Desperate times call for desperate measures.
On April 26, 2003 Aron Ralston set out on a solo hike through Blue John Canyon, in Utah, near the Canyonlands National Park. While he was descending a narrow canyon, a boulder shifted while he was climbing down from it. The 800 pound rock smashed his left hand, and then crushed his right hand against the canyon wall. Ralston had not informed anyone of his hiking plans, so no one would have been searching for him.
Assuming that he would die without intervention, he spent five days slowly sipping his small amount of remaining water, approximately 12 ounces and slowly eating his small amount of food, two burritos, while trying to free his arm. After three days of trying to lift and break the boulder, the dehydrated and delirious Ralston decided to amputate his trapped right arm at a point on the mid-forearm, in order to escape.
He lost his arm but saved his life.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
This morning we will meet in John 4:46-54 a desperate man. His desperate circumstances drove him to action and the action he took brought life to him and his family.
Signs: So You May Believe
“Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures”
John 4:46-54
- Introduction
- Desperate times call for desperate measures.’
- On April 26, 2003 Aron Ralston set out on a solo hike through Blue John Canyon, in Utah, near the Canyonlands National Park. While he was descending a narrow canyon, a boulder shifted while he was climbing down from it. The 800 pound rock smashed his left hand, and then crushed his right hand against the canyon wall. [7] Ralston had not informed anyone of his hiking plans, so no one would have been searching for him.
- Assuming that he would die without intervention, he spent five days slowly sipping his small amount of remaining water, approximately 12 ounces and slowly eating his small amount of food, two burritos, while trying to free his arm. After three days of trying to lift and break the boulder, the dehydrated and delirious Ralston decided to amputate his trapped right arm at a point on the mid-forearm, in order to escape.
- He lost his arm but saved his life.
- Desperate times call for desperate measures.
- This morning we will meet a desperate man. It drove him to action and that action brought life to him and his family.
- Please turn in your Bibles to John 4:46-54.
So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, (BL)“Unless you[c] see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down (BM)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[d] 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[e] 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, (BN)and all his household. 54 (BO)This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
- Transition: Desperate times call for desperate measures. The first thing that I want you to see is that, if we are in a desperate situation, we need to show some initiative. The official in our story shows some strategic initiative and it makes all the difference in the world.
- Strategic initiative
- The official is needy
When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
- He showed initiative because he was needy!
- His son was at the point of death.
- Robert Deffinbaugh and his wife lost their first child to Sudden Death Syndrome when that child was three and a half years old. So he said when their second child became mysteriously ill, he snatched that baby up and raced to the hospital. He paid little to no attention to protocol, niceties, or speed limits. He was desperate.
- Surely this father was desperate. He lays aside thoughts of comfort, schedule, and protocol. He makes the trek over the mountains from his seaside villa to the small village of Cana in Galilee.
- Desperate times call for desperate measures.
- The opportunity is near
When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him . . . .
- What made his initiative strategic is that he seized the opportunity while it was near.
- Jesus is near. Who knows for how long! Seize the opportunity.
- The scripture makes it clear that opportunities come and they go.
- In Mark 10 blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing his way. He began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The people tried to quiet him. He would have none of it! He seized the opportunity.
- “Jesus said, ‘No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.’” (Luke 9:62 MSG)
- 5:16 says, “Make the most of every opportunity.”
- Nell felt a little sick on the trip. We had planned to go dog sledding with the grandkids. The day of our trip came and she was wavering. I encouraged her with this thought: “When will we ever be here again? Do it!”
- If I could have been there with that Father, I would have said, “When will this opportunity ever come again? Jesus is near. You are needy. Show some initiative! Be strategic. Seize this moment.”
- Now, I could say that same to every person here today!
- Transition: Desperate times call for desperate measures so show some initiative. Secondly, follow simple instructions. Look again at John 4, now verse 50.
- Simple instructions
- The puzzling requirement
Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
- In this verse we see a puzzling requirement: “Go.” That is puzzling because it is the opposite of what the father requested. In verse 47 we read, “When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.”
- The man said, “Come.” Jesus said, “Go.”
- The proper response
Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
- Significant impact
- In his heart
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.
- In his home
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