December 4, 2025 • 20 mins
When the cheers of Samaria fade, Galilee greets Jesus with polite admiration and cold hearts—and that tension exposes a deeper question: what sustains faith when the signs stop? We trace John 4:43–54 with Pastor Harry Behrens as a royal official rushes to Cana, not with polished theology, but with the ache of a dying child. One sentence from Jesus—“Go, your son will live”—becomes the dividing line between sight and trust, asking us to walk on a promise while the outcome remains unseen.
We unpack why familiarity can numb reverence, how sign-chasing belief stalls growth, and why Jesus’ words carry authority across distance and time. The father’s long road home becomes a living parable: each mile an act of obedience anchored to a spoken word. When the servants confirm the healing at the exact hour Jesus spoke, private faith ignites public fruit as an entire household believes. Along the way, we connect Cana’s two signs—water to wine and a child restored—to a single thread: the Word reveals Christ’s glory by transforming emptiness into joy and bringing life where death had the final say.
If you’ve been waiting for proof before you move, this message invites you to a sturdier foundation—God’s character and God’s Word. We talk spiritual complacency, the cost of obedience in resistant places, and the freedom of trusting the Speaker more than the signs. Walk with us through the text and consider where God is asking you to take the next step without seeing the finish line yet. If this encouraged your faith, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a quick review so others can find the message and walk with us.
If The Takeaway has encouraged you, we’d love to hear how you found the podcast or how God is using it in your life. You can reach out anytime through the “Text Us” link in the episode description.
Please visit www.chosenbydesign.net for more information on Pastor Harry’s new book, "Chosen By Design - God’s Purpose for Your Life."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:32):
In this episode of The Takeaway, Pastor Harry Burns
brings us to the closing sectionof John chapter 4.
The gospel now shifts from thejoy of revival in Samaria to the
tension of unbelief in Galilee.
The same Jesus who wascelebrated by outsiders will now
be tested by the complacency andunbelief among his own.
Through the story of a desperatefather pleading for the life of
(00:53):
his dying son, Pastor Harryshows us how God refines faith
through testing, teaching usthat true belief isn't proven in
moments of excitement, but inseasons of endurance.
Here, we learn that faith mustrest not on what we see, but on
the authority of God's word, theword that never fails to
accomplish what he sends it todo.
(01:14):
So here's Pastor Harry Barenswith today's message.
SPEAKER_01 (01:37):
Now, before we open the text, let's remember where
we've been.
In verses 1 through 26, we sawJesus reveal himself as the
living water to a brokenSamaritan woman.
He commanded, Give me a drink,revealing her sin, extending
grace, and awakening trueworship.
Then in verse 27 through 42,that grace overflowed.
One transformed sinner became awitness who brought her entire
(01:59):
town to the Savior.
Samaria's harvest showed thatGod's command not only redeems
individuals, but multipliesgrace through obedience.
And now as we move into verses43 through 54, the setting
changes.
The joy of Samaria's faith givesway to Galilee's unbelief.
The same Jesus who was receivedwith joy by strangers is now met
with shallow admiration by hisown.
(02:21):
And yet, even in rejection, theglory of God shines through
faith that takes him at hisword.
In verses 43 to 45, we read,After the two days he departed
for Galilee, for Jesus himselfhad testified that a prophet has
no honor in his own hometown.
So when he came to Galilee, theGalileans welcomed him, having
(02:41):
seen all that he done inJerusalem at the feast, for they
too had gone to the feast.
So John opens this final sectionwith tension.
Jesus leaves Samaria, whereoutsiders welcomed him, and
returns to Galilee, where thosewho knew him best honored him
the least.
(03:12):
Yet Scripture says plainly, aprophet has no honor in his
hometown.
They welcomed him, but not asLord.
Their interest was in hismiracles, not his message.
They saw what he could do, butthey didn't want who he was.
And that's the danger ofspiritual of spiritual comfort.
Familiarity, or as we might say,getting too used to Jesus can
(03:39):
dull our reverence.
When the gospel becomes routine,we lose our awe of the one who
speaks it.
We see that all around us today,churches filled with people who
sing the songs, quote thescriptures, and know the
stories, yet their hearts remainunmoved.
Their truth, the truth that oncestirred wonder has become
(04:00):
predictable.
The danger of overexposure isindifference.
If Jesus walked into ourchurches today, would you
recognize him?
Would we fall on our faces andworship, or would we simply ask
him for what he can give us?
Would we desire his presence orjust his provision?
You see, in Samaria, peoplebelieved because they heard his
(04:23):
word and felt his grace.
In Galilee, they only wantedanother sign.
And yet Jesus went anyway,because obedience, not outcome,
defines his ministry.
Everywhere he goes, he'sfollowing the command of the
Father, even in places ofresistance.
His steps are ordained byheaven.
(04:44):
And that's important for us tounderstand.
Sometimes God leads us intoplaces of rejection or
misunderstanding.
Not because we failed, butbecause he's working something
deeper.
You might find yourself in aseason where obedience leads to
difficulty.
You speak about Jesus and peopledon't want to hear.
You live out your faith andothers turn away.
That doesn't mean you're outsidehis will.
(05:07):
It means he's refining yourheart, teaching you to walk by
faith, not by approval, not bysight.
So now Jesus enters Galilee withthat purpose.
He's modeling perseverance inthe face of indifference,
showing us that the measure offaith is not how people respond
to us, but how we respond toGod.
(05:29):
Verse 46-47, we read, So he cameagain to Cana of Galilee, where
he had made the water wine.
And at Campernium there was anofficial whose son was ill.
When the man heard that Jesushad come from Judea to Galilee,
he went to him and asked him tocome down and heal his son, for
he was at that point, for he wasat the point of death.
(05:51):
Now we're back in Cana, the sameplace where Jesus performs his
first miracle, turning waterinto wine.
That first sign was all abouttransformation, joy out of
emptiness.
The second sign will be aboutrestoration, life out of death.
And John tells us that a royalofficial from Capernaum comes to
(06:12):
meet Jesus.
This man likely worked for HerodAntipas, a man of position,
wealth, and power, but all ofthat means nothing now because
his son is dying.
And here's what I love aboutthis scene: desperation has a
way of leveling us.
It doesn't matter who you are,how much you have, or how long
(06:34):
you've been in church.
When life hits hard, every oneof us becomes the same.
Needy, broken, desperate forhelp.
So this man travels 20 milesuphill from Capernaum to Cana
searching for Jesus.
He's not coming with perfecttheology.
He's not coming with faith thatfully understands who Jesus is.
(06:56):
He's just coming with need.
And that's where faith oftenbegins.
God uses need to draw us close.
Many of us met Jesus that way,not through study, not through
planning, but through pain,through a crisis that stripped
us of everything else we thoughtwe that we could depend on.
(07:19):
And that's grace.
God allows the ache to awakenfaith.
He lets us feel the weight ofhelplessness so that we'll reach
for the only one who can help.
This man comes in desperation.
And that desperation will becomethe doorway to transformation.
Now we read on in 48 to 49.
(07:40):
So Jesus said to him, Unless yousee signs and wonders, you will
not believe.
The official said to him, Sir,come down before my child dies.
Now at first glance, Jesus'response sounds harsh.
Unless you see signs andwonders, you will not believe.
But he isn't scolding this manout of cruelty.
He's comforting the heart of ageneration that demanded proof
(08:02):
before trust.
Remember, Galilee was filledwith people who had seen the
miracles in Jerusalem.
They were amazed by what Jesusdid, but unmoved by who he was.
They believed in the signs, butnot in the Savior.
Jesus is exposing theshallowness of sign-based faith,
the kind of belief that dependson results instead of resting in
(08:24):
the Word.
Now, let's be honest.
We've all been there.
We've all prayed prayers thatsounded a lot like this, man.
Lord, if you'll just fix this,if you'll just come through
here, then I'll believe.
But faith that depends on seeingfirst will never grow roots.
(08:46):
Jesus is calling this man and usto something deeper.
Belief that rests on thecharacter of God, rather the
evidence before our eyes.
Yet even in the testing, there'stenderness.
This man doesn't argue or walkaway.
He simply pleads, Sir, come downbefore my child dies.
(09:08):
That's the heart of a trueprayer.
Desperate, dependent, but stilldirected toward Jesus.
Now notice something beautifulhere.
The man's faith may beimperfect, but Jesus doesn't
reject it.
He meets him where he is, andwe'll lead him to where he needs
(09:30):
to be.
That's grace and action.
God often meets us in theshallows of belief to lead us
into the depths.
He takes the spark ofdesperation and fans it into an
enduring faith.
This is how faith is refinedthrough command, revelation, and
grace that draws us closer.
(09:52):
The command confronts, the heartis revealed, and grace begins to
work.
Now, in this next section, we'llsee that the same word which
confronted will now create.
Jesus will speak a command thatcarries divine power, a word
that brings healing, faith, andglory.
In verses 50 to 53, we read,Jesus said to him, Go, your son
(10:15):
will live.
The man believed the word thatJesus spoke to him and went on
his way.
And as he was going down, hisservant met him and told him
that his son was recovering.
So he asked them the hour whenhe began to get better.
And they said to him, Yesterday,at the seventh hour, the fever
left him.
The father knew that was thehour when Jesus had said to him,
(10:36):
Your son will live.
And he himself believed in allhis household.
Now, this is where the storyturns.
Jesus doesn't follow the manhome, doesn't lay his hands on
the boy, doesn't speak healingover him in person.
He simply says, Go, your sonwill live.
One command, one sentence,that's it.
(10:59):
And scripture says the manbelieved the word that Jesus
spoke to him and went on hisway.
He's still standing in Cana.
His son is still in Capernaum,20 miles away.
He has no proof, only a word.
(11:21):
But that word was enough.
Now imagine that walk home.
Every mile between him and hischild was an act of faith.
Every step was a test of trust.
He didn't just have Jesuswalking beside him, he had
Jesus' word ringing in hisheart.
That's how faith works.
You may not see God moving, butif you've heard his promise, you
(11:45):
can keep walking.
The power of the promise isgreater than the evidence of the
moment.
And as he walked, grace wasalready at work ahead of him
before he could even see theresult.
The word of Christ wasaccomplishing what it was sent
to do.
Isaiah says, So shall my word bethat goes out from my mouth.
(12:06):
It shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that
which I purpose.
Now that's what's happeninghere.
The spoken word of Christtranscends time and distance.
He doesn't need to be physicallypresent to change reality.
His command carries authorityover sickness, space, and
circumstance.
(12:28):
When the man's servants met himwith the news, your son is
alive, his faith exploded intofullness.
He asked when the fever left,and they said, yesterday at the
seventh hour.
That was the exact moment Jesusspoke.
Now watch this.
He himself believed and all hishousehold.
The miracle wasn't justphysical, it was spiritual.
(12:52):
His son's body was healed, buthis family's souls were saved.
One man's obedience became thechannel for grace to flow
through an entire household.
That's how God works.
He uses the faith of one toreach the many.
The woman at the well brought acity.
(13:14):
This man brought his home.
Both believed because of a word.
Both saw grace overflow intoglory.
And that's what faith beyondsight looks like.
It's trusting the word of Godwhen your eyes still see the
storm, when your heart stillfeels the ache, when the miracle
hasn't happened yet.
True faith doesn't demand thatGod move on your terms.
(13:37):
It rests in knowing that healready has.
Now look at verse 54.
This was now the second signthat Jesus did when he had come
from Judea to Galilee.
John calls this the second sign.
The first was water turned towine, a sign of transformation,
(13:58):
turning emptiness into joy.
The second sign showsrestoration, turning sickness
into life.
Now together they reveal thefull picture of Christ's
mission.
Joy to the empty, life to thedying.
Both miracles point beyondthemselves to the same truth.
Jesus is not just a miracleworker, He is the Word who
(14:21):
became flesh, the one whospeaks, and it is so.
And John carefully weaves thesesigns together so that we learn
something about faith.
At Cana, Jesus turned water intowine before anyone asked.
Here, he heals in response to aplea.
(14:42):
The first revealed hiscompassion, the second, his
authority.
The first shows the abundance ofhis grace, the second, the power
of his command.
But both tell the same story.
The glory of God is revealedthrough the word of Christ.
This entire chapter has beenbuilding toward one truth: faith
(15:04):
that begins with hearing.
In Samaria, the woman believedbecause Jesus revealed her
heart.
The townspeople believed becausethey heard his word.
Now in Galilee, a fatherbelieves because he trusted a
command.
In each story, the command ofGod confronted the heart,
revealed the need, and producedgrace that overflowed into
(15:26):
glory.
Faith isn't about seeing, it'sabout trusting the unseen.
It's believing the word beforeyou see the result.
That's why Paul wrote, We walkby faith, not by sight.
Because sight depends onevidence, but faith depends on
the one who speaks.
(15:48):
Now, if you're waiting on Godtoday, wondering when the
miracle will come, when theanswer will show up, remember
this his word is alreadyworking.
You may not see it yet, but themoment he speaks, something
shifts in the unseen.
Keep walking, keep believing,keep trusting that what he has
(16:09):
promised will come to pass.
God's word never fails, it neverreturns empty, it always
accomplishes the purpose forwhich he sends it.
And here's something many miss.
It never leaves a heartunchanged.
When the word of God confrontsyou, it always does something.
It draws you to the light or itdrives you deeper into darkness.
(16:31):
Jesus said in John 3 that thelight has come into the world,
but men love darkness ratherthan the light because their
deeds were evil.
The same sun that melts the waxhardens the clay, the same word
that saves some offends others.
But no one stays neutral in thepresence of the word.
When Christ speaks, you aremoved, either drawn to him in
(16:54):
worship or repelled by hisholiness.
The question is, how will yourespond?
Will you, like the official,take him at his word and walk in
obedience?
Or will you, like the Galileans,remain impressed by his works
but unmoved by his worth?
The woman at the well brought acity.
(17:14):
This man brought his family.
Both were changed, not bymiracles, but by the word of
Christ.
God's command never fails.
Whether through the faith of theunworthy or the testing of the
believer, his word brings life,his grace multiplies, and his
glory endures forever.
Because his word never returnsvoid.
It always accomplishes what itsets out to do.
(17:35):
It never leaves a soul neutral.
When confronted by his truth,you will be changed, either
drawn in awe to the light orrecoiling in offense because you
love darkness more.
But for those who believe, hisword restores, it renews, and it
redeems.
Faith beyond sight is walking inobedience when you have no
(17:58):
evidence, trusting his wordbecause you know his heart.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you that yourword still speaks, still heals,
heals, still saves.
Thank you for every moment thattests our faith.
For through the testing, yourefine our hearts.
(18:20):
Teach us to trust your voicemore than our circumstances, to
walk on your promises, when oureyes see nothing but
uncertainty.
Lord, when we are tempted tochase after signs, remind us
that your word is enough.
Strengthen our homes and ourhearts to believe, to believe
(18:42):
you before we see you move.
And just like the royalofficial, may our obedience open
the door for grace to overflowinto the lives around us.
Let your word accomplish itspurpose in us, and may all the
glory belong to you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
(19:02):
Now, looking ahead to next week,we're going to step into John
chapter 5, where Jesus meets aman who has been paralyzed for
38 years and commands him torise, take up your bed, and
walk.
We'll see how God's command notonly restores the body but
exposes the heart, revealing thepower of grace to make the
(19:24):
impossible possible.
So please join me next time forthat episode where God's command
that it's God's command thatreveals grace through power.
And in closing, as always, Ithank you for joining us today.
And I hope this episode hashelped you take a step closer in
your relationship with Jesus andthat you now have a deeper
(19:45):
understanding of just how muchGod loves you and wants you to
know Him.
And if today's messageencouraged you, would you please
take a moment to follow thetakeaway and share this episode
with someone who needs to hearit?
Your support helps us reach morepeople with the hope of the
gospel.
And if this ministry has been ablessing in your life, we'd love
to hear from you.
Just leave a quick word ofencouragement or share how these
(20:08):
messages are impacting your walkwith Christ.
It's our desire that thisministry be a tool to reach the
loss and equip the saints for alife that brings glory to God.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the takeaway.
In this episode of The Takeaway, Pastor Harry Burns
brings us to the closing sectionof John chapter 4.
The gospel now shifts from thejoy of revival in Samaria to the
tension of unbelief in Galilee.
The same Jesus who wascelebrated by outsiders will now
be tested by the complacency andunbelief among his own.
Through the story of a desperatefather pleading for the life of
(00:53):
his dying son, Pastor Harryshows us how God refines faith
through testing, teaching usthat true belief isn't proven in
moments of excitement, but inseasons of endurance.
Here, we learn that faith mustrest not on what we see, but on
the authority of God's word, theword that never fails to
accomplish what he sends it todo.
(01:14):
So here's Pastor Harry Barenswith today's message.
SPEAKER_01 (01:37):
Now, before we open the text, let's remember where
we've been.
In verses 1 through 26, we sawJesus reveal himself as the
living water to a brokenSamaritan woman.
He commanded, Give me a drink,revealing her sin, extending
grace, and awakening trueworship.
Then in verse 27 through 42,that grace overflowed.
One transformed sinner became awitness who brought her entire
(01:59):
town to the Savior.
Samaria's harvest showed thatGod's command not only redeems
individuals, but multipliesgrace through obedience.
And now as we move into verses43 through 54, the setting
changes.
The joy of Samaria's faith givesway to Galilee's unbelief.
The same Jesus who was receivedwith joy by strangers is now met
with shallow admiration by hisown.
(02:21):
And yet, even in rejection, theglory of God shines through
faith that takes him at hisword.
In verses 43 to 45, we read,After the two days he departed
for Galilee, for Jesus himselfhad testified that a prophet has
no honor in his own hometown.
So when he came to Galilee, theGalileans welcomed him, having
(02:41):
seen all that he done inJerusalem at the feast, for they
too had gone to the feast.
So John opens this final sectionwith tension.
Jesus leaves Samaria, whereoutsiders welcomed him, and
returns to Galilee, where thosewho knew him best honored him
the least.
(03:12):
Yet Scripture says plainly, aprophet has no honor in his
hometown.
They welcomed him, but not asLord.
Their interest was in hismiracles, not his message.
They saw what he could do, butthey didn't want who he was.
And that's the danger ofspiritual of spiritual comfort.
Familiarity, or as we might say,getting too used to Jesus can
(03:39):
dull our reverence.
When the gospel becomes routine,we lose our awe of the one who
speaks it.
We see that all around us today,churches filled with people who
sing the songs, quote thescriptures, and know the
stories, yet their hearts remainunmoved.
Their truth, the truth that oncestirred wonder has become
(04:00):
predictable.
The danger of overexposure isindifference.
If Jesus walked into ourchurches today, would you
recognize him?
Would we fall on our faces andworship, or would we simply ask
him for what he can give us?
Would we desire his presence orjust his provision?
You see, in Samaria, peoplebelieved because they heard his
(04:23):
word and felt his grace.
In Galilee, they only wantedanother sign.
And yet Jesus went anyway,because obedience, not outcome,
defines his ministry.
Everywhere he goes, he'sfollowing the command of the
Father, even in places ofresistance.
His steps are ordained byheaven.
(04:44):
And that's important for us tounderstand.
Sometimes God leads us intoplaces of rejection or
misunderstanding.
Not because we failed, butbecause he's working something
deeper.
You might find yourself in aseason where obedience leads to
difficulty.
You speak about Jesus and peopledon't want to hear.
You live out your faith andothers turn away.
That doesn't mean you're outsidehis will.
(05:07):
It means he's refining yourheart, teaching you to walk by
faith, not by approval, not bysight.
So now Jesus enters Galilee withthat purpose.
He's modeling perseverance inthe face of indifference,
showing us that the measure offaith is not how people respond
to us, but how we respond toGod.
(05:29):
Verse 46-47, we read, So he cameagain to Cana of Galilee, where
he had made the water wine.
And at Campernium there was anofficial whose son was ill.
When the man heard that Jesushad come from Judea to Galilee,
he went to him and asked him tocome down and heal his son, for
he was at that point, for he wasat the point of death.
(05:51):
Now we're back in Cana, the sameplace where Jesus performs his
first miracle, turning waterinto wine.
That first sign was all abouttransformation, joy out of
emptiness.
The second sign will be aboutrestoration, life out of death.
And John tells us that a royalofficial from Capernaum comes to
(06:12):
meet Jesus.
This man likely worked for HerodAntipas, a man of position,
wealth, and power, but all ofthat means nothing now because
his son is dying.
And here's what I love aboutthis scene: desperation has a
way of leveling us.
It doesn't matter who you are,how much you have, or how long
(06:34):
you've been in church.
When life hits hard, every oneof us becomes the same.
Needy, broken, desperate forhelp.
So this man travels 20 milesuphill from Capernaum to Cana
searching for Jesus.
He's not coming with perfecttheology.
He's not coming with faith thatfully understands who Jesus is.
(06:56):
He's just coming with need.
And that's where faith oftenbegins.
God uses need to draw us close.
Many of us met Jesus that way,not through study, not through
planning, but through pain,through a crisis that stripped
us of everything else we thoughtwe that we could depend on.
(07:19):
And that's grace.
God allows the ache to awakenfaith.
He lets us feel the weight ofhelplessness so that we'll reach
for the only one who can help.
This man comes in desperation.
And that desperation will becomethe doorway to transformation.
Now we read on in 48 to 49.
(07:40):
So Jesus said to him, Unless yousee signs and wonders, you will
not believe.
The official said to him, Sir,come down before my child dies.
Now at first glance, Jesus'response sounds harsh.
Unless you see signs andwonders, you will not believe.
But he isn't scolding this manout of cruelty.
He's comforting the heart of ageneration that demanded proof
(08:02):
before trust.
Remember, Galilee was filledwith people who had seen the
miracles in Jerusalem.
They were amazed by what Jesusdid, but unmoved by who he was.
They believed in the signs, butnot in the Savior.
Jesus is exposing theshallowness of sign-based faith,
the kind of belief that dependson results instead of resting in
(08:24):
the Word.
Now, let's be honest.
We've all been there.
We've all prayed prayers thatsounded a lot like this, man.
Lord, if you'll just fix this,if you'll just come through
here, then I'll believe.
But faith that depends on seeingfirst will never grow roots.
(08:46):
Jesus is calling this man and usto something deeper.
Belief that rests on thecharacter of God, rather the
evidence before our eyes.
Yet even in the testing, there'stenderness.
This man doesn't argue or walkaway.
He simply pleads, Sir, come downbefore my child dies.
(09:08):
That's the heart of a trueprayer.
Desperate, dependent, but stilldirected toward Jesus.
Now notice something beautifulhere.
The man's faith may beimperfect, but Jesus doesn't
reject it.
He meets him where he is, andwe'll lead him to where he needs
(09:30):
to be.
That's grace and action.
God often meets us in theshallows of belief to lead us
into the depths.
He takes the spark ofdesperation and fans it into an
enduring faith.
This is how faith is refinedthrough command, revelation, and
grace that draws us closer.
(09:52):
The command confronts, the heartis revealed, and grace begins to
work.
Now, in this next section, we'llsee that the same word which
confronted will now create.
Jesus will speak a command thatcarries divine power, a word
that brings healing, faith, andglory.
In verses 50 to 53, we read,Jesus said to him, Go, your son
(10:15):
will live.
The man believed the word thatJesus spoke to him and went on
his way.
And as he was going down, hisservant met him and told him
that his son was recovering.
So he asked them the hour whenhe began to get better.
And they said to him, Yesterday,at the seventh hour, the fever
left him.
The father knew that was thehour when Jesus had said to him,
(10:36):
Your son will live.
And he himself believed in allhis household.
Now, this is where the storyturns.
Jesus doesn't follow the manhome, doesn't lay his hands on
the boy, doesn't speak healingover him in person.
He simply says, Go, your sonwill live.
One command, one sentence,that's it.
(10:59):
And scripture says the manbelieved the word that Jesus
spoke to him and went on hisway.
He's still standing in Cana.
His son is still in Capernaum,20 miles away.
He has no proof, only a word.
(11:21):
But that word was enough.
Now imagine that walk home.
Every mile between him and hischild was an act of faith.
Every step was a test of trust.
He didn't just have Jesuswalking beside him, he had
Jesus' word ringing in hisheart.
That's how faith works.
You may not see God moving, butif you've heard his promise, you
(11:45):
can keep walking.
The power of the promise isgreater than the evidence of the
moment.
And as he walked, grace wasalready at work ahead of him
before he could even see theresult.
The word of Christ wasaccomplishing what it was sent
to do.
Isaiah says, So shall my word bethat goes out from my mouth.
(12:06):
It shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that
which I purpose.
Now that's what's happeninghere.
The spoken word of Christtranscends time and distance.
He doesn't need to be physicallypresent to change reality.
His command carries authorityover sickness, space, and
circumstance.
(12:28):
When the man's servants met himwith the news, your son is
alive, his faith exploded intofullness.
He asked when the fever left,and they said, yesterday at the
seventh hour.
That was the exact moment Jesusspoke.
Now watch this.
He himself believed and all hishousehold.
The miracle wasn't justphysical, it was spiritual.
(12:52):
His son's body was healed, buthis family's souls were saved.
One man's obedience became thechannel for grace to flow
through an entire household.
That's how God works.
He uses the faith of one toreach the many.
The woman at the well brought acity.
(13:14):
This man brought his home.
Both believed because of a word.
Both saw grace overflow intoglory.
And that's what faith beyondsight looks like.
It's trusting the word of Godwhen your eyes still see the
storm, when your heart stillfeels the ache, when the miracle
hasn't happened yet.
True faith doesn't demand thatGod move on your terms.
(13:37):
It rests in knowing that healready has.
Now look at verse 54.
This was now the second signthat Jesus did when he had come
from Judea to Galilee.
John calls this the second sign.
The first was water turned towine, a sign of transformation,
(13:58):
turning emptiness into joy.
The second sign showsrestoration, turning sickness
into life.
Now together they reveal thefull picture of Christ's
mission.
Joy to the empty, life to thedying.
Both miracles point beyondthemselves to the same truth.
Jesus is not just a miracleworker, He is the Word who
(14:21):
became flesh, the one whospeaks, and it is so.
And John carefully weaves thesesigns together so that we learn
something about faith.
At Cana, Jesus turned water intowine before anyone asked.
Here, he heals in response to aplea.
(14:42):
The first revealed hiscompassion, the second, his
authority.
The first shows the abundance ofhis grace, the second, the power
of his command.
But both tell the same story.
The glory of God is revealedthrough the word of Christ.
This entire chapter has beenbuilding toward one truth: faith
(15:04):
that begins with hearing.
In Samaria, the woman believedbecause Jesus revealed her
heart.
The townspeople believed becausethey heard his word.
Now in Galilee, a fatherbelieves because he trusted a
command.
In each story, the command ofGod confronted the heart,
revealed the need, and producedgrace that overflowed into
(15:26):
glory.
Faith isn't about seeing, it'sabout trusting the unseen.
It's believing the word beforeyou see the result.
That's why Paul wrote, We walkby faith, not by sight.
Because sight depends onevidence, but faith depends on
the one who speaks.
(15:48):
Now, if you're waiting on Godtoday, wondering when the
miracle will come, when theanswer will show up, remember
this his word is alreadyworking.
You may not see it yet, but themoment he speaks, something
shifts in the unseen.
Keep walking, keep believing,keep trusting that what he has
(16:09):
promised will come to pass.
God's word never fails, it neverreturns empty, it always
accomplishes the purpose forwhich he sends it.
And here's something many miss.
It never leaves a heartunchanged.
When the word of God confrontsyou, it always does something.
It draws you to the light or itdrives you deeper into darkness.
(16:31):
Jesus said in John 3 that thelight has come into the world,
but men love darkness ratherthan the light because their
deeds were evil.
The same sun that melts the waxhardens the clay, the same word
that saves some offends others.
But no one stays neutral in thepresence of the word.
When Christ speaks, you aremoved, either drawn to him in
(16:54):
worship or repelled by hisholiness.
The question is, how will yourespond?
Will you, like the official,take him at his word and walk in
obedience?
Or will you, like the Galileans,remain impressed by his works
but unmoved by his worth?
The woman at the well brought acity.
(17:14):
This man brought his family.
Both were changed, not bymiracles, but by the word of
Christ.
God's command never fails.
Whether through the faith of theunworthy or the testing of the
believer, his word brings life,his grace multiplies, and his
glory endures forever.
Because his word never returnsvoid.
It always accomplishes what itsets out to do.
(17:35):
It never leaves a soul neutral.
When confronted by his truth,you will be changed, either
drawn in awe to the light orrecoiling in offense because you
love darkness more.
But for those who believe, hisword restores, it renews, and it
redeems.
Faith beyond sight is walking inobedience when you have no
(17:58):
evidence, trusting his wordbecause you know his heart.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you that yourword still speaks, still heals,
heals, still saves.
Thank you for every moment thattests our faith.
For through the testing, yourefine our hearts.
(18:20):
Teach us to trust your voicemore than our circumstances, to
walk on your promises, when oureyes see nothing but
uncertainty.
Lord, when we are tempted tochase after signs, remind us
that your word is enough.
Strengthen our homes and ourhearts to believe, to believe
(18:42):
you before we see you move.
And just like the royalofficial, may our obedience open
the door for grace to overflowinto the lives around us.
Let your word accomplish itspurpose in us, and may all the
glory belong to you.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
(19:02):
Now, looking ahead to next week,we're going to step into John
chapter 5, where Jesus meets aman who has been paralyzed for
38 years and commands him torise, take up your bed, and
walk.
We'll see how God's command notonly restores the body but
exposes the heart, revealing thepower of grace to make the
(19:24):
impossible possible.
So please join me next time forthat episode where God's command
that it's God's command thatreveals grace through power.
And in closing, as always, Ithank you for joining us today.
And I hope this episode hashelped you take a step closer in
your relationship with Jesus andthat you now have a deeper
(19:45):
understanding of just how muchGod loves you and wants you to
know Him.
And if today's messageencouraged you, would you please
take a moment to follow thetakeaway and share this episode
with someone who needs to hearit?
Your support helps us reach morepeople with the hope of the
gospel.
And if this ministry has been ablessing in your life, we'd love
to hear from you.
Just leave a quick word ofencouragement or share how these
(20:08):
messages are impacting your walkwith Christ.
It's our desire that thisministry be a tool to reach the
loss and equip the saints for alife that brings glory to God.
God bless, and we'll see younext time on the takeaway.
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