Title : New Faith
Faith is not just thinking or believing God exists, Faith is about my life and our lives. I pray that all of us will be just like Apostle Paul, fore father of faith. We will be able to say we had run a good race, we have done well then God will say “Well done, my good servant.” Because in the end, no matter what you think, whether you believe it or not, there will be a judgement at the end. We will be standing there facing God.
In John 4:46-54, we can see the royal official’s faith. We can see the sudden change that took place when he came to Jesus, our Lord. When we come and contact in the Lord, it causes us to change, and causes our faith to change.
The royal official travelled about 30km from his house to Galilee with one single purpose. This one purpose was to heal his son. Jesus did not seem to care much about why he came. God might not recognize us all the time and all the efforts that we have spent. But let us believe and see. The problem has already been taken care of without knowing, as long as we come to meet Jesus.
Let’s look at 3 aspects of royal official’s faith. 3 aspects of old faith and 3 aspects of new faith and look how his faith changed.
- 3 Aspects of old faith
- He limited Jesus to his limited time
Our time is limited, he set time limit for Jesus to go before his child dies (John 4:49). Often time we limit the time and give God our time schedule. Often time we pray and say God I want it now. When we need it, we want it to happen right now. When God needs us, we may say I will do it later. We may limit Jesus’ time to our own time.
Like Martha and Mary, when Lazarus dies (John 11:21) they blamed Jesus saying if Jesus came earlier, he would not have died. To Jesus, time does not matter because Jesus is the Creator of time and space.
- Secondly, he limited Jesus to his own space
God is not limited by time or space. That is our God. When we pray to Him, let us be aware that God is in control of our time and even our space where we are, our situation.
- He requested Jesus what he wants and what he needs
Many times we seek and ask God as if God owes us something. We often forgot what God wants from us, when He wants from us and how He wants from us.
3 aspects of new faith
Interestingly even before making his request to Jesus, Jesus said this “Unless people see sign and wonder, simply not believe’ and later He said, “Go, son lives.” How great Jesus is! Even we do not have enough good faith, even though we are so limited to our own time, our own views, our own spaces, Jesus still gives us His answer. But when Jesus gives us according to our prayer, our faith must step up. There must be realization or repentance.
How did faith change? He requested from Jesus what he wants and what he needs. Jesus said, you all useless people only see sign and wonders and simply not believing. This sounds like a scolding word. But he heard that his action changed. John 4:50 said, Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and he started off. What Jesus said? After hearing that, he believed and started off.
- Faith became persisting
This is not far but not close either. Because they were walking. Coming all the way from Capernaum and going all the way back.
He has not received any answers. He could not check if Jesus refused to go with him. Being able to believe, when the Word comes to my heart I can believe it, not changing the whole world you are living in. So, he went back and had persisting faith.
(2) His faith was changed to evangelizing faith
John 4:53 said, So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed, and his whole household too.
He asked when, what time he was healed. When you believe, your whole household would believe. You might say it’s not happening right now. When my faith become new, when my faith become real, I believe that he himself will become a testimony and witness for the family to believe.
When we believe in God with faith like the royal official. What will happen?
- There will be miracles
- Testimony of our living God in your life
- Signs and His presence in your life
- New strength & power allows us to spring up
- There will be salvation for the whole household to believe
Conclusion:
In order for us to have new faith, what do we need to do?
We need to come before Jesus
We need to receive His words
We need to believe in His words
God said I will give you new hearts and new spirits. May we receive that new heart and new spirit. May we receive Jesus and His word in us. Amen.
We need to receive the new heart and receive Jesus when He is knocking at our doors. Even He is offensive, even He is not answering us. Let’s continue to believe.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 