a fox. This is also the Herod that Pilate sends Jesus to during his crucifixion, during the trials. Our official is an official of Herod, which makes him a royal official, meaning that he usually tells people what to do. People don't tell him what to do. He was probably well off, more wealthy than those around him in Galilee. So when his son got sick, he probably had the best physicians to come try to help heal his son. But his son wasn't getting any better. In verse 46, John calls him an official, but in verse 47, he calls him a man. We see John is doing this to bring us back to chapter 2. Like I said, these sections are connected to show us that when, remember, John said that men believe only in signs but jesus knew their hearts so john wants to remind us of this he's an official but he's also one of these men that only believe in signs obviously this official this man had heard about jesus and everything he'd been doing in his ministry enough for him to pursue jesus for 20 miles to try to bring him back to capernaum there might be a chance to heal his son and wouldn't we do the same if one of our children came down with something and the doctors told us the only way to save your child is a miracle or there's this experimental drug we can give your child but we don't know the side effects or to heal your son we need to take him to a doctor's office across the country you better believe that we would do this for our child we wouldn't want to do anything to help our child when he is sick so this official hears that Jesus is in the region and what's he do he gets up and walks 20 miles to find this faith healer he thinks this miracle worker, this prophet he at least has enough faith to think this man might be able to heal my son but at that moment do we really think that he did he know that this jesus that he was searching for was the lamb of god who takes away the sins of the world did he really think that this one was the man who was prophesied to be the great physician i don't think so i don't think he actually knew who jesus was yet whatever faith this man did have it was only enough to believe that maybe he could heal his son. You see, Jesus did come to do miracles. He did come to perform signs. But these were to lead his people to faith. Just because a miracle or a sign happened to you, or even performed in front of the crowds, it doesn't mean that you were going to come to faith. But that's what Jesus was doing them for. Think of the ten blind men that were healed. Remember? Only one came back. Only one came back. It makes no difference to these other nine. They didn't care what Jesus did. But to that one who was Jesus, that sign brought him back to go talk back to Jesus and thank him. If these signs or wonders don't lead to redemption, if they don't lead to faith, lead one into the covenant community, to these other people. What are they good for? They don't get it. Jesus is performing these signs and miracles so that you would believe and it would lead you to redemption. Remember what John says at the end of his gospel. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which were not written in this book but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And that by believing, you may have life. It is faith in Jesus that he is the Savior of the world. That's what makes these signs and wonders divine. That's what makes them what they are. When we get to verse 48, Jesus says to him, Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. What are we to make of that? It looks like his answer is no to the official. It looks like the whole journey was for nothing. We see Jesus is replying not only to the official. We see Jesus says to him. But it says, unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. That you there is a plural you. He's not only talking to the official, but he's talking to all the people gathered around him. All the people in Galilee that's listening to this story. but it's a fairly large rebuke jesus is giving them the crowd and the man jesus is being the reader of hearts here he really wants to see where this official's at he knows where the crowd's at they just want to keep seeing signs and miracles and as we go throughout john we'll see jesus will bring food for them and they go oh wow he's this guy brought his food we're gonna make him king that's their heart but jesus wants to see the heart of this official at this moment. Jesus, knowing his rank as a royal official, spoke to him this way because not many people have ever had his whole life. I love what John Calvin says about this text right here. This is what John Calvin writes. Now, officials are usually demanding and haughty and do not willingly submit to be treated with harshness, but it deserves notice that this man, humbled by the necessary case and by the dread of losing his son does not burst into passion or murmur when Christ speaks to him roughly but passes by the reproof with modest silence. This man, this official he only has one thing on his mind and it's his son. He doesn't want to lose his son. And he humbles himself to hearing these words by Jesus. The official knew what was at stake. And at that moment, he realized who was really in charge. If he wanted his son healed, he needed to bend the knee to the king. And the official said to him in verse 49, Sir, come before my child dies. Two things I want to bring to our attention in this verse. After realizing who he is, Jesus, the ESV says here, Sir. And the word can mean that. It can mean Sir. But it could also mean Lord. It's the same word in the Greek, Sir or Lord. And the only way we know which word it could be is by context. Which word we choose for it. I believe this man knows exactly who he's talking to now. He knows he's not the one in charge anymore. he knows who's in charge he's broken he's brought to the point to where all he can think about is getting his son healed and he says lord come down before my child dies he doesn't call him son anymore his son he says my child it's a word of endearment it's a it's an emotional word he can't stand the idea of losing his son what does jesus say verse 50 jesus says to him go your son will live the man believed the word of jesus spoke to him and went on his way jesus the reader of hearts knows exactly where that man was exactly what he needed to hear exactly what needed to turn and make old new. He needed to give this man faith. Jesus knew in the beginning he wasn't ready. He didn't want to run right down to Capernaum and heal his son. Jesus wanted to humble this man to know who was really in charge. Think about it. This man had not seen one sign. He did not see one miracle. Yet with one word, he believes, turns around and walks away. Again, Calvin writes that as soon as he had heard a single word, he seized it and fixed it in his heart. Though he did not entertain all the respect that he ought to for the power of Christ, yet a short promise suddenly awoke new confidence in his mind so that he believed the life of his son to be contained in a single word of Christ. Sometimes we want God to do things our way. Don't we? We think we know better than God. Sometimes we just want to tell God, God, I know these people. I know the house it's going to be. Just listen to me. Answer my prayer. God doesn't work like that. Beloved, God doesn't work like that. We don't tell God what to do. No, God tells us what to do. First, God speaks and we listen. God told this, Jesus told this official, go, your son will be healed. And he just listened. He turned around and went. After listening to Jesus, this man's fear of losing his son was just gone. Cannot this be the same for us? All the anxieties of life that we go through, All the burdens that we have that feel like thousands of pounds on our shoulders that we carry around every day. Does not Jesus say, come to me, all who are burdened and heavy laden, and I will give you rest? Do you not believe the covenant promises of our God? That he will be our God and we will be his people. And he will keep every promise he ever said to us in his word. this man heard one word that's all it took one word and he believed it said he believed we hear God's word week after week after week from his very pulpit and how many of us still doubt I know I do I still doubt I know many of us do as well you do as well did he not promise us that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. That doesn't mean life's going to be peachy, right? If we look, we could see everything around us, war, rumors of wars, fires, earthquakes, right? It's not going to be easy, but what it does mean is that we can live this life knowing that God keeps his word, God keeps his promise, and we could hold on to that and that's what helped us get through this daily life when this official came to jesus not only was his son dying but he was dead as well jesus raised two people that day from the dead and as we will see more is to come verse 51 and as he was going down his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering so that so he asked them what's the hour when he began to get better and they said to him yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him this man was on his way back to Capernaum but he had so much faith in the one word that Christ said it took him the next day he went and slept somewhere else he didn't run back home he knew exactly what was happening his servants were meeting him along the way the next day with there's good news, there's great news. Your son lives. And verse 53 is so precious. The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, your son will live. He himself believed in all his household. At first, John calls him an official. Then John calls him a man. But now we see John calling him father. A father who would not only see his son alive again, but would share this good news with his whole family. Share the news of who he met that day. He met Jesus, the Savior of the world. And he could tell all about him. I always thought it was weird in the text where it says he believed twice. I was like, what? Why is he believing twice? I don't get it. And as I studied it, I realized at first he believed when Jesus said the word that his son would not die. Maybe this is one of those things where you get that kernel of faith when you're first coming to faith. And God strengthened that new faith when his buddies came and told him the good news. When his servants came and told him those good news. And it turned into a faith that the cares of the world couldn't choke out anymore. His faith was on the good soil. It was true faith. It was genuine faith. So much so that when he gets home, all they could tell him is about how good Jesus is. And his whole household believed. We see that through Acts. We see that's the way it works. Somebody comes to Christ, they don't keep it to themselves. They tell everybody about it. They go home and tell everybody in their house about it and they all come to faith. Beloved, as we've seen in these past few weeks that I've gone through John with you. Jesus not only wants us to know that we need to be born again, born from above, but he also wants to know that he could take anybody and bring them into the kingdom. And now we see that all we have to do is believe a word and trust that Christ will complete his promises and we'll go to heaven and we could tell everybody about it not only did we see jesus heal this official son who was near death but more importantly we saw a family that was dead in sin be brought to life in christ the old that passed away in that family and the new came we are all dead until we hear the word all of us first death then life that's how it works and until we realize that until we understand what's going on we have nothing we don't have christ we're sitting in the world we need to know that first death we can't do anything christ comes heals us gives us something new and we get to be with him for eternity eternity i pray that we all hear that word and trust in jesus and i pray that once we know that word we tell the world about it shall we pray father god thank you for sending your son the great physician the healer the one who could do everything that we couldn't do Lord we were dead yet he was alive and he gives us his life Lord we pray that this is something we could cherish and not hide but that we could share it with everybody and just like the officials family coming to Christ we could tell everybody about Christ and have them come as well we pray all this in Jesus name Amen