John 4:43-54 • The Son Lives

Good morning. Again, as I said, a moment ago.

My name is Joel and I have the privilege of serving as one of

the pastor's here at new Eden. It's always a joy to gather as

the Bride of Jesus and be reminded of his life, death

burial and Resurrection, our prayer is that during our time

together? This is every week that we are

able to refix and focus our Gaze on Jesus.

Instead of all the things of this age that seek to distract

us. As you heard is just talking

about, it's been really neat. Recently to see God work in and

through our body. I'm in some really cool ways.

And one of the areas specifically as we just talked

about is with this opportunity for this facility.

And this Center that we want to have a hub where we can see

God's glory expand from here in Decatur to North Alabama, to the

ends of the Earth. And so, when I think about that

stuff like I'm a dreamer, right? It's it doesn't take me long to

get very excited about the possibilities.

And so I'm Do you like taking from Google Maps?

The street view of this outside building and I'm like,

photoshopping the outside of this building.

If you know, we paint this brick and we put the signage here.

What is it going to look like? And I'm like sending pictures to

my wife like me and look at what this could be, you know, we

could restore this old Civil War Museum, which was a relic to a

time of division to this place of unity and just bringing

different people together underneath the banner of the

gospel. And so I'm just like, super

excited about it. One of the things I've been

exploring is like signage and so, I've been driving down, you

know, Downtown Decatur. Look at the different signs,

like what kind of sign do we want on that on the building?

You know, and so we think about signage.

I've just been spending time thinking about it.

And one of the things that I noticed about signage really

don't notice it until it's not there.

Okay. So if you ever been looking for,

like a residential address and the address, the numbers aren't

on the building, they're not on the mailbox and you're just

driving around trying to figure out where to go, or maybe you're

looking for a business. It's not clearly marked.

There's not good sign. And you're just looking around

driving everywhere and you're like, where's the sign?

Right? But the thing about signage to

or signs is that the point of the signs is not the sign

itself. Their significance comes from

what they are communicating or what they are pointing you to

write. Signs are not the destination.

You don't stop at the sign, the sign tells you, hey, you're

headed in the right direction. And this is where you need to

go. The other day.

We were driving. And to Huntsville for my son's

flag football game and we drove by the trash.

Can a stadium, which has like the county are a fair.

I don't know if it's County City, whatever Affair going on

right now. And so, like massive lights, you

know, blinking neon signs and my kids are just like, just, you

know, like jaw dropped to the floor.

Like, oh my gosh, we've got to go there, right?

And so they see all these signs and these flashing lights

drawing their eyes to it. But imagine if we were to go to

the fair, we pay money to get into the fair.

And tickets to get on the rides but my kids just want to stare

at the signs of the whole time. Like they ran to the right.

Oh, what a great sign, but they never get on the ride and they

run to the next sign you would be like that's foolish.

Like, that's not the point. Like the point is to get on the

ride and go on the journey, the signs just telling you, hey,

you're in the right place, right?

Maybe it'd be better for you to imagine, like driving all the

way to the Grand Canyon and getting there and just staring

at the sign that says Grand Canyon.

And then you just go home, right?

And you don't even look at like the massive hole in the ground.

The point of the honest to say you're here.

Now, look past the sign to the real thing like the actual

thing. Now even worse, I want you to

imagine if we spend our lives gazing and searching for and

staring at the signs and gifts of God, instead of seeing them

for what they are which are arrows pointing us to the beauty

and Majesty of Jesus. He's the purpose of any signs or

gifts that were given. He's the destination.

And so we don't want to get stuck at the signs today on our

story. We're going to see a sign from

Jesus. The second sign that our author

points out in our journey through the Gospel of John.

We're going to see these people who worship Jesus for the signs

that he had done. But the way the story is written

our author, who is John the Evangelist.

He wants to make sure that we don't get stuck.

Looking at the signs and miss the one that the sign is

pointing to As you already heard read a moment ago.

We're in John Chapter 4, verses 43 through 54.

John 4:43–54

We are going to have the scripture on the screen if you

want to follow along, or if you're have a copy of the

scriptures and you want to follow along that way.

The Gospel of John, is the fourth book in the New Testament

right behind Matthew Mark, and Luke.

So before we dive in there, quick refresh, we took a couple

weeks off during our Easter series, to spend some time

looking at a Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday.

And so, last time we were in the Gospel of John, Jay will preach

for us and he Just up the story of the Samaritan woman, the

woman who was Jesus, came to at the well, and her life is

radically changed because she meets Jesus, and she has to go

tell everyone. And so, she all these people

come to Faith, not based on her testimony alone, but because

they experienced Jesus for themselves at this point.

We've seen in Jesus engaging with many different types of

people. The things going to continue

today. I think it's beautiful.

The gospel is no respecter of persons, it goes.

Earth to the religious leader Nicodemus.

It goes to this Samaritan woman. And today we're going to see it

go to this Royal official, someone who had status and

prominence in the community. And each time.

I love it. Jesus gives them and says

exactly what they need to meet Jesus.

He meets them. Where are they?

At where they are at? And takes them to where they

need to go. So after many and Samaria came

to faith based on This Woman's testimony.

And then seeing Jesus, they asked you Can you stay with us

for just a couple days? And so he stays there.

Most likely just interacting with them teaching them about

his kingdom and the way his kingdom works and he does that.

And that's the context for our story picking up today in verse

43. Let's look at it again, says

after two days. So that's the two days.

He spent in Samaria. He left there for Galilee.

Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his

own country. When they enter Galilee, the

galileans welcomed him because they had seen everything he did

in Jerusalem. During the festival for they

had. Also, they also had gone to the

festival. So Jesus goes back to Galilee

specifically. We're going to see in a second

to the city of Cana which if you recall back in John Chapter 2

John 2 · chapter mention

was where he turned the water into wine.

We've seen him be here before now to help you understand a

little bit geographically about where we're at.

And what Jesus is Journeys. Were like, I've got a quick map

to show you I'm going to walk over here so you can see it.

I don't know if this is helpful for you.

I know it's small so you probably can't see it.

But this here is Cana so up in the area of Galilee and this

This is where Jesus performed the miracle of the water into

wine. And then he Journeys down here

to Jerusalem. And in Jerusalem down here is

the area where he was flipping, the tables at the temple, where

he spent time talking to Nicodemus, where John the

Baptist followers, kind of got upset, because he was baptizing

people, and then he says, while he's in Jerusalem.

Hey, I got to go back to Galilee, but I need to go

through Samaria. And this is the journey.

Normally Jews would go around Samaria because they both hated

each other, but he goes right through it.

That's where he has the conversation.

The Samaritan woman people come to Faith and then he heads back

up here to Cana. I also want you to see.

Capernaum is also in Galilee. We're going to see that come to

play in just a minute. So, that's the Galilee area.

That's kind of where we're at. Just so you can kind of see the

historical references there. So that's the context for this

statement that we see. So, in verse 44, Jesus says, the

statement that a prophet doesn't have honor in his hometown.

It kind of seems a little out of place.

It kind of seems just thrown in. There are author puts it in as a

These but for us to understand this, the other gospels, give us

some Clues. They make this same statement

that a prophet doesn't have honor in his own Hometown and

they always say it in reference to Nazareth, which is also in

Galilee. It's in that same area.

We just looked at. And so, most likely what we're

seeing here is that when Jesus comes to Galilee the author

wants to make clear that we see that he is welcomed, but he

wants us to look deeper because this welcome is superficial.

This welcome isn't On Jesus as the king and savior of the world

as the Messiah, it's based on the signs that he did and our

Tech specifically says, that some translations.

Even say, hey, they welcomed Jesus, only because of the

signs. They saw him doing at the

festival in Jerusalem. So the festival in Jerusalem was

Passover week. Some of these same galileans had

traveled there and seen Jesus, perform signs and wonders there.

And so they are like, hey the show's back, like they're just

Popular, you know how like you see something exciting, you

know, where there's a car wreck, and everyone has to stop and

look at it. So traffic slows down like they

are just there for the show. And so they're excited about

Jesus but not because of who he is, but because of the signs

that he's done. This is the first thing we're

going to look at in our time together today, belief in the

works of Jesus. They had seen it with their own

eyes. They believe that Jesus could

perform works or signs, but these galileans seemingly only

cared about what Jesus could do not about who he was.

They enjoyed the flashing lights of Jesus ministry, the neon

signs, you know, they enjoyed that part of it, but they were

missing the destination. They weren't getting on the

ride. They weren't going on the

journey to follow Jesus as a disciple.

They just wanted to kind of enjoy the show and this is a

theme that the gospel writers bring up often this danger of

being more enthralled with the signs of Jesus, then what

they're pointing to this. Like the kid content to stare at

the bright lights and never get on the ride.

They're missing the true thrill. So when we find ourselves

seeking after the works of Jesus, more than we do, Jesus

himself were missing out on so much.

And this is a danger still in our day, just like it was in the

day of Jesus. And depending, on your

background. This could manifest itself in

different ways. I mean, might be that for you.

You're seeking some, some Supernatural.

It's, you know, maybe speaking in tongues, are seeing healings

or something. Flashy.

Maybe you've heard stories about this.

Me like, man. I want to experience that too.

And so we want that evidence to kind of know that this stuff is

real. Maybe it's seeking kind of

manufactured Flash and show, right?

We're looking for, maybe the coolest Christian experience

that we can have, who's got the vibe that I like the most?

Where are the most people going? Where's the hippest preacher in

town? And that's where I want to be.

That's where I'm going to go. Something modern the opposite of

traditional, right? Or maybe for you, you love The

Nostalgia and tradition. And so you like, man, we need to

see more hens and I want more liturgy and that's what I want.

You know, I love that. Then if we don't get that, we're

disappointed, and let me be clear.

Like those things are not bad in and of themselves.

Like Jesus wouldn't perform signs.

If they were bad. Like the problem is not the

signs. The problem is our hearts.

That want the benefits of Jesus without his kingship over our

lives that can just use him kind of for what we want.

Signs aren't the problem. She just want to fed 5,000

people, then brought this big crowd.

If the signs were the problem. Do you just want to have these

one-on-one interactions where he's healing people, and making

the blind see? And the deaf hear?

But when we put our hope in the signs or the work of Jesus or

the experience, we have, instead of the person of Jesus himself.

We missed the point and like, our prayer here.

We have certain things that we do here to, hopefully help you

experience. Jesus, like, missional Community

groups, one-on-one discipleship, this Sunday Gathering.

All of that is is structured and built to help you see Jesus, but

if Like, We Gather here on Sundays and we give you an

emotional experience and you A little bit but you're not

changed and you've not seen the person of Jesus.

It's an absolute failure, everything about it.

I don't care if we got the hippest coolest music in town or

where the most liturgical in traditional in town.

It doesn't matter. If we don't give you Jesus,

we've absolutely failed. And we pray this all the time if

we quit giving people Jesus like remove our Candlestick as we see

in Revelation, get rid of us. We don't want to exist.

And the danger. Also, and I want to say this

because there's another extreme where sometimes like, people

seek an experience and it's kind of all about the feel-good

message. And so we can be like, well, at

least we're not that like shallow church, right?

I mean we preach expositionally. We're going deep into the word

and we're not like all those shallow churches around town.

But you know, if you just sub in the words Doctrine and knowledge

for experience and inspiration like our statement is still

true. If we just give you facts and

Bible knowledge and you leave with like more You know

intellect, but you don't see Jesus.

It's also just as pointless as having an emotional experience

and not seen Jesus. Jesus said, you can search the

scriptures and you think and then you're going to find

eternal life. But hey, these are just the sign

and they're pointing to me. I'm the one that brings life.

Recently, I've had the privilege of seeing God work in, so many

areas and honestly like at times is literally breathtaking.

I'm like, oh my gosh, like God is so good.

But at the end of the day like that can't be what I'm chasing.

That can't be what I'm after because when life hits me in the

mouth and things aren't going well and I can't see God working

tangibly in front of my face. Everything's gone.

My Foundation is gone if that's what I'm after.

Those answers to prayer those gifts that God gives us that are

so beautiful. Those little reminders that I am

at work. Even when you can't see it.

Those are just reminders to take us back to God himself.

And so not only did these galileans seem to trust in

Jesus, only for his signs. It seems like that was the case

for this man. This Royal official were about

to be introduced to look at verse 46.

So, Jesus went again, to Cana of Galilee where he had turned the

water into wine. There was a Certain Royal

official whose son was ill or sick at Capernaum, when this man

heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee.

He went to him and pleaded with him to come down and heal his

son since he was about to die. So, Jesus comes back to the city

of Cana word spreads that The Miracle Worker is back in town

again. Remember, he'd always had

already turned water into wine and wine in this town.

And we've seen him perform signs signs and wonders in Jerusalem.

So, we know in this town that there's something different.

In about Jesus. And there's this man in

Capernaum, which is about 17 miles away from Cana.

So he's got this son. That's extremely sick, word,

spreads to him, that Jesus is around in the area.

And he's like, I've got to go see Jesus, and he goes to Jesus,

and he begs him to come to Capernaum, and heal his little

boy. Now.

It doesn't seem, and I think the text reads this way.

He's not that concerned with who Jesus is.

He's not concerned with him as the Messiah, the kingdom.

He's bringing eternal life. He's not worried about that

right now in the here and now his little boy is sick and he

needs healing. And that's what he's most

concerned with. I don't know if you've ever had

someone Close to You, someone you love deeply, who's going

through pain and suffering, whether physical emotional

spiritual, it's hard, especially when you're helpless to do

anything about it. Recently, even here in our own

body. We've had a couple of situations

like this, maybe people that have aging parents that are

struggling and stuff. Suffering and you feel like you

can't do anything but you grieve for them.

And you're like, what would I do?

I just feel helpless or maybe your we had a family who's you

know, young girl just had a really bad accident and had some

injuries and it's like like the dad calls me and tells me about

it. And I'm just like, like, we like

not weeping but like, I tear up because I'm thinking not only

for this, this little girl who's hurt but also for her parents

who are like, what do I like my kids.

Sick in the hospital like this, a tough thing to do in the agony

of watching someone you love go through.

And suffering. It's real.

And that's the situation of this father.

He's a royal official, and it comes to Jesus in humility and

just says, like, I need you. And this word pleaded or begged

is in the Greek. It's continuous.

It's not just a one-time thing. He doesn't care, who sees, I

mean, he's a royal official. He's got up.

He would have had access to Medical Doctors and all these

things, but those had it worked. And so he throws himself on the

mercy. Doesn't care about what people

think about them about. His status.

He's just like I need something for my little boy.

When it comes to Jesus in begs him, see all the money.

Status wealth meant nothing in this moment.

Couldn't save this boy. It couldn't make this boy come

back almost from the dead because he's about to die.

And so with nowhere else to go, he turns to the only one who

maybe. Let's just take a shot.

I've seen the works. I've heard about him.

Let's just see if he can come do it for me.

So what does Jesus, how does he respond to this begging?

Look at verse 48. He tells him.

Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.

Now, you know, we hear about Jesus compassionate guy, right?

It seems a little harsh. This guy's begging like a, you

know, throwing himself. Probably weeping.

Like come save my boy. He just kind of gives this cold

response. Like, what do you want?

Another sign? This is what we're doing.

Now, you won't believe, unless you see these signs, and Is

right. So what's going on here?

Why this response from Jesus? First of all, notice Jesus

response is to the man, but it's plural.

And so he wants these galileans who've been following him.

Waiting to see a sign. They're like, let's go.

Finally. We're going to get to see him.

He'll somebody in person. We're going to take this 17 Mile

Trek to Capernaum. It's gonna be fun.

Let's see the show. And Jesus challenges the intent

of their heart say guys, is that what it's going to take to

believe? Like I'm standing here in the

flesh. As the Messiah, the Son of God,

God, made flesh and you want to just see another like little

petty sign. Is that what it takes?

So it's one thing going on, but also, and more importantly, for

our story today and I think for us, is he wants to move.

This Royal official Beyond just faith in the works of Jesus.

See the request of this man. It wasn't too big of a request

for Jesus. It was too small.

See, even if this boy was healed.

Guess what? One, day death was going to come

and this boy was going to die again.

So this, this boy, needed something more than just some

temporary healing to make his parents, feel a little better in

the here and now they needed something Eternal.

And I love this because we've seen Jesus.

Do this in conversations with Nicodemus, like, Nicodemus is

asking questions and he wants them to look Eternal and deeper.

He does it with the Samaritan woman.

Who's just looking for a drink of water.

He's like, I've got Living Water for you.

And he does it here, he meets and he will do this with you.

He meets each individual where they are at with all their

doubts, and fears and questions are just, maybe the little, like

inkling, Mustard Seed of faith that you might have based on.

You seen God, work at some point, but he doesn't want to

leave you there. He wants to grow that into

something greater and have you experienced him for who he is.

He wants this man to move him Beyond just what he can see with

his eyes. To take him at his word.

And that's the second thing. We'll see.

We saw belief in the works of Jesus and now we see belief in

the word. Of Jesus.

Look at verses 49 and 50. It says sir the official said to

him. So Jesus makes that statement.

He's like, I don't care just come down before my boy dies.

Jesus told him go, your son, will live the man believed what

Jesus said to him. And departed and I love this.

This man's faith is unfazed. Jesus responds the way he does.

And this man is like just I don't even know what you're

talking about. Like I just I need my son to

live and that's why I'm here. I need you to come on.

I need help. And so he again, publicly while

he's got aliens are watching challenges.

This man's Faith to make a point and he says go, your son will

live the Gentiles wanted to show.

They wanted to follow Jesus there.

So I'm not giving you the show you wanted, but I am answering

your request. But not in the way you asked.

And this is often how our prayer lives go, right.

The Royal official wanted Jesus to come down to physically touch

him. They a new stories about Jesus

touching people and then being healed, a new stories about

profits in the past to would touch people and they would be

healed. But Jesus tells you just go

ahead, go home, your son will live.

And I love this, the man takes Jesus at his word.

No more begging no more pleading.

He just goes back, home the Galilee and crowd gets no flashy

Miracle. No Big Show.

But they do get something more important.

A picture of simple faith not just in the signs or works of

Jesus, but in his word in his Proclamation and this is what

the author of our text wants to move us toward.

See the Promise, the word of Jesus is just as good as done as

his observed works. Hard for us to trust that

sometimes we can't see it. This is what we want to move

towards. This is what we need the spirit

to move us toward where we begin to hope.

Not only in what we can see, but in the Unseen like we read in

Hebrews 11 where these great men and women of the faith are shown

to us as people who didn't trust perfectly but the object of

their trusty object of their faith was God and God is going

to do what he promised he would do.

And so we begin to grow in spiritual maturity as we move

from Seeing God is just this Genie who can kind of give us

what we want and make our life, just a little better in the

here. And now if I had that new job,

the better salary you, my kids would just turn out.

Alright, if you know, all these things, if I could just get

married, if I just had a, my spouse would get better because

I don't like being married, like what if I just had all these

things? Not give them to me, give them

to me. And we begin to move from that.

To seeing God as gives us good things.

We want to instead. Trusting that he will always,

always give us what we need. Even if it doesn't look like, we

thought it should. Even when our prayers that we

beg and plead over and over sometimes, just even

embarrassing that we're asking is like, why do you still keep

having faith like God's, not going to answer it.

And he answers it differently than we thought.

So this man trust the words of Jesus and he heads back on this

long, journey home. And the Beautiful Thing is, his

faith was turned to reality, and his servant in the story were

told comes running up and says, hey, little boy who lives.

Like, everything's okay. He's better now.

And I love what Jesus does here though, because there's this

little nugget that's thrown in here, because he doesn't want

this man. To just move from belief in his

Works, to believe in his word. He wants to move him to full

belief in the purse. Of Jesus.

And so we get this assurance, look at John 4:52.

John 4:52

He asked them at what time he got better.

He said, hey, like just just so I can be curious.

I've been on this long journey back home.

When did the little boy get better?

He said yesterday at one, in the afternoon.

The fever left him. They answered the father

realized. This was the very hour at which

Jesus had told him your son will live.

So he himself believed along with his whole household.

So Jesus did not only heal the boy.

He lets the Royal official see that when he speaks his words

come to pass the words of Jesus are just as good as done.

And so when he speaks healing, his words are true, but also

when he says that he's the king and savior of the world and that

he is the way the truth, the life that those words are also

true. And that's the point of the

signs and the gifts of faith that God gives us the little

glimpses. We get into To his work.

It's not just to stop there so you can get more of that.

It's the say, let me move you to Faith in the person of Jesus.

When we see that, the response of this man to the work and word

of Jesus is to fully believe in him.

This believe along with his whole household.

This is full faith. And trust in the person of

Jesus. This is no longer just trusting

him to make his son better. It is trusting that he is the

savior of the world and he's the only hope we have not just in

this life, but in the one to come, We saw belief in the works

of Jesus belief in the word of Jesus.

And lastly. We see belief in Jesus period

and stuff Did Jesus knew that this man?

And his son and his family needed something more than just

a cool experience to share? Yeah, that Jesus guy.

You know, he you know, what happened one day.

Yeah, he kind of gave me my son was he was done.

Look at them. Because he knew that even if

it's almost healed one day he would die.

He also knew that this man would face much more heartache and

disappointment and one day come face-to-face with death itself

and death was undefeated like so Jesus wants to offer to this man

something more than just a temporary healing and it's no

different than for for us. Often we plead and we beg.

And we ask God for temporary relief from pain or suffering

and let me be clear. There's absolutely nothing wrong

with that. God is Not annoyed with your

pleading and you're begging, like come to him back for him.

We pray for him to do that. But he knows that that even when

he deals with one problem, that more will arise.

And he knows that eventually all of us will have to face death

itself. And so while sometimes he

chooses to To care for our immediate needs.

Like he does with this man. He also wants to deal with our

ultimate need. We need something greater than

temporary relief from life's elements.

We need a death to life experience.

We need a whole new world where there is no more suffering and

pain and we need new Hearts because our hearts are broken.

That's what our story today is a sign.

Pointing us to see Jesus doesn't want to just give us more signs.

He wants to give us himself. I mean, think about the

compassion that the father in our story felt for his young

boy. I'm sure it was great.

But it paled in comparison to The Compassion that our heavenly

father feels. For his Wayward Sons and

Daughters, who have succumbed to the disease of sin, and we are

laying on our deathbed with no hope.

But because he loves us. He goes not, just 17 miles

across the other Townley. He crosses.

Eternity and comes from heaven and sends his son to be God, in

flesh to rescue us. See all the little signs that

we're going to see in the Gospel of John, and that we've seen so

far. It's pointing us to the sign,

which is, when Jesus would take in his body, on the cross, the

full Wrath of the father toward sinners.

When he would receive in his body, the chaotic results of the

Fall, sickness pain, death suffering separation, all that

is a result of sin and the fall. And he receives all of that and

all sickness pain loss and death will be dealt on the cross by

these son, giving up his life willingly, not begging for it to

be saved, but willingly laying it down to redeem us and heal

us, you me. Disease of sin that has placed

us on our Deathbed. This statement that Jesus makes

your son will live. It's a precursor.

To the one true son Jesus himself, who would live after

dying a cruel death, on a cross for the sins of the world.

Though. Death thought it had defeated

life, those sin thought it had destroyed the one cure though.

He'll thought it had eradicated. Hope though.

Satan thought he had eliminated. God himself, the echo resounds,

the son will live. And just as in our story today

when those words are as good as done because when Jesus speaks,

he is the creating agent and he brings life from Death.

Three days later, the sun gets back up out of the Grave raised

by the power of Of the spirit to beat Death to deal with the

thing that we need dealt with. That's the ultimate work of

Jesus that we look to and Trust in its the word that all these

temporary Works in signs are pointing towards, it's our only

hope and because he did that, we know that he's going to come

back one day and finish the work in that day.

Like it's the day we long for we sang about it, a moment ago, on

that day when freed from sinning.

I still see your lovely face. Full The Raid and blood wash

linen, how I'll sing your Sovereign crais.

Come Lord. No longer Terry.

Bring your promises to pass for. I know your power will keep me

till I'm safe with you at last. That's what we look for.

Everything. We've longed for all the

prayers. We prayed, even when we pray for

these temporary healings and I'm again.

I'm not saying don't do that. We're praying for ultimate

final. Healing is what we're really

wanting and we're gonna get that one day because he's gonna come

back and finish the work. And in that day, we won't need a

bunch of little Pedley signs. We're gonna have the Magnificent

Glory of Jesus and all evil pain suffering will be cast outside

the kingdom. We don't need any more signs

because we'll have arrived at the destination.

That's where we're headed. We will be caught up in his

resurrection because he lived. So will we when we trust in the

gospel, we receive his life and so not only does the sun live

all the sons and daughters that he's bringing into his kingdom.

Who trust in him also live and are raised.

And this is why we can hope with full of shirts.

We can move from faith and the works of Jesus to Faith in the

word of Jesus to Faith In Jesus period.

And the beauty of the Gospel. Is that Jesus will meet you

where you're at? I'm sure the Royal official had

some doubts on his way home. He's a man.

I, you know, Jesus told me to do it.

I kind of had to obey and go home because the crowd was

watching. Like gosh I don't you know, it's

really going to come true like cuz should have just stayed

there and beg them some more. Like I wish you would have just

came so I could have seen it with my own two eyes, but

because of the work of Jesus and because his work is based on his

word alone. We know it will come true.

It's not about the amount of your faith.

It's about Object of your faith. It's about who that faith is in

and his word is sure. That's the hope that we would

trust in Jesus and his good news.

And I can't, I can't promise you.

I say this all the time. Like Jesus didn't hide the fact

that following him. Didn't mean just no suffering.

One of the things just turned, right?

I don't know what it's gonna look like for you in here now

might get worse before it gets better.

But I promise you, it's going to get better, because Jesus is

risen. He's good on his word and as we

trust him and take those just simple steps to Faith.

Like our the man in our story today.

Simple steps of faith. We get greater and greater

glimpses in what he's doing in the world, you know what happens

as we're transformed by seeing more and more of his glory and

his work, you know, what, our lives become little signposts,

pointing to Jesus, our lives, become these stories and

Redemption stories of Grace. That just keep pointing people

to Jesus. And let me encourage us as that

happens. Give him credit.

I know it's awkward. Like we say, Jesus all the time.

I guess you're something. You know, we're throwing out

there but like when someone gives you credit either cuz it's

something natural like God's created you in a way that's a

gift to you know, a community or a people or you like your life

has changed like, give God credit.

As we see him answer prayer. Supernaturally.

As we see him provide, as he grants us, the freedom to love.

Even our enemies like that Supernatural.

As we experience healing from past trauma and pain as we begin

to engage in Acts of mercy and Justice in the world, like we

don't take credit or just a sign saying we're not the

destination. Like we can point you to the

destination, but we're not maybe not allow people to get stuck

gazing at the signs that Jesus has written on our Life may we

tell them that our story is All of Grace?

As I'm sure this Royal official did from then on and that we

only have hope because the son lives and because he lives, they

can have eternal hope to