How To Get Out Of A Rut Series

CCTV

For Surveillance - Just watch – To monitor

• Baby Monitor

• Wildlife Observation

• Web Cam

• Weather Cam

• Traffic Cam

Britain A Surveillance Society

- Used to nab the Birmingham rioters

- 4.2m CCTV cameras in Britain - about one for every 14 people.

- One of the most watched places on earth

- As you move about you can be viewed up to 300x a day

- Britain To Put 20,000 CCTV Cameras Inside Private Homes

- Why the plan, which is aimed at problem, antisocial families.

-The idea is that, if a child has a more stable home life, he or she will be less likely to stray into crime and drugs.

- Problem these cameras are fix mounted, they don’t move

- Just stare at one spot and if you walk into the area of their surveillance you are caught on tape

- Call this stuck in a rut

- Day after day only seeing one picture of life

I. The “OW” EXPERIENCE – v. 2-5

- “Sheep Gate” – On the eastern wall North of the temple

- Bring your sacrifice in

- To perform your religious duties

- “five porches” a covered colonnade where people can stand or walk protected from the weather and heat

- Message - “alcoves” – areas cut off one from another

- Man doing his best to protect himself

- v. 3 - The Blind , halt & withered

- v. 3 - Surrounded

• “lay”

• “a great multitude”

• “impotent folk” (weak, sick)

- Life hurts, it’s not fair

- v.5 “a certain man” a Surveyor

- We give up and get in a rut

- Results of sin – It blinds our eyes to the truth & glory of Jesus

- It makes us lame so that we can’t follow Jesus

- It withers our strength we are weak in displaying Jesus

- All at Bethesda – house of mercy

II. The “HOW” EXPERIENCE - v.6

- Jesus Question – “Do you want ...?”

- He did not understand the question – Complete (inside & Out)

- Wilt thou be saved from sin?

1. Recognize Your Condition

1. Lost vision – this man seems to have lost sight of why he was there.

- After 38 yr. this man’s problem had become a way of life.

- No one had ever helped him.,

- He had no hope of ever being healed and no desire to help himself

- No matter how trapped you feel in your infirmities.

- Jesus can minister to your deepest needs

- Don’t let a problem or hardship cause you to lose hope

- God may have special work for you to do in spite of your condition or even because of it

- Many have ministered effectively to people who hurt, because they have triumphed over their own hurts

Is he there to be healed, or is he there to get wet?

2. Examine Your Heart

- Lack of faith – can God really do this?

- Should I bother God?

3. Accept Your Responsibility

Loss of answer

III. The “NOW” EXPERIENCE – v.8

Christ’s Command

"Rise, take up your bed and walk."

An act of obedience

1. Acknowledge Christ’s Voice

2. Face Your Own Fears

3. Be Prepared to do the Absurd

1. Frustration of making way into pool gone

2. 38 years of lameness gone in a simple act of obedience

3. Others – Naaman, Blind man of John 9

IV. THE “BOW” EXPERIENCE

John 5:10, 14

"See, you have been made well. Sin no more,”

1. Be Prepared for Opposition

2. Set Your Face Like Flint

3. Make Experiential Knowledge Your Personal Quest

Romans 5:6 (AV)

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

A strong swimmer stood on the pier, looking on, and the people cried, "Why don't you leap in and save that man ?" He said nothing, but let the man go down again, and then he threw off his coat and plunged in and brought him safely to shore. They said, "Why did you wait so long before you went in to save him?" He answered, "He was too strong before

I had to wait till his strength was gone. I had to wait till he could do nothing himself, till he was helpless