The Avenue to Christ

Sermon notes from Sunday 25 February 2018 pm

John 4 verses 46 - 54

Jesus as we noticed last week visited Sychar in Samaria, met the woman at the well.  She came out from her home with her water pot and was about to fill it when she met with Jesus.  The encounter she had and the effectiveness of her testimony was real.  When she began to tell the men of Samaria they began to flock out to meet this man.  Here was a woman who had an encounter that pointed to the Saviour.  Every testimony should point to the Saviour.  John the Baptist said "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1 verse 29)  That is the purpose of the gospel - to attract people to the great salvation found in him.  It was good for us to have been here Peter said years ago - can you say the same of this meeting tonight - maybe that will be your testimony even tonight as you leave.  Jesus departs now and comes to Galilee.  See this noble man approaching the Lord.  He had a son who was sick at the point of death.  This man makes his way to Christ.  No doctor has any control over this, only one man could help and that was Jesus Christ.  In your situation you find yourself in, born in sin, shapen in iniquity, on lost road to hell, there is only one who can save you.  He can come to you right where you are, take you to the work of Calvary, show you the work he accomlished there just for you.  I want to finish with the thought of testimony, thinking of this man.  Little topic heading - the avenue to Christ.  There are different roads to Christ but be careful there is only road to God through the Lord himself.  Not many avenues to God tonight.  Yes many to Christ but not to God.  There are 4 things here that I want to point out to you in this avenue to Christ. 

The trouble this man encounters.  He was an official in Herald`s household.  It doesn`t matter what social standing we have, you will always find trouble comes our way.  It can come very quickly, suddenly, tragic in so many ways.  Here was this man, his life was going so well for him.  One day he realised in his own home something was happening to his son.  He was getting sicker.  Doctors couldn`t help him.  One day he went up to his room and realised he was taking his last breath.  I`m sure he offered many prayers but he heard about the Lord, that he was in the very area he was living in.  If I could find the Lord, could get him to come in to my home, to look on my son, he would heal him.  Tremendous faith he went out with.  Maybe you are not saved, but realise you can be saved.  Isn`t it tremendous to know you can be saved through Christ.  You have a speck of faith in your heart.  Realise you can be saved right where you are tonight, in that very pew where you are.  No coming to the front, no putting up your hand, just acknowledging like this man that you are not saved.  That sin in your heart will take you into Christless lost hell for all eternity.  You lift your voice and cry out to God and you will be saved.  Here`s a man in trouble.  That started his journey.  Isn`t it wonderful the things that begin our journey.  Not always tragic circumstances but it can be many a thing.  For Enoch it was the brth of a child that got him to walk with God.  Not always a sad occasion.  Zacchaeus heard that the Lord was coming his way into that city where he lived.  He climbed up the sycamore tree just to see the Lord.  It was out of place for a rich man to be running down the street and climbing a tree.  Here was a man called Zacchaeus right up at the top of tax collectors, climbing a tree to find the Lord.  He was willing to shed his royal robes to get down at the feet of Jesus, to beg him to come into his home.  Whatever situation you are in the Lord wants you to invite him into your home tonight.  Was there a moment when you took Christ as Saviour?  Salvation is not something you drift into.  It happens when you come under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The trial he had to face.  How important the son was to this man.  He comes and has a spark of faith in his heart.  He knows so much about the Lord, if he could only get him to come to his home, then he could do something for his son.  Would you come into my home and heal my son verse 48.  Jesus was saying to this young man "I can heal your son without going to your home, can you believe that?"  There was a trial.  His faith had brought him so far.  Once the trial came he couldn`t go any further.  There was a great obstacle to be overcome.  Maybe there is something tonight and God is putting his finger on it in your life at this moment.  You are not willing to give it up yet.  This man has got to prove the word of God in his life.  You will have to prove the word of God in your life.  "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."  "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in."  Simple but the Lord is putting his finger on your lide and asking you to give something up just for him.  When the rich young ruler came to the Lord he wanted to be saved with all his heart.  "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"  He was willing to do anything but there was nothing he could do.  It is a gift from God just by accepting it.  There are so many things can hold you back from getting saved - a relationship perhaps.  There is a trial tonight.  The Roman Centurion stood before the Lord, he had a servant at home sick.  He asked the Lord to come and heal him.  Then he told the Lord he was not worthy for the Lord to come under his roof and asked Jesus to simply say the word and his servant would be healed.  The Lord can save you tonight, can save you right in this meeting tonight.  He wants to save you and will save if you are willing to come.  This man asks him to come into his home.  God asks you and me to trust him that we might be safe.  Is there something now that means you have to take that final step.  The woman with the issue of blood.  The Lord came down the street.  She was weak, had suffered for 12 years like this.  She heard about Jesus and thought if I could touch the hem of his clothes.  She reached out in all her weakness and touched the hem of his garment and was greatly healed.  Then came the trial.  The Lord said "who touched me?"  She had to acknowledge it was her in front of all the friends, neighbours and community.  Maybe that is what is holding you back - by what people will say tomorrow.

The testimony he left with.  This encounter brought him to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  In verse 50 "go thy way, thy son liveth" Jesus said to him.  The Lord wants him to believe, he doesn`t have to be in his home to heal him.  He can heal him with his word. The Lord says to him "go thy way, thy son liveth."  The next phrase says "the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken."  It comes down to you believing the word of God for yourself.  "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  If you have the faith to come to Christ, trust him with all your heart, soul and mind, allow him to cleanse you from your sin, he will save you.  You have to believe that though.  That is the testimony he left with.  Just like Peter in the boat "if its you Lord bid me to come."  The Lord said "come".  Only when he realised the circumstances did he falter.  As long as he believed he could walk on the water. Remember Abraham of old - Romans 4 verse 3.  "Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness."

The trophy that resulted.  The trophy this man received when he believed Christ.  He made his way home.  He knew it was the same hour in which Jesus had told him to believe "thy son liveth".  What news greeted him.  The man realised it was 1.00 the previous day when Jesus said "thy son liveth."  Maybe you will look back and say "it was that time when Jesus saved my soul."  What a trophy this man found in his home.  That the Lord turned the penalty of death into the gift of eternal life.  "The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life."  God can give you his eternal life.  Is that not worth trusting Christ tonight?  Will you not come?