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Honoring Christ

Honoring Christ
Words of Faith 10-4-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 4
[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 Feast, 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 miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
[49] The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."
[50] Jesus replied, "You may go. 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, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."
[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 all his household believed.
[54] This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

There was a stark contrast when Jesus traveled from Samaria back into His own country of Galilee. The Samaritan mission had been a wonderful delight. What started as a conversation at a well had turned into a full-scale revival. The people had gathered to hear Jesus and repent of their sins.
John records that it was “because of His words that many became believers” [41]. Not a single miracle was recorded in Samaria. As Jesus moved back into his home territory of Galilee John notes that Jesus had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country. What is the point?
Perhaps John was making it clear that even with the warm reception Jesus received in Galilee, He still was not really honored there. The Galileans were looking for miracles, signs and wonders. They had heard about the clearing the temple at the Passover feast (2:13-22) and His miracles (2:23). They probably thought there would be a more spectacular ministry. They showed enthusiasm for Jesus as a healer but this did not mean they had faith in Him.
In Samaria, they had called Him “Savior” based only on His words of truth and the conviction of the Spirit. It seems that Jesus was looking for faith among the people that was not grounded just in miraculous signs but in the truth of God.
When approached by the royal official Jesus gave a startling response. "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe." The rebuff was plural. It was not pointed at the official or intended to deny him an act of mercy. It was to express Jesus’ disdain for the gawkers who had gathered around to see the latest miracle amid misery. Jesus had compassion on the man and his child was healed but there was definitely a tension with the people.
There are a lot of ways that we gawk. We gawk when we come seeking miracles and healing rather than Jesus. We also gawk when we demand an emotional altar call so that we can watch other people repent. What really honors Jesus is when we hear His Word of truth personally and repent or respond to that truth.
As we think about our own response to Jesus we might ask a few questions. Do we gather to hear the truth or see a miracle? Do we come to trust and obey or to see the latest emotional stirring? Is Jesus truly honored in my life? Am I coming to Jesus to receive life or to gawk at a spectacle? Do I really listen to the truth of Jesus and His Word and respond in faith?

Lord I want to know You. Forgive me my curiosity for the spectacular. I just want to hear You speak truth into my life so that I may respond. I want to trust and obey. I want to honor You. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.