Last night, we continued our Wednesday Bible Study in John chapter 4:43-54. As most of you know this section is about a Royal Official coming to Jesus for the healing of his son.
Most preach and teach, from the pulpit, about this section, concerning the Royal official’s great faith. However, a closer look at the text reveals that it may not be quite the point, Y’shua (Jesus) was trying to teach.
To set the tone in this section, John reveals that Y’shua (Jesus) made two distinct statements.
1. “Prophets do not receive honor in their own country.”
and
2. “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”
I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like a prelude to an example of great faith, especially since he said the second statement, immediately after the Royal Official came to Y’shua (Jesus), about healing his son.
Before I go any further, let me say that the Royal Official did have faith to believe Y’shua (Jesus), at his word. However, the scriptures show that he didn’t truly believed, until after he received validation, from his servants, that his son was indeed healed.
That, my friends, is called, “What have you done for me lately?” faith and unfortunately, the faith of most believers fall into that category. That kind of faith is short lived and increases doubt and causes many to fall away, from the faith.
The scriptures are quite clear that true faith comes by “Hearing the Word of God.” Only by diligently digging into God’s Word, on both the literal and spiritual levels, with the Spirit of God leading you, can you achieve a lasting, loving and intimate relationship with our creator.
Only with that godly, scripturally based, relationship, can you achieve a lasting faith. A faith that will support you through the good times and bad...a faith that will allow you to see God as our savior...a God that gave his only Son, as the ultimate sacrifice, for our sins...the only sacrifice wholly acceptable to satisfy God’s righteous requirements of the Law. That sacrifice...that Son is Y’shua ha Maschiach, (Jesus the Christ).
