Thanks, Sam, and welcome and good to see you all this morning and look forward to chatting
with you over something to eat and something to drink. And I do commend to you our gathering
next Sunday. It'll be a great event as we all come together, so yeah, do plan to be there,
and if you need lifts, we can organise all of that. Let's turn in our Bibles, please, to John's Gospel,
chapter 4, and today we're going to look at two healings that take place in different places,
different situations, but I think John has put these two healings side by side to teach us.
We learn something different from each one. So we're going to pick up our reading from John,
chapter 4, starting at verse 46.
Once more, Jesus visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine,
and there was a certain royal official whose son lay ill at Capernaum. When this man heard that Jesus
had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son,
who was close to death.
Unless you people see signs and wonders, Jesus told him, you will never believe.
The royal official said,
Sir, come down before my child dies.
Go,
Jesus replied.
Your son will live.
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.
While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that the boy was still living.
When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him,
Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.
Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him,
Your son will live.
So he and his whole household believed.
This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.
Now there is in Jerusalem near the sheep gate, a pool which in Aramaic is called Bethsaida,
and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
Here a great number of disabled people used to lie, the blind and the lame and the paralyzed.
One who was there had been an invalid for 38 years.
When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time,
he asked him,
Do you want to get well?
Sir, the invalid replied,
I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.
While I'm trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.
Then Jesus said to him,
Get up, pick up your mat and walk.
At once the man was cured.
He picked up his mat and walked.
The day in which this took place was the Sabbath.
We're going to leave the reading there.
Well, let's pray and ask for the Lord's help.
Father, your word is true.
Amen.
And it does what it says.
And so we pray that you would speak into our lives today
and bring a healing about in each one of us.
A healing that will last for all eternity.
Amen.
A friend and colleague I was chatting to recently shared with me about their son, William.
Every day, he says, has to be planned.
There's no spontaneity.
Wherever they go, they must gently carry him or push him in his wheelchair.
Despite coping quite well, they know tougher days lie ahead.
The rare syndrome he carries is progressive.
Consultants have been clear.
There is no cure.
Mum and dad long for their son's healing.
Well, all of us long for healing, don't we?
A bad dose of flu or a twisted ankle, we can put up with that.
But a life-threatening, debilitating illness?
Well, we long that that will end.
As loved ones suffer, as perhaps you may be suffering today,
we desperately long for healing.
Which brings us to our text this morning,
where we meet two men who were longing for healing.
And as we follow their encounter with Jesus,
we're going to learn a number of things.
That Jesus has power to heal.
That Jesus has a purpose in healing.
And Jesus promises a greater healing.
So a power of Jesus, his purpose, and a promise.
So first, let's look at this together.
Jesus has the power to heal.
First, we were introduced in chapter 4, verse 46,
a royal official,
a man of some standing and wealth and influence,
but his son is about to die.
Then we were introduced in chapter 5 and verse 5,
to a disabled man who's weak and poor.
He can't walk.
But an encounter with Jesus changes all of that.
Jesus heals both of them.
The official son lives,
and the poor paralytic walks.
It's an amazing display of extraordinary power.
But did you notice how they were each healed?
They were both healed by the power of Jesus's word.
Follow with me, chapter 4, verse 50.
The man had come and brought his desire to Jesus,
and Jesus says, verse 50,
go, Jesus replied,
your son will live.
And then in chapter 5 and verse 8,
Jesus said to the paralytic,
get up, pick up your mat and walk.
And at once,
the man was cured.
Jesus simply spoke words,
and there was an immediate effect.
They were instantly healed.
Their suffering completely reversed.
Here was a boy on death's door
with a fever that nothing and no one could cure,
and yet by the word of Jesus,
even from a distance,
death was overcome by life.
And this paralysed man,
who had no use of his legs for 38 years,
just bone,
wrapped in skin.
But yet at the very word of Jesus,
he just gets up
and walks.
Tendons and muscles
all developed and working.
Jesus' word
is powerful.
It can change
and transform lives
in an instance.
Jesus can.
And he does
heal.
So does that mean
that Jesus is going to heal
my loved one today?
Maybe you're here today
and you're suffering with an illness.
Maybe no one knows about it.
And it's a struggle.
And you're wondering,
will Jesus heal me?
Well, Jesus does have the power to heal.
Which brings us to
number two.
Jesus has a purpose
for healing.
You see,
Jesus can heal.
But these accounts
that are written
in John's Gospel
are not promises
or guarantees
to us
that he is going to heal
me
or you
right now,
today,
or while we live
in this life.
The purpose
of these healings,
you can read this
on the screen,
the purpose
of these healings
is not a guaranteed
healing for us.
Rather,
they are signs
to who Jesus is
and of a greater
healing to come.
We need to understand that.
I'm going to read it again.
The purpose
of these healings
is not to guarantee
healing for us.
Rather,
they are signs
to who Jesus is
and of a greater
healing
to come.
Look how the text
opened.
Go back to
chapter 4,
verse 46.
Once more,
it says,
Jesus visited
Cana
in Galilee.
Do you remember
that was the occasion
where he was at
the wedding
where he turned
the water
into wine.
Extraordinary,
all these great
big pots
filled with water
and just again
at a word,
they turned
into wine.
And remember
how John
recorded that event,
what he said
about it.
Go back to
chapter 2,
verse 11.
Chapter 2,
verse 11.
This is the
turning the water
into wine
and it says,
verse 11,
what Jesus
did here
in Cana
of Galilee
was the
first of the
signs
through which
he revealed
his glory
and his
disciples
believed in him.
Now look at
how John
records the
healing of
the official
son.
Chapter 4,
verse 54.
This was the
second sign
Jesus performed
after coming
from Judea
to Galilee.
You see,
the expectation
is that as we
read through
this gospel,
we're going to
come across
other signs
that Jesus
did.
So while
they're not
numbered,
as we read
along,
the third
sign would
be the
healing of
the paralytic.
You see,
John doesn't
call them
healings of
miracles,
though they
are miraculous.
He refers
to them as
signs.
The healings
are a signpost
pointing beyond
themselves to
something else.
And we're to
look at these
signs and
follow them
to Jesus.
You see,
when Jesus
performed these
healings,
he wasn't
saying,
I'm going
to heal
every one
of you
of every
sickness,
I mean,
did you
notice that
at the
pool,
there were
loads of
people who
were disabled,
but yet he
just healed
one.
No,
Jesus is
saying,
I have
healed this
dying boy
and this
disabled man
so that you
might know
me.
So let's
have a look
at this
first healing
a little bit
more in
detail.
And we're
going to
see that
it's going
to teach
us three
things.
First,
it teaches
us that
Jesus is
God.
We could
imagine the
father's
desperation as
he comes to
Jesus,
verse 47,
chapter 4.
When the man
heard that
Jesus had
arrived in
Galilee from
Judea,
he went to
him and
begged him,
come,
heal my
son.
He's
about to
die.
And look
at Jesus'
response.
It almost
seems cold
and uncaring.
He turns
and says,
verse 48,
unless you
people see
signs and
wonders,
you will
never believe.
You see,
people had
heard what
Jesus had
done at the
wedding of
Cana and
they're all
following him
to see what
he's going
to do next.
It's as if
Jesus has
gained some
kind of
celebrity
status.
Come on,
Jesus,
do your
stuff.
Do one
of your
signs again.
But Jesus
is rebuking
the crowd.
Unless you
see signs,
you will
never believe.
Now,
maybe that's
how you
think about
Jesus.
All you
want is
the
spectacular,
the miracles,
the wonders,
the exciting
stuff.
You're chasing
the miracle
worker,
wanting Jesus
to do the
extraordinary.
Well,
it's not
about me
and it's
not what
I want.
It's about
Jesus and
who he says
he is.
Instead,
we are to
look to
where the
signs are
pointing.
These signs
reveal and
authenticate
who Jesus
is.
It tells
us his
true identity,
that he is
the God
man come
in human
form and
can do
what only
God can
do.
These signs,
says Jesus,
are so that
you might
believe who
I am.
I am no
ordinary
person.
I am the
eternal
God.
So first,
it teaches
us that
Jesus is
God.
Second,
that we
should accept
Jesus'
word.
The royal
official appears
to be very
different from
the crowd.
This desperate
father,
well, he
isn't looking
for any
old sign.
He had
heard what
Jesus had
done,
word had
been spread,
and he
had followed
the sign
to Jesus
and he
knows that
Jesus has
the power
to heal.
Verse 49,
the royal
official said,
Sir,
come down
before my
child dies.
But Jesus
isn't going
to go with
him.
Instead,
verse 50,
Jesus replied,
Go,
your son
will live.
The man
took Jesus
at his
word and
departed.
You see,
he accepted
Jesus'
word.
What Jesus
said was
enough.
It was
sufficient.
If Jesus
said his
son was
going to
live,
he knew
that his
son would
live.
You see,
the word of
Jesus is
powerful,
and when
accepted and
believed,
it has an
immediate effect
in someone's
life.
It can
change and
transform.
It can
overcome
death with
life.
No,
don't go
running after
signs and
wonders.
Don't be
the miracle
chaser.
Instead,
verse 50,
Jesus is
saying,
take me
at my
word.
Listen
to what I
have to
say about
who I am
and what
I have
come to
do for
you.
Accept
my
word.
Well,
we see
that Jesus
is God.
We're to
accept his
word.
And we
are to
believe in
Jesus.
You see,
with Jesus'
words ringing
in his
ears,
the father
makes his
way to
Capernaum,
where his
son was.
It was a
distance of
about 15
or so
miles.
Let's
pick it
up in
verse 51.
While the
father was
still on
the way,
his servant
met him
with the
news that
the boy
was living.
What joy
must have
greeted the
father.
When he
inquired as
to the
time when
his son
got better,
they said
to him,
yesterday,
at one in
the afternoon,
the fever
left him.
the father
realized,
he did
his
calculations,
and,
well,
that was
the exact
time at
which Jesus
had said
to him,
your son
will live.
So he
and his
whole household
believed.
The father
had accepted
Jesus'
word,
but that
has been
built upon
because now
he has
become to
believe in
Jesus.
His belief
is much
more than,
well,
I believe
it was
Jesus who
healed my
son.
That was
blatantly
obvious.
Rather,
it's a
belief that
now says,
I trust
you,
Jesus,
in who
you say
you are.
You are
God,
and I'm
dependent
on you
for life
now and
for life
to come.
Jesus
is saying,
believe in
me.
place your
confidence
in me.
So,
each one
of us,
do you
believe in
Jesus?
Have you
entrusted
your life
into his
hands and
into his
care?
Well,
perhaps you're
thinking,
well,
if I had a
son who was
dying and
he was
miraculously
healed,
well,
then of
course I
would
believe.
If Jesus
came and
healed me
right now,
of course I
would believe.
I would do
anything and
follow him
completely.
Well,
the signs
Jesus has
done are
evidence enough
that each
one of us
here in
this room
can believe.
Do you
remember the
purpose of
John's
gospel?
Jump forward
to John
chapter 20.
John
chapter 20
and verse
30.
This is a
summary statement
of the whole
gospel and
the purpose.
John 20
verse 30.
John 20
Jesus
performed
many other
signs,
so he did
a whole lot
more in
the presence
of his
disciples,
which are
not recorded
in this
book.
But these
are written.
The one
about the
official son
and the
paralytic
who got up
and walked,
these were
written so
that you
may believe
that Jesus
is the
Messiah,
the Son
of God,
and that
by believing
you may
have life
in his
name.
Let's go
back to
chapter 4
and 5.
You see,
Jesus can
and does
heal sometimes,
but these
signs are
recorded.
They have
been written
down for
us today
not to
guarantee
healing for
us,
rather that
we might
believe in
Jesus and
have eternal
life.
You see,
what Jesus
is offering
us here
is a
healing
that is
better and
greater than
any physical
healing.
In fact,
it's a
healing that
is guaranteed
on acceptance
of Jesus'
word.
healing.
So,
Jesus promises
a greater
and better
healing.
Let's turn
to the second
healing sign
and see what
that teaches
us.
Jesus is
travelling back
to Jerusalem.
There's some
time has gone.
We'll pick it up
in verse 2,
chapter 5,
verse 2.
Now,
there is in
Jerusalem near
the sheep
gate,
I presume it
was called the
sheep gate
because that's
where the
sheep went,
and there
was a pool
there,
which in
Aramaic is
called
Bethsaida,
and which is
surrounded by
five covered
colonnades.
Here, a great
number of
disabled people
used to lie,
the blind,
the lame,
and the
paralysed.
It seems
that people
thought that
the water
had some
kind of
special healing
powers,
so all the
disabled people
waited there
longing that
the water
would stir,
that something
would happen,
and if you
got into the
water first,
you were
healed.
And then
Jesus comes
along.
But unlike
the royal
official who
asks Jesus
for healing,
in this
instance,
Jesus takes
the initiative
and asks
the man.
Do you see
that at the
end of verse
six?
Do you want
to get well?
Well, instead
of responding
with a big
huge yes,
he just
explains why
he's not
healed.
Verse seven,
sir, the
invalid replied,
I have no
one to help
me into the
pool when
the water
is stirred,
while I'm
trying to
get in,
someone else
goes down
ahead of
me.
Well, Jesus
just graciously
intervenes and
decides to
heal him
anyway.
He never
asked for
it, it's
just something
that Jesus
wonderfully does
for him.
Verse eight,
then Jesus
said to him,
get up,
pick up your
mat and walk.
and at
once the
man was
cured.
He picked
up his
mat and
walked.
Oh, thank
you, Jesus.
Thank you so
much.
I'm glad what
you've done
for me.
How did you
do it?
Is there
any, what
can I do?
No, he
just takes
off, doesn't
he?
As quick
as his
legs can
carry him.
No thank
yous, no
asking or
inquiring, who
are you?
He's gone.
But Jesus
isn't finished
with him.
You see, this
healing sign is
there to teach
us.
Let's look at
these two
things that we
can learn.
First, there
is an eternal
suffering,
that is far
worse than
any physical
suffering.
Look at
verse 14.
Chapter 5,
verse 14.
Later, Jesus
found him at
the temple and
said to him,
see you are
well again.
Stop sinning
or something
worse may
happen to
you.
Now, I
don't think
Jesus is
saying, look,
the reason why
you're unable
to walk was
because of
some particular
sin.
Now, I
think he's
making a
more general
and serious
point.
Jesus is
saying, unless
you believe
in me,
unless I
come and
heal you
internally,
you will
suffer
eternally.
Unless you
come to me
for the
forgiveness of
your sins,
you will face
an eternity
separated from
God and
all that
is good.
Remember
what Jesus
has been
teaching along
the way.
Have a
look back
to chapter
3,
verse 36.
Chapter
3,
verse 36.
Jesus says,
whoever believes
in the
Son,
that's
Jesus,
has
eternal
life.
But
whoever
rejects
the Son
will not
see life,
for God's
wrath
remains
on them.
you see,
this man
was only
wanting a
Jesus who
could make
his life
better.
A Jesus
who will
heal me
when I'm
sick,
whenever
there's
anything
wrong.
Jesus,
heal me.
A Jesus
who will
kind of
respond when
we want
a better
job or
we want
something to
work out
in our
life.
Jesus,
change
this,
do that.
A Jesus
who will
make my
children
successful.
But he
doesn't
want
Jesus
for
Jesus'
sake.
I wonder
if that's
how we
think of
Jesus.
Is that
how I
treat
Jesus?
That I'm
willing to
take all
of his
gifts,
but I
don't
really want
the
giver.
Now,
this is
serious.
Reject
Jesus
now.
And a
day will
come when
Jesus will
reject you.
An
eternity of
being
separated
from Jesus
forever.
And that
will be a
living death
with no
possibility of
change.
It will
be, as
the Bible
says,
hell.
You see,
there is
something
more important
than our
physical
healing.
And it's
the healing
of our
sinful
broken
hearts.
But
Jesus
teaches
us
that
there is
also
an
eternal
healing.
An
eternal
healing that
is far
greater and
better than
you could
ever imagine
or ask
for.
Did you
notice when
this physical
healing took
place?
Look at
verse 9.
At once
the man
got up
and was
picked up
his mat
and walked.
The day
on which
this took
place was
a Sabbath.
No,
Jesus doesn't
just do
things just
for the
sake of it.
There's
always
intention.
You see,
Sabbath
simply means
rest.
And it
was a
reminder of
God's
creation
rest.
Listen to
what it
says.
Just listen
to me.
This comes
from Genesis
chapter 2
verse 2.
By the
seventh day
God had
finished the
work he
had been
doing.
And so on
the seventh
day he
rested from
all his
work.
Literally,
he entered
into a
Sabbath.
Then God
blessed the
seventh day
and made it
holy because
on it he
rested from
all the work
of creating
that he had
done.
At the
beginning of
creation,
God rested.
Creation was
done.
It was
finished.
It was
complete.
The world
and the
universe was
just as
God intended.
humanity
living in
harmony with
God and
with one
another.
Oh, what a
world that
was so
beautiful and
so good.
And you
know what?
There was
no death
and there
was no
disability
and there
was no
suffering
and there
was no
sickness.
but the
accounts that
we read in
John about
the official
son and
the paralyzed
man remind
us that the
world is not
like it.
There's
brokenness.
There's
sadness all
around us
because of
our own
sin,
because of
the sin of
others that
has come
upon us,
because of
the rebellion
against Christ.
our world
and our
lives are
under a
curse.
And Jesus
comes,
the God
man.
He walks
onto this
planet and
he begins
to heal.
A sign of
who he is
and what he
has come to
do.
And by
healing on
the Sabbath,
Jesus is
saying,
I am the
one who
has come to
bring a
truer and
better and
greater
Sabbath rest.
Because I've
come to
make all
things new.
I've come
to restore
your disordered
lives and
renew this
suffering of
this broken
world.
And Jesus
proved it
all by the
greatest sign
of all,
by his
death on
the cross
for our
sins and
his resurrection
from the
grave to
give life.
come to
me,
says Jesus.
Can you
accept my
word?
Believe in
me and
you can have
new and
eternal life
today.
At the
word of
Jesus,
all your
sins can
be forgiven
immediately.
It will be
a complete
reversal of
your life.
it will be
like moving
from death
into life.
And you
will receive
the promise
of a
guaranteed
and better
healing,
eternal
life with
Jesus in
his kingdom.
William,
who I
mentioned at
the beginning,
believes in
Jesus.
His dad
writes,
William knows
the joy of
God working
for him.
when he
broke his
leg last
year.
He was
really struck
by the
fact that
our present
sufferings are
not worth
comparing with
the glory that
is to come.
He knows
his ultimate
future is
brilliant because
Jesus died for
him, has
taken his
sin, and
he knows
God loves
him.
I don't
know your
life, your
sickness, your
suffering, but
accept Jesus'
word.
Believe what
he says.
I have come
to give you a
better rest, a
rest that will
last for all
eternity.
And one
day the
risen Jesus
is going to
come, and
he will speak
his word, and
he will say to
you, get up,
welcome into
my eternal
kingdom.
Welcome.
Let's pray.
Amen.
Lord, we hear
many, many
words.
Many people
will say to
us many
things.
But your
word,
your word
is hope.
Your word is eternal.
Your word
is true.
Help us to accept
your word and to believe your promise
and know
life today
and life for all eternity.
Thank you, Jesus,
that you have come
to give us life.
We praise you and we thank
you. Amen.
Well, we're going to sing together
I hope a song that will help
us to express our thanks,
our faith, our hope
and trust in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's