Starting Home

Starting Home
John 4:43-54

Key Points:

• We are to raise the bar of our expectation!
  
  • It is temporal rather than eternal
    
• We are to raise the bar of our faith!
  
  • We demand signs and wonders
    
• We are to raise the bar, grow in the knowledge of God, His Divine character!
  
  • He is compassionate

A Royal Decree!

• All of Jesus’ words are to be taken with the same confidence!
  
  • a royal decree is given!
    
• The context of this story:
  
  • Following the rejection of the Kingdom of God in Nazareth
    
  • Following the acceptance of the Gospel by the Samaritans.
• Jesus’ exhortation:
  
  • Jesus is clear concerning His purpose
    
  • He centers on the temporary demands of the Jews rather than the eternal needs of the Kingdom.
    
• The nobleman also did not understand.
  
  • He was a person of significance in a worldly measure but of no real significance with eternal Kingdom, life and death issues.
• The noblemen represents:
  
  • The Jewish people
    
  • Their subjugation to Rome
    
  • The worldly systems and exposes these systems uselessness in serious and eternal issues of life.
    
• Jesus’ response:
  
  • An expression of compassion and a prophetic picture of the Word proclaimed by His life, death and resurrection.

The Weakness of His Faith

• The father was a nobleman, yet the son was sick.
  
  • Honors and titles are no security from sickness and death.
    
  • The greatest men must go to God, must become beggars.
• The nobleman did not stop from his request until he prevailed.
  
  • He first discovered the weakness of his faith in the power of Christ.
    
  • It is hard to persuade ourselves that the distance of time and place, are no hindrance to the knowledge, mercy, and power of our Lord Jesus.

Jesus Answer of Peace

• Christ’s saying that the soul lives, makes it alive.
  
• The father went his way, a sincerity of faith.
  
• His servants met him with the news of recovery.
  
  • Good news will meet those that hope in God’s word.
    
• Diligent comparing the works of Jesus with his word
  
  • It will confirm our faith
    
  • It can result in the salvation of the entire family
    
• An experience of the power of one word of Christ, may settle the authority of Christ in the soul.

Believe Jesus and start home!

• Are you afraid?
  
• Are you weary?
  
• Are you lonely?
  
• Have you failed?
  
• Do you worry?