The Unavoidable Change
Slide #1
Jim Cymbala is the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church in the slums of New York City.
He tells the following story about his ministry:
It was Easter Sunday and I was so tired at the end of the day that I just went to the edge of the platform, pulled down my tie and sat down and draped my feet over the edge.
It was a wonderful service with many people coming forward. The counselors were talking with these people.
As I was sitting there I looked up the middle aisle, and there in about the third row was a man who looked about fifty, di-shev-eled, filthy. He looked up at me rather sheepishly, as if saying, “Could I talk to you?”
We have homeless people coming in all the time, asking for money or whatever. So as I sat there, I said to myself, though I am ashamed of it, “What a way to end a Sunday. I’ve had such a good time, preaching and ministering, and here’s a fellow probably wanting some money for more wine.”
He walked up. When he got within about five feet of me, I smelled a horrible smell like I’d never smelled in my life.
It was so awful that when he got close, I would inhale by looking away, and then I’d talk to him, and then look away to inhale, because I couldn’t inhale facing him. I asked him, “What’s your name?”
“David.”
“How long have you been on the street?”
“Six years.”
“How old are you?”
“Thirty-two.” He looked fifty--hair matted; front teeth missing; wino; eyes slightly glazed.
“Where did you sleep last night, David?”
“Abandoned truck.”
I keep in my back pocket a money clip that also holds some credit cards. I fumbled to pick one out thinking; I’ll give him some money. I won’t even get a volunteer. They are all busy talking with others. Usually we don’t give money to people. We take them to get something to eat.
I took the money out. David pushed his finger in front of me. He said, “I don’t want your money. I want this Jesus, the One you were talking about, because I’m not going to make it. I’m going to die on the street.”
I completely forgot about David, and I started to weep for myself. I was going to give a couple of dollars to someone God had sent to me.
See how easy it is? I could make the excuse I was tired. There is no excuse. I was not seeing him the way God sees him. I was not feeling what God feels.
But oh, did that change! David just stood there. He didn’t know what was happening. I pleaded with God, “God, forgive me! Forgive me! Please forgive me.
I am so sorry to represent You this way. I’m so sorry. Here I am with my message and my points, and You send me somebody and I am not ready for it. Oh, God!”
Something came over me. Suddenly I started to weep deeper, and David began to weep.
He fell against my chest as I was sitting there. He fell against my white shirt and tie, and I put my arms around him, and there we wept on each other.
The smell of His person became a beautiful aroma.
Here is what the Lord made real to me: If you don’t love this smell, I can’t use you, because this is why I called you where you are. This is what you are about. You are about this smell.
Christ changed David’s life. He started memorizing portions of Scripture that were incredible. We got him a place to live.
We hired him in the church to do maintenance, and we got his teeth fixed. He was a handsome man when he came out of the hospital.
They detoxed him in 6 days. He spent that Thanksgiving at my house. He also spent Christmas at my house. When we were exchanging presents, he pulled out a little thing and he said, “This is for you.” It was a little white hanky. It was the only thing he could afford.
A year later David got up and talked about his conversion to Christ.
The minute he took the mic and began to speak, I said, “The man is a preacher.” This past Easter we ordained David. He is an associate minister of a church over in New Jersey.
And I was so close to saying, “Here, take this; I’m a busy preacher.”
When you look around at the people who attend V P with you Sunday after Sunday, what do you see?
Do you see perfect looking people, dressed in nice clothes…people who seem to have it all together?
Or like Jesus do you see hurting people in need of comfort; troubled people in need of direction; sick people who need healing?
Prayer –ears to hear, wisdom to learn, we need to look for the David’s, not become complacent!
Slide #2 John 5:1-17
Explain the story…
-Galilee to Jerusalem
feast -Jesus enters…sheep gate to the pool of Bethsaida
-5 porticoes full of sick, blind, lame, and withered(waiting on angel)
-a 38 year old man
-he didn’t know Jesus…but Jesus knew him
-asks him if he wants cured???? -
The first thing we need to notice from our reading…
Slide#3 Jesus Knows Our Condition (Vs. 5;6a)
“A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition,”
There is not one person here today that doesn’t carry around some kind of baggage from their past.
This baggage that we carry around with us can be overwhelming at times…thus making it hard to meet with God in a personal way.
Many things happen in our lives that make us question if God does love us or even if He is true!
I remember one Sunday morning my Pastor was preaching a message on life when he mentioned …Each life is tested with trials.
These trials we face always come in 3’s…Your either currently in a trial…or you have just gone thru one …or your getting ready to go into to one.
Just like the man who had been ill for 38 years…Jesus knows what you are going thru today…and wants you to also know He can heal you just like He did this man.
I think we would all agree that the world we live in today is not the same as it was 10 years ago.
And if we were to be honest…it would also be safe to say …in the present world we live in there has never been more of a need for a change than now.
A person no longer has to go to a foreign country to see the need for the love of Jesus…all they have to do is go shopping at Wal-Mart or look across their back yard fence to see the need.
People have become just like the lame man who for 38 years who had been crippled…left with no other choice but to accepted his lifestyle.
I can’t help but feel sorry for this man lying by the pool…he had no clue that Jesus was the one who could cure him.
And today clear across this auditorium there are those of us here needing Jesus and sadly were not even willing to admit our problems to Him and ask Him for help.
Unlike the lame man who didn’t even know about Jesus…we know about Jesus and His life changing power and we still struggle with turning our troubles over to Him.
Not only do we need to accept the fact that Jesus knows each of our conditions…we also need to admit that…
Slide #4 We can’t keep making Excuses (vs.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.”
The sick man could have just answered Jesus with Yes instead of giving Him an excuse….
This is just like people today…always pushing the blame off on somebody else instead of admitting they might be the reason for the problem.
Can I be very honest this morning…The dog at my homework excuse doesn’t apply for adults…?
God is very clear in His word that He wants us to separate from this type of lifestyle. (Pride…self centeredness…my way or the highway)
Just like the sick man telling Jesus…”Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up”
We have got to quit making excuses for the choices that we make in our lives…
Let’s face it…sin is sin…and you have got to be the one who will put it behind you.
Here’s the problem with sin…when we don’t confess it to God and ask for His forgiveness…Satan begins to use it against God.
Little thoughts begin to pop into your head…thoughts like….retaliation, bitterness, resentment, hatred, judgmental, pride, and selfishness.
When sin is in the picture…God is not!
Sin has a way of making you become callused towards God... The only thing that breaks the sin nature in people is the Love of God!
There has got to come a time in your life when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired!
Let me share something with you today…Just like every person sitting in the room today…we all are sinners.
And just like Romans 3:23 tells us…”we all have fallen short of the Glory of God” (No perfect people)
Jesus never intended for us to place the busyness of life in front of our relationship with Him!
Here’s a challenging thought for all of us. Why not make today a day of no excuses?
How do we avoid making excuses? Just like verses 8-9 tell us…
Slide #5 The Cure is Instant
“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.”
Each one of us here today is carrying around our own illnesses.
Most of these illnesses we have carried around for years…allowing them to control our daily lives.
So just for a moment…picture yourself as the lame man lying by the pool of Bethsaida…Jesus is walking bye and He stops in front of you.
He looks directly into your eyes and asks you a question…Do you want to be made well?
What are you going to do? Are you the willing one to run into the pool seeking healing?
It’s sad for me to say…but Sunday after Sunday people choose to walk out those doors missing the greatest thing that could ever happen to them.
Because Sunday after Sunday Jesus is here waiting patiently to cure their illnesses and once again Satan allows our pride to step into the way.
Most people will choose the world over God…
The World’s way of living is darkness…it is sinful…it’s the easy way out.
Slide #6
In I John 2:15-17 Read
For some of us here today you have got the opportunity of a life time right in front of you…
Life is full of choices…you can choose the to remain bitter or you can choose to be better?
God’s word is truth… “the world is passing away…but the one who does the will of God lives forever”
I cannot stress to you enough the importance of understanding how lucky you are today…
How many of you know who Charlie Bucket is?
Willy Wonka…last golden ticket. (even though Charlie messed up…he was forgiven)
For this 38 year old lame man…this was a once in a life time opportunity. Jesus was there to heal him…
Slide #7
Jesus can change heal you today! He is your Golden Ticket
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23 For the wages (payment) of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates (showed)His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (God knows your condition)
Romans10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
Everyone in this room to close your eyes…how many need this healing today? Prayer
Slide #8 We now are Responsible (vs. 14)
“Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”
I think that many times when a person asks God into their lives they feel that the struggles of life are now behind them.
But this is not true…when a person accepts Christ into their life is when the spiritual battles begin.
Satan has just placed you on a pedestal so he can keep a close eye on you…
You have now been placed in a very important position.
You have become the point man leading your family and friends through life…its much like you are now leading a small patrol through enemy territory.
If you…your friends and family are going to make it through this jungle called life…you along with them will need to continue your training.
So from this point on…equip yourselves for battle by making a decision…to become faithful to God.
Serving God does take commitment. Faithfulness…determination…trust…knowledge.
You need to get plugged into the system that works…Gods system.
There is nothing more disappointing to God than a person who claims to be a professing Christian that is lukewarm. (Read Rev. 3:15-16)
God always see your heart. He knows if you are a team player or not.
Please Stand
Clear back to the time Jesus walked this earth…He was tested with trials…And since you now know Him…so will you.
This change that is offered by God can be an incredible experience for you if you are willing to allow God to work in you…thru you.
