Change Or Not
Change Part Four
020809PM
Reading: John 5:1-7
Text: John 5:1-7
Introduction
Today we finish a short series centered on change. You may have noticed quite a bit of talk about change in the media these days. Change is taking place all around us, in every aspect of our lives it seems there is change happening. Politics, economy, climate, we are told that everything is changing and that we must change accordingly (according to whom is the question!)
In our first lesson we saw how God calls everyone to repentance; that is, to change the direction of our lives.
In the second lesson we examined a teaching Jesus gave to His disciples requiring in them a change of attitude concerning the Kingdom of Heaven.
In our lesson this morning we looked at the question of into what we should be changing and how to effect our transformation as we strive to change and become like Christ.
In this final lesson we will examine why change does or does not happen.
Why Change Does Not Happen
Sir Isaac Newton's first law of motion says that an object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted on by an outside force. I think we all recognize within ourselves the need for change. Yet we also recognized that the change we need is often only prevented by ourselves.
Read John 5:1-7
According to John, Jesus has traveled from Galilee to Jerusalem in order to celebrate a feast or festival. We don’t know for sure which one, but it may have been the feast of Pentecost, a feast commemorating the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. When he was in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the Pool of Bethesda, also known as Bethsaida, where “a great multitude of sick people” gathered. Fittingly the name Bethesda means “house of mercy.” The attraction of the pool given in verse four may be omitted, because it was thought by some to be a later addition. At any rate, it was said that an angel of the Lord would at certain times come down to the pool and disturb the surface of the water and the first person to enter the pool there-after was cured of any illness. Whether or not this had ever in fact happened, that was what these people believed. In this multitude of people who had gathered was man to whom Jesus was drawn.
It is interesting to consider that out of all these people Jesus chose to heal one man. One thing we do know from this scripture is that it was not because the man sought Jesus’ help. In fact, he did not even know who Jesus was. Jesus encountered him and from this encounter I want you to note with me some things we may learn concerning change from this passage.
I. We Must Choose To Change (v6)
John 5:6 (NASB) When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said* to him, “Do you wish to get well?”
This seems a strange question to ask a man who has been sick and an invalid for nearly forty years. "Do you want to be made well?" But Jesus never asked a foolish question in his life, therefore it is obviously it was important for this man to answer at least to himself the question, “Do I really want to be changed.” He was asking a very serious question because it is entirely possible that he does not “really” want to be changed.
In the past thirty-eight years this man has been a beggar who lived by the pity of others; if he is healed he would lose all of this, all of his livelihood.
This man by being healed would be venturing out into the unknown, he would lose all his present securities, and he will have to be responsible for himself. To be healed meant to enter in a completely new life, one with wonderful possibilities, but also with certain amount of risk.
The fact is that some people will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid unwelcome changes in their lives.
I see in this man many people in our own day. Their lives are sick. They are paralyzed in heart and mind. Their lives are dysfunctional, but they will choose not to consider that God might have something for them. They have learned to live like this. They don’t know, and don’t want to know, there is something more to life. They have become satisfied with subsisting. They are not seeking God or calling out to him. It is as though they are sick and are not aware of it, or if they are aware of it, it seems normal to them.
We see this even in the life of the church, we have seen people with this attitude attend church. They are respectful and seemingly excited about what they are hearing. They are not saved, but they listen to the Gospel. But they never come to the conclusion that they need to change.
Even after we are saved, we continue to be confronted by issues in our lives that need to be changed, like bitterness, unresolved conflicts and things that have lie hidden within us for years. The question is, “Do we really want to change?” So the question that Jesus asked the paralyzed man, that seemed unnecessary even ridiculous, was relevant for him and for us!
We Not Only Choose To Change but …
II. We Must Choose To Avoid Excuses. (v7)
John 5:7 (NASB) 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.”
Notice that he did not answer Jesus’ question. He does not say that he wants to be well. He just gives the rationale as to why he has not been healed: he had no one to place him in the pool when it was disturbed. In today’s language we would say that he sees himself as a victim. There are reasons outside his control which prevent him from reaching the healing waters.
Do you recognize this mentality? Most of us have probably seen it at one time or another, always a reason not to follow God.
Luke 9:59 - 62 (NASB) 59And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” 62But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 10:37 (NASB) 37“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Read: The Parable of the Dinner Luke 14:16-24
Jesus was speaking of Jews not accepting His message proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven but we need to note that at some point the invitation is withdrawn.
There are several things we should note
1) We make more excuses than we would like to admit.
2) It is possible to break the pattern of making excuses.
3) Change is never possible until we admit we need to change.
Not Only Must We Choose To Avoid Excuses but…
III. We Must Choose To Act (vv. 8-9)
John 5:8 – 9a (NASB) Jesus said* to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.
Jesus did not discuss the pool or its alleged abilities to provide a cure, He simply told the man to get up, take up your bed and walk. The man was healed, but he was not healed by the water.
Jesus said to him: “Get up! Pick up your pallet and walk.” Obviously the man now had a choice. He could listen and ignore, listen and hope or he could listen and obey. Don’t we all have that choice?
In his words “to pick up his pallet” the Lord is telling him and any who want to change something very important; choose to change your way of life and begin a new “walk.”
This was the message of Peter to the crowd as recorded in Acts 2 when they asked “what shall we do?” Peter’s answer, repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins. Repent, choose to act and change the course of your life.
Conclusion
So are you ready to be changed? You can be if you truly want to be.
•We Must Choose To Change
•We Must Choose To Avoid Excuses.
•We Must Choose To Act.
Invitation
