"What do you REALLY want?"
John 5:1-9
Prayer…
Most of us are familiar with this story…
There is a man here who has had an infirmity for about 38 years…
And he, among many others who were sick with a variety of infirmities, would wait beside a pool called Bethesda…
-Waiting for it to be stirred by the angel of the Lord.
-That when it was stirred…the first to get in would be made whole!
And this particular man had been waiting by this pool for quite some time…
-We don’t know how long…
-But we do know that each time the pool was stirred, he was beat to the punch and was still awaiting his healing…
Now…Jesus passes by and sees this man whom he knows is waiting there so that he could be healed.
And Jesus goes up to this particular man to question him…
-He looks at his situation and asks a very important question to the man…
-A question that I think is fair to ask…
Considering that he is sick…
He has been there for quite some time waiting for the waters…
He still has NEVER gotten into the pool yet…
He has never devised a plan to be the first…
Jesus says to him…”DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE WELL???”
-Fair…direct…and convicting.
-When you consider all that we have discovered…it is a question that must be answered…
-A question that you could almost assume that you know the answer to because it hasn’t happened yet.
But the man does want to be whole…however, he comes up with an excuse as to why he isn’t yet.
-And regardless of the reason…Jesus heals the man…
-And the man goes away whole, and happy…
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And you are probably asking yourself…
“What are you trying to say P.T.???”
Are you trying to tell us to just keep waiting upon the Lord for what we need???
-Yes that’s true…
Are you trying to tell us that if we just hold on, and continue to pray, and press in to God…He will come by soon and raise us up???
-Yes…that is true too…
Are you trying to say that we don’t really have to do anything, but just wait upon the Lord for what we need???
-That is true at times as well…
Are you trying to tell us that should do something more???
-That is true at times as well…
BUT…
There is something that strikes me when I read this particular passage that has little to do with these questions…
Little to do with the hidden meanings…and symbolism in the story…
Very little to do with healing and waiting upon the Lord even…
What I want to do is focus on that one question that Jesus asked this man with the infirmity…
“Do you WANT TO be made whole???”
-This is a good question!
Though you may be coming to Church…and have been for years and years…
-Does it mean that you really want to grow in the Lord???
Though you may have been paying your tithes for years…and even giving offerings…
-Does this mean that you are a joyful giver and are trusting God to meet your every need and to increase you???
Though you may come to the altars and pray for a healing in your body…
-Do you really want to be healed???
What I am trying to say is…
Though we may be SAYING that we want something…or we desire something…
-Is it in word…and not sincerity???
I don’t mean to question our motives, but I do want us to look deep within our hearts and ask ourselves if we REALLY want to…
-Be healed…
-Be growing and thriving in the Lord…
-Be a disciple of Christ…
-Be a blessing to others…
It is easy to say, but difficult to actually do…
ILLUSTRATION:
It is like telling someone that you will pray for them; but then you don’t remember them in prayer.
You forget about it, and then you really don’t care.
-We’ve all done it.
-Lip service…is easy
The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
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Jesus asks this question of this man…and I think for good reason…
After sitting here all these years, how could he NOT get in first and be healed???
And my friends…
After all these years of being in Church, and being around the things of God…
Do we really want to be whole…be healed…be mature…be a blessing to others???
-These are good questions to ask ourselves…
-For some of us should be further along than we are.
What I am trying to get at tonight…
Is that we need to re-evaluate and consider our intentions with the Lord…
And we know that we want to be His child and serve him with gladness…
-Therefore…if we are going to do it, then do it right!
This is why we are told these strong words from Luke 9:62…
But Jesus said to him, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
This is also why we are told in Luke 14:25-35 to consider the cost of being a disciple of Christ’s…
-It is not an easy decision, nor one that should be made with no consideration…
Are you not growing in the Lord…?
Are you not being healed…?
Are you not thriving in the way that you have hoped…?
Who is to blame?
The Scriptures teach us that God has given us everything that we need in order to grow up into Godliness in the way that we need to…
Much like that man at the pool, waiting for the right time to jump in…
We are waiting for something to hit us…and make it make sense to us…
-But it takes work and determination.
-It takes a choice of ours that says…yes…I will do it.
I can’t help but also think of what James spoke of…
James 2:20
“But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?”
-That man could have waited up on the side of that pool for all eternity, and his healing would not have come…he had to act in faith upon what he believed in order to have a healing.
-We can trust and believe the Word all we want…but we must also be acting upon the Word too.
Not just hearers…but doers TOO!!!
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My friends…
What about us…
Do we REALLY want to be made whole…to be mature…to be free???
Do what you know to do.
Act on your faith, and live what you know you should live!
What do you REALLY want???
Are you willing to do it?
To act upon it?
To trust for it and receive it???
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When it comes to our faith in God and growing in Godliness…
Pursue God like never before!!!
When you are seeking a healing in your body…
Act upon the Word of God…believe you are whole in the Name of Jesus and don’t doubt!!!
When you are trying to lay down a deed of the flesh…
Just do it!!!
For him to know to do good, and NOT do it…it is sin.
What am I trying to say???
Be proactive in your faith and relationship with God.
Don’t wait for it to just float over to you…but lay hold of it!
Matthew 11:12
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force (seize it for themselves).”
Come and pray…seeking to lay hold of your faith like never before…
