The Hard Times Of Life
by Bro. Charlie Heath
05/05/2023
John 4:46-54 - “So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 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. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 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. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 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. 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. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.”
At the end of John 4, we encounter a “certain nobleman” with a big problem. This nobleman, even with all of his authority, was in a hopeless situation. His son was about to die; there was nobody that could help. Have you ever been in a hopeless situation? Often, the Lord uses these great times of difficulty as moments to teach us life-changing truths about Himself. It is in the hard times of life that we must learn to lean on the ever-present arms of the Savior. Realize that you are not forgotten or abandoned. The Lord loves you with an everlasting love.
Through this event, we can learn some invaluable lessons that will help us when we face difficult times.
1. We must go to the Lord (vs. 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.”
As Christians, we have an open line of communication with God through Jesus Christ. There is no busy tone or “please wait” music when we pray to the Lord. Sadly, when we go through a difficulty we turn to everyone but the Lord. We seek advice from friends and family before we ever look to the One who has the power to fix our situation. This nobleman had it right when he decided to go directly to the One who could help him.
2. We must believe and obey Jesus’ Word (vs. 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.”
Not only did he turn to the Lord, but he also believed and obeyed what Christ commanded. This man’s faith in Jesus was rooted in His Word, not in the sight of the miracle. Even when we face the most difficult times, we cannot sit on the sidelines. Christ expects us to live in obedience because of our faith in Him. Has Christ ever failed you? Has He ever left you? Of course not, and He will not do so this time either. Believe Him at His word and continue to obey Him in faith.
3. We must be careful to glorify God (vs. 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.”
It is easy to sing praises when God delivers us from the trial. We should understand that even in the hard times, God deserves the glory. When this nobleman submitted to the Lord in faith and obeyed, he glorified God. Because of his testimony, the rest of his house turned to the Lord.
We serve a God who is equally as merciful, loving, and gracious in the trial as he is outside of the trial. Psalm 29:2 states, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name…” The glory already belongs to God; we are to simply ascribe it to Him.
05/05/2023
John 4:46-54 - “So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 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. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 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. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 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. 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. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.”
At the end of John 4, we encounter a “certain nobleman” with a big problem. This nobleman, even with all of his authority, was in a hopeless situation. His son was about to die; there was nobody that could help. Have you ever been in a hopeless situation? Often, the Lord uses these great times of difficulty as moments to teach us life-changing truths about Himself. It is in the hard times of life that we must learn to lean on the ever-present arms of the Savior. Realize that you are not forgotten or abandoned. The Lord loves you with an everlasting love.
Through this event, we can learn some invaluable lessons that will help us when we face difficult times.
1. We must go to the Lord (vs. 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.”
As Christians, we have an open line of communication with God through Jesus Christ. There is no busy tone or “please wait” music when we pray to the Lord. Sadly, when we go through a difficulty we turn to everyone but the Lord. We seek advice from friends and family before we ever look to the One who has the power to fix our situation. This nobleman had it right when he decided to go directly to the One who could help him.
2. We must believe and obey Jesus’ Word (vs. 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.”
Not only did he turn to the Lord, but he also believed and obeyed what Christ commanded. This man’s faith in Jesus was rooted in His Word, not in the sight of the miracle. Even when we face the most difficult times, we cannot sit on the sidelines. Christ expects us to live in obedience because of our faith in Him. Has Christ ever failed you? Has He ever left you? Of course not, and He will not do so this time either. Believe Him at His word and continue to obey Him in faith.
3. We must be careful to glorify God (vs. 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.”
It is easy to sing praises when God delivers us from the trial. We should understand that even in the hard times, God deserves the glory. When this nobleman submitted to the Lord in faith and obeyed, he glorified God. Because of his testimony, the rest of his house turned to the Lord.
We serve a God who is equally as merciful, loving, and gracious in the trial as he is outside of the trial. Psalm 29:2 states, “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name…” The glory already belongs to God; we are to simply ascribe it to Him.
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