Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. If you could witness any miracle in the Bible, which one would it be? What do you think would be different for you afterwards? Would anything be different?
2. Read John 4:43-54. What questions do you have?
3. Read John 4:43-45. Why does Jesus say He has no honor in His hometown, while John tells us that the fellow Galileans welcomed Jesus? What kind of honor was Jesus looking for? Read John 2:23-25 for help.
4. Read John 20:29. Why does Jesus say this to Thomas after supplying him the evidence he asked for? See John 20:30-31. 
5. What (limited) role do signs/evidence play in helping convince someone to trust in Jesus? What else is needed? See John 3:1-8.

Imagine that tomorrow morning, as you wake up, an angel is sitting at the edge of your bed. He is here to let you know that you are the lucky winner of a raffle in heaven, and are given the opportunity to witness any one miracle recorded in the Bible, for the day, and then will be returned safely to your bed.

Which miracle would you choose? Parting the Red Sea would be incredible; Jesus walking on water and calming the storm, a high contender; or maybe Elijah summoning fire from heaven? Or, here on this Easter Sunday, what would it be like to be an eyewitness to the resurrection?

Let’s say you are whisked off, witness the miracle, and are returned to the corner of your bed.

What would be different? Let’s say a month goes by…a year goes by…a decade. What would be different about you? Would anything be different?

After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. 46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. - John 4:43-54

Signs

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. - John 4:46

Jesus has returned to the place where He performed His first miracle, the water transformed to wine. We read of that in chapter two, and there John specifically tells us it is Jesus’ first sign (John 2:11). Here, in John 4, Jesus returns to Cana, performs another miracle, and then we are told it is Jesus’ “second sign” (John 4:54). Nowhere else in the book are the signs of Jesus numbered, so it seems like John is placing bookends around chapter two and four, which invites us as readers to read across chapters two, three, and four as a distinct unit, a book within a book (so to speak).

What is similar?

Well, in both stories Jesus is in Cana and performs a miracle, a “sign” as John calls it, and in both the sign results in more people believing in Jesus, and both signs are numbered: (”first..second”).

In both of these stories of “signs” we see echoes of the greatest of all of the signs and wonders Jesus performs—the resurrection.

In chapter four, we have a story of dying son, raised to life by the power of God: “Your son will live.” Which, by itself, may seem like a stretch to be considered an echo of the resurrection, but when we read this story in connection with the wedding at Cana, the case gets stronger. Turn with me to chapter two.

The wedding at Cana, the water to wine miracle, is a sign pointing to the glory and joy that the resurrection will bring. Wine is a symbol often used by prophets to describe the age of the resurrection. We already looked at this before, but significantly we are told that the wedding at Cana took place on “the third day” (John 2:1). In the gospels, you cannot read “On the third day,” and not at least be thinking about the resurrection.

And this echo of resurrection is strengthened by the story that immediately follows the wedding at Cana: Jesus cleansing the temple (John 2:13-17). Thunderstruck, the Jews ask Jesus for a “sign” from Him to legitimize His authority to perform such an audacious act. Jesus replies in “three days” after the temple of His body is destroyed, He will “raise it up” (John 2:18-21).

Do you see the literary and artistic skill John has employed in his gospel? Here’s the cash payout of paying attention: as we read this story of the healing of a son near death, John is subtly inviting us to consider not only this sign, but the greatest sign of all: the resurrection of the Son of God from death.

But not only that, John is inviting us to consider the purpose of signs themselves. So much of these three chapters particularly, and the book generally, is devoted to reflecting on what produces belief in people. How do you believe?

Evidence

“Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” - John 4:48

Why did Jesus perform signs? The popular skeptic, Carl Sagan, popularized the slogan: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” You can quibble with that some (especially how you define the term ‘extraordinary’), but there is a kind of self-evident truth to it. If I told you that I had an elixir that would make you look like you were 25 years old, for the rest of your life, and it could be yours…for the right price. What would you say? You’d want some evidence.

Jesus has come to make a far more extraordinary claim: He is the divine Son of God, come in the flesh as the Messiah to establish the kingdom of God on earth, as it is in heaven.

To authenticate these claims, Jesus provides the miraculous signs as evidence. He heals the sick, cures the blind, feeds the hungry, and raises the dead.

Jesus invites those who are still uncertain about His claims to consider his miraculous works:

For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. - John 5:36 (cf. John 10:25, 38)

Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. - John 14:11

And, of course, the greatest miracle, the greatest sign that Jesus offers as evidence of His claim is His resurrection. At the conclusion of John’s gospel, the resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas is missing. When Thomas returns, the other disciples tell him what happened:

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” - John 20:25

Sometimes, skeptics of Christianity will claim that the disciples just wanted to believe that Jesus came back to life. Plus, they were ancient, primitive people; naive, unscientific, gullible. The poor chaps couldn’t accept that their Messiah had been killed, so they dreamed up a myth that eventually ossified into fact.

That’s a convenient narrative to spin; it let’s you feel smug and intelligent, while sparing you from doing any work that requires the intellect; arguing against the people of history is nice because they can’t argue back. But when you actually consider the details of the accounts, you’ll find problems with this view. I’ll list only three:

First, none of the disciples were expecting Jesus to resurrect. Why? They buried him. John’s gospel tells us that after the death of Jesus, His followers anoint him the 75 pounds of burial spices and aloes before wrapping him in a linen shroud (John 19:39-40) to mitigate against the stench of decomposition. That would have been astronomically expensive, and only would have made sense to do if they assumed that Jesus would be remaining dead. Thomas’ account here shows us that ancient people knew that dead people did not rise. Notice: he says that it is only when he can see the specific death wounds of Jesus, only then will he believe. Why? Thomas is saying: Maybe you saw someone else who looked like Jesus. Maybe you hallucinated and saw a vision of Jesus. But until I can confirm that this was in fact in the same man who died on the cross and can physically touch him (prove He isn’t a phantom), I will never believe.

Second, if the disciples were fabricating events, then why would they make themselves look so cowardly and dumb in the gospels? Why would Peter tell others about his three-time denial of Jesus? Even more seriously, if the gospels are fabrications, if the resurrection was a myth dreamed up, wish fulfillment, then why do all four gospels record women being the first witnesses to the resurrection when women’s testimony in that day was not admissible in court? It was a thoroughly sexist culture that viewed women as being too naive, too gullible, not rational enough to give reliable eyewitness testimony. Look, you can see a glimmer of that in Luke’s account: "Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them,” (Luke 24:10-11). If you were trying to craft a narrative to gain as much traction in that world, you would not choose the original witnesses to the resurrection to be women—it would make the account harder to be accepted in that culture. The only reason you would include that in the narrative? If it actually happened. And if the authors didn’t feel free to alter a detail as small as that, then they obviously would not have felt free to fabricate larger details, like the resurrection itself.

Third, In John’s gospel, immediately before the resurrected Jesus first appears to the disciples, we are told that they are cowering in fear: “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19). One of the stubborn facts of history that must be accounted for was how the disciples went from fleeing from Jesus in the garden, denying him, betraying him, hiding in locked rooms…to becoming so bold, so zealous, so certain in Christ that they preach the gospel until they are all martyred for it. How can you account for that apart from the disciples sincerely believing that Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God, the Christ, who had resurrected from the dead?

Faith in Jesus is not confidence in the absence of evidence. Jesus is happy to provide evidence, which is precisely what He does with Thomas:

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” - John 20:26-27

28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” - John 20:28-29

That’s an interesting response from Jesus. He honors Thomas’ request for evidence, then seems to (almost) chide him for it through promising a special blessing on those who are able to believe even without the same degree of evidence that Thomas was looking for. Why does He say that? I think the answer is found in what John says immediately afterwards:

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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. - John 20:30-31

John has recorded the signs of Jesus that he has—especially the resurrection—as evidence for the claims of Jesus being the Son of God, so that you might believe in Him and have life in his name. I think John writes this right after Jesus pronounces the blessing on those who believe apart from sight because that is the situation for all of us who are reading the gospel. We are somewhat like Thomas before Jesus appears to him.

We are reading John’s gospel, being invited to listen to the account of another, to hear their testimony, to evaluate the evidence that is given, and respond with either belief or disbelief. When Jesus says there is a blessing reserved for those who have not seen yet believed, this doesn’t deny the role of evidence*.* John’s gospel is evidence. **We have the evidence of eyewitness testimony…it just isn’t ours. It isn’t the same degree of evidence that Thomas received (firsthand), but it comes with greater blessing.

The Word

Let’s return back to our story in John 4. After Jesus returns to Cana, a man from a nearby city hears that Jesus is in town, and “he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe,” (John 4:47-48).

Why does Jesus say that? You cannot see this in English, but the two “you’s” in this verse are plural: “Unless you all see signs and wonders you all will not believe.” Jesus isn’t speaking so much to this man in particular, he is describing a kind of person. But, is this a positive statement or a criticism? Look back up a few verses:

“After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast,” (John 4:43-45)

Jesus grew up in Galilee, and He shares a proverb: a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. Because they had seen Jesus grow up there, the Galileans struggle to believe Jesus. But, that doesn’t seem to line up with what John just said in vs. 45: “So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.” That sounds like they are honoring him, doesn’t it? Well, what happened at the feast? Let’s read:

23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. - John 2:23-25

Ah, let’s see if this makes more sense. Jesus performs numerous signs at the Feast. Many of his fellow countrymen, people He grew up with are there. They are impressed by the signs. They “believe in his name” in some sense. But they do not truly believe. There is something “in man” in the heart of man, that is untouched by the raw display of a miracle—man may be impressed, interested, drawn in…yet, Jesus is no street magician. He isn’t just drawing a crowd with spectacles. He is performing “signs.” What is a sign for? For pointing beyond itself to a greater thing. The crowds—including Jesus’ fellow Galileans—are impressed with the sign, but failing to look at what the sign points to: Jesus’ identity as the Son of God and the greater work He has come to provide through His death and resurrection. Thus, Jesus is not given the honor He is due in His hometown, even as they welcome Him as a powerful miracle worker.

You see, the issue is not merely whether or not you observe the miracle, it isn’t merely whether you have enough evidence—there is a deeper question you must deal with: what is in man.

There are times, the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once noted, when reasons run out, when our “spade is turned on bedrock.” “If I have exhausted the justifications, I have reached bedrock and my spade is turned. Then I am inclined to say: 'This is simply what I do.” (Philosophical Investigations)

When that happens, evidence for or against our beliefs seems beside the point. All that is left, he suggests, is the deed. Meaning, there is something fundamental in us that evidence is impervious to—bedrock the bends the shovel of argument.

This is why sometimes, Jesus is happy to perform miracles to secure belief, and other times He is resistant and cagey:

In Matthew’s gospel we read: “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39 But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign,” (Matt 12:38-39).

My kids love Bill Watterson’s comic strip, Calvin and Hobbes, so much that if you spend any time around them they will start reciting them to you. Yesterday, in the car, Jack, my oldest, started reading this one out loud:

Calvin, holding a water balloon, staring up at the sky:

“In order to determine if there is any universal moral law beyond human convention, I have devised the following test…I will throw this water balloon at Susie Derkins unless I receive some sign within the next 30 seconds that this is wrong…It is in the universe’s power to stop me. I’ll accept any remarkably physical happenstance as a sign that I shouldn’t do this…Ready?…Go!”

An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign..

The 30 seconds pass, nothing happens, and Calvin celebrates: That proves it! There is no moral law! And he runs over to poor, unassuming Susie Derkins, and drenches her with a water balloon. The next frame, however, shows Calvin running for his life, screaming for help as Susie charges him down. The final frame shows Calvin, bruised and battered from the beating Susie gave him: “Why does the universe always give you the sign after you do it?”

Calvin got his sign alright, just not how he expected it.

Our request for signs and evidence aren’t wrong. But evidence and signs aren’t sufficient. What is decisive in crossing over to real belief is the kind of person we are. It is what we bring with us into our request for evidence. Many people witnessed the signs of Jesus, yet did not believe. Matthew tells us that after the resurrection, some still doubt (Matt 28:17).

I personally have known several agnostics and skeptics who have had supernatural experiences, some of a kind and caliber I have never experienced—out of body experiences, demonic manifestations appearing bodily before them, visions of angels—and while it has kept them from not closing the door entirely on God, it did not turn any of them into Christians. Why?

Because, in the Bible “faith” isn’t a mental belief in the realm of the supernatural. No, faith in the Bible is personal, it is you trusting in Jesus Christ with all your life.

Like, this father.

The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. - John 4:49-50

Jesus lowers His graze from criticizing the kind of person who is enamored with the sign but fails to see the reality, and here is a desperate father fearful for his son’s life.

He already believes that Jesus has the power to heal his son. But Jesus reply is a test of faith. Go; your son will live. No physical proximity needed, no special enchantment, no ritual. Jesus offers this desperate father only words. Your son will live.

And the Father, believes.

He has not seen any evidence to prove that Jesus can do this. He has seen some evidence. Yet, he hears Jesus’ words, and miraculously, responds in faith. Inexplicably, believes.

So too must we.

Over and over and over and over again, the Gospel of John shows us that faith, real faith, the cracking open of that stony heart, the yielding is something that God does to us. God can break open your stony heart. God can cut through the recalcitrance.

He can overcome your doubt. He can blast away your skepticism. He can make you believe in a way that doesn't make sense.

What are you being invited to believe?

This.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God who has come down and is now your only hope. You and I, by our sin, are under the sentence of death. Left to ourselves, we cannot solve the problem.

We are like the Father, and we're like the Son, at the point of death. And the only thing that will save us is the Word of God. His powerful Word to heal and to bring life and to bring redemption.

You now are being invited to believe. The Son of God has come to save you, to redeem you, and to atone for your sins, and I am begging you, consider the evidence and yield.

Believe. Don't disbelieve, but believe.