Leaving Old Conditions Behind

Changes

It’s quite customary for us to utilize the final week of the year as an opportunity to make some plans, set some goals, reflect on relationships, employment and our ability to move forward. Sometimes that leaving certain friendships in 2022, leaving certain careers in 2022, leaving certain habits, in 2022. The tough part about the journey of a Christian is just attending a worship service is not going to change your heart unless the things learned in worship, the praise and worship songs have to be internalized, and the fellowship has to be yearned for. We don’t simply change by attendance.

We are right in the thick of Jesus’ ministry. We find ourselves in the middle of this narrative in which Jesus goes up to Jerusalem. It was quite the celebratory time considering the feast of the Jews was on the horizon.

Granted it is such a miraculous moment in which Jesus heals the sick, blind, lame, paralyzed. This pool, Bethesda was a pool in Jerusalem in which many sick and infirm people came to seek healing. Some historians perceive the meaning of Bethesda to be “House of Mercy”.

God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s love is infinite in nature. The catalyst is this, we must tap into it. Until we plug in to the power of God our lives will never be changed. Being close to the pool is not enough, just attending worship is not enough if I’m truly going to be made well of all the things I’m struggling with I’m going to have to tap in to the love of power of God.

How Long Will You Deal With Your Condition.

John 5:5 “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.”

Even if the pool is only stirred up once a year that’s 38 opportunities to become whole, to be healed. Just incase you like math let’s talk about this for a second. This is 38 years, 456 months, 13,870 days, 332,880 hours, 19,972,800 seconds that he had been dealing with this issue.

Issue may not tell the full story it was greater than an issue. It was an incapacity, weakness, limitation.

We have to look deep inside our issues, our limitations and ask ourselves, how long will we deal with these issues. It’s easy to deal with a condition when you know everyday you show up there will be other unhealthy, issue ridden people around you. Often times it’s not that we do not want to change it’s that we have gotten comfortable with being around sick people. Have you ever been around someone who only had bad news to share with you every time you see them. Or maybe you look around at your friend group and everyone is dealing with the same issue? It’s time to ask yourself why I am showing up and failing to change.

I have to ask myself, do I want better for myself?

The problem is I tend to deal with my issue from a perspective of my own understanding rather than trusting in God’s direction.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

38 years, and I haven’t thought to ask someone to help me in the pool? I know it seems catastrophic on our end, I imagine some of us are saying what we would have done in that moment. Nonetheless the commonality of community can keep us in certain places longer than we desire to be there.

Stop Looking for Healthy Help From Sick People

One of the issues with the troubles of life is we can find community in our problems. If your problem is lying there is a community for that, if your problem is drug abuse there is a community for that, if you like certain foods, restaurants, sports, hobbies there is a community for everything. The danger about aligning ourselves with unhealthy communities we become comfortable because everyone else around us is not walking in wholeness but rather brokenness. This is why when you get enough strength, and faith to step into the pool of wholeness people start treating you different.

It’s not you, it’s your wholeness. You won’t be laying by the pool of healing talking about what you almost did, and what you used to be.

The text says that there was a great multitude of sick people. Often times we do not share enough grace on people who show up poolside but never get in to recieve their healing. The owness was not completely on the paralyzed man. Just like he may not have asked for assistance, many people around saw his condition and no one helped. I’m sure we have heard the adage that God helps those who help themselves but based on the definition of what it means to be infirmed, God also helps people who are incapable of helping themselves.

Jesus asked a pertinent question, “Do you want to get well?”

We can’t look at how long it took for him to be healed we have to look at it from the perspective that God’s soveriegn grace is always on time. It showcases the fact that no matter how long you have been dealing with your problem, the length of your problem is not an issue for God.

2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Searching for Wellness All 2023

The problem with time we thing the longer we deal with something the more hopeless we should become. Surely the longer we deal with something the less likely we are to get well, nonetheless God does not deal with less likely’s. God is the master of difficult situations. The lesson is this, if God can heal someone dealing with a problem for almost 4 decades think about what He can do with the problems we have been facing for a fraction of that time.

I know we look for wellness is other places, books, remedies, eating regimens and all of those things are fine and should be used but never let those things take the place of Jesus.

As powerful as the stirring of the pool was by the angel it’s power was nothing in comparison to the words of Jesus. “Get Up, Pick up your mat and walk”

Jesus is the source of healing. It’s His word that provides us with healing. As we walk into the year 2023 let us understand that it’s about the word of Jesus. It’s about faith in Jesus. This man did not ask for help, yet Jesus points him out. If you are listening to this sermon this morning, Jesus is point you out! Let’s Get Up, we’ve been in the dumps too long, we’ve been paralyzed by trials and sin too long, it’s time to Get Up and walk in purpose!

I’m getting rid of all drama, I’m getting rid of anything that is holding me back from my healing. I might lose friends, I might be treated differently, but if it means my faith is sustained and my life is changed for the better I’m there!

Often times when it comes to healing the first question we ask is dependent on this idea of effectiveness. Whether it was the flu vaccine or the covid vaccine we were worried about what was in it and how effective it is. One thing we do not have to worry about is the effectiveness of the power of Jesus.

The woman with the issue of blood, healed.

The samaritan woman, healed

The paralytic by the pool of bethesda, healed.

The paralytic let down through the roof, healed.

Bartimaues, blind, healed.

The man with the demon possessed child, healed.

Jesus remains 100 percent effective, we just have to have faith to trust him!

The beauty of God’s grace is sometimes it touches us when we aren’t looking for it, but imagine how powerful it is if we are living our life like we are looking for it.

Look no further for your healing today! Healing begins and ends with Jesus!