The Gospel Series Part six

OPPOSITION AT HOME AND A NEW HEADQUARTERS

Nature of the Galilean ministry (Mt 4:17, Mk 1:14b-15, Lk 4:14b-15)

Child at Capernaum healed by Jesus while at Cana (Jn 4:46-54)

Jn 4:46 "nobleman" - the word implies a relationship with the King. He was a high-ranking official.

Jn 4:48 Contrast with the Samaritans of the previous story (v 42) who believed after hearing. This crowd Jesus says must see miracles before they believe.

Jn 4:50 He healed the son, but not the way the nobleman wanted. Giving orders to God never works.

Jn 4:51-52 Before we get to hard on this guy, what isn't obvious here is the distance between Cana and Capernaum is about 20 miles, so it could be walked in 4-5 hours. We see here the nobleman didn't go directly home after Jesus told him his son would live! He must have had enough faith to believe Jesus at his word, since he stayed in town.

Jn 4:53 "And he himself believed, and his whole household." This pattern is repeated other times in the New Testament. Once the head of the household is saved, the rest of the family follows.(Acts 16)

Lesson: God in a Box

Here in Eugene, a fashionable bumper sticker says, "God is too big to fit inside any one religion". It would appear these people accuse Christians (and perhaps others) of having an exclusive on God, or putting God in a box. While the truths of God are non-negotiable and don't change, sometimes Christians can fall into the trap of putting God in a box.

Such is the example given here in John chapter four. Jesus heals a nobleman's son by saying the word, and he was healed. He didn't even visit the man's house. The man had faith in Jesus, and his son was healed. "AH HA!" you may say, I see how Jesus works this healing stuff. We must have faith! If we aren't healed, it's because we don't have enough faith. This is, of course, the trap the "faith healers" fall into today, saying if you're sick, it's due to a lack of faith.

But we have two problems with that view. First, look at one of the giants in the New Testament, Paul. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul pleads with the Lord three times to take away his thorn in the flesh.

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (2 Corinthians 12:8)

And yet he wasn't healed.

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Did Paul lack faith? I don't think so. For some reason God didn't want Paul healed. I'm sure Paul didn't understand any more than we would if the same thing happened to us. We aren't called to understand why, but to have faith and trust in God.

But in any event, God isn't constrained to our views.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Fortunately, we don't have to try and figure out what God is doing, because he always has the best in mind for us. No matter what happens in our life (remember Job!), we always have the assurance from God he is watching out for us.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Another problem for the "faith healers" is the incident where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11). How much faith did Lazarus contribute? Zero. Nada. Zip. Zilch. God doesn't need our help to do his work.

But more generally, Jesus healed in many different ways.

In Matthew 8:2-4 he cleanses a leper by his word.
In Matthew 12:10-13, he commands a man to stretch forth his hand (which was impossible for him to do), and he was healed.
In Matthew 20:29-34, he asks two blind men what they want from Him. When they respond they want their eyes opened, he touched them, and were healed.
In Mark 8:22-25, his gives a man sight by spitting in his eyes.
In John 9:6-7, he spits on the ground, makes clay, puts it in the eyes and tells the blind man to wash in the pool of Siloam. When he returns, he could see.

Jesus healed in many different ways, there was never a set formula or pattern. The ones he healed he did for his own reasons.

And lest we think we could ever apply a "formula" to God for his work, a warning against it is given in Acts 19. These seven guys were going around imitating Paul, and using his name to cast out demons. Until, that is, they run up against someone who doesn't follow their formula.

And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:15-16)

Don't assume there are any magic words to get God to do what you want. These guys found out the hard way.

But we can also make a more subtle error. As we look around at other churches or groups, we tend to find the ones experiencing growth, see what they do, copy it and then do it in our church. This error is no less severe than the one in Acts 19. We must always remember God works in different ways, at different times, for different reasons, and through different people to suit His purposes, not ours. God is not some "genie" we can rub a certain way to get what we want.

Don't put God in a box. Allow Him to work as He sees fit. He has the power to do what he wants, when he wants, however he wants. We don't have to understand, all we have to do is trust Him.

Ministry and rejection at Nazareth (Lk 4:16-31)

Lk 4:18-19 This is a quote from Isaiah 61:1-2. If you look at that passage, you notice Jesus stopped at a comma, what he didn't read was "And the day of vengeance of our God". Why? That part won't be fulfilled at his first coming, but will be later (the book of Revelation).

Lk 4:21 For those who think Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah of Israel, look at this verse.

Lk 4:22 The people were looking for a mighty ruler to overthrow the Roman government, not a humble Jewish carpenter.

Lk 4:23 They had heard of his miracles, and wanted him to do the same in their area.

Lk 4:25-27 More on this in a minute.

Lk 4:28-29 Why would they want to kill him? The answer lies in the following two stories Jesus alluded to in verses 25-27.

First from 1 Kings 17:8-24, where God miraculously extends a bin of flour for a widow, during a time of severe famine.

Second, from 2 Kings 5:1-14, the healing of Naaman from leprosy.

The reason they were mad was these were both Gentiles, as John MacArthur explains in his study Bible.

Both the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8-24) and Naaman the Syrian (2 Kings 5) were Gentiles. Both lived during times of widespread unbelief in Israel. Jesus' point was that God bypassed all the widows and lepers in Israel yet showed grace to two Gentiles ... What seems to have sparked the Nazarenes' fury was Christ's suggestion that divine grace might be withheld from them yet extended to Gentiles.^[1]

The reason the Jews were upset was they felt they were the exclusive recipients of God's love, grace and attention. They hated the Gentiles, and for Jesus to make the statement the Jews could be passed over in favor of the Gentiles infuriated them ("many were in Israel, but to none but..."). But before we pass judgement on them, we must remember we as Christians can fall into the same trap. It's easy to get into a "club" type atmosphere, where non-Christians are looked down upon.

Lk 4:30 Whether this was a miracle or not is debated, but passing through the midst of a hostile crowd intent on killing you sure fits the criteria of one.

Move to Capernaum (Mt 4:13-16)

^[1] MacArthur, John The MacArthur Study Bible page 1520

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