Bible Stories for Adults
Jesus Heals an Official's Son
John 4:43-54
Welcome and Announcements
Next Week - Jesus Gives Sight to a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-41)
Bible Words to Remember:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Opening Prayer
Jesus Begins His Ministry (John 1)
How did Jesus' ministry begin?
Luke 3:21-23
What was the first thing Jesus did after receiving the Spirit?
Luke 4:1-2
What happened when Jesus returned from the wilderness?
John 1:26-29, 35-36
How did these two disciples respond to what John said?
John 1:37-40
How did this begin Jesus' work with some who would later become His closest disciples?
John 1:41-45
Jesus' Early Ministry (John 2-4)
What happened during Jesus' first ministry trip to Galilee?
John 2:1-3, 11
How long did Jesus spend in Galilee during this first trip?
John 2:12-13
Did Jesus do any miracles while in Jerusalem?
John 2:23
Why did Jesus decide to go back to Galilee?
John 3:22; 4:1-3
What happened during Jesus' trip to Galilee?
John 4:4, 6-7, 28-29
What resulted from this encounter?
John 4:39-42
No Place to Call a Home (Luke 4:42-43)
Why didn't Jesus stay in Sychar longer than two days?
Luke 4:42-43
Did Jesus ever settle down in one place long enough to call it home?
Luke 9:58
No Place Like Home (John 4:43-44)
Why did Jesus pass by His hometown of Nazareth as He came into Galilee?
John 4:43-44
How was this shown when Jesus did later visit Nazareth during this tour?
Luke 4:16, 22, 28-30
Had anything like this happened to others called by God?
Jeremiah 1:1; 11:21
Genesis 37:19-20
1 Samuel 17:28
Acts 17:5
A Galilean Welcome (John 4:45-46)
What did Jesus warn about those who reject the message God sends to them?
Matthew 21:34-35, 40-41
Was it just Nazareth, or did people throughout Galilee reject Jesus?
John 4:45
Where did Jesus go first when he came into Galilee?
John 4:46a
How many other miracles had Jesus done in Galilee?
John 4:54
Had Jesus performed any other miracles elsewhere?
John 3:1-2
A Father's Love (John 4:46)
How does John begin this story?
John 4:46b
Who does tradition tell us this official was?
Luke 8:3
A Royal Official Begs (John 4:47)
What did this concerned father do when he heard that Jesus was in Cana, 20 miles away?
John 4:47
What example does David give us of the concern a parent has for a sick child?
2 Samuel 12:15-18
What warning does Jesus give us about the natural strong love a parent has for a child?
Matthew 10:37
What great Old Testament example do we have of a loving father with his priorities in order?
Genesis 22:2, 9-12
Miracles (John 4:48)
How did Jesus feel about His miracles being seen as results rather than as leading to faith?
John 4:48
Did Jesus do miracles to create faith in people?
Mark 5:25, 27-29, 34
Did faith need to be present before Jesus would do a miracle?
Mark 6:5-6
Were any miracles given to those who had no faith in Jesus?
Matthew 12:38-40
What about those who witnessed a miracle and still didn't believe?
John 15:24-25
Does this mean we should believe that any miraculous sign we see is from Christ?
Matthew 24:23-25
A Faith Displayed (John 4:49-50)
Was the official offended by Jesus' rebuke about needing to see signs?
John 4:49
Did Jesus recognize the faith that this official had?
John 4:50a
Would this man accept Jesus' word after a full day's journey and go back without Him?
John 4:50b
How does the definition of faith given in Hebrews fit this official?
Hebrews 11:1
Do we need to have this strong of a faith before God will use us in His service?
Judges 6:36-40
So if God can still use us despite weak faith, why should we desire to grow in faith?
Matthew 17:20
What happens to our faith as we persevere and serve Him?
2 Thessalonians 1:3
A Faith Strengthened (John 4:51-53)
How was the official's faith strengthened as he walked back home?
John 4:51
What more does the next verse tell us about the official's faith?
John 4:52
How long had it taken for Jesus' word to work?
John 4:53a
Faith of Our Fathers (John 4:53)
What impact did this have on the official's faith?
John 4:53b
Can the strong faith of a parent really impact the faith of a child or family?
Genesis 18:18-19
What responsibility do we have as parents?
Deuteronomy 4:9
Is it our fault if our children reject the faith we try to pass on?
Ezekiel 18:20
Who did Paul say was responsible for making faith grow?
1 Corinthians 3:5-7
Since God makes it grow, does He really need our help?
Matthew 9:37-38
So, are we to plant the seeds, water them, cultivate or harvest the crop?
1 Corinthians 3:8-9
Are some of these different kinds of service more Godly than others?
1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Strength in Crisis (Romans 8:28)
What verses can we remember to emulate the official's faith when we encounter crises?
Romans 8:28
Philippians 4:19
Matthew 7:7
Closing Prayer
From Our Daily Bread, RBC Ministries
Romans 8:28 - how easily and how often this Bible reference rolls off our tongues! But perhaps we need to grasp more fully what this verse is really saying.
Randy Alcorn, in a book he has co-authored with his wife Nanci offers some insights on Romans 8:28. He quotes the NASB translation: God causes all things to work together for good. Randy points out that it doesn't say each individual thing is good, but that God works them together for good.
Recalling his boyhood days, Randy tells how he often watched his mother bake cakes. One day when she had all the ingredients set out - flour, sugar, baking powder, raw egg, vanilla - he sneaked a taste of each one. Except for the sugar, they all tasted horrible. Then his mother stirred them together and put the batter in the oven. "It didn't make sense to me," he recalls, "That the combination of individually distasteful things produced such a tasty product."
Randy concludes that God likewise "takes all the undesirable stresses in our lives, mixes them together, puts them under the heat of crisis, and produces a perfect result."
Let's look beyond our immediate circumstances and remember that God has an ultimate good purpose.
Copyright © 1997 by Kurt Rosenhagen
Use of this material is provided free of charge for use in personal or group Bible Study, no permission needed.
The author reserves all rights for use in published material or in uses where fees are involved.
For permission, or to provide your comments, insights and feedback, contact the author at:
kurt@biblestoriesforadults.com