You have to change for change to happen
John 5:1-5:8
Hey good morning…glad to have you with us this morning.
Sermon title- you have to change for change to happen- Ever wonder why do you come to church every Sunday?
I know you don’t have to come to church to be saved or be a Christian.
We are saved by the grace of Almighty God. But I question what kind of Christian you are if being in the house of God is not important to you.
If the things that are important to God are not important to you.
Coming to church on a regular basis reveals two things about you wither you want to admit it or not-
God is important- you want to be in HIS HOUSE AND ALLOW Him to speak to us through the word and through the message that is given by His anointed servants.
That these people you are sitting with are important. these people of like-minded faith are going to sit together, pray together, and do service for the Lord together.
Most people believe that others should change. We have no problem with that!
What about us changing? We come up with so many excuses why we cannot change.
Please turn to John 5:1-5:9. As your turning, I want to give a review of a book I read.
I want to tell you of a book I read about 10 years ago. It was called “Who moved my cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson.
Some of his quotes from the book;
Life moves on, and so should we.
What would you do if you were not afraid?
When you stop being afraid, do you feel good?
The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.
The book is about 4 mice in a rat race called life.
2 mice- Sniff and Scurry run in their own direction, not worrying about anything or anyone but themselves.
2 mice- Hem and Haw- they see others, but don’t really care about them enough to slow down.
“The Cheese”- is anything that nourishes you. Your job, money, relationships, processions, health.
“The Maze”- where we live. It is us trying to get all the pieces together and living life.
Question for you this morning…
What happens when things are changed, or moved, or taken away? What do you have left?
If you are unhappy with the way things are going, are you willing to change?
Are you willing to get yourself in possession for God to help you?
John chapter 5:1-5:9
When you hear the term “getting into troubled waters”, you think of:
Someone in hot water
Getting into trouble
Being somewhere they don’t want to be.
But here, we see a man desiring to be in troubled waters but it never happened.
He knew that if he got into that water, it would change his life forever.
I want you to see something here;
We spend a lot of thought on positioning ourselves to receive from God.
As we should, seek the kingdom of God first
Bringing our thoughts and lives under the captivity of Christ.
Us (God’s people) reaching out to God.
This is His desire for us. That we would surrender our lives to Him.
For some that have experienced the presence of God, we would not trade anything that this world offers.
For others, we don’t know how to get into the presence of God.
Maybe guilt has kept us away from God.
Is it possible to get into the presence of God? Yes it is.
Is it possible to get so wrapped up in life that you miss His presence? Yes it is.
This crippled beggar at the pool of Bethesda thought that this day was going to be business as usual. If he responds correctly, this day could possibly change his life forever.
Let me set this up
Outside of Jerusalem was twin pools called the pools of Bethesda.
It was rumored that if you get into that water as it was being stirred up by an angel, that it would bring you healing. The first one in the water gets the healing.
There were blind people, crippled and lame people, and paralyzed people.
Those that could not work begged there and hoped that they would be in the water at the right time to be healed.
For 38 years, a man with no recorded name must have been dropped off at the pool each morning to beg and hope that he would receive that healing.
For 38 years- that was his life! Can you just imagine that!
Someone dropped him off and picked him up. Business as usual.
Jesus was in full ministry at that time, He shows up and learns this man was there 38 years and asks the question that must have shocked this man. “Do you want to get well?” This place 350 feet long, 200 feet wide, 25 feet deep and smelled stinky, was a dirty place that sheep were sold at the market place.
This is one place you would not expect to find God and a place that would not offer much hope.
Sometimes Jesus shows up where you lest expect Him to be!
So why would Jesus ask this man if he wants to get well?
Because some had been comfortable relying on others for support.
Because to be healed would mean change- he no longer had a need to beg for food and money.
You also see that this man did not know Jesus.
We want to get all spiritual and say I’m looking for Jesus, I’ll be ready when he shows up, but this man was about to experience God’s grace.
If he knew Jesus, he would not have asked Jesus to drop him into the pool. He would have asked for a miracle, and not making excuses of why it took so long.
Jesus had compassion for this man and He has compassion for those that have gotten caught up in life maze.
The rat race of life.
Here was this man’s chance to have an encounter with Jesus that could change his life forever.
We need an encounter with Jesus!
Jesus was checking if this man wanted pity or help.
I want you to see that Jesus was walking and looking for this man. His grace and mercy centered in on that one particular man.
He saw, He had compassion, and He has compassion for each one of us too.
He sees what we are going through.
He seeks to save the lost and comfort those who are wounded and hurting (repeat)
Don’t let Satan lie to you this morning and say that Jesus doesn’t care, because He does care!
There are some observations here that can change your life forever.
Question for change #1- Do you want change?
Do you…Really…want change in your life!
Wholeness begins when a relationship with the Lord is established.
It may have started out business as usual, but that is what makes it special- Jesus reaching out to us.
Jesus looks into our lives, sees that we cannot do it ourselves and desires to transform us.
It is not a silly question- “Do you want to get well?”
Because it is possible to be in God’s presence every Sunday, hear God’s Word, have Jesus offer healing and you reject it.
Usually because we want the healing on our terms instead of the Lord’s.
You must decide if you want change.
To be healed for this man meant that he would have to change.
He would not be relying on the pity and mercy of others but that he would have to take responsibility for his own actions.
That can be scary but if God is in the transformation, He will be in the rehabilitation.
Some people go to great lengths to avoid unwelcome and welcomed changes.
Some people may have physical problems, but there are people who are paralyzed in heart and mind because they think God has nothing for them and they have learned to live like that.
We see that in the life of the church.
We see people attend, like church, like the sermon, like the people. They listen to what is said and one day they are confronted with the fact that God desires change and they really don’t want change so we don’t see them anymore.
When Jesus shows up in our lives, He desires change, you have to decide if you want change in your life and would be willing to do whatever it takes.
Question for change #2- you must quit making excuses.
“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 slips down before me.”
Notice that the man did not answer Jesus question of wanting to be well, he made excuses about his condition. Yes, he has a physical disability, but he also has a victim mentality.
Victims always see themselves as victims.
Believe the notion that life is fair.
Have trouble forgiving because it is seen as a weakness.
Cannot maintain relationships because they cannot trust.
Change never happens until we stop making excuses and we admit we have a problem.
(Repeat)
It is possible to stop making excuses, break the pattern of complaining, and discover the power of God in our lives.
Illustration
Joni Erickson Tada- 17 year old girl who had a diving accident and now has a ministry Joni and friends for handicap people.
Dave Reavor- who as a marine was burn beyond recognition when a hand grenade exploded in his hand.
Business as usual was 38 years of doing the same old thing the same old way and he was getting the same old results.
What changed his life? Jesus showed up and He responded.
Jesus asked “Do you want to get well?
He responded by making excuses and reasons for his condition.
Jesus said- “pick up you mat and walk”
At once, the man was cured’ he picked up his mat and walked. This brings us to the third and final observation
Question for change #3- Decide whether you are ready to act
“Pick up your mat and walk”
Immediately he was healed- notice it did not say that Jesus told him to wait till the next time the waters are stirred. He did not say I’ll drop you down. It was not determined by anything except to respond to Jesus.
Choices
Listen and ignore
Listen and hope
Listen and respond
We all have these choices.
Some will listen to the words of Jesus and ignore responding.
They will wait till it is more convenient.
A lot of people miss God’s best because there yelling “it’s not my fault” and God is telling them to stop ignoring Him.
Some listen and put their hopes in the wrong thing.
His hope was in the ones that daily brought him to the pool, hoping that he would be dropped into the water at the right time.
Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.
Healthy people stop making excuses and respond and put their hope in Jesus Christ.
Some listen and obey- These are the people that will see God transform their lives.
Closing,
Most times we are told not to burn our bridges behind us- but when it comes to letting Jesus work in our lives, it is always best to not go back to the old ways.
Let him transform us, change us and “go and sin no more”.
Sir Isaac Newton- First law of motion- “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by force impressed upon it.”
We know we need change
We know it is hard to achieve.
We know if we do not respond when Jesus impresses us too, we will not do it on our own.
Is the Lord troubling the waters so to speak this morning in your life? If He is- get in! Get in and don’t look back! Waiting for the perfect time? Right now!
Amen.
