Get Up, Its Over

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. To everyone in their respective places… the Elders, the Ministers, all of you God’s people… how many know that everybody is somebody in God’s kingdom. Amen, I bring you greetings in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior.

I honor God today because of his goodness. I also thank him for my wife, who is an amazing woman, partner, and friend. I thank God for my Bishop, my pastor, my leader, and my covering… Bishop Brandon Jacobs. Of course, Lady Vivian Jacobs our first Lady and Hammond Executive Pastor. To our Indy location Executive Pastor, Marcus Mabry, we thank God. Amen, God is truly amazing… is he not. I do not want to exhaust my time or your patience, so I want to get into the Word of God… are you praying with me.

Give Scripture(s): John 5:1-9

Study Scripture(s): John 3:1-John 5:19

Read Scripture: John 5:1-9

John 5:1–9 KJV 1900

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Prayer

Give Subject: Get Up, Its Over!

Introduction

Hope is the companion of power, and the mother of success: for who so hopes strongly has the gift of miracles.

This is a quote by Samuel Smiles who was a Scottish author and political thinker. He lived during a time when politics was not the realm of the common man, as such he could not be thought of as a politician or an activist. As such, he merely contributed to the social conversation of politics, along with a number of other topics, to shift the public’s thinking.

That said, he is most known as the man who singularly willed into existence the genre of books we call self-help with his publication titled, Self-Help, which was published in 1859. This book, the origin of today’s quote, was written in an effort to get people to take agency in their own lives and drive progress. The objective being to compel people towards individualized work, intended to create societal benefit. In some respects, his work was empowering because it was intended to lift people from the suppression of the Victorian Era while pushing them to a new future where everyone takes their future into their own hands .

His work has been considered critical in shifting the mindset of people, particularly in the United Kingdom, as people have learned to embrace ideas of self-determination. In this quote, Smiles is trying to get people to grasp onto hope and use it as a vehicle to accomplish great things. The idea being that hope is the core of all human accomplishment, in that our greatest victories and successes are rooted in our capacity to hope. We hope new inventions work, that political movements cause change, that our children follow our instruction, and that we do not fail at things throughout our lives. And no matter how hard we work and what we try, until something is completed our greatest confidence is rooted in hope. In its purest form, hope is built upon our belief of what is possible.

And while I can see the power of hope and understand the influence it can have, I have lived a life that tells me hope can run out. Hope, while based in a belief, also requires a degree of information. See, I have been in hopeful situations where I knew the possibilities and understood the math. Their have been times in my life when hope was slim but my data or experiences showed me that their was still a slim chance. In those scenarios, my hope relied on a slim chance which weakened my hope.

But as I consider the power and meaning of hope, I have only one question.

What do we have left, when we have no hope?

The answer, as you have now doubt guessed is in our text for the day. Let us dive into the book of John as we explore the concept and nature of hope.

Background

Book

The book of John is one of the four gospels, often labelled as being non-synoptic in its contribution to the Gospel message. To be non-synoptic refers to its distinction from the other Gospels in its style, content, and overall literary focus. In other words, the GoIts distinction is evident from the very opening of the book, when compared with the other three. Each of the Gospel’s, including the Gospel of John, exist to tell the story of Jesus so that we might have the opportunity to receive him as believers. However, each does so in the voice and from the perspective of its author, creating a unique blend but persistent harmony of the works.

Matthew

Matthew is interested in our perceiving Christ as a King. It is for this reason he opens with a lineage of Jesus that begins with David and Abraham.

Mark

Mark, in contrast, intends us to see Jesus as a suffering servant. Opening with the story of Jesus, showing us the nature of his ministry as a servant and subsequent death as the greatest servant.

Luke

Luke is primarily concerned with showcasing Jesus as the Son of Man, in that he is intended to redeem all of mankind but also on chronicling the life of Jesus in as dogmatic way as possible. He, largely, want to make Jesus accessible to all people, something relatively unique to him.

John on the other hand, while still telling the story of Jesus (like the others), peers beyond the human and see the divine, in that Jesus is the Christos, the anointed one, who is God in the flesh. This is made clear in John 1:1, where he looks beyond the Earthly life of Jesus and starts with the true Bereshith, the Book of Genesis. He returns to the beginning of time when he pens the words:

John 1:1–2 KJV 1900

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

He begins the story of Jesus with the words that began all Creation, framing Jesus as being something greater than one King. He exceeds the ranking of a servant. He is bigger than the redemption of all mankind. No, indeed and in fact, John is here to make the argument that Jesus is God in creation just as he is God in redemption. In this sense, if no other, the Gospel of John reads less like a story and comes across more as an exegetical apologists work on the story of Jesus. Reading, more like a theological work than a narrative work, seeking to declare a defined position as it pertains to Jesus’ life than to tell a cohesive and chronological story.

He frames the entire book in its opening chapter with the story of the beginning of Jesus’ Earthly ministry and closes the story with the commission to his disciples to spread the good news of the Gospel. However, it is in the middle that he uses the stories and miracles to support the divine nature of Jesus Christ through events in his ministry. John is determined to make the case for Jesus as God, insomuch that many of the events of John are unique to his gospel, not being recounted in any of the earlier Gospels. Furthermore, the events and statements are often not told in order but rather grouped according to the point that John is seeking to make.

Our narrative in Chapter 5 is one such example of a miracle and narrative offered exclusively by John but also one that is intended to communicate a point about Jesus. However, to truly understand his point we cannot begin at chapter 5 but must instead begin at Chapter 3 (and could make the argument to begin in Chapter 2).

Chapter/ Section

In chapter 3, John shows us the interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus. I want to look at John 3:5 “5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Here, Nicodemus has asked Jesus about his message and Jesus has to educate him on the baptism by both water and spirit. Jesus here is talking about the new covenant which is sealed through the Baptism of water and spirit, which is used to signify the change that takes place in people when they receive the gift of the gospel message. In that the water is an outward sign of the spirits inward work.

Nicodemus being Jewish, and most particularly a Pharisee, does not understand what Jesus is trying to say, forcing Jesus to restate and re-explain his meaning. What John is doing, in this Gospel is using people (in this case Nicodemus) as plot devices to present the questions or issues that we as readers may have with one of Jesus’ claims and then using the life of Jesus as a response to those questions. This carries us into the later portions of 3, where John’s disciples serve as a continuation of this plot device to ask questions about Jesus’ baptism in water. This is once again allowing the reader to see the existence of this question and creating a setup for the answering of their questions. How can you be born again, how can you be born of water, why is Jesus baptizing more than you are. John waves off their questions and continues in his service.

It is then in Chapter 4, where we see Jesus enter into the land of Samaria where he will encounter the woman at the well. With this woman, he will have a conversation that will end with his claim that not only is the water she seeks in the well insufficient to satisfy her but he indeed claims that he himself is a well of water that shall satisfy her forever. The function of this story in chapter 4 is to provide support to the notion that Jesus is God by virtue of his function as living water in much the same way that God and his wisdom are portrayed as living water in Psalms 1 and Proverbs 18.

Text

This leads us right up to our text for this morning. In our text, we find a man that has been sitting by a pool which is at the edge of the city for 38 years. This pool, which has been found in archeological digs, sat by one of the city gates and had five areas that were separated by columns where people could sit and wait. The people of the city sat by the pool because it was reported that an angel of the Lord would touch/ or trouble the water and heal the first person to get into the water. No specific timeline had been given but the people all waited patiently for the water to be troubled.

And so, as Jesus is entering the city gate, he cannot help but pass by this area which is full of people who are sick and in need of healing. Jesus, as he is passing through, takes notice of this man and begins to speak with the man and we learn about the man and his condition. Jesus begins by asking the man if he would be made whole… essentially inquiring about the man’s faith as it pertains to being healed of his infirmity. The man responds and says that he has no man to put him into the water when it is troubled.

This leads me to my first point.

Do not bind your breakthrough to broken people.

The scripture makes it plain that this man is not standing by the water on his own but he is in fact standing at this pool with a great multitude of people all of whom are waiting for the water to be troubled.

And yet, while standing there with a group of broken people in need of healing, he is placing the future of his healing (at least partially) into the hands of other people who are suffering the same as he is.

How many times have we left our breakthrough in the hands of other people because we refuse to seek out the true source of healing for ourselves?

We get sick and the first thing we want to do is to call the pastor.

You need help and healing and you are looking to people to provide that for you.

And God may use people as a help but your faith, your hope, and your trust must be placed in God.

Their is nothing wrong with a gathering of broken people, this service right now, is a gathering of broken people.

But you owe it to yourself to look to the hills form whence cometh your help…

That is why so much Church Hurt exists in the Church, because many of us have made a God out of people and left no room for God himself.

Be Careful… you do not bind your breakthrough to broken people.

The man goes on in his conversation to Jesus, and says he has no man when the water is troubled to put him into the pool… making it clear that he is trying for himself but is simply not fast enough to get into the pool with enough time. This leads me to my next point.

Don’t make a monument out of your miracle.

Too often, God has moved in our lives and we have a tendency to get stuck around what God did… causing us to ignore where he is going.

This man is standing by the pool waiting to be held despite serving a God who is greater than the pool itself, as the man is clearly Jewish.

His interaction in later verses (read it when you get home) lets us know he is Jewish and therefore should know the stories about God bringing healing, destruction, life, death, famine, increase, and all manner of things to the people of Israel and even individuals in the scripture.

And yet, despite knowing better he still clings to this one pool as the potential source of his healing because he has made a monument of a miracle someone else received, thinking he could get his deliverance the same way.

Let me say it like this, you have to come to know God for yourself and like every other relationship in your life, your relationship with God should grow and evolve to reflect your increased and improved relationship with him.

And if you are unable to see past something that God has done before, you may never receive what he has for you because you are looking for God in your past when God is already in your future.

Do not make a monument out of your miracle.

I want to share my last point with you as I draw to my close.

We must not bind our breakthrough to broken people.

We cannot make a monument out of our miracle.

But Lastly, we must Believe Beyond our Brokeness

Let me see if I can work my way out of here.

Conclusion

You see this man, had been laying by this pool for 38, long years.

And I think we have given this man a bad rap because we have confused the topics of hope and faith.

We have looked at this man’s situation and we have looked at his statements to make the declaration that he lacked in faith.

We have made the claim that this man was healed in spite of his faith and I submit to you this morning New Zion Temple that he was healed because of his faith.

You see hope is based on information that can shed light on your outcome.

But faith is grounded in belief that may exist in spite of the information you have about your outcome.

And so as I am looking at this man, examining the text, I see a man of little hope but with great faith.

Imagine, if you will, that he had tried everything, as he laid there for 38 years waiting for the water to be troubled.

Perhaps he tried to roll himself down into the pool.

Perhaps he paid someone to carry him into the water.

Or even, he got in line and got all the way to the front.

But whatever the case, each time he approached the water, he missed his healing because someone was able to beat him into the pool.

You see, I want to pause right here and point out really clearly, that the man is not sitting idly by as a lazy man waiting to be healed.

Indeed and in fact, the scripture makes clear that the man had attempted to get into the pool… it is not that he was lazy or completely incapacitated, but he was slow.

In John 5:7 “7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.”

And so, as each passing day goes by… the man is having an inner war between his faith and his hope.

Hope tells him… you been impotent for 38 years. But faith says… just get to the pool.

Hope says… The water heals but the line is long. But faith says… I’m gonna lay in this line.

Hope says… Even at the front of the line, you still too slow to get into the water. But faith says… somebody gonna come along and put me in the water.

Hope says… Nobody is ever coming to put you into the water. But faith says, just wait by the pool.

And I imagine Church, he is 38 years into this think.

He has grown old, waiting for this water.

His beard is long, waiting on this water.

His hair is raggedy, waiting on this water.

People are staring at him, because he won’t leave well enough alone.

He probably knows everybody at the pool by this point.

And one day, Jesus walks by… See the man is waiting by the pool for some troubled water but what he does not realize is that the troubled water has come to him.

Jesus, asks the man, wilt thou be made whole.

Its not a question of hope. Because hope is slim.

Its not a question of faith. Because faith is abundant.

I think Jesus, wanted to know where his faith was.

Because see if your faith is in a man to put you in the pool… man is gonna let you down every time.

If your faith is in the pool to heal you… the pool is gonna let you down every time.

And Jesus, who has a point to make… Jesus… who must be about his father’s business… Skips the explanation and just tells the man…

Get Up, Its Over.

Your season, of waiting by the pool… its over.

Your season, of waiting on man to do it… its over.

Your season, of hoping and wishing… its over.

Jesus… heals the man in John 5:9, to confirm the scriptures:

He says in John 3:5, “cept a man be born of water and spirit, he shall not enter the Kingdom of God.

He was saying… you must get the new life of the spirit and show the new life the water.

In John 3:16, “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He was saying… God sent new life in the form of his son who shall give life to them who believe.

In John 4:14, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be a well of everlasting life.”

He was saying… I can give you a new type of water that shall give you everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.

In John 3, he compares Baptism and the Son.

In John 4, he compares Water and Life.

But I am SO GLAD… for Chapter 5, for its chapter 5 that Jesus says forget all that other stuff.

I know I told you, that you need to be cleansed in water.

I know I Told you, that you need to receive the spirit.

I know I told you, God sent his Son to bring new life.

I know I told you, that you need the water inside of you.

But in Chapter 5, he is through arguing… he makes his point because he tells the man.

Take Up Your Bed, and Walk… what he was simply saying… was I am the water.

I am the water, that shall cleans you.

I am the water, that shall bring forth the spirit.

I am the water, that shall bring you new life.

I am the water, that shall spring forth inside of you.

And I am the water, that shall heal you of all sickness and disease.

And now, its time… to get up…

You’ve been waiting to long.

Get Up… Your healing is waiting.

Get Up… New Power is waiting.

Get Up… New Glory is waiting.

Get Up… A Fresh Anointing is waiting.

Get Up… Because God is not through yet.

Slap your neighbor and tell them its over.

Over. Over. Over. Over. Over. Over.

Get Up from there.

Get Up. Get Up. Get Up. Get Up.

Your faith, has been under attack… but get up.

You can get up… because he Got up… Yeah.

I know its palm Sunday but if you don’t mind me just a bit… let me add 7 days to the clock.

I know I can get up… because he got up… it started… One Friday afternoon.

On a hill. called calvary. stood an old. rugged cross.

It was the emblem. of suffering. and shame.

They hung him high. stretched him wide.

He bowed his head. and for me he died.

He died… so you could declare.Christ and him crucified.

He died… so you could tell. the good news.

That he was wounded. for our transgressions. Aw Shucks.

Bruised. for our inequities.

The chastisement. of our peace. was laid upon him.

And by his stripes. we are healed.

He died… so his strength could be made perfect in our weakness.

He died… so this corruptible could put on incorruption.

He died… so this mortal could put on immortality.

Didn’t he die. Yeah.

He died. (I feel baptist now). until the Sun. refused to shine.

He died. until the moon. dripped in blood.

He died. until the Earth. Rocked and Rembled.

He died. until the veil of the temple. was rent in twain.

He died. until the centurion said. SURELY (I feel my help now)… SURELY, this must be the Son of God.

But thats not how… the story ends… three days later… he rose again.

He got out the grave, bright early… Sunday morning. with all power… all power… all power. in his hands.

Power… to tell you… your struggles are over.

I heard God say

Your problems are over.

Your Struggle… its over.

Your heartache… is over.

Your disappointment… is over.

Your pain… is over.

Get Up… Its Over!

Invitation

Listen… if you are tired of waiting in the same place for the same thing… I want you to take the roof off this place and give God a shout of praise.

And if you know this morning, that you need God to speak to you… to get up out of some things, I want to tell you that he is able and just to do it. The doors of the Church are open...

Our Elders and Ministers are standing waiting for you in this moment, in this hour, at this second.

We want you to take this moment and make Jesus your choice.

You may say preacher… I am already saved… I know I am messed up and I decided to let Jesus clean me up long ago. But I need a pastor. Listen, I say this with no doubt in my mind that our Bishop is a Man of God and he would love to be your Pastor. Will there be one.

New Zion, you know what we do, lets go fishing. Its our time to fulfill our calling. As our Bishop would say, look to the left of you and look to the right of you and ask your neighbor two questions… are you saved and do you have a pastor? If they say no to either one of those questions… bring them to this altar.

Amen. If Israel doesn’t repent, Jacob will lose his reward.

Benediction

Lord as we leave this place… but never from your presence… we thank you for your continued watching over us. We thank you that you are the divine propitiation of our sins and that you have preserved us. Now God I pray you go with us to our separate places. And as we leave this place, I pray the blessing of Aaron over these your people according to Numbers 6:24–26 “24 The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” In Jesus name… Amen.

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