Jesus Heals the Nobleman's Son John 4:46-53

Jesus entered the city of Cana a second time. The first time he was there at a wedding he had turned water into wine. On this occasion, a nobleman (or we would say a man of wealth and authority) heard that Jesus was in town.

Now this nobleman was from the city of Capernaum, and had a son back home who was about to die. He had heard stories about Jesus and how he had healed many sick people and had done many miracles in the lives of the people of Israel. But he did not yet believe that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior of the world, whom Moses said would come.

Now let's take up the story in John 4:47-53:

47 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.

48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

In other words, Jesus said that unless he constantly proved that he was sent from God by doing something supernatural, Israel would not believe he was the Messiah (which means Christ or the anointed one). They would not believe by what he said, for faith comes by hearing. They would only believe by seeing, as many people are today.

49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

The nobleman, ignoring the point that Jesus was making insisted that if he didn't come with him, his son would die.

But Jesus refused to go with the nobleman, instead he challenged him to believe without seeing:

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. (bolded mine)

This is what Jesus was trying to get this man to do, believe in His words. And this is what he is attempting to get you to do, believe in his written words. When we believe in the words of Jesus, He will do miracles for us too! Now let's find out what happened after the man believed.

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. (1pm)

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.

Let me explain. As the man was nearing home in Capernaum, his servants met him to give him the good news that his son's condition had turned around! He was not dead, as everyone expected but rather was doing better. The nobleman began to question about what time it was when his son began to feel better. And just as he suspected, it was the same time he was talking to Jesus, and Jesus had said to him "Your son lives!" (Paraphrased)

When he knew it was the same time, about 1pm the previous day that the fever left his son, was the same time Jesus had said "Your son lives", he and his entire family believed that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, and Savior of the world!

In your time of need, take Jesus at his word and you too will discover that He truly is the Son of God and Savior of the world!

Jesus: The Living Water! John 4:1-26

Jesus went to Samaria to meet with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. The woman went to the well to draw water as was her routine. Jesus obviously knew that he would meet her there in the absence of his disciples who had left him to buy food.

Exhausted, Jesus asked the woman for a drink of water. She responded in surprise that Jesus being a Jew had asked a Samaritan for a drink, since Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. (The Samaritans were kindred to Jews but of mixed blood.)

Then Jesus said, "If you knew the gift of God, (Salvation) and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink; you would have asked him for a drink, and he would have given you living water." (Paraphrased)

The woman then said, "Sir you have nothing with which to draw water, and the well is deep; so where then does this living water you speak of come from?" (Paraphrased)

Jesus responded, "Whoever drinks the water from this well will get thirsty again, but the water that I give shall be a well springing up unto eternal life!" (Paraphrased)

Jesus told the woman things about herself that only God could know. And during their short encounter, He revealed himself to her as the Messiah, the Son of God. And now he wants an encounter to reveal Himself to you!

Ask Jesus now to forgive you of your sins; and when you do with all your heart, he will forgive you and give you Salvation that will be like living water springing up inside you unto eternal life! Don't put it off. Do it now!

Jesus is waiting!

AIDS, A Sign of the Times! Matthew 24:7-8

When Jesus' disciples asked him what would be the sign of his coming, he mentioned pestilences in Matthew 24 verse 7:

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

As I have said in previous blogs, "pestilences", an old English word means our present day word "epidemics". In a word, Jesus said epidemic outbreaks would be prevalent during the time of his return to Earth. We live in the fulfillment of this prophecy!

In previous blogs, I have focused on Bubonic Plague and Measles. But the most devastating of all epidemics in our generation is of course, AIDS!

The Wikipdeia Encyclopedia, the free on-line encyclopedia has this to say about HIV/AIDS:

"The AIDS pandemic can also be seen as several epidemics of separate subtypes; the major factors in its spread are sexual transmission and vertical transmission from mother to child at birth through breast milk.

...the AIDS pandemic claimed an estimated 2.1 million lives in 2007 of which an estimated 330,000 were children under 15 years. Globally, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with HIV in 2007, including 2.5 million children. An estimated 2.5 million people were newly infected in 2007, including 420,000 children.

South Africa has the largest population of HIV patients in the world, followed by Nigeria and India. South & South East Asia are second worst affected; in 2007 this region contained an estimated 18% of all people living with AIDS, and an estimated 300,000 deaths from AIDS.

Approximately 1.1 million persons are living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and more than 56,000 new infections occur every single year."

Wow, these are horrific statistics indeed! But miraculously, Jesus the Savior predicted the conditions we presently live in 2000 years ago! He must indeed be the Son of God!

So what must we do in such perilous times? Jesus knew these times would come. But because of his love for us, God has provided a way of escape:

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but the world through him might be saved. John 3:16-17

And again, "...whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:21)

The Lord's name is Jesus. And he is waiting for you to call upon him this very moment. Ask him to forgive you of your sins. It doesn't matter what kind of life you are living. He died on the Cross for you for this very reason. So call upon him while there is still time. He's ready and willing to save you now!