Go And Sin No More

John 5:14 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.’’

Let’s read this whole passage of Scripture.

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five 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 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14.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.’’

This is the story of a man who had an infirmity 38 years. Some translations say He was either sick or ill. Whatever his condition, we can see that it must have been very bad and debilitating. It had ruined his life. Jesus saw this man and knew he had been this way a long time. He asked him a very simple question, "Do you want to be made well?’’ We could ask the same question to our generation. You may wonder, what kind of question is that? It is the singular question that Jesus asked this man. He asked him for a reason. He was helping him to reach out. He does the same thing for us today. He will draw us to the point where we will ask for Him. He draws us to salvation this way, and I’ve learned He will draw us into all of His blessings if we will be open to receive them. The point is, many are not open to receive. Many of God’s children do not believe it is God’s will to heal, and say they believe that He is trying to teach them something through their infirmity. However, they turn right around and go to the doctor to try and get well. If they truly believed that it was God’s will for them to be sick or infirmed, then they shouldn’t try to override what they believe God has set in place by going to the doctor. Yet, the singular question that Jesus asked this man is still being asked of us today. Do you want to be made well? The man responded by saying, there is no one to put me in the water. You would think that in 38 years he could have found someone to put him in the water. How bad do we really want the things of God. The more sincerely we desire them, the greater the manifestation. God reveals Himself to those who seek after Him. Jesus had compassion on this man. He didn’t argue with him, He simply told him to, "Rise, take up your bed and walk.’’ And the man was instantly healed. Some say, well that was Jesus.

My question is, has the Lord Jesus changed even a little? Jesus wanted this man healed or He wouldn’t have healed him. You may think that is obvious, but we have to understand that there are things that can hinder us from receiving and keeping God’s blessings. We have a part to play, its not just up to God. Knowing what His blessings are is part of it, as well as knowing that He wants us to receive and walk in these precious blessings. He went to great lengths to give them to us.