Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

In our reading we read of the second sign that is recorded for us in the Gospel of John.

This second sign is done again in Cana of Galilee, the same place where the Lord Jesus turned water into wine.

As I mentioned the last time I spoke, a sign is something that points to something greater than itself, this mircale is referred to in John’s Gospel as a sign becuase it points to some truth about who Jesus Christ is and what he came to do.

The question I want us to ask of this text this morning is; What does this sign performed by Jesus communicate to us about him?

If you trust someone and you know they are able to perform what they promise then you willingly trust their word before they have done what they promised to do.

As we walk through this accoun of this second sign together I want us to look at it in three sections.

The first section can be summarised in the sentence- A man begs Jesus for help.

A refusal to believe the person beofre the action is performed shows a lack of trust.

I.

A man begs Jesus for help

Jesus was in Cana of Galilee where he perfomred his first miracle, then he went into Judea and after that left to return again to Galilee.

In order to get to Galilee he had to go through Samaria.

He stayed in Samaria for a few days and left after many of the Samaritans believed in him and he has now come back into Cana of Galilee.

This was the same place where Jesus performed his first sign.

v.46 says “So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine.”

20 miles away from Cana of Galilee was a town called Capernaum.

In Capernaum there was a royal official who’s son was dying.

He had obviously started to lose hope, a man with his power and wealth must have tried everything possible in order to cure his son, I’m sure he tried all the physicians he could.

When he heard about Jesus he decided to go and beg for his help.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

V.46-47 say “And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.

When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.”

This royal official who probably served Herod Antipas, a tetrach of Galilee and Perea, came to the Lord Jesus and implored him to come down and heal his son.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.”

The royal offical was desperate, he had tried everything else and his only hope was that Christ would come and heal his son.

We can understand why he was desperate, the end of v.47 says his son was at the point of death.

This is enough to make anyone desperate.

Thankfully in his desperation he came to the right person.

He had a great need and he brought this need to Christ.

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I wonder when you have a need do you bring that need to the Lord Jesus?

It seemed like for this man Jesus Christ was his last resort, his final hope.

Thats not how it should be for those of us who know Christ.

The Lord Jesus should be our fisrt port of call what ever the need is.

As the hymn says;

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

And what a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer

At this time the royal official would have had limited understanding of who Christ really was because the Lord was at the beginning of his public ministry, but still he went and begged Jesus for help.

What excuse do we have who have a better knowledge of who Christ is, if we fail to commit our needs to him.

This royal official went to Cana of Galilee and begged Jesus for help, as we continue in the narrative we see the response of Jesus to this mans request.

The second part of this story could be summed up in the sentence Jesus heals with a word.

II.

Jesus heals with a word

The Royal official came and asked Jesus for help.

In verse 48-50 we read of the conversation that took place between this man and the Lord Jesus Christ

Look with me at verse 48;

“Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

As with many of the recorded responses of the Lord Jesus this one seems like it has little do with what the man was asking, but we must remember the Lord knows the thoughts and intents of every person.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Lord here is rebuking the people for demanding signs and thinking of him as some kind of miracle worker rather than the promised Messiah who came to seek and save that which was lost.

This Royal official probably had this same misconception about the Lord Jesus and so the Lord confronts it with this statement.

The response of the Royal official is again one that shows his desperation.

He does not have time to think through his theology.

V.49 “The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

III.

Jesus heals with a word

Whether this man believed everything that was true about Christ is unlikely, however he certainly believed that Christ was his only hope.

He was not going to be easily put off, the man persisted in his plea for help.

As we see numerous times through out the Gospels the Lord Jesus often refuses the first request but after they display persistent faith he grants their request.

we see an example of this in .

There was a lady from Canaan who had a daughter that was demon possesed, she was a gentile.

She came to Jesus and begged for help for her daughter.

The Lord refused to help her because he had to preach to the lost sheep of Israel.

She persisted and in the end the Lord says these words to her “O woman, great is your faith!

Let it be to you as you desire.”

And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

That is what we see the Lord Jesus do here.

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After the mans desperate plea the Lord Jesus says these words.

v.50 “Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.”

Here the Lord seems to grant the petition of the Royal official, but yet it presented a crisis for him.

He wanted the Lord Jesus to come down and heal his son, this man thought that maybe Christ could heal his son, but he would have to do it in person.

The New King James Version.

(1982).

().

Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The response of Christ reveals the power of the Lord Jesus, he says the word and it is done.

The problem that faced the Royal official was, would he believe or would he continue to ask Christ to come in person?

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This is a crisis that we as Christians can sometimes face.

Will we take Christ at his word?

Do we believe what he has said what he will do?

When he says that He will lose none of his sheep do we believe him?

WHen he says I will never leave you nor forsake you, do we believe him?

When he says he will return, do we believe him?

This isnt just a crisis that believers face.