Download... May 1, 2011. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: JOHN 5:1-9
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
The man of this scripture, had been lame for nearly 40 years, desiring like many others to be healed. He had been diligent to attempt to be near the waters when it was to troubled by the appointed angel. In this, like many, he hoped to be blessed or healed from his life time infirmity.
Because he was impotent, or lame,..laying on his mat, he could not succeed to be first in the waters at the appointed time. He could not find anyone to assist him for that accomplishment,..no doubt because too many others also were in need, and perhaps between him and the water. So of course he realized there was no reason for himself to be selected as someone special, “not famous”.. a lot like anyone of us, who must realize that we are not more significant than any other. Very few of us will rise above.. in recognition within the crowd. Yet, this was the focus of this man’s life, so that day by day, he was faithful in his efforts, even with the realization that he might die without healing of his infirmities.
No doubt though,..often the waters were “bubbling,” but of course, it was only for whoever was close enough to get in the pool first, that would be the one receiving the blessing of healing. No doubt, any in real need,.. would do anything, including crawling,.. to receive that blessing in this time and event. Who knows what his actual infirmities completely entailed? It could have also included anything, of the mind, emotions, or other physical infirmities,... or all of the above. What would we do? We likely would desperately desire for help in the same situation.
This biblical account is "a type," in illustrating any in need or,..of being ”lost in the shuffle.” Part of the masses in need, were weakly hoping to be selected for help. Jesus understood what it was to be ordinary, poor, unappealing, and overlooked although he was on ‘speaking terms” with the highly regarded religious leaders. Yet He had a great understanding of the common person, such as you and I. There were many very, very poor, and a few, very rich, and probably fewer in existence of a “middle class.” Matthew 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Jesus demonstrated compassion here illustrates this scripture, of who God really blesses. Those of a humble and willing mind, are those poor becoming first.
Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. And the same biblical thought is repeated in Luke 3:1-6 1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God...And where this is “drawn from” in,.. Isaiah 40: 4 Every Valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
The word of God raises those in the valley,..those that feel they have been brought low, disadvantaged,...those that have felt they are “lost in the shuffle.” Those on the “mountain top” are made low. Jesus does not walk with those that are “higher up”...He only walks with the humbled and or with a diminished ego. Those that feel insignificant and aware of their worthless without God, are the only ones He will raise up, by His Word and Spirit! And the one that is on the “mountain top” by trusting in their Own riches,..that one has to be “made low.” So they too (the”rich”) can walk where Jesus “walks,” for Christ does not walk with those depending on their own strength, pride, ego, or own agenda.
As an allegory, Bro Goble referred to having seen (while traveling on the highway) mountain tops that had been cut down, to accommodate level roads for traveling. In the spiritual sense we also must be willing to allow God to “cut down” our strength, pride, opinions, etc., to walk with Him. Because God doesn’t walk on “That” mountain. Just as with the ones that feel that they are worthless, “smaller than small”, ...God raises up That valley, to accomplish an ability to walk with Him! God doesn’t walk in the lowest of valleys, because He raises us up to be “kings and priests,” in Him. And..it is a Seductive Spirit to choose to walk in the lowest valley, and think that is what God wants for you. Just as it is a seductive spirit to allow yourself to walk in prideful lofty places of ego,..so also it is deception to think you are commanded to walk in a state of mind of the “lowest.” You must as much as the lofty... need to cast down “that” spirit. You must "rise up" to cast down this spirit that “you think” commands you to walk in the lowest way of life all the time. It is a seductive spirit that convinces people that they can never get out of an impotent position.
This scriptural text lesson, illustrates that this man laying for almost 4 decades,.. was Not Jesus will that he lay for 4 decades more! This account also makes clear that Jesus is the champion not of the lofty, needless, but of the disadvantaged in spirit, the acknowledged needy. Examples biblically for both needing raising up, or casting down, are shown referring to Job, Zacchaeus, Nicodemus, etc. This was so they”could meet God on the highway that He is on. Again it IS a Seductive Spirit in thinking there is a value, in not allowing God to raise the lowly up, and to willingly stay in the lowest valley, which perpetuates self condemnation. It is seductive to think you must continually cast your self down, in order to be closer to God. You Cannot get closer to God That way, for it is the way of a “self righteous” spirit! It is the way of constantly beating yourself up, causing an unnecessary labor of concerned “prayer warriors.” God Raises UP! To get you to that highway of holiness that you Must be on! Only Christ can do this for you,..but you must Let Him do it.
Bro Goble referred to some of the history of,.. the turn of the century, how that France was the originator of the building of the Panama Canal (actually in the late 1800’s.). Everyone was excited and there was this wealthy french man that decided that he was going to build it. He started but one of the major hindrances at the time was yellow fever (spread by mosquitos) prevented them, by killing them. But down there in Panama others kept trying, but could not conquer the engineering problems. The problem they encountered then was no matter how hard they kept cutting into the soil, it kept sloughing off back into the hole just cut. So the french ran out of money, gave up and left. Then President Teddy Roosevelt decided he was going to finish the job. He was equipped with a very good engineer, and some very intelligent people that discovered the cause of yellow fever, and so they began cutting and ran into the same problems that were originally encountered. The soil again kept sloughing off into the cuts being made. Teddy was the kind of person that would not give up, and so instructed the workers to “keep doing it, I don’t care how long it takes, or how big the cut actually gets.” (They had intended a much more narrow type of cut.) So they kept at it until the cut was “close” to a mile wide,..they had to go wide and deep, to get this cut to finally fill up with water, and stop "sloughing down" so they could actually have a canal.
Bro Goble's allegory here, is that there is no “righteousness in constantly living in the valley, and letting the sides constantly cover you while try continually to get out of it.” No benefit there. In this literal example, because they kept at it with hard labor, and recognition of what their goal was, they were able to finally connect one ocean to the other. This is a fascinating story as well as an allegory. We also must keep our spiritual goal in mind,..”I want to make heaven my home!” “I don’t want to make heaven my home, Staying in a dark valley,..although we all do sometimes go through “dark places.” God doesn’t want you to live down there! We need to labor to be found where Christ walks, just as in this allegory the workers labored to get to their goal of a canal. Jesus is the champion of the people that are disadvantaged..and “out of luck.” “That man” (at the pool) was “brought up.” Zacchaeus had to be brought down out of the tree,..’”brought low.” He had some money, and wealth, that he had to give up, that was not all rightfully his. And although Job lived righteously, he too was brought low, which caused the demonstration of God lifting him back up! “They” were brought low spiritually, and then Jesus clothed them in righteousness!
It is the spiritually impotent person that can be lifted up by Christ. We can have lots of notions opinions, and ideas in our head,..that has to be stripped from your thinking! The world is “tough” on people in their effects. But all must become “impotent” before Christ in their awareness of their “nothingness without willingness of God’s control.” Many might think “life is not fair.” Don’t you think this impotent man at the pool could have also thought that “life isn’t fair?” How discouraged he might also have been, with so many questions through life about his neediness not yet being resolved in help. So there he lay, on his mat. This is a “type” of spiritual position we all Must find ourself (impotent on our “mat of ideas, opinions of doubt) must go for God’s deliverance to come. Again all can not come and receive help,...only those that make themselves impotent in their own ways, to allow Christ to be in control.
Isaiah 59:1-10,..12-21 It’s not that God does not hear, but sin that separates us from God’s connection to us heart. 1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. People separate themselves by their lives of ‘darkness.”
20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. This was the prophecy (verse 20) for All those that would turn away from their sins for God’s spirit and promises. I Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; & I John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: Jesus is declared as our only spiritual advocate, to raise us up!
Back to..John 5:6-9 When God approached the lame man, He asked only one question..verse 6d ”Wilt thou be made whole?” God asks us the same question. Some might say,..”no I would rather stay in a mind of “self pity,” in how unfair life is not being able to get into the “pool.” The thought this morning of “staying on the mat of discouragement, resentment, ”...results in self pity. Rise Up,..And Walk,..(for Salvation!) This man in the text, was made whole by the acknowledged neediness in his life, and willingness to obey (“walk”) for “wholeness.” This man, showed determination to receive from God. Those who won’t “rise up and walk” often bemoan their condition, yet are not willing to accept the change God can and will make in their soul and life.
Jesus was,.. and still is “the moving of the waters.” He Only..is our deliverance,..The Living Waters. When He in mercy, reaches for us, that is our most miraculous day! He alone is the Fountain of Living Waters! Will we allow Him to heal/deliver our hearts from sin’s darkness, if still unsaved? There are “some” conditions in life, that others as mortals, will not be able to help you in. That’s okay! ... That is why we All need the Savior!
Jesus had passed by the way where the man was “found”, and affected this man to the healing from the obedience to rise up and walk,.” And..on the same day it was the Sabbath. Jesus is The Sabbath of Soul Rest! Jesus has power of all the law,..He IS the law, and He is The Sabbath! No other one can carry us to the Salvation From our sins. No other one has the power of soul healing,..which can only from The Healer! This is not to suggest that there were no healing in those waters. It clearly states in John5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Yet he needed an intercessor,.. Jesus! Alone the man could not get to those waters. Christ is the Only One that can heal us from the afflictions of a sinned filled life!
There are some problems in life that "Only Jesus" can heal! Some things no one can solve, not a pastor, priest, etc. This is why we need to pay attention to “where” Jesus is! It is interesting to “wonder” if this man actually made “eye contact with Jesus? What a wonderful thought, to be on that “mat” of great affliction, circumstances, problems, discouragements, and to actually See Christ walk by! Nowadays unless you are meditating, praying, truly looking for Jesus, ( going to church is not enough,) you will not find Him! There has to be a dedication of “seeking,” to get to The Only One that can heal you, the one that is,.. The Living Water! More certainly more in this troubling times of ideas, advice, circumstances, we need to look only to Jesus,... to rise up and walk from “our mats of life.” He is the only the healer of the infirmities of my soul, you might say. Then don’t go back to it!
The 'mat" represents a lack of hope, strength,.. a spiritual impotence. Don’t go back to the mat. We must rise up.. and walk!
