LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER 2023 pm
LUKE 4 VERSES 43 – 54
It was early in the
earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus. He
had accomplished a great work for God’s honour and glory. He had been transforming lives, bringing
order to situations. Many were taken
aback by his ministry. However hostility
was beginning to show. It is not long before
evil begins to oppose Jesus. He never
stayed very long in a place where he was not wanted. When he was in Cana he graced them with his
power. He received a favourable
reception. The people saw all the mighty
things he performed in Jerusalem. They
saw the water turned into wine. The
effects of this next miracle would extend to Capernaum – a son being raised to
life as well as the faith of the nobleman.
The conditions he
faced – verses 46 and 47 “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.
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.” When sickness
touches a home it is worrying but when it reaches the point of death it is
terrifying. This man’s heart was aching
for his son in pain. His pain would
ultimately lead to his death. Death was
about to touch his home. Nothing he
could do to hold this impending problem before him. His position and standing would have no
bearing on this terrible situation. The
word “nobleman” only appears in John’s gospel.
It means a king’s officer. He had
an important position in the government.
A well to do man who had wealth and position but it did not exempt him
from trouble. How often do we not think
money and position shields one from heartache and illness? The truth of the matter is – the more money
you have the greater the trouble you will have.
Never envy those in high places and holding great positions. This nobleman was living a comfortable life
but it did not disengage him from great trouble. Not only affects the influential but also the
young who was at the point of death. Not
his father or mother, his brother or sister but his son. Young age does not exempt the young from
problems. The first grave ever opened on
earth was that of a young man called Abel.
Not a father but a son. Taken
from this scene of time. Everybody needs
to be prepared for eternity regardless of their age. Are you ready for the great eternity? Are you prepared for death? If the cold chilling hand of death was to
fall on you today would you be ready? Or
perhaps like many you feel you have plenty of years ahead, you don’t need to worry
about eternity. Remember – eternity is
tomorrow just out of view. Are you
ready?
Secondly, the company he
favoured. What was the nobleman going to
do? Who would he turn to in this time of
trouble? The nobleman heard about Jesus Christ
– verse 47 “when he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee.” He heard about this great man who could do wondrous
things. There was no better person who walked
on the face of the earth. He heard about
a man who could help him in his time of trouble. Someone had to tell him about this wonderful
man. Are you telling others about the Saviour? Does his lovely name be upon your lips? Is his name heard in your speech? Do you tell others about his so great a
salvation? About what he has done on the
cross? The only way people will hear
about the master is if we tell them. How
will men and women turn in repentance if they don’t hear about him? Romans 10 verse 14 “How then shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher.” It is our duty to tell otherwise how will
they hear? The nobleman heard about
Jesus. He came to Jesus Christ – verse 47. Capernaum was not from Cana so he headed for
Cana. He wisely pursued Jesus while he
was near. He grasped the opportunity
with both hands and came to the Lord.
Has the Lord been granting you opportunities to draw near to him? Don’t waste the opportunity but “seek ye the
Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.” He could have lost his opportunity if he had
waited too long. The Lord will not
always be found, he will not always be near.
Verse 47 “and besought him that he would come down.” The word “besought” means to ask, to entreat,
to plead. The man begged the Lord to
come. People must ask, beseech, entreat,
lay hold on the Lord until they receive assurance. “Strive to enter in at the strait gate.” Do you have the assurance in your heart? Do you know without any doubt in your heart
that you are saved? If not it is time to
lay hold of the Lord with great travail of soul. It is time to beg of him and keep it up. And this is the promise “and ye shall seek me
and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29
verse 13)
The command he
fulfilled surely before this miracle – verse 48 “Then said Jesus unto him,
Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” He wanted faith not based on miracles alone
but on his word. The fact that he should
say it should cause us all to believe it.
We should not want a sign to follow it.
He was confident in the Lord, adamant that the Lord had to be in Capernaum
to perform the miracle. He thought the
Saviour had to be at the sons bedside before he could heal him. He would learn through the command to rely on
the Lord Jesus – verse 50 “go thy way thy son liveth.” Faith is believing what God has said he will
do. Faith is just believing what God
says he will do. We will never get far
in the Christian experience if we do not have faith in the divine word. We must believe everything we read from Holy Scriptures. Through the command from the Saviour he now
learned to rely on the word of Christ.
He also learned to rely on the work of Jesus Christ. His work is not limited by distance. He wanted the Lord to see and heal his son. By making such a request he limited Jesus. He thought Jesus could not fulfil the miracle
until he saw his son. He would soon
learn that Jesus’ power is not limited to an occasion. The Lord Jesus does not need to be present in
body in order to bring blessing upon his people. As far as the Son of God is concerned
distance is no obstacle. Following the
command the nobleman believed. He rested
his faith on what the Lord told him – verse 50 “the nobleman believed the word
that Jesus had spoken unto him and he went his way.” The nobleman acted wisely. He made the right decision to obey the
Saviour. This is a decision he would
never regret. Believing and obeying the
Lord Jesus Christ.
The confirmation he found –
verses 51 and 52 “And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told
him, saying, Thy son liveth. 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.” Before
he reached home he had confirmation of the miracle. The servants could not contain themselves,
they had to run and tell him. Notice the
nobleman asked about the time of healing.
The answer given confirmed everything Jesus had said to him. That was the same time that Jesus had said
his son had been healed. The healing was
not gradual but instant. When he asked
when his son began to amend there was no beginning to the mending but rather it
was complete healing. The fever left him.
The nobleman not only learned Jesus could heal at a distance but he can
heal instantly. This instant. This healing reminds us of the instant saving
ability of the redeemer. Salvation is
not a gradual process that takes a long period of time. It happens immediately. It occurs instantly without delay. If you are not saved call upon the Lord for
salvation with sincerity. When you do he
will save you instantly. “For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Would you not call on him if you are not saved? Would you not come and partake of the
immediate cure? “Only trust him, only
trust him, only trust him now. He will
save you, he will save you, he will save you now.” This man faced a terrible situation. His son was at the point of death but he
heard about Jesus. He came to Jesus Christ. He asked of Jesus. Whatever you are facing at the moment, you
have heard about Jesus – are you going to come to him? Are you going to ask of him?
No comments:
Post a Comment