John chapter 4 and verse 43 now after two days he departed thence and went into Galilee for Jesus himself Testified that a prophet hath no honor in his own country Then when he was come in the Galilee the Galileans received him having seen all things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast for they also went under the feast and So Jesus came into Cana of Galilee where he had made the water wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea 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. Then said Jesus unto him, except you see signs and wonders you will not believe. The nobleman said unto him, sir, come down, ere my child die. 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. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, thy son liveth. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. They said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth, and himself believed, and his whole house. This is, again, the second miracle that Jesus did when he was come out of Judea into Galilee. You may be seated. Look down at your Bible, if you will. This is a tremendous story in the record of John's Gospel, chapter four, verse 49 and 50. The noble man saith unto him, Sir, come down, ere my child die. 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. Now I want to preach this morning on a father and son story. Let's pray. Father, we want to tell you this morning how much we love you. Thank you, Lord, for the good spirit of God and how he's worked in this service. And Lord, we couldn't get away from the fact that you wanted us to preach in this morning hour. Thank you, God, for every testimony, every tear, every good word on behalf of Jesus and our heavenly Father. Thank you for every good word on behalf of earthly fathers. And I pray now, God, as we survey the scripture, we see a man of compassion and care. We see a man of faith that lived to victory. Oh God, I pray for that father that's here today that's making bad choices and taking wrong paths. God, that you turn them back into the way that they should go. Ask you Lord that you touch every father, undergird every man that's taken the Bible as their guide. the Holy Spirit as their director, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I ask you, God, to use us today to preach the scriptures. May you make them, Lord, personal to every heart. We'll thank you, Father, for what you do now. For we ask it in Jesus' name, amen and amen. I thought about how many stories there are throughout the Bible, the tremendous fathers that are found throughout the entire record of the scripture. I thought about Brother Noah, how he got a word from God about how that judgment was going to come. how the Bible said in Hebrews chapter 11, they prepared an ark to the saving in his house, by the witch he condemned the world. The Bible said he became heir of the righteousness, which is by faith. I thought about that day, he and Shem, Ham and Japheth began to work on that large floating box that preserved Noah and his family. I thought about Noah as the story of a man that was filled with true dedication to God and a great fear of God in his heart. And he led his family into the ark and they were spared the judgment of God. And so the story of Noah and his sons is a story of true dedication. I thought about Abraham and Isaac how they walked up Mount Moriah, how that Isaac laid down as a grown man to be sacrificed by his father. I thought about the devotion that Isaac had to Abraham, and not only that, the devotion that Abraham had to God, how that story is a testimony of faith that is found in Hebrews chapter 11, as well as Noah's story in the scripture as well. I thought about the story of Jacob and Joseph. How it seemed like that all was lost and that Joseph was gone. And then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and brought him down to the land of Egypt and spared the entire family. I thought about what a tremendous story of restoration. I thought about the story of the prodigal and his father, how that father faithfully waited on his prodigal son to come back home from the pathway of rebellion. Thank God for the story of true salvation in the life of the prodigal. And I want to say that this in John chapter four is a story of a wonderful father and his son, a father who had compassion and care for his son. This man could have sent one of his servants down to the place where Jesus was at, but he went himself. It was at least over a day's journey to get to where Christ was. This is a man that was desperate and yet he was determined, a man of desperation and a man of determination. He said to Christ, in desperation come down ere my child die. And not only that, he was a man that was a man who had faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He would not have made the trip had he not believed that Christ had the power. Thank God Jesus has that life-changing power. Thank God for the life-changing power of Christ. We've heard testimonies already this morning about the life-changing power of Christ. I believe Jesus still has life-changing power. And so when I think about the life-changing power of Christ and the fruit that comes of real faith, faith is taking God at His Word. And so when I delve into this passage of Scripture, the Bible said in verse 46, So Jesus came again in the Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And so the path of Christ was to come into this area. And these that were there that heard this man cry out to Jesus, they didn't know what the Lord knew. The Lord could see that man coming before he had ever came to Jesus. And yet the Bible said Jesus came again. He returned where he had worked before. Now let me remind you that this miracle reminds us of two miracles. The first miracles of Christ. The first miracle of Christ was changing the water into wine. And you know that we don't believe Christ made intoxicating wine. Say amen right there. There's a wine in the scripture that's unfermented. And we believe that Jesus turned that water into unfermented wine. and he returned where he had been before. His mother had said to them, whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And they obeyed and followed the word and the advice of Mary and where he had worked before. Now here comes the father, a father to petition the Savior. The first miracle came at the advice of a mother. The second miracle comes at the advice of a father. He returned where he'd worked a miracle before. Aren't you glad he's still in the miracle working business? Life changing, miracle working. He can take a person that's a drunkard and make them sober. He can take an addict and make them clean. Thank God he can take a home that's broken and put it back together. I'm preaching about a savior this morning that is working miracle after miracle. In fact, there's miracles at just about in every pew. in this church where Jesus has been working. And so the news of his coming had reached this man. The Bible said in verse 47 that he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee. He went unto him and besought him that he would come down and heal his son. You see, this man had heard of Christ. Doesn't the Bible say that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. And so the news had reached this man. And the reason why he went after Christ and not after a doctor is because he believed that only Jesus could help his son. How many parents have said, Preacher, my daughter's in a horrible condition, a horrible state, and she needs help. And I say, well, she needs more help than the help I can give her. She probably needs to be brought to Jesus. And so this man had left his home and had traveled a great distance. Some say possibly over 20 miles he had come. to find the Lord Jesus Christ. And his problem was that his son needed a miracle. I want to say this morning that Jesus is still in the miracle working business. The nature of his power was known abroad. You see, this is the one that's going to open up blinded eyes. This is the one that is gonna cause the lame to get up and walk. This is the one that's gonna touch those that had withered hands and others that he's gonna do what nobody else can do. I wanna say this morning, hallelujah, he's still passing by today. In fact, he's routed his path. He's arranged the affairs of your life. so that the path of Christ has come in contact with your path. Aren't you glad you heard the good news? If you're here, aren't you glad you heard that he came from heaven? Thank God to earth and thank God he was willing to die on the cross for you and I so we could be saved. And so there's the path to Christ. The second thing is the problem of his son. Now the Bible said a certain nobleman, the scripture says here, that certain nobleman in verse 46, the Bible said whose son was sick at Capernaum. Now there's some discussion about exactly how he was connected to the Roman aristocracy. how he was connected to some man that would be considered a dignitary in the Roman government. Was he indeed a person who was a royal official, an attendant of Herod of Galilee? It's possible that he worked in the inner circle of Herod of Galilee. And yet this man, when he had a son that was sick, he didn't go to Herod and say, get the finest doctor that Rome has to offer, get the finest physician that Rome has to offer. No, what did he do? He got leave from his royal duties. He got leave from the king's attendance. He could have sent servants down to meet this man that is called Jesus. But thank God, this dignitary said, my son's at the point of death. He's sick and he needs help. And there's nothing that Rome can do to cure him. And there's nothing that the physicians can do to cure him. But thank God there's a great physician. and I heard that he's passing by. The Bible said his son was sick in verse number 46. His condition was desperate, the scripture said. He was at the point of death. Physicians had given up on his case. It's at the point now that nothing else can be done. I wanna tell you when hope's all gone, hallelujah, help is on the way. I said when hope's all gone, glory to God, help is on the way, amen. So his condition is desperate here. And the Bible said he framed his petition, this man there, in verse 49. It basically said, Jesus, you are our only hope. Are you listening now? Jesus, you are our only hope. The noble man saith unto him, sir, come down, ere my child die. Now his servants could have been sent to fetch and bring the Savior, but this man cared so much about his son, they was willing to travel over 20 miles to reach Jesus on behalf of his son. He came straight to Jesus to get the help that he believed that he needed. His problem was a very desperate problem. I wonder what's happened to the daddies in America that say they know Christ. Oh, you ought to bring your son in the arms of faith. You certainly ought to bring them to the house of God, but you ought to bring your son or your daughter in the arms of faith and lay them at the feet of Jesus and say, Lord, my son needs some help. Lord, I desire to see a spiritual transformation in the life of my child. I'm glad that Jesus Christ can do what nobody else can do. Oh, I tell you, doctors can do wonderful things. I'm not preaching against doctors this morning, but there's some problems that men have. In fact, the sin problem, cannot be cured by a pill or a potion, a physician or a psychiatrist. There's a problem that you and I have that only Jesus can take away our sin. Only Jesus can take out of our soul that which has defiled us and kept us from God. And this young man, my friend, had a dad that brought his case to Jesus and straight to the feet of Jesus, hallelujah. What's happened to the praying daddies in America? Somebody help me preach a little while. I'll tell you what's happened to them, they've sold out to the world. Help us here, Lord. I'm preaching good. Are you listening? They sold out to the world. What's happened to the praying daddies in America that know their family needs prayer? What's happened to the praying men of America? What's happened to the men that were dedicated to Christ? What's happened to those that, like Joshua said, that's for me and my house, that we will serve the Lord? What's happened to those who said, I'll go with God. I'll raise up a standard. I'll set the example. I'll be the one. I thank God this morning, I'm not much. But my kids never looked at me one time. Ask them, there's two of them here this morning. They never looked at me one time. And all the time they lived at my house and said, Daddy, are we going to church today? That was absolutely out of the question. I'm thankful he brought the case of his son into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then thirdly, we see the pronouncement of Christ. The Bible said, Jesus saith unto him, verse 50, Go thy way, thy son liveth. Now faith is taking God at his word. If God said it, that settles it. And Jesus Christ is God and he said it. He said, thy son liveth. And the Bible said, and the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken in him and he went his way. That is your pronouncement here is that Jesus did not say this for shock value. Sometimes things are said in a public audience for shock value, and Jesus did not say this for shock value. He knew what was in man. He knew all about man. He said this for this man's faith. He said this so this man could take Christ at His Word. All who saw the miracles of Christ did not believe what Jesus did, and they did not believe what He said. The Bible said in verse 48, Jesus said, except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe. Now he said, basically, you Galileans gotta see a sign or you won't believe anything. He knew all about them. In fact, in chapter two, the Bible said he knew what was in man, so he didn't commit himself to any man. So he was not making this statement and the one that follows, for simple shock value. You say, if I could see some miracles, I'd believe. There were multitudes that saw the miracles of Christ, and they did not believe. They followed Him out of curiosity. John 6, they followed Him because of the bread that He served when He broke the loaves and the fishes. And a lot of people, if they saw a miracle, they still would not believe. They wanted some kind of healer, some kind of person that had some snake oil, but Jesus desired this man to believe His Word without a sign. I want to tell you, friend, God doesn't have to prove anything to you. He's already sent His Son, and the Son's already died. In fact, the greatest miracle of all is the fact that Jesus got up out of the grave. I'm telling you, hallelujah. The good news is that there's a living Savior, and the Bible is living truth. If you want to have a living relationship, come to Him and take Him as your Lord and Savior today. And then I see not only the pronouncement of Christ, but the power of faith. Jesus said, go thy way, thy son liveth. Now Jesus desired this man to step out on faith and take him at his word. Now, did he or did he not? I believe that he did. In fact, the Bible tells us, and the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him. Now, the only reason you're not saved is because you won't take God at his word. Jesus said, you will not come to me that you might have life. If you come to Christ, he'll save you. You don't have to doubt it. In fact, he said, all that the Father given me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. If you come to Christ, he'll save you. He'll save you enough, hallelujah, that he'll change your life. He'll put new desires on the inside. He'll give you desire to love other people. He'll give you desire to come to church and to live right. I'm saying hallelujah, thank God for this great text. in the Word of God. Now Jesus desired the man to take Him at His Word. You've got to take God at His Word in order to be saved. That is, you've got to believe what Jesus has done for you. You've got to believe He'll keep His promise. When He said, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, you've got to trust His promise. You gotta take God at his word. He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death into life. So there's the power of faith. The noble man believes Christ and the Bible said he went his way. Faith in the promise. Jesus said, thy son liveth. We know from the narrative of the story that the servants must have went into the room and somebody said, he's moving. He's moving. Wait a minute, I just come out of that room. He was totally unconscious. He's conscious now. He's conscious now. The doctor just left and the doctor said he's about to die. He's not dead now, he's alive. And when this man got to meet Jesus and then met the servants, and he said, what hour was it that he came alive? They said, well, it was about this hour. He said, that's about the same time Jesus pronounced the word that he was alive. Thy son liveth. Faith in the promise of God. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. That is, you gotta take God at His Word. Listen, you believe in things you cannot see, why don't you believe what the Word of God said? You say, I don't believe anything I can't explain. Really? You believe a lot of things you can't explain. I don't understand how a black cow can eat green grass and make white milk, but it didn't keep me from putting some in my coffee. Say amen. That's exactly right. I don't understand how they generate power to power plant. It comes through all these lines into a wire and it comes out, goes into the air conditioner and makes me cool. It doesn't keep me from turning the thermostat though. Say amen right there. I believe what Jesus says. I take God at his word. Faith in the promise of God is what a person has to place faith in his promise in order to be saved. And faith in the promise of Christ is what brought life to this boy. Somebody say amen. Secondly, faith in the person of Christ. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him. See, that man not only believed the promise, he believed the one who made the promise. So you can't separate really the promise and the promiser. Amen. When I say you can't separate that, if the promise is good, it is good because the one who promised is everything that the Bible says that he is. That's what I mean by that. I recognize that he said to me, whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely. I recognize that he said unto me, if any man thirst, let him come to the water and drink. Oh, thank God, I'm glad there was a day I was thirsty. I took God at his promise. The promise of the Lord Jesus Christ. The nobleman believed Christ. Now, not only did he get a word that brought faith, there's a three-fold witness in this passage that that boy was alive. Doesn't the Bible say out of the mouth of two or three witnesses? Amen. Verse number 50, the Bible said, thy son liveth. There's, first of all, the Word of the Son. Amen. Now I want to say this, I believe the Word of God above the Word of any other man. I believe this book above the Word of any other man. The word of the Savior is good enough for me. And I want to say this man felt exactly the same way. While he was on the way to the house to see with his eyes what his ears had heard, first of all, he had to believe so he could see what the Lord had done. While he was on that road traveling home, verse 51 said, and as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, thy son, Libba. I wonder if he looked up and said, I know, the Lord already told me. So now he gets the word from the servants. He got a word from the son. Now he gets a word from the servants. May you and I ever say to people who need to take God at his word, this is what the son said. They had seen it with their own eyes, but they essentially said, and if you look at it, it's the same phrase. You see, I'm not trying to tell you anything new. I'm telling you what the Bible said. I'm telling you what the Son did and what the Son says. And they basically are saying the same thing. The Word of the Servant is thy Son liveth. The Word from the Son is thy Son liveth. So the father knew, verse 53, that it was at the same hour in the which Jesus said unto him, thy son liveth. Oh, it's a word of sweet remembrance. Thank God he said, yes, I know. I was standing there when he said, it's done. It's done. The great transaction's done. I was standing there when Jesus said it was so. Tell me about what time it was. It's the exact time the Savior spoke His life-giving Word. I say hallelujah. Thank God for the Word of Christ. Amen. So there's the power of faith, and then there's the product of faith. The Bible said that the Son was healed. Amen. In fact, you say, when was He healed? Well, the Bible tells us when Jesus spoke the Word. When Jesus spoke the word, that's when he was healed. And I thank the Lord here for the power of the Savior. The son was healed. Thy son liveth three times. See, that young child was changed. And then not only that, the Bible said, the father and his household believed. Verse 53, and himself believed and his whole house. Can you imagine that little mother? She probably had not left by that bedside. I mean, she probably had sit there day and night. She probably fell asleep in that little chair beside of his bedside. And all of a sudden she heard, she may have heard him start to cough just a little bit. She woke up and looked and saw him. And all of a sudden he opened up his eyes. Hello, mama. Oh, she might have fell on that old bed and said, darling, I sure do love you. He said, I'm all right now, mama. Said, something's happened. It's all right. It's all right, mama. Everything's all right. I don't feel sick anymore. Everything's all right. She got upset. It's real. It's real. Something has happened. It's real. Then he got home and said, I'll tell you what happened. The man crossed Jesus. Said he was alive. I believe it. She said, I believe it too. And the boy jumped up. He said, I believe it. It took place in my life. Hallelujah. Whole household believe Christ. Yeah. You say you're crazy. You better believe I am. That's exactly right. I'm crazy about him. I'm not crazy about anything in the world, but I'm crazy about him. I believe it's just like the Bible said. I believe he got up from that sick bed and he was alive. I believe when his daddy got home, they got in a big old bear hug together and got to crying and thanking the Lord for how great and good he was. Thank God, the son of God, the Lord Jesus who spoke life, the one who gave the miracle work and power. I thank God this morning he's still got life changing power. He's still got the ability, hallelujah, to do what nobody else can do. He can raise them up. I say hallelujah. The Savior is glorified. But what a father and son story. How different it would have been if his dad would have sat home probably and said, well, maybe somebody can reach Jesus in time before he dies. He said, no, that's my boy. I care about him. I want to see something done before he dies. When he got home, they didn't have a funeral. Hallelujah. They had a festival. They got home, they had a festival instead of a funeral. Amen, amen, amen. I'm glad this is the one that I represent. Hallelujah, what a father and son story. Out of all those in the scripture, this one touched my heart for today. I thank the Lord for this dad. You say, why do you thank God for him? Well, I said it to you as we started. I thank the Lord for his care and for his compassion. He didn't send anybody with a message. He went to get Jesus himself. I thank the Lord not only for his care and compassion, but for his desperation and determination. He said, come down there, my child. I said, Lord, if you don't get here, we're sunk. He said, Lord, you gotta come. I thank the Lord for his faith in Christ and the fruit of it. That whole family now are total believers in Christ. I wonder if that's your testimony today. I'm thankful that I was saved when I got married. I'm thankful I started my family in a Christian way, asked my wife to marry me. We formed a marriage relationship, started having kids, and there's really not been a day in their lives they've not known what it is to be in the house of God. And I want to thank the Lord today. He did it all. Jesus did it all. Let's stand together with our heads bowed. If you're here today and you're not a Christian, you ought to come.