Evangelism: the Journey to Jesus--A Helpful Example in John 4:43-54

Evangelism
  • Even if you are a Christian, there are some deep challenges in this story.
  • Jesus wants to keep moving you along the journey until you really know who he is, and act accordingly.

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Video cover image by Wikimedia Public Domain

Please open the handout showing this passage by Clicking here,
or download the PDF of the page here.

Goal:

  • To see trusting Jesus as a journey, and be challenged as to where we are.

The Journey to Jesus in John

  1. The beautiful poem that closes out this first part of John
  2. The puzzle of faith—why is Jesus so confusing?
  3. Where are you on the journey?

1. The beautiful poem that closes out this first part of John

  1. Apparent conflict with v.44. —what is going on?
    —we will see more of an apparent contradiction soon. John is provoking us to think
  2. Very specific link to the first story
  3. Royal Official – One of King Herod’s men. Probably a Jew, but somewhat compromised to serve wicked Herod
    Capernaum More than a day’s journey.
    at the point of death. Desperate! It’s the only thing you can think about!
  4. What a reply to give to such a desperate man! (You plural, but said to him)
  5. Repeated, yes, for poetic form…
  6. 50–53. Beautiful balance (ancient poetry does this kind of thing)
    Jesus is wrong! (John is doing this to provoke us to think…)

Four People all get challenging answers to their need

Mary What do your concerns have to do with me?
Nicodemus You must be born from above!
Samaritan Woman Ask me for water and you’ll never thirst again
Royal Official You people won’t believe without a sign
  • A connection between believing and a conflict or disruption in every case.
  • The critical problem for Jesus was that people saw him as useful miracle-worker to help them out with their problems.
  • They wanted to put him in a box.
  • Look up at v.45 where the Galileans were doing the same thing
  • The core question for today is “what does it mean to trust Jesus?”

2. The puzzle of faith—why is Jesus so confusing?

  • Trusting Jesus is a journey
  • The reason that John has given us these apparent contradictions is because there are different levels of belief
    • He wants us to see that there are steps.
  • Step one is where the Galileans were (after he fed the 5,000):

John 6

  1. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
  • But the problem was that they stopped there.
  • Some people even go to church nowadays because it is a nice experience, nice music, a sense of belonging.
    Those are good things, but they need to go further and give themselves to Jesus.
  • This is what is happening in v.44,45
  • But in v.50 Jesus is challenging the man to move forwards: You have a choice!
    • Jesus is pushing him to the next step of trust
  • The same idea is in John 10

John 10 & 20 Growing in Trust

  1. If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;
  2. but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
  • John 20
  1. Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
  2. but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Journey of Trust

  1. Maybe there are some advantages in this Jesus stuff?
  2. I need something —I am desperate enough to try Jesus
    %Nothing wrong with this unless you just stay there!%
  3. Jesus really is someone special
  4. Jesus must be God
  5. I am going to trust him
    with everything « Point of Salvation
  • If you are not yet at step 5, then follow the example of the man in this story
    • Trust Jesus as much as you can, and put this trust into practice
    • As you do this, he will give you more!
    • As with this man...
  • I am going to challenge you that even if you are a Christian, you are probably not at 5 all the time.
    • I am going to add on a 6 & 7 just to challenge you!

3. Where are you on the Journey?

John 11: Martha: the Pinnacle of Belief

  1. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
  2. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
  3. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
  4. Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
  5. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
  6. and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
  7. She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe
    that you are the Christ,
    the Son of God,
    who is come into the world.    ”
  8. [Jesus asked her to fetch her sister, and she did it immediately]
  • Not just a belief in his power, but who he is

Where are you on the Journey of Trust?

  1. Maybe there are some advantages in this Jesus stuff?
  2. I need something —I am desperate enough to try Jesus
  3. He really is someone special
  4. He must be God
  5. I am going to trust him
    with everything « Point of Salvation

Going further on the Journey

  1. I am going to trust him with everything
    %Good, but there is something more…%
  2. His words and presence are my food and drink
    %previous chapter “my food is to do the will of the Father%
    %see v.50 in the handout: The man believed the word (logos)%
    %Jesus says, my words are life (not just reading them but following them)%
  3. I put him first in my life in every way
    %If you really believe what he claims, then you will believe that your best future, out of all your possible futures, is the one that puts him first in every way%
    %This is the center of this beautiful story:%

v.50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way
  your son lives!”
    So the man believed the word
    that Jesus spoke to him
  and he went on his way.

  • Jesus proved to be supremely worthy of his trust!