READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l Signs are simple things which at a deeper level, can hold deep meaning!
The Gospel of John was one of the last books in the New Testament to be written, possibly 50 to 60 years after Jesus died. We know this because John 21:19 indicates that Peter was already dead by the time John wrote his Gospel. During this half century John was able to reflect on all the events of Jesus life, read other accounts and meditate on the meaning and deep significance of Jesus’ words and actions. For example, the sign of Jesus turning water into wine was on one level providing wine to save a bridegroom’s reputation but, on another level, it points to Jesus being the Provider of abundant life. This second sign recounts the healing of a boy but it also reminds us of what it really means to believe in Jesus. John 20:30 states that many other signs were unrecorded but these particular ones were written that we might come to faith in Jesus the Messiah and have life in His name.
Why Faith?
Faith is not just for the religious! Rather it is about making an informed decision, based on facts and evidence and deciding what is trustworthy. Here the royal official considered the reports and reputation of Jesus and decided to take a huge step of faith to travel 35 km from Capernaum to Cana leaving the side of his dying son.
Every single person, regardless of wealth or social standing, needs faith! This rich well-connected official had run out of options and had to turn to a poor carpenter for help.
Everyone looks for someone or something to put their faith in. This miracle would have reminded people of Elijah and Elisha who performed similar healings long before. (1 Kings 17, 2 Kings 4)
Jesus is being presented as a prophet in the category of Moses, Elijah and Elisha. At this time people were anticipating the Messiah, the promised great leader prophesied in Scripture who would lead them into a new golden and godly era. Do we not likewise long for extraordinary leaders who can bring about world order, prosperity and peace?
We all need faith but the issue is who do we place our faith in?
What Is Real Faith?
Real faith begins with a personal agenda but must arrive at total surrender. In John 4:48 there is a comparison between two groups of people. Jesus remarked to the Galilean crowd that unless they saw signs and wonders they would not believe. He compares His own people with the Samaritans who were estranged and despised by the Jews. They did not believe in Him just for His miracles but also because of His Word. (John 4:41) The royal official was being challenged… did he only believe in Jesus’ miracle or did he look beyond the miracle to the divine identity of Jesus? At the end of the day we need to have faith not just in what we can see and what Jesus does for us but in spite of what we can see.
As Christians, we should feel uneasy that Jesus commended the outsiders, not the religious folks, for their genuine faith. Where do we as Christians stand? Have we prayed the sinner’s prayer as a form of insurance, only believing in Jesus as a genie, who gives nice things like eternal life, healing, prosperity and security? This becomes a problem because it is self-centred; Jesus becomes attractive to us only for the benefits, and we include Him in our lives only when it is convenient. Jesus requires so much more from us because He is God! Real faith starts with our personal agenda but it MUST arrive at total surrender!
How Can We Have It?
In order to develop a faith like this, we must be enthralled by Jesus as very God who loved us enough to die for us! In this story the official realised that “at the seventh hour” his son was healed. The number seven has much significance in John’s gospel. There are seven signs and also seven titles; seven “I AM” statements and seven “EGO EIMI” statements. (These are statements that reveal Jesus deity as God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. I Am who I Am!) There are also seven days leading up to the first sign (water into wine). There were seven days leading up to the seventh sign (the resurrection). For Jews, the number seven is associated with satisfaction and fulfilment. John wants us to understand how Jesus fills us and provides abundant life. In this story the official’s son lives at the seventh hour because at Jesus’ hour of fulfilment the Heavenly Father’s Son dies!
As we consider who is worthy of our faith we come to realise that it is only Jesus who is powerful enough and loving enough to save us. We live because he died!
We all have inadequate faith and struggle to release things we care deeply about into Jesus’ hands. We can admire this official who displays great faith by believing Jesus’ word and turning to walk back to his son, trusting that his son is indeed healed.
(Sermon notes by Frances Lim)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Believing in Jesus is a major theme in John’s Gospel. Treating Chapters 2-4 as one literary unit (the pericope begins and ends in Cana), where else is belief mentioned or the lack of it, by whom, and in what context? Look specifically at John 3:1-15 and 4:39-42. How are they different?
- What do you recall from the sermon? How does the second sign in John 4:46-54 point to what true faith is? What is true faith?
- Do you believe in God because of what he can do for you or because of who he is? Why?
- Currently, in what way do you find it hard to put your trust and faith in God? If true faith is accompanied by action, then what does that action look like for you?
