John Bible Study - Lesson 12

John Bible Study - Lesson 12   

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 4:43-54 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”

⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

John 4:43-54 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴³ At the end of the two days, Jesus went on to Galilee. ⁴⁴ He himself had said that a prophet is not honored in his own hometown. ⁴⁵ Yet the Galileans welcomed him, for they had been in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration and had seen everything he did there.

⁴⁶ As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. ⁴⁷ When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged Jesus to come to Capernaum to heal his son, who was about to die.

⁴⁸ Jesus asked, “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”

⁴⁹ The official pleaded, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”

⁵⁰ Then Jesus told him, “Go back home. Your son will live!” And the man believed what Jesus said and started home.

⁵¹ While the man was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well. ⁵² He asked them when the boy had begun to get better, and they replied, “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock his fever suddenly disappeared!” ⁵³ Then the father realized that that was the very time Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” And he and his entire household believed in Jesus. ⁵⁴ This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·    Jesus heads to Galilee and was welcomed by the Galileans even though Jesus Himself said a prophet is not honored in his own hometown.

·        The Galileans had seen the miracles and heard the teachings of Jesus in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration which led to them welcoming Him in there.

·        While traveling through Galilee Jesus went to the town of Cana where he encountered a royal official from Capernaum. 

·        The royal official heard that Jesus was nearby and came to Him because his son was very sick and he wanted Jesus to heal him. 

·        The official begs Jesus to heal His son.

·        Jesus tells the official his son will live and to go back home.

·        While on the way home the official’s servants meet him to tell him his son was alive and well and that the fever broke. The official realized the healing took place at the time Jesus told him his son would live.

·        The official and his household became believers. 

·        This was the second miraculous sign Jesus did in Galilee after coming from Judea.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Jesus has a purpose for everything he does.

·        Many people who saw and heard what Jesus had done desired to be in His presence.

·        Cana was the place of Jesus’ first miracle where He turned water into wine.

·        The royal official believed Jesus could heal his sick son, based on what he knew about Jesus’ power.

·        Jesus states that many people were more interested in His miraculous signs and healing power over the new life and good news that He offered.

·        The royal official was persistent in getting Jesus to heal his son.

·        We too should be persistent in our desire for Jesus to heal us.

·        The most important healing we can receive from Jesus is that of the spiritual nature because we are all sinners and separated from God.

·        The good news is that Jesus fulfilled His purpose, he died on the Cross to pay the price for our sin.

Romans 5:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

·        Jesus’ divine power is represented here. The boy was healed from a distance. Jesus just spoke words and healed the boy.

·        The official did exactly what Jesus told him to do. When we believe, we also desire to become obedient to Jesus.

·        Experiencing Jesus and His power changes lives.

 

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·          Come to Jesus with all your requests

·        Allow Jesus to heal you spiritually

·        Obedience to Jesus and God’s Word demonstrates love for Him and has great benefits to those who want to know God in an intimate way

1 John 5:3New International Version (NIV)

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

John 14:23 New International Version (NIV)

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to ponder:

·        Do you believe Jesus can heal you?

·        Will you believe in Jesus based on what He gives you, or the fact that He has the power to change your life?

Have a great week…………….Dave