Son of Thunder

1. Son of Thunder John’s Account of Jesus “at his word”

2. Review • Jesus breaks the traditions to show love to a Samaritan woman with a bad reputation • God uses her to reach an entire city for Jesus

3. Review • “…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”- Jesus

4. “at his word” • After the two days he left for Galilee. (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country)…

5. “at his word” • …[Yet] when he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there- vs. 43-45

6. “at his word” • …Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name- John 2:23

7. “at his word” • Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked…

8. “at his word” • …"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?..."

9. “at his word” • … And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith- Matt. 13:54-58

10. “at his word” • “I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land…

11. “at his word” • …Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. 27And there were many in Israel with leprosy[f] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian..."

12. “at his word” • …All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this…

13. “at his word” • …They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way- Luke 4:24-30

14. “at his word” • What caused the change? • Do they now have faith in Jesus? • What is faith?

15. “at his word” • 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 sick at Capernaum…

16. “at his word” • …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- vs. 46-47

17. “at his word” • “Begged”= erota: repeated, persistent action. Pleading continually • Capernaum to Cana: ~ 20 Miles

18. “at his word” • "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe"- vs. 48

19. “at his word” • Who is Jesus speaking to? Why?

20. “at his word” • The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies"- vs. 49 • “Sir”= kurios. Lord, one who has greater authority

21. “at his word” • BToL: Faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed

22. “at his word” • Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live"- vs. 50a

23. “at his word” • Choice: • Walk away with no proof and possibly find his son at home still sick- or worse • Continue to plead with Jesus and risk offending someone who can do miracles

24. “at his word” • The man took Jesus at his word and departed- vs. 50b

25. “at his word” • How is he acting in faith?

26. “at his word” • How is he acting in faith? • How is that different from the crowd’s faith?

27. “at his word” • Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see- Hebrews 11:1

28. “at his word” • Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see- Hebrews 11:1 • Faith is taking God at his Word and trusting Him for the results

29. “at his word” • Did the crowd in Galilee have faith in Jesus?

30. “at his word” • While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living…

31. “at his word” • …When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour…”

32. “at his word” • …Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed- vs. 51-53

33. “at his word” • When was his faith really faith?

34. “at his word” • This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee- vs. 54 • 1st Miracle- power over time • 2nd Miracle- power over distance

35. “at his word” • Faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed • Power over time • Power over distance

36. “at his word” • Faith is taking God at his Word and trusting Him for the results

37. “at his word” • Is there anything God can’t do? • Can I trust him even when I don’t yet see the results of my faith?

38. Takeaways: • The crowds needed to see miracles in order to keep believing. Do I trust God even when I see no evidence?