Taking Jesus at His Word - John 4:43-54

When I was growing up, my two sisters and I would often seal our promises with the words, "cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." Though we said this many times and did not keep all the promises that the words were supposed to seal, I am glad to say that my sisters and I still have good eyesight and have not died. Such words are a testimony that we really struggle to take people at their word. We are jaded by broken promises and unfulfilled expectations.

As we think about the promises of God and the trustworthiness of His word we are confronted by the same issues of trust. We want a something tangible that will assure us that God is true to His word. This issues is present in John 4:43-54 as Jesus leaves the Samaritan city in which revival broke out through His encounter with the woman at the well. Here we see a certain nobleman for the palace of Herod seeking the help of Jesus because his son was dying. As this man requested that Jesus come personally and heal his son, Jesus says something that at first glance appears harsh and rude, when is says they would not believe unless they see a sign. I don't believe the man cared much for what other people needed or what Jesus was trying to get teach. He simply wanted his son to live.

Jesus, instead of physically going to heal the man's son, simply stated that the boy would be well and the man would have to make a days journey with no sign at all or the comfort of having Jesus directly with him. He needed to take Jesus at His word. By doing so he is an example of what means to have to trust Jesus when all we have is a promise. With the remainder of this post, I hope to encourage you to take Jesus at His word.

If we are going to do this, we need to believe in the power of His word as described in Hebrews 1:3 as the author states, "3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” The word of Jesus is sustaining our very lives. If your life seems out of control perhaps you have been attempting to sustain it on your own.
 

To take Jesus at His word is also important because of its authority: John 12:47b-48 In John 12:47-48 we read, "As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my word; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day." Here Jesus point out the fact that His word is the authority by which people will be judged. Jesus came save and He does so as we put out trust in Him. I believe that Jesus is speaking directly to His word as His promises to save and declarations of His identity as our redeemer.

It may also be said that by taking Jesus Because moves our faith from partial to mature. Notice in our main text that when the man requested that Jesus come with Him to heal is son, he was displaying a basic faith in the fact that Jesus was a healer. By the end of the text, he and his household believe in the person of Jesus not just His ability to heal. This is a sign of maturing faith.

         

 

If we are to experience the growth in faith that comes from taking Jesus at His word we must act on His word prior to seeing any evidence or reason to do so. It may appear as though I am promoting blind faith, but I am not. Jesus has already done enough to call us to this challenge. He lived in perfect character and wisdom as well as returning from the dead. Now it is our turn to move. As we do, our faith will become settled in our souls and others will come to faith as well.