#13 John 4:43-54
Leader: Have your Student write down the Passage and the Questions then, give them a week to prepare.
Passage: John 4:43-54
Questions:
- 1) What does the second miracle in John’s gospel tell us about Jesus as the Messiah/Savior?
- 2) What questions do you have?
Then, this week the Student will:
- Read the Passage every day!
- Handwrite the Passage
- Answer the questions
When you do meet again, you will go over this…
John 4:27-42
43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.
46 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. 47 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.
48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.
54 This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.
Notes for Leader:
Open your time together with prayer. Be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation and teach what needs to be learned and heard during your discussion. He will give you the words that you need! May you grow closer together and closer to Jesus.
Briefly review what you learned last week. Now, let’s see what else we can discover about who Jesus is…
Here is what we noticed.
1) What does the second miracle in John’s gospel tell us about Jesus as the Messiah/Savior?
The official meets him in Cana (which is where Jesus turned the water into wine), but his son is in Capernaum (15-20 mile walk from the North shore of of the Sea of Galilee up to Cana).
v.48 “you” is plural, Jesus is talking not just to the Royal Official, but to all the Jewish people listening. They had seen his prior miracles and were looking for more signs. They were not rejecting him, but they were not seeking him because of his full power to save them and give eternal life.
v.48 Jesus knew this man’s heart, the Royal Official was not seeking Jesus to love and serve him, but because of desperation and looking for last minute hope. Jesus’ response feels harsh, but he is helping this man see his greater need, not of physical healing but of saving faith and eternal life. Whenever Jesus offers rebuke (even to us), it is never to hurt us, but always for our good. Jesus wants us to grow in our faith and holiness.
v.50 Jesus heals son by speaking. Jesus has authority over life, he can physically heal with a word. The official said, “Come,” Jesus said, “Go”. He put the man in a position to stretch his faith; either he believed what Jesus said without receiving a sign or he would doubt the word of the one in whom he placed all his hope.
v.50b Royal official believed. He demonstrates his faith by turning and heading for home! Faith is key for him and us.
v.53 Belief by official led to belief by his entire household.
Reminder: 1st miracle in John 2:1-11 (Jesus turned water to wine, teaching us that Jesus’ blood replaces ceremonial water to create spiritual cleanliness.)
2) What questions do you have?
Don’t be nervous about this one… the Holy Spirit will help you answer. If you are discipling a young child (and most others!), remember that they are not expecting a doctoral dissertation when you answer, so keep it simple and true. And, it is ok to say, “I am not sure, let’s look into that together.” And then add that question to your study for next week.
Allow the Spirit to lead a great conversation!
Now, look ahead to next week’s study and give your student the next passage and questions to prepare this coming week.