John
5:1-15 NKJV After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus
went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there was a pool, which is called in Hebrews,
Bethesda, having porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people,
blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel
went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then
whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of
whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw
him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long
time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me
into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another
steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9
And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured.
“It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered
them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’
12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you,
‘Take up your bed and walk?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it
was, for Jesus had withdraw, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward
Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See you have been made well.
Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” 15 The man departed and told
the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Where is our heart and our eyes focused on? Do we think along the lines of opening a bottle? According to some pastors, some say it takes awhile for many to get their healing, yet I have never found that when looking over the pages of healing. Faith was there each time to receive from the Lord. He did not lay hands o the man but Jesus saw the helpless man. Jesus did not extend a hand but only spoke: "Get up! Pick up your bed and walk!"
Change your
position from where you stand, lay or even reside. Sometimes one has to change
the position. As changing from the belief of a parent to Jesus. Changing a
habit that is of heaven and not of an unbeliever: Take these pills and see a
therapist and you will be fine. Hopefully a Christian is not doing this thing:
taking prescribed pills, seeing a therapist because they are “mental” and be
happy!
This man
lived a life of pain and injury. Every time he tried to reach the active pool,
many more filed in before him. Each time he experienced defeat. Yet Jesus came
for us each individually. Each has to make conversation with him and certainly
one called the “blame game”. If we fail are we blaming someone else about it.
Except for the duration of this man’s illness: the emphasis
is on the supernatural cure, of its consequences and its testimony of Christ’s
life giving power to each of us. Jesus
withdrew from the crowd not to draw attention to Himself. Those in charge of
the spiritual welfare of the nation were more interested only in what they considered as a “breach in the law” and
were not moved by the healing of this older man. But people matter to Christ!
Scandal
appeared at the pool of Bethesda as those against Him would desire the healed
man not to speak. In that condition and not enjoying life, this man was outside
of life and living. He looked for others to help when the water stirred, but
when Jesus was there, He came to him to speak something.
Only the lame in the body came
to this place. In reading on in the same chapter and down to verse 16 Amplified
reads this: For this reason the Jews began to persecute (annoy, torment) Jesus and sought to kill Him,
because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. Seems they resisted healings on the Sabbath and certainly not to remove
a mat from the pool.
Reading on in verse 30 I am
able to do nothing from Myself [independently, of my own accord----but only as
I am taught by God and as I get His orders]. Even as I hear, I judge [I decide
as I am bidden to decide . As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision], and
my judgment is right (just, righteous), because I do not seek or consult My own
will [ I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My own aim, My own
purpose] but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me.
That stirring of the water was
doing more than just healing some people. It disturbed those who saw a man
healed on a day that they regarded as religious. Man certainly wanted to change
what God had given in the beginning. At some point, anything given by God
would ultimately be brought back to being twisted by man and the good like
Jesus did, was violating their (Jewish leaders views) which was on the premise
of the pride "thing" and hypocrisy.
Jesus told the man to "Get
up, take his mat and walk!" Jesus wanted him to walk which he had probably
never done, and to take his mat. Take of that which would remind anyone you had
been in that condition and walk. Walk!
Now Jesus can come in and do
quietly for us when no one watches, when no one cares, and when others are
waiting on that "pool" thing. But walk.........praise God, give glory
to Jesus the Healer, the Great Physician and do what you are to do every
day..........all to the praise of God and His mighty deeds! Tell others about
what Jesus did for you,........and tell them when He healed you and what you
profess today about Him.
In recent days, I have heard of
this care called "Wound Care" and it is for those who have gone
through some kind of treatment like radiation or many surgeries and the body
will no longer heal itself in that area of body, so one has to have this wound
care for that body area. It is sometimes for the rest of one's life but is
helpful to those who really need it. But let us remember Jesus our Great
Physican.
Jesus is our Wounded Care
giver. For He surely bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was the
wounded for our transgressions ( our sins). Our bodies are made by God and He
can restore them to health. A process indeed, but we must put action to what we
can do with Jesus.
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He has borne our griefs
(sicknesses, weaknesses, distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we
[ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [ as with
leprosy] 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
guilt and iniquities; the chastisement
[needed to obtain] peace and
well-being for us was upon
Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
Here in John 5:6 When Jesus saw
him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long
time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have
no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am
coming, another steps down before me.” 8Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your
bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and
walked.
Notice Jesus asked and the man had an
excuse for not being healed.
Jesus asked" do you want
to be made well?"
Are you " fully
serious"? Are you " zealously sincere" about getting well?
Are you "making a
demand" for healing?"
Yes, Yes, and Yes!
We have to act like the healed
even when we do not feel it in our bodies. We must rise up........take this
word from Isaiah 53 and confess that we are the healed and made whole by the
wounded Jesus who took our transgression and was bruised for our guilt and
iniquities (sins) . He took my punishment and your punishment and we do not
have to have it, ever. That chastisement needed for us to obtain peace and
well-being was met in Jesus. Today, we are the healed, made whole. Our lives
are characterized by being the comfortable, the healthy and the HAPPY! Amen.
Jesus with us, is His presence
of life in us. It is a light in the darkness. It is love extended to those
perishing. The Lord makes a way for us and will we take it or just make an
excuse for doing being made well?
Scandal at the pool: Man was made
well. Jesus did it! Jesus the committed and Jesus the ready for God’s love to
be revealed to another! May we be serious to want to pick up that mat of
sickness, disease or even lack, for the Lord our God is in action to heal this
day. Amen and Amen.
Seasoned
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