As we stand upon the threshold of a new set of days, months, and seasons, we again don’t know the future, but we know WHO holds the future; and our faith informs us that the same GOD WHO has brought us to this place, will no doubt, lead us on until we are presented by our Christ, in HIS presence for eternity.

Bible Text: John 4:46-53 | Speaker: Pastor Jerry Irwin | A HELPER FOR 2019
John 4:46-53
46. 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.

So we have come again to a beginning of a new year on our journey together as the community of faith at Harvest. Over the past 32 years, there have been many New Year’s sermons from this pulpit. As we stand upon the threshold of a new set of days, months, and seasons, we again don’t know the future, but we know WHO holds the future; and our faith informs us that the same GOD WHO has brought us to this place, will no doubt, lead us on until we are presented by our Christ, in HIS presence for eternity. As the COI, who looked upon the rock at Ebeneezer, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.
I. A POWERFUL CHRIST
Our text begins immediately following a great revival i among the Samaritans These Samaritans had learned from whelps of the woman WHO He was, “the Christ”; now they had discovered for themselves WHAT He was – The One who met their deepest
need, “The SAVIOR”. It was the woman’s testimony, and the WORD, which caused the Samaritans to believe.

Going into Gallilee seems so strange to us. He leaves a country where He is received and has great results, and goes into a region where He has “no honor.” The will of the ONE who had sent Him, controlled His actions. He had declared, needs go through Samaria,” but that need had been met, and He once more entered a land He had departed from because of the fierce rejection of the Pharisees. Now He enters again, as if to say there are sheep that have no Shepherd. For two days, He had eaten “the meat that Ye know not of” and now nourished and rested. The joys of spiritual harvest is comforting to the Lord. He is now spiritually refreshed.

Now coming to Gallilee, the Gallileans received Him, having known the things He did at Jerusalem. He came to Cana, a city which had a history. They knew the Jerusalem Jesus! It was there that he rebuked the Temple abusers and worked miracles so that “many believed on His name.

Why did the Holy Spirit mention the where, and why did the Holy Spirit inform us of a former miracle? It was because these two events are somehow connected, the Galileans and the hated Samaritans. Both needed ministry!
II. THE NOBLEMAN
46. 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.

The nobleman was probably a member of Herod’s court; but he would not allow rank and riches get in the way of responding to information that could change his dilema. HE NEEDED HELP! However that word reached him, it put him into action.

Help requires submission. A search for help means that within yourself, you cannot solve the problem. Seeking for help means that you have abandoned your plan, but you are willing to accept God’s will and His way to minister to your need.

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.

Notice the words, “He went to HIM.” We are told that if we seek HIM we will find HIM. Great things happen when we stop struggling with our own methods and means, and simply “Go to Him.” “Cast all of our care, take our burdens to the Lord, lift up our eyes and recognize His Grace, and submit to His power to heal and deliver.

Psalm 27 HE is my Light, Strength, salvation.
III. THE RESPONSE OF THE SAVIOR
48. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

Jesus was telling him and the crowd that God is not interested in the showy entertaining nature of the miracles. He is interested in faith to believe a WORD from God. He told Thomas, “blessed are those who don’t see, yet still they believe.

What this nobleman had learned about Jesus caused him to travel 20 miles to find the Savior, who he believed could help him He asked the Lord to come with him to Capernaum and heal his son. He believed that Jesus could heal close by, but not far away Jairus wanted Jesus to lay his hands on his daughter. Mark 5:23 The woman with the issue of blood wanted to touch. Mark 5:28 Martha said if you had been here. John 1:21 This nobleman wanted Jesus to come down, ere my child die.

I’m reminded of an unnamed Centurion in Matthew 8, who declared his unworthiness for Jesus to even enter his house. He said, “If you will just speak the word only and my servant shall be made whole.” God’s word is sufficient!

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.

Its amazing; Jesus said “Go thy way”, and “He went His way!” That is faith! A positive response to the Word of God. He believed the Word that Jesus spoke, and went his way. That my friends, is a great picture of us today. “Walking by faith, not by sight” we press on toward the mark, with a word firmly rooted and grounded, implanted in our mind and heart, fully expecting that we can trust the ONE who promised.
IV. FAITH IN THE PROMISE
The nobleman went his way energized by faith in a promise. He was told that help is on the way. He walked that 20 mile trip back to Capernaum fully expecting that his son would be found alive just as Jesus had promised.

Psalm 121:1-3
1 (A Song of degrees.)I will lift up mie eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Isaiah 40:29-31
29, He giveth power to the faint; and to them that might he increaseth strength.
30. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31. But they that wait upon the ORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

We are on a journey to a blessed country that God has promised to prepare for us. We walk today in the strength of that promise that He will come again(John 14) and receive us unto himself that where he is, we may be also.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

1 John 2:25
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

James 1:12
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
V. THE HOUSEHOLD WAS SAVED
John 4:51-53
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.