“If God is with me, then why doesn’t He fix my problems?”
John 5:1-15
Jesus has now come up from the city of Cana to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate one of the religious feasts. In Jerusalem there were different gates to enter and they were used for a variety of purposes. One of these gates was called the Sheep gate. This was the entrance through which the sheep they were using for sacrifices would enter. It’s interesting that as Jesus the lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world; Jesus entered through the same gate.
Now once He was inside the city, He comes to the pool of Bethesda. There lying all around the pool are sick and paralyzed people. They have come to this spot because there was a legend that an angel would on occasion come and stir up the waters of the pool and the first one to get into the water would be healed. This was of course just a superstition.
Now Jesus moves into the midst of this group but we notice that He does not fix every problem he encounters that day. Instead, as He moved among the blind and the lame, he is drawn to one particular man who had been ill for 38 years. It’s puzzling why out of all of these very needy people that Jesus would choose to fix one individual. But that is exactly what happens. It could have been that Jesus knew that the man had been lying there for 38 years.....could have been other reasons. One thing we do know is that it was not because the man was asking for Jesus’ help. He didn’t even know who Jesus was. Jesus encounters this man and then Jesus asks him a very strange question. Here it is: do you want to get well. I mean if a man was starving would you say would like some food? This man, paralyzed for 38 years and Jesus says do you want to get well? Do you want me to fix your problem?
First thing I want you to see this morning is this. Here is the first one. (1) Before you can get your life fixed you must decide that you actually want it. Look at v. 6. “When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been in that condition a long time He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” Jesus would often ask questions for the simple purpose of making us think. It’s a lot like a question parents often ask their children: “Do you want a spanking?” As I was preparing this message I was working last Thursday night and was sitting in a restaurant alone trying to focus while a woman at the next table with her two children was having some discipline problems with her children. To be honest the problem was more hers than her kids. But in a moment of anger she said to her 5 year old…. you’re gonna get a spanking when we get home. Then she said do you want to try me? Seems like such an obvious answer but apparently not.
Over the past 38 years this man had been a beggar so he lived his life off of the donations of others. If he were healed he would lose these donations. He would lose the pity of others. If this man were healed he would then have to be responsible for himself. He would have to find work. It would be a whole new world for him. It would be the equivalent today of offering this to a person who had lived on welfare if they were willing to give that up in order to get well. Now there would be risk. Now he would be responsible for himself.
I see people in our community like this every day. Too many people who feel that they are entitled. Think they deserve something without having to do anything to get it. Their lives are dysfunctional, but they have never considered that God might have something different for them. They don’t know there is something more to life. They have become satisfied with just getting by.
(2) If we do want to have our problems fixed, then we must decide to stop making excuses. Take responsibility. V.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.’” Did you see it? He completely avoids the question. He doesn’t say whether or not he wants to be fixed. He just complains. Tells us how unfortunate he is. Has it ever occurred to you that there are some people who just really enjoy complaining? In today’s terms we would say that he sees himself as a victim. When a person always sees themselves as a victim of society, as a victim of their upbringing, then they convince themselves that everything that happens to them is somebody else’s fault. It has to be their wife’s fault or their husband’s fault or their parent’s fault or society’s fault. Everyone else’s. I can’t help but feel sorry for the man: all alone, his family is gone, he’s lame, he’s lonely and he says, “Sir, I have no one to help me.” In other words, I can’t do anything for myself and God’s not doing anything to fix my condition.
(3) We must decide whether we are ready to be fixed. Vv. 8-9. Now understand when this man was healed, he was not healed by the water. Jesus said to him, “Get up. Pick up your mat and walk.” Obviously the man now had a choice. Get up and follow Jesus or continue to lie there. It’s a choice all of us have. I have that choice. You have that choice. Do you want Jesus to fix the part of your life where you’ve been hurt or is it easier to simply hold on to the hurt? When Jesus says to “take up his mat” He is telling him and all of us who truly want our lives to be fixed if you truly want to see change then don’t make any provision to go back. Burn your bridges. Cut off any possibility of going back.
According to v.14 later Jesus found this man in the temple and He said to him, “See you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” If you want to get well; if you want things to get better in your life, then you play a part in the solution.
You see, this man is a lot like us or we are a lot like him. We make mistakes. We sin. We doubt God. We really have no reason to think that Jesus was saying that the sin was the cause of his illness. It can be but I believe Jesus was warning him that the results of sin in our lives are always worse than the results of any physical illness. Physical problems are temporary. Spiritual problems have eternal consequences.
You may recall that In John chapter 9 there is a man who was born blind. Jesus heals him but before He does the disciples ask Him, “Jesus, who sinned - this man or his parents - to cause him to be blind?” Jesus replies, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God could be displayed in his life.” Sin was not the cause of his blindness.
Now if you want your life to be fixed, you have to go to the fixer. Several things we have to do. If you want God to fix your life…. (1) Identify what it is that needs to be fixed. You see there are those who, if given an opportunity for healing, will actually choose to remain sick. The first step to gaining something is to want it. We must determine what we really want and then we must say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
2. If you want God to fix your life then you must stop blaming other people for your problems. I hate to say this but some of us need to stop whining. The lame man was complaining. Every time the water bubbles up, no one is here to help me into the pool. The stronger ones always get to the water first.
The ones who need help can’t get it and it’s been that way all my life. Man has been blaming others for our problems since the beginning of time.
* When God asked Adam why he disobeyed Him, Adam said, “The woman you have to me...she persuaded me to eat!” It was that woman.
* Students do it when they say, “I would do better in school, but my teacher doesn’t like me.”
.. I would go further in life but you don’t understand how I was raised.” We have a hard time saying these words: I was wrong. I made a mistake. It’s my fault.
(3) If you want God to fix your life you must learn to stretch yourself. You see some of us are in a rut. Jesus was asking the lame man to stretch himself. V.8 Jesus often told people that in order to be healed they must do something.
*He said to the man with a withered hand, “Stretch out your hand.” When he did, he was healed.
*Jesus put dirt on the eyes of a blind man and said, “Now go wash in the pool of Siloam” and when he did, suddenly he could see.
* Jesus said to this man, “Pick up your mat and walk.”
There comes a time when we have to stretch ourselves. We have to do something.
You see Jesus wanted to do more than just fix his physical body. He was also concerned about his spiritual health.
V.14 says later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See? You are well again.” Stop sinning or something else may happen to you. Notice he was well “again.” Apparently there had been a time when he could walk. And Jesus didn’t want him to fall into this condition again. We do that too many times.
Let me close by giving you a few truths to think about. (1) If you want to be fixed, you must realize that he is able. In fact he is the only one who can. (2) If you want to be fixed you must realize that He is more willing to fix your life than you think. Put your faith out there. (3) If you truly want to be fixed then remember you play a part in the solution. God will not heal anyone who does not want healing. God will not fix problems in your life without your participation.
So what is your excuse? Have you been crippled from the past? If so, do you want to hold on to it? It’s the choice of being a victor or a victim. Of being defeated all of your life or becoming the defeater.
Can you imagine what a different life this man had? You can too.
