Life Changing Questions from the Lord
The Gospel of John
John 5:1-15
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - April 29, 2018
(Revised July 26, 2019)
BACKGROUND:
*Tonight in John 5, we will take a good look at the Lord's third miracle recorded in the Gospel of John. While He was here on earth, Jesus worked countless miracles. In John 20:30-31, the Apostle John tells us that:
30. . . truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31. but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
*Then, in John 21:25, the Apostle said, "There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."
*Jesus worked an astounding number of miracles here on earth. But counting the Lord's resurrection, there are only 39 specific miracles of Christ mentioned in the four Gospels. John's Gospel includes only 11 of these miracles, and 8 of those are found only here in John. (1)
*Last time in John 4, we looked at the Lord's second miracle in this Gospel. It was the story of a nobleman from Capernaum. That man's son was so sick, he was just about to die. And when that loving father heard that Jesus was in Cana, the ruler rushed twenty miles to ask Jesus for help.
*John 4:50 tells us that "Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way." Before that dad got home the next day, his servants ran to meet him on the road and tell him that his son was healed in the same hour when Jesus told the man to go home!
*We've also studied the Lord’s first miracle in John 2. It happened at a wedding in Cana. There Jesus instantly changed 120 to 180 gallons of ordinary water into wine. Now, that might seem like a frivolous miracle to us. But the Lord has promised to meet all our needs, both the big and the small!
*Plus, Jesus always does all things well, and the Lord had some great lessons for us in that miracle. There at the wedding, Jesus changed ordinary water into the best tasting wine. Most likely, it was the best tasting wine the world has ever seen.
*Now Jesus is trying to change us into the best people the world has ever seen. Miraculously changing water into the best wine was easy for the Lord. Changing us is the hardest thing Jesus ever had to do, because it took Him dying on the cross for our sins.
*Changing us also takes more time, and it involves much bigger miracles. But our risen Savior will make the transformation complete for everyone who trusts in Him. And tonight's miracle can help us get there, because God has great lessons for us here. Please think about that, as we read John 5:1-15.
MESSAGE:
*One of the things that stands out about our Lord is how He loves to ask questions. In Matthew 6:25, Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"
*In Matthew 7:3 He asked, "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
*In Matthew 7:11, Jesus said, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
*In Matthew 8:26, Christ’s question for His disciples was, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then in Matthew 9:4, Jesus met some of His enemies, and "knowing their thoughts, asked, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?'"
*Tom Gilson explained that "Jesus was not asking out of confusion or even curiosity. He knew their thoughts. He knew what was going on under the surface. Jesus wasn't asking because He needed to know. He asks questions to help US.
*Jesus asks questions to help us think about who we are, what we believe, and what we should be doing with our lives." (2)
*Well, the Lord also had a great question for the sick man here in John 5. And as we look at this miraculous story, we can see that Jesus has some life-changing questions for us.
1. THE FIRST QUESTION IS: ARE YOU WILLING?
*That's the question Jesus asked this sick man in vs. 6: "Wilt thou be made whole?" "Are you willing to be made whole?" "Do you want to be made well?"
*At first glance, this could seem like a ridiculous question, because the answer seems so obvious. The Lord knew that this man was terribly sick, and he had been for 38 years.
*Pastor Guy Caley said, "Add to this the fact that the sick man was there at a pool known for healing. And we begin to get a sense of how crazy it might have sounded for Jesus to ask, 'Do you want to get well?'
*Does a crippled man want to get well?" That question reminded Pastor Caley of one of his Dad's all time favorite questions: "Do you want a spanking?" That's a question I often heard from my own daddy. And he never had to wonder about the answer. (3)
*Jesus asked: "Are you willing to be made whole?" And it may seem like an unnecessary question. But our perfect Savior had a perfect reason for asking that question.
*Melvin Newland explained that "actually, it was a very valid question, for there are people who, if given an opportunity for healing, might actually choose to remain sick.
*Right now, they're free of some unpleasant responsibilities. And they get sympathy by complaining about their sickness. They can manipulate other people by being sick, or punish themselves if they feel guilty." (4)
*Jesus' question was both necessary and proper: "Are you willing to be healed?" It's as if the Lord was asking: "Are you willing to let go of the past? Do you want to move forward in your life?"
*Think about the sick man's answer in vs. 7: "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.''
*Here was a man who could have held on to his past. He could have gotten tied down by his past setbacks, and disappointments: "God, why don't I have somebody? Why did they let me down? Why did You let me down?"
*Author John Phillips explained this man's misery by saying: "He had no friends, no family. His companions were life's victims: blind people, lame people, people withered inside and out. All their hopes had shrunk to the small chance they had of outsmarting the others and being first in the pool.
*There would be the usual jockeying for position with all the passion of people desperately clinging to their one tiny hope for healing. The sight, the stench of it all, must have been depressing. In that pitiful spot there was unmitigated misery and unending poverty." (5)
*This sick man could have easily gotten bitter and envious. Other people had someone to help, but he didn't! Other people were getting healed, but he wasn't! He could have just gone on lying there feeling sorry for himself.
*Church: On a smaller scale, I've seen people do this, and I've done it too. Rather than looking ahead to see what God has in store for us, rather than letting God bless us, we can get obsessed with what's gone wrong in the past, or who's done us wrong in the past.
*In vs. 7, the sick man told Jesus, "I have no man to help me." But the Lord didn't want him to be thinking about what he didn't have. Jesus wanted him to be thinking about what he did have standing right in front of him. So, the Lord asked the question: "Are you willing?"
*And if we will listen, we can hear Jesus ask us the same question every day. Are you willing? -- Let your answer to the Lord be "yes!"
2. THE SECOND QUESTION FROM THIS MIRACLE STORY IS: ARE YOU BELIEVING?
*Take a look at the sick man's faith in vs. 8-9:
8. Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk.''
9. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. . .
*Paul Decker asked: "Do you notice what Jesus did here? Jesus commanded the impossible. He said, 'Get up!' Now, I don't know about you, but if I had been unable to use my legs for 38 years, I would have some doubts about my abilities to accomplish such a task. 'Get up? -- I can't! I haven’t been able to walk for 38 years!' But Jesus said in effect, 'You can, because I say so.'" (6)
*Thinking about the sick man's faith, Ray Stedman wrote: "Perhaps the crippled man was thinking: 'If this man tells me to rise, and I cannot rise on my own, it must mean that he intends to do something to make it possible.' Thus, his faith was transferred from his own efforts onto Jesus and what the Lord could do. (7)
*And it's hard to know how the man got the faith to follow the Lord's commands in vs. 8, because at this point he didn't even know who he was talking to. But there must have been something in the authority of the Lord's voice, something in His face, something in the boldness of His commands.
*Something about the majesty of our Lord and Savior led this man who had not walked for 38 years to get up off of that sick bed and walk! He believed!
*And the Lord wants us to believe too. Jesus wants us to believe that He had the power to miraculously heal this man. Jesus wants us to believe that He did heal him. And Jesus Christ wants us to believe that He can and will heal us too, according to His perfect will.
*But Jesus also wants us to believe that He will bless us even when He doesn't heal our bodies. This world is not our final home! And the Lord wants us to believe that He can give us victory, even in the worst circumstances of life.
*Most of all, Jesus wants us to believe that He is the only begotten Son of God, who humbled Himself to become a man, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again from the dead. Jesus Christ is alive!
*Melvin Schroer went to church one Sunday when the pastor used the Easter story for his children's sermon. The preacher said, "Easter is when we remember how Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and 3 days later rose again from the dead." Then of the pre-school girls said in a real loud voice: "He must have had a good doctor!" (8)
*Church: Jesus Christ didn't need a good doctor. He IS the Great Physician! By the power of Almighty God, He rose again from the dead! And if we believe in Him, if we put our trust in Him, if we receive Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, then He will forgive our sins, come to live in our heart, and give us everlasting life in Heaven with Him.
*Are you believing? -- Let your answer to the Lord be "yes!"
3. THE THIRD QUESTION FROM THIS MIRACLE STORY IS THIS: ARE YOU OBEYING?
[1] NOTICE THE LORD'S WARNING ABOUT OBEDIENCE IN VS. 14: Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.''
*Maybe this man's illness was the result of a sin in his life. Sometimes our illnesses are the direct result of our sins, and that may have been the case here.
*But in any event, the Lord reminds us here of the seriousness of our sin. And we need to be reminded about the seriousness of sin! Sin always hurts us and the people around us. Sin will always bring grief to our lives. And that grief can even be worse than being terribly sick for 38 years.
[2] THAT'S THE SAVIOR'S WARNING ABOUT OBEDIENCE. BUT ALSO NOTICE THIS MAN'S WALK OF OBEDIENCE.
*Back up in vs. 9-11, we see the healed man walking in obedience to the Lord:
9. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
10. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.''
11. He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'''
*I like the way this man obeyed. Notice in vs. 9, that he obeyed immediately. I could have avoided a whole lot of trouble in my life, if I would have been more speedy about obeying Jesus. -- How about you?
*This man obeyed immediately. And he obeyed in spite of strong opposition. In vs. 10, the Jewish rulers did not like the fact that this man was carrying his bed on the Sabbath Day. It was against their man-made religious traditions. But Jesus told him to carry it, and that's what he was doing. At times we will also face opposition when we try to obey the Lord. But we need to obey anyway.
*Sadly, we don't always obey the Lord. Dave Kinney reminds us that "the only person who ever lived on this planet that never had any regrets was Jesus Christ." (9)
*That's the absolute truth! But in Philippians 2:13, Paul tells Christians that God is at work in us both to desire and to do His good pleasure. So, don't give up on living a life of obedience. When Jesus asks you the question: Are you obeying? -- Let your answer be "yes!"
4. BUT THERE'S A FOURTH QUESTION WE CAN SEE IN THIS STORY: ARE YOU TELLING?
*This question for us comes out of vs. 14-15, where God’s Word says:
14. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.''
15. The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
*In vs. 14, Jesus found the healed man in the Temple. And I like that, because that healed man was exactly where he needed to be. He went where he should have gone. He went to worship God, and thank Him for his healing.
*Then in vs. 15, as soon as he found out more about Jesus, the healed man went to tell somebody else that Jesus had made him whole. Yes, they rejected his testimony. And many people will reject our testimonies. But Jesus wants us to tell people about Him.
*And Jesus may not have miraculously healed you. But if you are a Christian, you have already received the greatest miracle of all! If you are a Christian, you have received the miracle that last forever! If you are a Christian, Jesus has miraculously saved you from sin! And we ought to tell people about it.
*The healed man said: "Jesus made me well!" "Jesus made me whole!" And because of the cross of Jesus Christ, we can say the same thing!
*Also, remember that one of the best ways we can help tell people about Jesus is by simply inviting them to church. Eighty percent of us are here right now because somebody invited us to come!
*It’s always a good time to invite people to church. And this is a great time to invite families with children, because VBS is right around the corner.
*Does it matter whether or not we tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ? Vance Havner helps us see.
*Bro. Havner was one of the great preachers of the 20th century, and he once said, "I remember when the Titanic sank in 1912. It was the ship that was supposed to be unsinkable. But the only thing it ever did was sink.
*When it took off from England, all kinds of passengers were aboard: Millionaires, celebrities, people of moderate means, and poor folks down in the belly of the ship.
*But a few hours later when they put the list up in the cruise line office in New York, it had only two categories: Lost and saved. Tragedy had crossed out all other distinctions.
*Out on the sea of life, there are scores of classifications. But when the voyage is over, it won't matter whether you were a rich man; poor man, beggar man, thief, butcher, baker, or candlestick maker. When your life's voyage is over, it won't matter whether you lived in the backwoods or on the boulevard.
*It won't matter whether you drove a Cadillac or pushed an apple cart to town. All such distinctions disappear and only two lists remain: Lost and saved." (10)
CONCLUSION:
*Nothing is more important than saying "yes" to Jesus Christ. Are you willing? Are you believing? Are you obeying? Are you telling? Let your answer to Jesus be "yes!"
*And as we bow for prayer, let me expand on these questions:
-Are you willing to be made whole? Are you willing to let go of past setbacks, and disappointments? Please pray about that.
-Are you willing to let the Lord Jesus do something new in your life? Do you believe that Jesus can change your life in a miraculous way? Do you believe that He can even save your soul, because He died on the cross for you and rose again from the dead? Please pray about that.
-Are you willing to get up when the Lord tells you to rise up? Are you willing to pick up the load He tells you to carry? Are you willing to go where Jesus tells you to go? What if He wants you to come down front to rededicate your life, to join the church, or to make your faith public? Please pray about that.
-And are you willing to tell people the great things Jesus has already done for you? Please pray about that too. And let your answer to Jesus be "yes!"
(1) Sources:
"The Bible Readers' Aids" edited by Charles H. H. Wright
http://www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=28
https://hopefaithprayer.com/scriptures/the-miracles-of-jesus-in-the-gospels/
(2) daily press.com - "Jesus asked questions to teach" by Tom Gilson - February 8, 2009 - Veteran of 34 years of ministry with Cru, founder of the Apologetics Leadership Group, and now a writer/editor with The Stream
http://www.thinkingchristian.net/Clips/QuestionsJesusAsked.pdf
https://www.thinkingchristian.net/
http://www.tomgilson.org/
(3) Adapted from SermonCentral sermon "Do You Want To?" by Guy Caley - John 5:1-9
(4) SermonCentral sermon "He Can Overcome Our Hurts" by Melvin Newland - John 5:1-15
(5) Adapted from EXPLORING THE GOSPELS: JOHN by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "The Impotent Man Challenged" - John 5:1-15
(6) SermonCentral sermon "Pool Watchers" by Paul Decker - John 5:1-15
(7) Adapted from "Do You Want to Get Well?" by Ray Stedman - John 5:1-17 - Oct 2, 1983
(8) Melvin E. Schroer and Angelo J. Mongiore, "A Funny Thing Happened" - New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1991 - p. 13 - Source: "Illustrations on Death and Resurrection" from "TOUR GUIDE - Funeral Meditations" by Wayne Brouwer - Copyright 2002 by Seven Worlds Corporation - ISBN: 0-936497-59-9
(9) SermonCentral sermon "Motivated to Move On in 2005" by Dave Kinney - Philippians 3:12-14
(10) Adapted from "The Kind of Preaching We Need" by Vance Havner
