Talk 5: The Royal Official

0:00 · Speaker 1 Morning. Thanks, Susie. And band. If you're new to Glen Abbey, either here or watching online, or if you've been away for a few weeks, you may not know that we have been doing a teaching series on different people who have had encounters with Jesus, all stories that are recorded for us in John's gospel. And we've regularly already been pointed to something that the author of this gospel wrote right at the end. And it was this, Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God. We've been singing about it. And that by believing, you may have life in his name.

0:47 · Speaker 1 And it's really important that we keep that in mind as we explore each of these encounters because that concept of believing lies at the heart of all of them. And I thought it might be helpful just to recap for a moment on some of the stories we've already covered. In chapter one, we met Nathaniel, a guy who spouts out his bias about anyone from Nazareth, and then he meets Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus amazes him with a revelation of his supernatural power and knowledge, telling Nathanael what he already knew about him. And Nathanael embraced him as Messiah. But even in this early encounter, Jesus raises the issue of believing. You only believe because I miraculously told you something I couldn't have humanly known, but you're going to see way more than that. And then in chapter two, there was the wedding feast, which was the first miracle, or as this gospel calls it, the sign that publicly points people to the truth about Jesus. We're told in that story that this was a crucial factor in enabling his disciples to have faith in Jesus.

2:04 · Speaker 1 And actually later in chapter two, in something we didn't cover, there's an encounter in the temple when people were desecrating it and Jesus made an allusion to his death and resurrection. And some of the truth of that only hit the disciples after the resurrection. And that also served to strengthen their faith and belief. And then a couple of weeks ago in chapter three, we met Nicodemus, the Pharisee. And Jesus revealed the shocking truth to him that new birth, spiritual birth from above, It's for those who believe, not those who think they can achieve it by their own efforts. And then last week, chapter four, there was a woman at the well and then other Samaritans. And as Jesus opened up to her, her needy heart opened to him. And she became the means through which many other Samaritans believed.

3:01 · Speaker 1 And there's not a public miracle in sight other than Jesus showing her that he knew all about her. And so the Samaritans, supposedly the ones with the messed up background and the polluted religion, recognized the Messiah, whilst the ones who supposedly did things right continued to miss the point. And we read this. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me everything I've ever done. So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them. And he stayed two days. And because of his words, many more became believers.

3:45 · Speaker 1 They said to the woman, we no longer believe just because of what you said. Now we have heard for ourselves. And we know that this man really is the savior of the world. So belief is at the heart of everything that we've encountered so far. Now we come to our next encounter. Jesus has stayed for two days with the Samaritans. But now he heads back towards predominantly Jewish Galilee. So let's listen and watch as we read John 3, 43 to 54.

4:22 · Speaker 2 Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country. When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover festival, for they also had been there. Once more he 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."

5:16 · Speaker 2 "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 his boy was 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." 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.

5:58 · Speaker 1 So Jesus has gone back home towards Galilee and there's an ominous undertone here with this reference to a prophet having no honor in his own country. And it's even more intriguing because we're also told that these people appeared to welcome Jesus without honoring him. Many of them had been up in Jerusalem for the Passover and they had seen what Jesus did in the temple and heard what he taught. But even back then, when we read that story in chapter two, the last two verses are interesting. And they may apply here, where we're told that Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. Well, he'd already proved that to Nathaniel, and he did it again with the woman at the well. But as I read this story in John 4, I was puzzled about how the concept of a prophet having no honor at home equates with them supposedly also welcoming Jesus?

7:02 · Speaker 1 Because that would seem to be a contradiction. And it's probably the case, and it probably emerged because their welcome was more likely the welcome of a celebrity. Well, he's famous and he's from our town, and we like that because it gets us on the map. But the step from welcoming to honor, let alone belief, is another thing altogether. Oh, well, yeah, we like the fact that he's done something cool, but at the end of the day, we know where he came from. We know his family, so he's not really such a big deal. And certainly when Jesus started calling for commitment and started making big claims. They were having none of it.

7:52 · Speaker 1 Well, anyhow, he's back here and he's in Cana, the town that was so privileged to see Jesus do his first sign by turning water into wine and saving the day at the wedding. And a royal official, hearing Jesus is there, gets himself, what's around 15 miles from Capernaum to see him. He's a man on a mission. He's probably from Herod's court, although that doesn't necessarily tell us anything about the quality of his adherence to the Jewish faith. But at this point in time, he's driven by just one thing, desperation. His son was dying and death was close. And he'd run out of options. But somehow he'd heard something about Jesus and he'd come to ask for help.

8:49 · Speaker 1 In fact, he came to beg for help. Royal official, important or not, he begged for help. But Jesus' response to him on the face of it seems somewhat surprising. Jesus said, unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe. But the man seems oblivious to this apparent put down and he won't be deterred. Sir, come down before my child dies. He's desperate for help. And Jesus responds with just a few words.

9:26 · Speaker 1 Go, your son will live. And the man takes Jesus at his word and goes. He's met on his way home by servants who give him the news. And this second public sign of Jesus leads to a complete household, family, servants, and everything believing in him. And who knows what role some of them may have played in the wider circle of disciples in days ahead. it's a really short encounter there are no names there are no blocks of teaching like we get in chapters three and four and yet i think there are some things in this encounter that are worthy of note and i want to go to that initial seemingly surprising response of jesus to unpack some of what might be happening here. Because when Jesus does or says something that seems odd, then we have to pause and take note because it's likely pointing us to what's really going on. And Jesus said, unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.

10:45 · Speaker 1 In fact, he actually said, unless you see signs and wonders, you will never believe. Why would you say that to a desperate father? who's asking for help. This is where some English words don't help, like how the word you is both singular and plural. And so quite a few of the transitions are quite deliberate. The NIV says, unless you people. The Greek just says, unless you see, but it's actually the plural you. So they put in you people to help us understand that this is plural and Jesus wasn't just talking to the father.

11:27 · Speaker 1 Indeed, he maybe wasn't talking to the father at all, but to the wider audience. The Galileans who were keen on the celebrity factor, but not much else. And maybe it was even a test for the father to see how desperate he really was. Do you really believe or will the first setback derail you? But the official won't be shaken. He persists. He really believes Jesus can do something. So his response to this obstacle is, come with me before the child dies.

12:03 · Speaker 1 But Jesus still doesn't go. Maybe it's another test. But all he gives is a short response. Go. Your son will live. And if that's you, and you're the father, What do you do next? This man took Jesus at his word and departed. There's no miracle, apparently.

12:34 · Speaker 1 There's nothing to see. There's no guarantee that anything has happened and there would be no proof until he could get home and that's an overnight journey. But in a surrendering act of faith, this royal official takes Jesus at his word and heads for home. I wish we knew more about this guy. I'd love to be able to assess how significant this step of faith was. Coming on the back of the story about the Samaritans, I suspect that this man wasn't viewed as a proper adherent of Judaism. The Pharisees likely viewed him with suspicion. If he was in the royal court, it meant he was part of the system that collaborated with the Romans.

13:24 · Speaker 1 We can't be sure. But he stands in direct contrast to the Pharisees and the Galileans, who had gone to the Passover for the ritual observance, but who were nowhere near as ready to realize who this Jesus was. And it just shows us again how often those who supposedly are closest miss the point. And how we find faith amongst those who surprise us. The man took Jesus at his word and departed. This for me is the real takeaway and the hugest challenge about this encounter. Do I have faith in Jesus that's anything like that? Remember back at the start I mentioned these things were written so that you might believe.

14:31 · Speaker 1 And we don't just have John's gospel, we have way more. We have all of scripture to help us believe. Not to mention all that we ourselves have seen and heard and experienced. but do we take Jesus at his word at the times when there doesn't appear to be anything to see the issue of healing can be a bit of a conundrum for us and every now and again we're maybe even guilt tripped into thinking well if we only had more faith we'd see God do more miraculous things really God can do amazing things and God does do amazing things I had a friend in Bangor back when we lived there who experienced the most amazing miraculous healing of God there was absolutely no question of it he's in glory now but many years ago God did the most amazing miracle body. But it's not a blanket promise that we're given.

15:49 · Speaker 1 And those who preach a message that can tend to lead that way on promised health or wealth or prosperity, well, I think they need to confront the fact that the apostles don't seem to have either preached that or experienced it. They virtually all died as martyrs. And while sometimes God does act in miraculous ways and intervene in miraculous ways, it doesn't happen often. And many people in this church can testify to that. That doesn't mean that we should stop praying in awful situations or stop asking God to heal. But we shouldn't fall for the guilt trip that's put on us to have more faith when it doesn't happen. I go back to this encounter. Do we take Jesus at his word when his word is all we have?

16:50 · Speaker 1 And even as I ask that, I'm not talking about having it all sewn up or having no doubts. We read that even the disciples themselves didn't have anything like a perfect faith. and they only grasped some things later on. Even after the resurrection, some of them still weren't too sure. But do we take Jesus at his word? I've been really challenged directly about this in the last few weeks. I've got a young colleague, lives in the States, who's been going through just the most awful experience. On the 4th of July, his wife gave birth to their second child.

17:34 · Speaker 1 She was born prematurely at 30 weeks, but actually seemed to be doing okay. But three days later, he and his wife were called to the hospital where they found a team working with baby Abigail. Her heart had stopped beating and try as they might, they couldn't bring her back. It was devastating. I can't imagine the pain of walking through that. And in the days that followed, this young couple had to try and cope with that experience and then organize a funeral for their daughter. And I want to share with you something of what they shared at the funeral. And they sent this to our team to read.

18:19 · Speaker 1 I hope I'll be able to read it. But it's an amazing testimony to taking God at his word. I want to share some thoughts on what I have been meditating and receiving from God he knows full well what it means to lose a child and in his case his one and only beloved son we have been reading Psalm 23 especially verse 4 that says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me as I've been meditating on this verse, it strikes me that for David, this valley does not mean nothing bad will happen, rather that he will fear no evil. In verse three, David sings about how the good shepherd leads him in paths of righteousness. And then verse four starts with, even though I walk, which we take to mean that sometimes those paths of righteousness lead us through valleys. Indeed, we are promised sufferings in this world. Ultimately, it is good enough that God is with him in that dark valley.

19:25 · Speaker 1 I am calling this idea the nearness of God. And as I started looking at the Bible with this lens of nearness, I saw it all over the place. Right at the beginning in the garden, God's desire was to be near and have fellowship with man. But man's sin brought separation between God and man, which is how death came to be. From then on, God started to progressively reveal his redemption plan through Jesus Christ, his son. Jesus' death would abolish the separation and bring us near to God again. And at last God will swallow up death forever and we will be near or with God forever. Nearness with God is the goal of our salvation.

20:06 · Speaker 1 Abigail's death has made it clearer to me that seasons of joy or seasons of sorrow are different contexts to experience God's nearness and opportunities to draw us even nearer to him. God's nearness is enough despite the circumstances. The passing of my precious daughter Abigail has been very hard. The separation is painful, but my Lord was a man of sorrows. He was acquainted with grief. He wept and he has been near me and understands my sorrow deeply. The most natural thing to do knowing that Jesus is near is to ask him to help. Though praying for a miracle is not wrong, something that I am learning in this season is that since God's desire is our nearness, he might ask us to walk through some valleys so that we know him to be near, even in those dark times.

21:01 · Speaker 1 Apart from all the ways the Holy Spirit has been near and ministering to us, a very tangible proof of God's nearness has been the love, care and support from church and family. The next thing that I want to share for my learning that our relationship with God is not transactional, rather is based on love. Though that might sound obvious to some, the truth is that as we go about our busy lives, we fall into a pattern of asking God for things and rejoicing when you receive them and not thinking too much when you don't. For me, the prayer was for Abigail's life and when God chose to take her away to himself, it sanctifies my relationship with Jesus that it is not based on the rate of positively answered prayers, rather on the person of Jesus himself who gave himself unto death for me. This is love. The sorrow I experience in this valley has put weight on my relationship with God and shown areas where I have been passively given to lies and felt entitled to blessings. We have been surprised by the number of families who shared personal griefs of similar nature and comforted us through the comfort they received. I pray that our Lord's nearness, our love relationship with him and the hope of eternity would comfort you all in the valleys that may lie ahead of you as it has been our comfort in this valley that we journey through now, though not alone.

22:37 · Speaker 1 A young man with one of the most striking examples of taking God at his word that I've seen in a very long time. What now for us? Where do we go with this? What will it mean for us to take God at his word today? I wondered how we could apply this and I came to the conclusion that we should finish by hearing from Jesus and taking some of God's promises to us to heart. In this service and amongst any who listen online, there'll be a multitude of issues that we're facing. But I really believe that in whatever each of us is facing, God is asking us to trust him, to take him at his word. So I'm going to remind us of some of what he has said.

23:34 · Speaker 1 And I want you to listen to what he might be saying directly to you right now. For the word of God is not just something that God said to his people centuries ago. It's what he is saying to his people today. So let's listen to him. Hear what he wants to say to you. Because he's so good he can do that. He can speak to all of us at the same time differently. And we'll start with the Gospel of John because that's what we're doing in this series.

24:11 · Speaker 1 Hear what Jesus says. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my father's hand. I am the resurrection and the life.

24:41 · Speaker 1 The one who believes in me will live even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Another promise. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

25:22 · Speaker 1 Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I have overcome the world. And as I said earlier, we don't just have the words of one gospel.

25:53 · Speaker 1 We have all of scripture. Hear what God might be saying to you in these ones. And take him at his word. If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just. And will forgive our sins. And purify us from all unrighteousness. How many of us need to hear that?

26:20 · Speaker 1 Or the ones that we started our service with. Back in the Old Testament. God's word to his people. The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

26:53 · Speaker 1 They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. And also in Isaiah, do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

27:21 · Speaker 1 When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. In Psalm 9, the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in time of trouble. Those who know your name trust in you. For you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. and keeping that theme in Deuteronomy the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you he will never leave you nor forsake you do not be afraid do not be discouraged and then those wonderful words from right at the end of scripture I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look, God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.

28:32 · Speaker 1 They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. for the old order of things has passed away. I trust that today we don't merely welcome Jesus as some kind of good person or celebrity, but that we truly honor him as Savior and Lord and that we're encouraged to take him at his word in our lives right now. God promises and God is faithful. Let's pray.

29:29 · Speaker 1 Father God, we've come here this morning to worship you, to give you praise, to sing of your glory. But Lord, your word teaches us that the ultimate praise we can give you is to take you at your word to trust you even when we don't see. Lord God, enable each of us to hear what your promise is to us today. And whatever we're walking through, give us faith to take you at your word. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.