Faith or Physical
Bradon: Jon, have you ever experienced a miracle?
Jon: That’s a tricky question, but I do have a great story to tell!
Bradon: Coming up on the Bible Story Podcast, Jon will tell us if the miracle impacted his faith or physical body more!
Jon: I guess I have a story to tell!
Discussion Episode
John 4
About the Story
Jon: Last week, we heard the story about the Samaritan Woman. What I like best about this story is that people from the village asked Jesus to stay, and he did.
Bradon: This was a big deal because the Samaritans were the Jews’ hated rivals. Jesus, who was a Jew, stayed for two extra days teaching the people there.
Jon: Jesus, always put people first. It didn’t matter their social position, the colour of their skin, their nationality, or their past mistakes. He always put people first!
Bradon: Last week and again this week, we see Jesus doing just that, putting people first, but there is a unique twist on it this week which leads, well into our lesson for today. Today’s lesson is a question is Jesus more concerned with your body or your faith?
Application
Jon: Jesus always puts people first. He was concerned with the official’s faith as much as he was concerned with the son’s physical well-being.
Bradon: But, Jesus actually spends more time talking about the official and his belief than he does about the son. It’s almost as if healing the boy was the easy part.
Jon: So there are a couple of perspectives here when we consider the question for today is Jesus more concerned with our faith or physical well-being?
Bradon: Jesus is most occupied with the official’s heart. I think we can assume the same about us that Jesus spends the most time on our hearts.
Jon: Second, I think he invites us to be more concerned with matters of the heart. It’s not to say that Jesus didn’t care about people’s physical needs. After all, he healed the boy.
Bradon: Right, Jesus puts people first that includes our faith and bodies.
Jon: But Bradon, the only we can have faith is by having a physical body that is alive and well. No body, no faith – right?
Bradon: Agreed, but we know that Christians will be given a new body in heaven. This body on earth is temporary, and we will be given a new body in heaven one day. We are not given a new faith. It’s the same.
Jon: But our faith does grow and will likely be made complete or continue growing in heaven! And since we must have a body to exercise our faith, the fact that God gives us a new body in heaven maybe causes us to believe that he is more concerned…
Bradon: So, in summary, the answer to the question is “YES”!
Jon: What that is ridiculous. What do you mean?
Bradon: Jesus is more concerned with your faith, and Jesus is more concerned with your physical well-being. It’s not an either or a competition. Remember Jesus puts people first. He is more concerned about our faith and physical well-being than we are.
Jon: I like that answer a lot.
