The Power of Faith

Introduction

I want you to turn now to John chapter 4, please—John chapter 4—and we’re continuing our series, brand-new series, entitled “A Parade of Miracles.” Now John tells us that Jesus did many miracles, but they were not all written in the Gospel of John. But John tells us in John chapter 20, verses 30 and 31, that he selected certain miracles, and he put them together by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in a special sequence, “that [we] might believe that Jesus is the Christ…and that believing [we] might have life through his name.” (John 20:31) And the word for miracle in John is the word semeion, which means “a sign with a significance.”

These are not mere miracles. I hate to use the word mere when I use the word miracle because miracles are astounding things. But they are not mere miracles. They are miracles with a message, signs with a significance. There is a truth beyond just simply the miracle that Jesus did. Now I would not want you for one scintilla of a second to believe that I do not believe that these things actually, literally, physically happened. Jesus performed these miracles, and they are history. They happened. But beyond them there is a greater spiritual significance. They are selected to teach us a tremendous truth. For example, last week, when we saw Jesus turning water into wine, we learned a greater truth, a marvelous truth, of the transforming power of our wonderful, wonderful Savior.

Now today, we’re going to learn something of the power of faith. What kind of faith does it take to have our lives transformed? Today we are learning a lesson about faith. Let’s read it here from John chapter 4, and begin reading in John chapter 4, verse 46: “So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle”—the second sign with a significance—“that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.” (John 4:46–54)

   What a marvelous lesson on faith we have today: faith that can see the invisible, faith that can believe the incredible, faith that can receive the impossible—a marvelous, marvelous message on faith!

Doubt sees the obstacles; faith sees the way.

Doubt sees the darkest night; faith sees the day.

Doubt dreads to take a step; faith soars on high.

Doubt questions, “Who believes?” Faith answers, “I.” —AUTHOR UNKNOWN

And I just pray God that you’ll be one who says, “Yes, I believe,” because if you believe, you’ll have life. You see, Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) And John said, “These are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and believing that you might have life.” (John 20:31) Life follows faith like night follows day—life follows faith like night follows day. Now Jesus is come that you might have life, and there’s no life without faith. And so we have a marvelous message here, a wonderful lesson on the right kind of faith— on biblical faith.

Now this man had a problem. And it was a deep problem; it was a severe problem. His son was sick, nigh unto death, and he comes to Jesus. And he says, “Please come heal my son; he’s about to die.” And Jesus seems to remonstrate with him. Jesus seems to scold him, to chide him. And Jesus says, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” (John 4:48) Look at it in verse 48. It seems as though Jesus is scolding him, chiding him: “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” This man didn’t want to argue theology. He had a deep need. And so he seems to acquiesce to what Jesus says, or somehow, it just goes past him, but he says, “Lord, come down ere my child die!” And Jesus says, “Go your way; your son lives.” And the man believed him. (John 4:48–50) And as we’re going to see in a moment, the boy was healed.

Now this man had a need, but it was his need that brought him to Christ. He had a sorrow, but his sorrow was the deep, rich soil in which the flowers of faith could bloom and blossom. You see, God allows us to have trouble. God allows us to have sorrow. Indeed, God has planned it and ordained it. And in the Garden of Eden, after man sinned, and after sin cursed this world, God said to Adam and to Eve, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake”—“not for your punishment, Adam, but for your sake, Adam.” “Thorns…and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.” (Genesis 3:17–18) And that symbolized all of the sickness and all of the pain and all of the hurt and all of the misunderstanding and all of the agony and all of the pain that we go through in this world. We have it for our sake.

You see, this man was a nobleman. This man had it all, he thought, until he had a sorrow, until he had a problem, until he had a desperation, until he had something he absolutely could not handle. And what good was his nobility? What good was his wealth? What good was his prestige? What good was his power? His son was about to die. And which of us who has a son or daughter would not die for them? This man was crushed, broken, but it was his sorrow that brought him to Jesus. The worst thing that could happen to any nobleman, any man, any woman, any boy, any girl, would be to live in a world cursed by sin and never know trouble, because then we’d never feel our need of Jesus. And so the Lord allowed this problem, and this problem was the thing that brought this man to Jesus and helped him ultimately to find eternal life.

Now I want you to notice three steps of progression in this man as he progressed in his knowledge of Jesus and as he progressed on his pilgrimage of faith. I want you to see how he started, but I want you to see how he ended. First of all, he desired a wonder-worker. Secondly, he discovered a word-keeper. And thirdly, he delighted in a life-giver. Now you’ll understand why I’m using those topics in just a moment.

I. He Desired a Wonder-Worker

First of all, he desired a wonder-worker. Look in verse 48 again—we’ve already referred to it, but I’m going to refer to again—“Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” (John 4:48) Jesus knew all men, and Jesus knew this man. And Jesus knew that he was a modern, sensate man, a man who lives by the five senses. This was a man who said, “Show me and I’ll believe.” We’ve even sloganized it today to say what? “Seeing is believing.” That’s the way he lived. He was an intellectual, and so forth. He said, “Yeah, miracles may be possible. I don’t know. Show me one and I’ll believe.” “Seeing is believing.” He lived by what he could see, what he could smell, what he could touch, what he could feel, what he could hear. He was a man who lived in the realm of the five senses, and he demanded some kind of a miracle to confirm his faith. He was what I call a miracle monger. 

And Jesus had no real confidence in this kind of a man. As a matter of fact, go back to John the second chapter, if you will, and look at the concluding verses of John the second chapter and look in verse 23: “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.” (John 2:23) Jesus performed some miracles, and there was a big entourage, a big crowd now, that was following in His train. They said, “Yes, we believe.” They sound like they are saved, don’t they? They sound like they are Christians, don’t they? But wait a minute. Look in verse 24: “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” (John 2:24–25)

Jesus knew that these were surface believers. Jesus knew that these were those who were hungering after signs and wonders and miracles. But Jesus also knew that He could not depend upon this crowd. Later on, when Jesus fed the five thousand—and there were some who were following Him also because of that miracle—He turned around to this crowd and started to speak to them about eternal truths and verities, about feeding on Himself, about loving Himself, about trusting Himself, about depending upon His Word, and that crowd left Him like rats leaving a sinking ship. He even had to turn to His disciples and say, “Will ye also go away?” (John 6:67) He knew men. “He needed not that any should testify what was in man.” (John 2:25) And this man was of the same category. And Jesus looked at him and said, “Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” (John 4:48) This man desired a wonder-worker.

What’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with saying, “God, give me a sign; God, show me a wonder so I can believe”?

A. It Is Dishonoring to God to Desire a Wonder-Worker

Number one: It’s dishonoring to God. It is dishonoring to God because it says, “God, your Word is not enough.”

Suppose I said to my son: “David, I’m going to give you a present. For your birthday I have deposited five hundred dollars in your account in the bank.” And suppose he said, “Well, thank you, Dad. That’s really wonderful. Hey, Dad?” “Yes, Son.” “Ah, could you show me the deposit slip so I’ll know it’s so?” “Well, Son, I just said so.” “Yeah, I know, Dad. Could you give me some sort of a little token? Couldn’t you give me some sort of a little sign, something I can see?” “Well, Son, isn’t my word good enough?”

Do you see what we do when we’re asking for signs and miracles? We’re saying, in a sense, “Lord, that’s fine, but Lord, give me a sign. Give me something I can see because, Lord, I just can’t quite take you at your Word.” Look, if you will, in John chapter 20. Remember old Thomas was that guy who had that same kind of problem. In John chapter 20—let’s turn to it for a moment—look in verse 25: “The other disciples therefore said unto him”—that is, to Thomas—“We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) He was akin to this nobleman, I believe. And then look in verse 27: “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.” (John 20:27–28) I’m glad Thomas came along that far, but notice what Jesus said to him: “Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed:”—and now, ladies and gentlemen, He has a promise for you this morning; are you ready for it?—“blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) 

He was talking about Adrian Rogers right there. Did you know that? “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) He’s talking about you right there. Here’s a greater blessing for you than there was for Thomas—Thomas, who wanted a sign and a wonder; Thomas, who wanted something physical, sensate, that he could see, taste, touch, feel, hear. Many of us are that way. It’s dishonoring to God. Thomas missed a blessing that he should have had.

Go back to John chapter 4, and I want you to see the contrast here. And you know, so many times, if you read a story, you need to read the scripture that comes before that in order to get the whole sense. Look in John chapter 4, verse 39. Jesus was on His way up to Galilee, and He’d just come from Samaria. And in Samaria there had been a revival meeting, and the evangelist was Jesus Christ Himself, and He was preaching. It wasn’t a healing meeting. It wasn’t a tent meeting where people were getting healed. It was an evangelistic crusade based on the Word of God alone. Jesus was the evangelist. A Samaritan woman was the publicity committee. And look in verse 39: “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word;”—why did they believe on Jesus? Just simply because of what He said—“and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:39–42) What faith they had—not because of a miracle that was performed. Why did they say they believed on Him? Look in verse 41: “And many more believed because of his own word.” (John 4:41) How they honored him! What a revival meeting they had!

B. It Is Dangerous to Man to Desire a Wonder-Worker

I want to tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that these miracle mongers dishonored God: number one. But not only is it dishonoring to God; it is dangerous to man. “Oh,” you say, “you know, if God would just give me a sign, a wonder, a miracle, then I’d believe.” Friend, I want to tell you: that’s dangerous. And I’ll tell you why. The devil, also, is able to give signs, wonders, and miracles. Did you know that? If you don’t know it, you’d better learn it. Look in 2 Thessalonians the second chapter for a moment. We’ve dealt with this passage several times here lately, but we need to look at it. The Bible speaks of the coming man of sin, the Antichrist, and I want you to notice how the Bible describes him in 2 Thessalonians the second chapter and the ninth verse—2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 9: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9) Who? The Antichrist.

In the Book of the Revelation we read of the miracles that the false prophet was able to do to deceive the whole world. We read of evil spirits, which are the spirits of demons that go forth to work miracles. Oh no, my dear friend, if a miracle is all you have—if some vision, some ecstasy, some sign, some miraculous happening is all you have— you may very well be deceived. When you go home—you write this in your margin—you look up 2 Peter chapter 1 and begin in verse 16. And in 2 Peter chapter 1, Peter is telling about being on the Mountain of Transfiguration. He says, “We were there. Man, we saw Jesus. He was transfigured before our eyes.” And Peter goes on to say there— he says, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty. We saw it.” He says, “We heard a voice from heaven: ‘This is my beloved Son.’ ” (2 Peter 1:16–17)

No one here has had an experience like that, I don’t believe; I mean, to see Jesus Christ with your literal eyes—not only to see Him, but to see Him transfigured! Not only was He transfigured, but God spoke from heaven: “This is my Son!” That seems certain, doesn’t it? They heard a voice. But then, one of the most astounding things in all of the Bible, but Peter goes on to say in that chapter: “But we have…a more sure word of prophecy.” (2 Peter 1:19) “More sure than what I saw!” He didn’t say he wasn’t sure. He didn’t say he didn’t see it. He didn’t say it wasn’t from heaven. But he said, “More sure than what I saw and what I heard. I was an eyewitness, but we’ve got a more sure word of prophecy.” Hallelujah for the Word, amen? Hallelujah for the Word!

II. He Discovered a Word-Keeper

Here was a man who was a miracle monger. And what’s wrong with that? Number one:

It is dishonoring to God. Number two: It can be dangerous to man. It can be deceiving; it can be deceptive, for Satan himself is able to perform miracles. So just put it down first thing: He desired a wonder-worker, but he discovered a word-keeper. 

Now, let’s look at this story again. In verse 48, Jesus scolds him. “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” Verse 49: The man persists because he has a real need. He’s not all that interested in theology; he’s got a sick son. So “the nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.” (John 4:49–50)

Now, I want you to see one of the greatest transformations in all of the Bible. Don’t miss this. If you miss it, you are going to miss a great blessing. Look at it: “And the man believed the word”—just underscore that; do you see it?—“And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.” (John 4:50) Not a wonder, not a sign, not a miracle, not a vision, not an ecstasy, not angels playing ticktacktoe on his ribs, not cold chills running up and down his spine—“the man believed the word…and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday”—underscore the word yesterday—

“Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.” (John 4:51–53)

Now I want you to get the scene. I want you to picture it. Here’s this man imploring Jesus that He would come down and heal his son. Jesus is at Cana; his son is twenty miles away at Capernaum. He’s saying, “You come right now and heal my son.” Jesus says, “Go your way; your son lives”—that is, “He’s all right; he’s been healed. Go your way.” The man says, “You say it. Okay, I believe it.” And he went his way.

Where did he go? Did he go home? No! He could have gone home. I think I would have gone home; I think you would have gone home. I think most of us would have gone home. I’ll tell you, if I had left Steve or David or Gayle or Janice at my house about to die, and Jesus had said to me, “Your son lives,” “Your daughter lives,” I would have said, “Thank you,” and then I would have gone home to see. Wouldn’t you? Not this man. He stayed there twenty-four hours, at least, before he ever even started home. It was not that far of a distance. He was a nobleman. I doubt very seriously he was on foot. He could have been there in two hours by chariot; he could have been there in five hours by walking. But the entire day passes. I believe that he met Jesus at seven in the morning—it is the seventh hour. There is a little question here whether John is using Roman time or Hebrew time. I believe he’s using Roman time. Some Bibles say it was one o’clock in the afternoon. I believe it was seven in the morning. The Romans started counting at twelve midnight like we do. It makes no difference. The point is that twenty-four hours had rolled around. What was he doing there in Cana all that time? Shopping? Visiting a friend? Taking in the sights? I don’t know! You talk about faith. I mean, he is staying there on nothing but the sheer, naked Word of God—doesn’t even go back to check it out! I tell you, what a transformation there was in this man! Relying on the Word and then resting in the Word. It’s about time we started doing that.

And you see, why didn’t Jesus go? Here is a man who says, “Lord, come down. Do it! Come!” Jesus said, “I’m not coming; you go.” “Go thy way; thy son lives.” (John 4:50) Why didn’t Jesus go with him? You know, so many times, when Jesus would heal someone, he would come and lay His hands on the sick, and they would recover. Why didn’t He do that this time?

I think for my sake and for your sake because, you see, there are so many of us who think if only we have the physical presence of Jesus; then we can have the blessings of Jesus. And that’s the reason that some poor people are going around saying, “Oh, if I could only have lived back then.” Some of you are thinking that: “Oh, if I could only have lived when Jesus was here!” And so they are always looking back. And then there are other poor souls always looking forward: “Won’t it be wonderful when Jesus gets here, when He comes again?”

I tell you, ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got His Word today. And it is just as real and just as powerful as though He were here in His flesh speaking it to you—and just as powerful. And distance makes no difference—distance makes no difference. He is alive and He says, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) And don’t you let the idea that His glorified humanity is in heaven, somehow, shut you off from the blessing of His powerful Word, for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) And whether it be disease or death or distance, it makes no difference! “The man believed the word.” (John 4:50) And Jesus knew, one day, that’s all I’d have: just the Word. I couldn’t say, “Lord, you come to Grove Park Road where I live and do so-and-so.” Not in the physical presence, but I’ve got His Word. And Romans 10, verse 17 says, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

And so here was a man who desired a wonder-worker, but he found something better than a wonder-worker. He found a word-keeper. Jesus said, “Go thy way; thy son liveth.” (John 4:50) He went his way; his son did live, for Christ keeps His Word, and “all of the promises of God are yea and amen in the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) Oh, it’s time we learned that!—oh, it’s time we learned that!

We’re going talk in one of these services here soon about Jesus walking on the water; we preached about that not long ago. We’ll have a different message from a different perspective. But I want you to understand that Peter wasn’t really walking on the water; he was walking on the Word, for Jesus said, “Do it.” That’s what we have to do! We have to learn that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) 

III. He Delighted in a Life-Giver

All right, now the third thing I want you to see—Number one: He desired a wonderworker. Number two: He discovered a word-keeper. Number three: He delighted in a life-giver—in a life-giver. You see, Jesus didn’t come primarily to heal noblemen’s sons. Jesus didn’t come to turn water into wine. Jesus didn’t come to walk on water. Jesus didn’t come to feed five thousand. Jesus didn’t come to raise Lazarus from the dead. Why did He come? Luke 19:10: “The Son of man is”—what?—“come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) The apostle Paul said, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world”—to heal the sick. Is that what it says?—“to save sinners”—“to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15) 

You know, today, if we turned Bellevue Baptist Church into a healing crusade, some sort of a miracle-working show, there would be a lot of people who would come who would not ordinarily come. But they are not all that interested in seeing folks saved. They are just like this man; they want to see signs and wonders. “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” (John 4:48)

But, you see, Jesus did not come as a sign- and a wonder-worker. That’s not why He came. He came to save lost folks. The angels said, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall”—what?—“save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) It is not God’s will to heal everybody. These miracles were real miracles, and they were miracles of love and compassion. But they were there as a significance to something even greater. They were there with a message to show us beyond these. And if this is all you see, you’ve missed what John said! And you missed the reason for them! They are miracles with a message, signs with a significance! Jesus said, in John 10:10: “I’ve come that you might have life”—not existence. (John 10:10) You already have that. Life! You already have existence. Your soul will exist somewhere when the sun, the moon, the stars have grown cold. There will never be time when you won’t exist. There was a time when you were not; there never will be a time when you will not be. Jesus didn’t come that you might have existence. Some people who want to live forever don’t even know what to do on a rainy afternoon. He didn’t come that you have existence. He came that you might have life!

And why did John record these miracles? “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ…and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (John 20:31) Remember what I said, that life follows faith like night follows day? Now I want you to keep this in mind when I said, “He delighted in a life-giver.” Look, if you will, in this passage in verse 53: “So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth:”—now watch this—“and himself believed, and his whole house.” (John 4:53)

Now wait a minute. I thought he already believed. If I go back to verse 50, it says, “And the man believed the word.” (John 4:50) He did. That’s one level of faith. But now here’s the highest level, and here is where he needed to come to all the time. “And the man believed and his whole house.” (John 4:53) What does he believe now? He’s not believing now for healing; he’s believing for salvation. He is believing exactly as those

Samaritans believed up there earlier in this chapter when they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Look in verse 42: “And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:42)

That’s the belief that God wants for you! That you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world! And that’s what this man believed—first, he wanted a wonder-worker, and now he sees a word-keeper. And since he sees a word-keeper, now he can meet a life-giver. And he believes, and his house believes, and they are saved! And I confidently expect to meet this man in heaven. Wouldn’t it be a shame if his son got healed, and he went to hell? I mean, wouldn’t it be a shame if that’s all he got, and he died and went to hell? What difference would it make if his son lived fifteen, twenty years more, forty years more, a hundred years more, died and went to hell? See, what difference does it make? What difference does it make, friend, if you ride around in an air-conditioned car and eat vitamin-enriched food and wear fine clothing and sleep on a Beautyrest mattress and live in an air-conditioned house and are buried in a two thousand-dollar casket in a memorial park as pretty as a garden and rise to face the judgment of a God you do not know? What difference does it make? Jesus did not come as the great healer. He came as the Savior of the world to give us everlasting, eternal life! “Come that you might have life.” (John 10:10)

You know, you get an average prayer meeting in an average church. Prayer request, do you know what it is? “Pray for Aunt Suzie. She loves God so much, but she’s about to die.” “Pray for my uncle Joe: great Christian. I’m just afraid that Uncle Joe is going to die. Please pray for my uncle Joe.” And if my aunt Suzie gets sick, I want to pray for her. And if my uncle Joe gets sick, I’m going to pray for him. And I’m like you: I want to keep my loved ones as long as I can. And how many prayer meetings do we get in where we say, “Oh, pray for my neighbor; he’s lost and going to hell.”? “Pray for my daughter, pray for my father, pray for my mother. They are lost without Christ, without God, without hope. Pray for them!” We’re more interested in keeping the saints out of heaven than we are the lost out of hell. That’s right. We’re praying trying to keep the saints out of heaven. “Lord, don’t let them go to heaven!” And Jesus is, in John chapter 17, praying they will come to heaven. “Lord, I pray for them, whom thou hast given me, that they may be with me.” (John 17:24) It’s not a tragedy to die and go to heaven; it’s a tragedy to die and go to hell. Amen? That’s the tragedy. 

And here was a man who moved now beyond just simply a wonder-worker and even a word-keeper to a life-giver. He believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God! And believing, he received life! That’s what it’s all about. And he believed just the Word—the Word. That’s the way to be saved: Take God at His Word.

I had a young lady — a beautiful young lady, she may be here this morning — come to my office this past week. She said to me: “Pastor, you talk about the fact of salvation. And you say that you know that you know that you are saved.” She said, “I don’t know that I’m saved. I’m a church member, but I don’t know that I’m saved.” I took the Word of God and went through it very carefully with her. And I said, “Now, young lady, if you will receive Christ and trust Him to save you by faith — not looking for a feeling — you can know that you are saved.” She said, “That’s been my trouble. I’ve been looking for some other confirmation; I’ve been looking for some other feeling. I need to just take Him at His Word.” We got on our knees and prayed. And she prayed after me, received Christ as her personal Savior, got up off her knees, and she had a smile as wide as my office. She had all the feeling she wanted because she stopped looking for it. And she just simply took God at His Word and believed God and went out there with the sweet assurance of her salvation — believing God, taking God at His Word.

I was in the hospital visiting, and I went to see a lady. And I was ministering to her, and I prayed for her—and sometimes my wife says to me, “Adrian, if you don’t want anybody to hear you, don’t try to whisper, because you can’t whisper.” She says, “They hear you twenty miles away”—and I thought I was not talking loudly. I was praying for this lady. When I finished, across the corridor in the hospital, I heard a feeble and a pleading voice say, “Come see me too.” I thought maybe it was someone calling for a nurse, and I didn’t pay attention. And after a while, the voice got louder and said, “Come see me too!” And I said, “Were you talking to me?” “Yes. Come see me too.”

So I left that room, and I went over to the other hospital room. And there in that hospital room was a pitiful sight — a lady with her gray hair spread out on the pillow, her eyes sunken back in her head, her brow knitted with pain and worry. The smell of death was in that room. She said, “Please, pray for me.” I said, “Lady, are you a Christian?” “No, sir.” I said, “Well, let me share the Word of God with you.” I took God’s Word, and I explained to her how to be saved and how to trust in Christ. “Now,” I said, “would you pray this prayer after me?” And she said, “All right.” And I prayed, “Dear God,” and she said, “Dear God.” “I’m a sinner.” “I’m a sinner.” “I’m lost.” “I’m lost.” “I need to be saved.” “I need to be saved.” “I want to be saved.” “I want to be saved.” “I trust you, Jesus.” “I trust you, Jesus.” “Come into my heart.” “Come into my heart.” “Save me, Jesus.” “Save me, Jesus.” We went through it.

When I looked up at her after we prayed, that same look was there. That same pain was there. That same utter despair was there! And she said, “But I don’t see how just saying that can do any good.” And I said, “Lady, you are absolutely correct. Just saying that can’t do one ounce of good.” But I said, “If you’ll trust Jesus, if you’ll mean it, He will save you.” I said, “Now this time, let’s do it again. But don’t just say it; pray it. Out of your heart, call on Him by faith! Dear God.” “Dear God,” she said. “I’m a sinner.” “I’m a sinner.” “Lord, I trust you.” She said, “Lord, I really trust you to save me.” We said, “Amen.” I looked at her face; it was shining like the noonday sun. Jesus was in that room. A few days later she died. I expect to meet her in heaven.

Conclusion

The Word of God: not a feeling, not an ecstasy, not a sign, not a vision, but a gentleman named Jesus who will not lie, who said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) Amen?

There was a charming young lady: beautiful, talented, the life of the party in London. She was a pianist, a composer, a singer. She had everybody charmed that night because of her beauty, her grace, and her talent. She was playing and singing at the piano. But there was a minister there that night whose name was César Malan. And César Malan approached this young lady whose name was Charlotte Elliot. And he said to her: “My dear, you are graceful and charming and beautiful. But God has impressed me to tell you tonight that without Jesus Christ you are as lost as the worst harlot in London.” She took offense. He said, “Now, don’t take offense.” He said, “I’m not trying to insult you. I’m trying to tell you, Charlotte Elliot, that you need Jesus Christ. You need to be saved.”

She left that glittering party, went up to her room, and tried to sleep. Ten, eleven, twelve, one, two in the morning — no sleep. At two in the morning, she arose and wrote for the first time words that many of us have said many times since that time:

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come. — CHARLOTTE ELLIOT

And Charlotte Elliot was born again. And what she wrote that night is what we are going to sing in just a moment. “Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, O Lamb of God, I come to thee.” I come because He bids me come.

That’s what I want you to do today. I want you to give your heart to Jesus Christ, and step out on the Word of God and believe that Jesus Christ said what He meant and meant what He said. Trust Him and “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31)