Observations For Change

Observations for Change

John 5:1-5:9

Introduction-

This sermon was gleaned from ideas from SermonCentral and the Bible

This morning I want you to turn to John 5:1-5:8.

As you are turning there, I want to tell you of a book I read about 10 years ago. It was called “Who moved my cheese?” by Spencer Johnson.

Some of his quotes from the book;

Life moves on, and so should we.

What would you do if you were not afraid?

When you stop being afraid, do you feel good?

The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.

The book is about 4 mice in a rat race called life.

2 mice- Sniff and Scurry run in their own direction, not worrying about anything or anyone but themselves.

2 mice- Hem and Haw- they see others, but don’t really care about them enough to slow down.

“The Cheese”- is anything that nourishes you. Your job, money, relationships, processions, health.

“The Maze”- where we live. It is us trying to get all the pieces together and living life.

Question for you this morning.

What happens when things are changed, or moved, or taken away? What do you have left?

If you are unhappy with the way things are going, are you willing to change?

Are you willing to get yourself in possession for God to help you?

John chapter 5:1-5:9

When you hear the term “getting into troubled waters”, you think of:

someone in hot water

getting into trouble

being somewhere they don’t want to be.

But here, we see a man desiring to be in troubled waters but it never happened.

He knew that if he got into that water, it would change his life forever.

I want you to see something here;

We spend a lot of thought on positioning ourselves to receive from God.

As we should, seek the kingdom of God first

Bringing our thoughts and lives under the captivity of Christ.

Us (God’s people) reaching out to God.

This is His desire for us. That we would surrender our lives to Him.

For some that have experienced the presence of God, we would not trade anything that the world offers.

For others, we don’t know how to get into the presence of God.

Maybe guilt has kept us away from God.

Is it possible to get into the presence of God? Yes it is.

Is it possible to get so wrapped up in life that you miss His presence? Yes it is.

This crippled beggar at the pool of Bethesda thought that this day was going to be business as usual. If he responds correctly, this day could possibly change his life forever.

Let me set this up

Outside of Jerusalem was twin pools called the pools of Bethesda.

It was rumored that if you get into that water as it was being stirred up by an angel, that it would bring you healing. The first one in the water gets the healing.

There were blind people, crippled and lame people, and paralyzed people.

Those that could not work begged there and hoped that they would be in the water at the tight time to be healed.

For 38 years, a man with no recorded name must have been dropped off at the pool each morning to beg and hope that he would receive that healing.

For 38 years- that was his life! Someone dropped him off and picked him up. Business as usual.

Jesus was in full ministry at that time, He shows up and learns this man was there 38 years and asks the question that must have shocked this man.. “Do you want to get well?” This place 350 feet long, 200 feet wide, 25 feet deep and smelled stinky, was a dirty place that sheep were sold at the market place. This is one place you would not expect to find God and a place that would not offer much hope.

So why would Jesus ask this man if he wants to get well?

Because some had been comfortable relying on others for support.

Because to be healed would mean change- he no longer had a need to beg for food and money.

You also see that this man did not know Jesus.

We want to get all spiritual and say I’m looking for Jesus, I’ll be ready when he shows up, but this man was about to experience God’s grace.

If he knew Jesus, he would not have asked Jesus to drop him into the pool. He would have asked for a miracle, and not making excuses of why it took so long.

Jesus had compassion for this man and He has compassion for those that have gotten caught up in life maze.

The rat race of life.