John
4:43-54 “Believing in Jesus”
Introduction: Without faith it is impossible please
God. Jesus told Nicodemus that he that
believeth is not condemned. He that
believeth not is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God. Paul
points out by the inspiration of God that it is by grace that we are saved
through faith. In response to the
Jailor’s question “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied “Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”
God requires faith on the part of those who want to be saved. You have to trust in God. You have to believe in Jesus as the Christ the
Savior of the world.
I. The Samaritan’s believed.
(John
4:43) Now after two days he departed
thence, and went into Galilee.
The men and women of Sychar believed in Jesus.
They believed Him to be the Christ the savior of the world. They believed not because of some spectacular
miracle like the calming of a storm or the raising of the dead. They believed His word. They believed because of what the heard not
because of what they saw.
Jesus would later tell Thomas “..blessed [are]
they that have not seen, and [yet]
have believed. Those who
will take God at His word are more blessed than those who must have visible proof
that Jesus is real. The age of miracles
is over. According the book of
Revelation, miracles will be done to deceive men and to get them to turn away
from God. The two witnesses will come on
the scene and will do miracles in the name of God and by His power but they
will be rejected by men. We have the
completed word of God and like Abraham told the rich man in hell “if they will
not hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one rose from
the dead.”
II. The Jewish leaders
and the people of
(John
4:44) For Jesus himself
testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
Jesus had just been in
III. The Galilaeans
believed.
(John
4:45) Then when he was come into
The group of Galilaeans who had
traveled to
IV. The people of
(John 4:46a) So Jesus came again into
The people of
V. A Nobleman believed.
(John
4:46b) .... And
there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at
(John 4:47)
When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea
into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and
heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
We are introduced to a man from
This nobleman had heard about the
miracles of Jesus. He believed the
stories to be true. He made the long
Journey from
VI. Believing in Jesus
is based on trust.
(John
4:48) Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
I took a large object and placed it
on the table and took off my wedding ring and asked my children if they
believed that I could push that object through my ring using a pencil. They did not believe that I could do it. I told them that I could but they would not
believe me. They had to see me do it
before they believed that I could. I
held the ring near the object and then passed the pencil through the ring and
pushed the object with the pencil. They
were amused but disappointed. They could
have believed me saying “Dad, we believe if there is a way you can do it.”
Jesus is trust worthy. Every thing He says is true. Every promise He makes He keeps. Jesus has promised to save those who repent
and ask Him for salvation and He will keep that promise. God is pleased when men trust in His
word. Trust is an everyday
occurrence. We trust in people and
things every day. We trust in people we
do not know. We trust in things we have
never tested. I had a man repair the
brakes on my car. I did not know him or
anything about his skills. When he gave
me the keys and said it was fixed I cranked the car and drove off without any
hesitation. God is much more trustworthy
than man. Job said “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” Put your trust in God and you will never be
disappointed.
VII. Believing in Jesus
is to admit there is no other hope.
(John
4:49) The nobleman saith unto him, Sir,
come down ere my child die.
I had to try it my way first. I thought I could be good enough to get to
heaven on my own without God’s help. I
was wrong. When I realized that there
was no hope for me I believed in Jesus Christ.
This nobleman knew there was no hope for his son if Jesus would not help
him. In desperation we run to
Jesus. When the doctors can do no more
we run to Jesus. When works of
righteousness fail we run to Jesus. This
man desperately needed Jesus’ help. He
did not argue with Jesus about his lack of faith and his stubborn need to walk
by sight.
VIII. Believing in Jesus is
needed when all seems impossible.
(John
4:50) Jesus saith unto
him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that
Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
Jesus instructs the man to go home
and informs him that his son lives. The man trusts Jesus’ words. He turns and heads home believing. A calm assurance comes over those who will
believe the words of Jesus. When he says
“thy sins be forgiven thee” you can rest assured that your sins are
forgiven. Even if you have no outward
sign or proof that your sins are forgiven you can have the assurance that they
are when you believe the words of Jesus.
Believing in Jesus is demonstrated
by obedience. If you believe in Jesus
as your savior you will obey His command to be baptized. If you love Jesus you will keep His
commandments. The only way others will
know that you trust Jesus is for them to see your faith demonstrated in your
actions. James said faith without works
is dead being alone. When one truly
believes in Jesus his life will reflect that belief.
IX. Believing in Jesus
never disappoints.
(John
4:51) And as he was now going down, his
servants met him, and told [him], saying, Thy son liveth.
(John
4:52) Then enquired he
of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
The man believed Jesus’ word and
headed home but before he arrived home his servants met him with the good news
“thy son liveth.” He believed and was
not disappointed. He had made the long
journey to see Jesus and received that for which he had sought. His son lived. Men may let you down but Jesus never will.
Notice that Jesus healed without
having to be physically present. He has
unlimited power to heal. He can heal
when one is far away and when one is near.
He can heal when the sick have great faith and when they do not. Like His healing power Jesus has unlimited
power to save all those who come to him by faith. No matter what they have done and no matter
where they are Jesus can save. I will
one day stand on that street of gold and praise God almighty for all eternity
because I believed in Jesus Christ.
X. Believing in Jesus affects those around you.
(John
4:53) So the father knew that [it was]
at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him,
Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
The fact that this man believed
affected his whole house. Through his
leadership and example his whole household also believed in Jesus. I suspect that those with whom the nobleman
conducted business also had an opportunity to believe due to his
testimony. This man became a fisher of
men as a result of believing in Jesus.
True believers desire to invite others to come and see Jesus.
I believe Jesus saves, I believe a
crown of life awaits beyond the grave, I believe the path the saints have trod,
that pray can touch the heart of God, I believe the old time way, I believe
Jesus.
XI. Believing in Jesus
is not blind faith.
(John
4:54) This [is] again the second miracle
[that] Jesus did, when he was come out of
These miracles
were recorded by John that we might believe in the only begotten Son of God and
believing we might have life through His name.
There is adequate evidence that Jesus came to earth and that He
died. Most people believe at least this
much about Jesus. Jesus also rose again
from the grave and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father
interceding for us. Jesus is waiting for
lost souls to repent and believe in Him as their Savior. He came and by His works has proven that He
is the Son of God the Savior of men. He
fulfilled every prophecy made concerning His coming and will fulfill all the
prophecies which concern His second coming.
It is up to you
now to view the evidence and make a verdict.
Will you believe in Jesus? Will
you trust Him for salvation? Will you,
child of God, believe His promises and obey His word? Do you believe Jesus is coming again? Are you ready?