John Ch4v46-Ch5v16 - Jesus Our Healer

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,

John 4 · chapter mention

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.

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

John 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20.

John

John 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20

and verse

30.

This is a

summary statement

of the whole

gospel and

the purpose.

John 20

John 20:30

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

Genesis 2:2

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.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

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