The Life of Christ

• Their default response is to quickly explain why they can’t be healed (“I have no one to put me in the water!”).

This is the story of a man who hopes against hope.

• There is no one to carry him to the water, and yet he remains there anyway.

• What marks this man is that he never gave up hoping and believing for his miracle; that is what eventually got him healed!

• When hope runs down to the very last drop is often when the power of God arrives.

Jn. 5:8-9 Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” 9 And immediately the man became well and took up his pallet and began to walk.

It was the Sabbath on that day, but the man probably thought nothing of it; all that occupied his mind was that for the first time in 38 years he could stand on his own and walk.

• Whether he should carry his little bed on the Sabbath or not was of little concern.

• By the time he had gathered himself together, Jesus had already withdrawn unobserved.

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Jn. 5:10 Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10 Therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

According to the Rabbinical Law, it was indeed illegal for any man to carry his bed on the Sabbath day.

• For that matter it was also illegal for anyone to carry a lame body into the pool of Bethesda, unless there had been present danger to life.

Jn. 5:11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Take up your pallet and walk.’”

In other words, “ Who do you think I should obey? He who gave me the ability to walk again, or he who proclaims some useless religious law that means nothing to me?”

Jn. 5:12-14 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk?’” 13 But he who was healed did not know who it was; for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you. ”

In light of being physically healed, something from heaven had been given to this man.

• Therefore, he is now told to renounce his sin, lest a worse fate befall him.

• Should he take for granted the miracle and not turn from sin, trouble would become his portion.

• We are reminded of Mt. 12:45 which declares a similar evil to the one delivered of demons should he refuse to repent afterward — seven more devils would enter him worse than the first.

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