“Living On The Edge”
TEXT: John 5:1-11
I. At Certain Seasons
There are two Greek words for time. “Chronos” from which we get chronological. It equals calendar time or quantity of time.
In this passage however, the second word is used. “Kairos”. It deals with quality of time. Actual definition is “A divine appointment of God” or “a favorable time”. This word is used 168 times in the entire Bible. 168 times in the 1600 years it took for the Bible to be written.
The truth is that we can’t miss the kairos moments in our life. We must not miss the season of troubled waters. Who knows when the “time” the “kairos” will come back again. If we miss our kairos moment due to pettiness, pride, bitterness, anger, who know when another kairos moment will come. 168 times in 1600 years. We may only have one shot. See we don’t create the waves we only ride them. It is essential for us to become like the Sons of Issachar described in I Chronicles 12:32. The Bible says they were men who understood the times. We must become men and women who understand and perceive when a kairos moment is upon us.
Look at your neighbor and say it is time! (We are face to face with a kairos moment this morning will you perceive it or miss it?)
II. No One Can Get Your Blessing Or Revival For You = Verse 7
God has made each of us a free moral agent. In other words we must each
choose for ourselves. I can’t get revival for you. I can’t get blessed for you.
I might be a part of your blessing but you have to choose it and want it
yourself. If you set back and wait you will never get it. If you are waiting
on someone to package it just right and come and place it in your lap it will
never happen. If your waiting on your pastor to bring revival to you you will
be waiting forever. We have to get it for ourselves.
III. Others Are Not Going To Wait On You To Get Blessed. Therefore, You Can’t Wait On Them. = Verse 7
No since waiting on so and so to get right. No use waiting on your boyfriend
or girlfriend, your spouse, your neighbor, your parents, aunts or uncles before
you step into revival. You may say, “When Brother So and So straightens up” or “When Sister Such and Such gets in I will too.” “I am waiting on him
to dance or shout.” I have got news for you today I’m not going to wait on
you to get blessed. The other person isn’t going to wait on you to get blessed. When the opportunity presents itself I’m going for it and so should
you. Don’t wait. Get in while the waters are troubled.
Can you imagine the scene. It is a mad rush to get into the water when they
are troubled. The blind man hears the cry go up, “the waters are troubled.” So he begins to make a sprint to the water. But in his blindness he trips over the lame man’s cane. He turns and yells at the man but he is actually yelling at a man that seems to pay no attention. He is deaf. All the while the mute man is trying to direct traffic with sign language. A huge dog pile takes place at the pool’s edge and the blind man in anger turns his seeing eye dog loose on the mob.
Fighting to get in. Desperate for the move. There is truth here. Get up, get in or get out of the way. If you get in the way of revival, if you wait on someone else you may get trampled by desperate people. WE ARE COMING THRU. WE WON’T WAIT.
IV. Those Positioned Appropriately Got The Blessing = Verse 7
Who got the blessing when the water was troubled? Why after 38 years had
this man not been the first into the pool? Why after all this time had he not been the one to be healed? Why after being beaten time and time again into the water didn’t he position himself appropriately? Who got blessed and healed? Those who were close to the water. Why after 38 years wasn’t he on the edge of the water? I would have been hanging over the edge every day.
The word is this. . . Who is going to experience revival? Those who position
themselves appropriately. Where is the appropriate position? As close to the
water as possible. You can’t be a long ways off and expect to get in you have to get ready now. If revival hits and you have to begin preparing, praying, fasting you will miss the wave. Get ready! Position yourself! Get close, stay close! Camp out near the water. Don’t miss, don’t skip, don’t blink! Get ready, stay on the edge.
V. No Excuses Allowed = Verses 6-7
Jesus asks a silly question or did he? He asks a man who had been sick 38 years if he wants to be healed. That is a “yes” or “no” question. But notice the man’s answer. He doesn’t say yes. He doesn’t say no. He makes an excuse. He had become comfortable with his sickness. He had become comfortable with his present state. He was comfortable with the routine of coming to the pool every day. After 38 years of the same daily routine and after 38 years of making friends around the pool he was satisfied where he was.
Jesus is troubling the waters and He is asking, “Do you want revival?” It is a “yes” or “no” question. But what is our answer? Are we comfortable with our sickness called sin. Are we comfortable with our present state spiritually? Some of us have been the same for 40 years, 4 years, 4 months. But there are no excuses allowed. We either want it or we don’t.
But I can’t get into revival because so and so setting on the 4th row hurt me, my past won’t let me, this revival doesn’t push my buttons, the songs aren’t my style, the preacher isn’t firey enough, the preacher didn’t pray for me personally so I can’t have revival. No Excuses Allowed!! It is a yes or no question. We must make up our mind that we want revival so bad that we will take it any way we can get it and at any cost. If God sends us a cinnamon revival and our favorite flavor of revival is vanilla we should still get in on it. If we prefer fast songs but revival comes through slow ones, if we like choruses and it comes through hymns, if we want a Caucasian revival and He sends a black or brown revival we should still be a part of it.
No Excuses Allowed!! THE PROOF OF DESIRE IS PURSUIT. We must desire revival so bad that we will pursue in any shape, color, or form. And the great news is that we you can’t get to the water the water has come to you. Just answer yes and have revival.
VI. People Will Try To Box Up Your Revival = Verses 10-11
If you experience revival someone will try to clean it up, formalize it, place
tradition on it. There will be someone who won’t like the way you sing, dance, shout, or pray. I suggest that you answer them like this man
did . . . “Jesus told me to do it.”
When you know God said dance. When you know He said shout with the voice of triumph. When you know He said to run. Others will try to box you up. “We never did it that way.” “Your in the flesh.” I am convinced we are more scared of being in the flesh than we are of being dead. Do what you feel like God said do and let Him make up the difference. Err on the side of life rather than death.
If you know God said to do it answer them like this man did and keep on trukin. You notice he didn’t’ sit back down and stay around the pool another 38 years. He walked on into victory. We must do the same. When the devil laughs, when people laugh, when friends laugh, when neighbors laugh and say your making a fool of yourself just tell them who told you to do it and walk into victory.
It Is Time... The Waters Are Troubled!!
PRAYER:
1. If here and want revival but been waiting on someone else.
2. Not positioned appropriately and need to get closer to the water.
3. Been making excuses.
4. Letting others box me in.
5. Ready for revival.
