QT 11/6/2026 John 4:49–54, We are choosing a false hope

John 4:49–54 (ESV) —

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.

 

NOTE: Already enough is known about Jesus that requests for healing are coming in to him. In this case it is an official from Capernaum. Most of us can feel the pain in the official's request. His son is dying. He is at the end of his rope. He turns to Jesus. He is convinced that if Jesus would only come with him, his son would be healed. Instead, Jesus tells him to go, and his son will live. He takes Jesus at his word and later finds that it was at that moment that the son turned the corner and started to recover.

 

We need the real Jesus, nothing else will satisfy our souls.

 

We live in a world where the gospel has been distorted greatly. We have false teachers who quote the bible out of context and develop false conclusions about gender, sex, life, and right and wrong. Some of these men have even become our political leaders. This is a great evil that befalls our nation. We probably deserve worse because of our own sin. As Christians, we give lip service to discipleship, and then wonder why we are ineffective in bringing people to Christ. We are not serious about our relationship to God.

 

PONDER:

1. What are we living for, comfort or God?
2. Where do we see our salvation, in government or in God?

 

PRAYER: Father, I do not know when the end will come, but if it is soon, we are certainly following a script predicted almost two thousand years ago.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV) — Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV) — 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Jude 3–4 (ESV) — 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 24:10–13 (ESV) — 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV) — 1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

 

It is hard to read these verses and not see it happening today. O Lord, have mercy on us. Open our eyes to real truth found in your word.