Welcome to the Reformed University Fellowship at UNCW Podcast! Each week, we will post the messages from our RUF Large Group meetings at UNCW. This year, we're examining the Gospel of John to learn about the words and work of Jesus.

This week, in the “second sign” of John’s gospel we see a real-life illustration of what it means to believe in Jesus and receive life in his name (John 20:31). The royal official in our passage takes Jesus at his word, and in doing so, gets way more than he could have imagined– not just temporary healing, but regeneration and redemption for his entire household. In this brief case study on saving faith, we see that the life-bringing trust that takes hold of Jesus, is produced when Jesus grabs hold of us. 

Further Reading:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/doctrine-saving-faith

https://jdgreear.com/why-doesnt-god-answer-all-our-prayers-for-healing/

Quotes:

“Saving faith is a conviction wrought by the Holy Spirit regarding the truth of the gospel and a trust in the promises of God in Christ” -Louis Berkhof 

"I contend that in all these miracles alike the incarnate God does suddenly and locally something that God has done or will do in general. Each miracle writes for us in small letters something that God has already written, or will write, in letters almost too large to be noticed, across the whole canvas of Nature. They focus at a particular point either God's actual, or His future, operations on the universe ... Not one of them is isolated or anomalous: each carries the signature of the God whom we know through conscience and from Nature. Their authenticity is attested by the style." C.S. Lewis, Miracles

“It is ever the Holy Spirit’s work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus. But Satan’s work is just the opposite of this. Satan’s constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. We shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self. He tells us we are nothing, but Christ is all in all. Therefore remember, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you, it is Christ. It is not your joy in Christ that saves you, it is Christ. It is not even faith in Christ, as if that’s the thing you’re doing. It is Christ’s blood and merit. Therefore look not so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ, look to Christ. Look not so much to your hope, but to Jesus the source of your hope. Look not so much to your faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings. It is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we were to once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by looking unto Jesus.”- John Calvin