Your True Desire Is The Gift Or The Giver?
Jesus had made His journey through Samaria to a countryside and a people shunned as “half-breeds” or “dogs” by the other Jewish tribes. They were shunned because of their intermarriages with gentiles as well as their departure from traditional Jewish faith. Yet, Jesus went to Samaria and indeed the scripture said He “must go”. He had a mission in Samaria to arrive exactly in the moment the Samaritan woman would be arriving at the well to draw water. He went to a group that were outcasts by society and there to meet a woman who was an outcast even in that outcast society. Think about that!!
Jesus purposefully went to Samaria to save someone whom by the world’s standards was the lowest of the low, totally “unworthy” of salvation. Then, He used her to go and tell the other people in the village of the miracle that Jesus, the Messiah was there. She went to tell people who looked down on her and had rejected her. She wanted to share the “Good News”. That was an act of grace. As a result, in Samaria, many came to believe in Christ as the Savior of the world. They heard the Word of Christ and believed. “many more believed because of his own word… Now we believe….for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John 4). [bctt tweet=”They were saved because they believed in HIM, the Giver of life, the Savior of the World.”]
WHY JESUS WAS WELCOMED IN GALILEE
Then Jesus leaves Samaria to return to Galilee where He will meet a nobleman. It is very important that once more, we read carefully as John’s inspired account sets the stage. “Jesus had said, “Prophets are honored everywhere, except in their own country.” Then two days later he left45 and went to Galilee. The people there welcomed him, because they had gone to the festival in Jerusalem and had seen everything he had done.46 While Jesus was in Galilee, he returned to the village of Cana, where he had turned the water into wine” (John 4 CEV). There is a very important thing to notice here. It is no mistake that Jesus had said that a prophet is honored everywhere except in their own country; yet, it says the people of his countryside in Galilee welcomed Him. This isn’t double talk when you look a little closer. They welcomed Him, not because of His Word or because they believed He was the Savior, the Messiah. They welcomed Him because of the miracles. They wanted the gifts. They wanted the miracles. It was not Jesus they adored or desired, they only wanted the gifts. Too often that is the case even today. People come to church or proclaim they believe in Jesus; when they only want the miracles He can perform. In those case, often, they ultimately leave disappointed and turn their backs on Him. They never recognize that He is the gift. He is the treasure that they seek.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD OR ONLY THE MIRACLES SEEN?
So, the scene is set. As Jesus comes into Cana where He had performed His first miracle of turning the water into wine, a nobleman comes. Most scholars would say that this was an official from Herod’s courtiers and hence another person that most would shun. Yet, he had come over 20 miles in search of Jesus because his son was very sick with fever and dying. He was in search of a miracle. He wanted Jesus to come back with him to Capernaum to save his son. What Jesus said next at first would seem odd or even harsh? “ Jesus told the official, “You won’t have faith unless you see miracles and wonders!” (John 4 CEV). Do you believe in Christ’s words or only what you see? In the midst of your darkest storms of life, do you still believe that God loves you, is in control of every detail, and that He is working everything together for your good? Do you? Or do you only believe in what you can see? “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Do you believe that Christ is the Savior?
A SAVING FAITH
The man was not deterred by Jesus’s response; instead, he believed that Jesus was the only hope for his son. 49 The man replied, “Lord, please come before my son dies!” 50 Jesus then said, “Your son will live. Go on home to him.” The man believed Jesus and started back home” (John 4 CEV). The man did not have to see the miracle to believe. He believed in Jesus. He believed in the words of Jesus and went home assured. When he neared home, his servants came running to him to tell him that his son was healed. He and his whole family were saved because they believed in the word of Jesus. This man was seeking the Giver of life. He received the gift because of His faith in the Giver.
CONCLUSION
So, which do you seek? The Giver or the gift? [bctt tweet=”If Jesus never gave you anything in return for your praise, would you praise Him anyway? “] Would you see Him as so worthy of praise that you would bow before Him? Do you not realize that He is the greatest treasure that you seek? Would you love and adore Him even if He took everything else away?
I urge you to close your eyes and listen to this song. Let it be a prayer of praise today in your heart. I Bow My Knee
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The artist that drew the picture “A Broken and Contrite Heart” featured on my header and who designed my logo is Ronald Barba. To obtain your own portrait, logo, or art design please contact Ronald Barba at the email below. If you can dream it, he can draw or design it for you. Do you want to surprise someone with an extraordinary special gift of a personal portrait? An idea for a book cover? Or a new logo? Feel free to email him at Ron@Barba-Art.com to discuss any art projects.
Original Photo used was downloaded from unsplash.com (public domain photos)
Contemporary English Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
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