Discomfort and Heat 

It was great being back with the congregation this past Sunday as we kicked off the season of Lent and began a new sermon series, All Signs Point To…

In case you missed services this past Sunday, we spent a little time comparing the Gospel of John with the synoptic (syn – same / optics – seeing) Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These Gospels see and tell the story of Jesus in relatively similar fashion. Whereas John’s Gospel, written the latest of the four, tells the story of Jesus in a much different manner. 

In particular, John’s Gospel records seven SIGNS of Jesus. And in John 20:30-31 the author breaks from his narration Jesus’ ministry to tell us listeners: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 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.”

John wrote his Gospel with a very specific agenda in mind, namely he uses SIGNS to help us best understand WHO Jesus is. 

The question is: Why? 

Well… simply put, as Christians we follow Jesus and therefore it makes at least a little sense that we should try to understand as much as possible about who Jesus is. 

Wait! Let me amend that statement: it makes sense that we should try to embody who Jesus was, is, and forever will be! 

The difference between these two statements may not seem like much, but the disparity is substantial. 

What I mean is this: last week we looked at the Sign of Wonder where Jesus turns water into Wine (John 2:1-11). And I suggested that with all the moving parts in that story—Mary, the servants, the Bridegroom and his family, the Master Steward, and the disciples—what that sign reveals is that Jesus is about redemption. He takes what was quickly becoming a hopeless moment and added life to it. 

This week, we look at the Sign of Wonder where Jesus heals the “royal official’s” son (John 4:43-54). In this story, not unlike that from John 2, there are many moving parts. And a number of angles by which we can look at the text. And like last week, I’ll suggest that there is at least one primary spiritual character trait this sign points us to. 

But I want to be very clear. That we don’t look at these signs in hopes of understanding Jesus mentally, intellectually what Jesus was capable of. For when we do, we often fall prey to the trap of believing faith is just about mental ascent, gaining knowledge about Jesus. Instead, what if the signs are meant to point us to what WE TOO can do through Christ because of who he was, is, and forever will be. That we can embody these very character traits of Jesus who gives us our power (to paraphrase Phil. 4:13). 

I invite you in preparation for church this Sunday to read John 4:53-56 and reflect on this question: What happened to the Royal Official? What was Jesus’ role? And how might we embody that same responsibility? 

Blessings & Peace,

Rev. Taylor