Faith to Believe
Notes
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Christ came to fulfill. He fulfilled the old order by offering
new joy starting in chapter 2 when He turned the water into wine
new worship when He cleansed the temple and declared: destroy it and I will raise it up in 3 days
new birth when talking with Nicodemus
new leadership as JtB urges his followers to follow Jesus
new fellowship as the door is opened to Samaria
new LIFE ITSELF as He speaks healing into the nobleman’s son “your son lives”
the Galileans welcomed Him because they had seen everything He did in Jerusalem. They were the ones looking for a sign. The wonders of Jesus produced awe, but His words produced FAITH.
At one word from Jesus, his faith filled up.
What word from the Lord would be enough to fill up my faith?
go
follow
believe
stop
surrender
Crisis of Faith - desperately seeking Jesus, beseeching Him
Confident Faith - he had the ASSURANCE of what he had hoped for, one commentator believes this happened at 7pm and the man was so confident in Jesus’ words that he delayed his trip home til the next day.
Confirmed Faith - believing, in this case, brought about seeing. Faith always provides the perspective thru which miracles are to be understood. Sidewalk art.
The New American Commentary: John 1–11 7. The Second Cana Sign: Healing the Official’s Son (4:43–54)
Theology must be related to actual life patterns if it is to be authentic
Jesus uses His power to create our faith
time - He turned water into wine instantly. Water is always being turned to wine, but it takes seasons. “I only do what I see the Father doing.”
space - God is not limited by geography/space. Jesus being in Cana while the sick child was in Capernaum was no issue for Him. God is always healing. Jesus just did, in the moment, what God always does.
The nobleman’s entire family knew the gravity of the sickness. So when the boy revived, and his father told of the circumstances and testified about Jesus, they all believed. They weren't saved because of his faith, but believed his testimony about Jesus.
These two miracles/signs are bookends for this section of John, chapters 2-4. They open and close with remarkably similar accounts: Jesus is given a sudden, urgent request. He rebukes. His instructions are as sudden and surprising. Faith is created as a result of obedience.