Jesus IS - The Gospel of John - Part 4 - ...The Great Healer!
Jesus Is - The Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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GREET EVERYONE-
Good Morning Loved Ones
If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.
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Open it to John Chapter 4 and verse 46 as we return to exposing what God says, through the Apostle John, about who Jesus IS - What Jesus should be to all people everywhere, in this human life!
As we return to our series “Jesus is”
Which is part of walking together through the Gospel of John.
PRAYER OVER SERIES
My prayer is that we will be able to identify Jesus, in our life, with some titles that should be very personal and intimate to each one of us when we say Jesus IS -
my Bridegroom
All Satisfying to me
the sower of Eternal Life for me
my great Healer
the one true God with Authority over my life.
Not that we can say "Jesus is” things becasue the Bible says Jesus is these things - although that is important!
I pray that we would say these things becasue Jesus actually IS these things in our life!
That He would actually Be these things to us in real and tangible ways.
And what we can see and hear and experience through the whole council of Scripture is that Jesus becomes these things, as a reality in our life Because of two things that are completely interconnected and seemingly cannot be separated From Each other:
Jesus all the more becomes these to us through our experience with HIM
and our experience with Him ONLY happens through our active and intentional devotion to Him.
That in all “the love of Christ would controls us, because we have all concluded: that JESUS has died for all, therefore all who believe that have died to ourselves to such a degree that we who are still alive would no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus who for our sake died and was raised”
PRAYER OVER MESSAGE
IS that all of us - not matter where we are on our journey of faith.
WE may claim Christ as real and risen Lord and Savior -
Or we may barley now who Jesus is and we may be here or watching just out of curiosity about what this whole Jesus thing is all about.
I pray that each one of us will examine how we approach Jesus.
That we will be honest with ourselves and honest with God our creator about how do we approach Jesus?
How do we approach His work?
His calling?
His commands?
His desires for us and His desires for the rest of the world?
His life that He came to give us so abundantly!
How do we approach the person of Jesus; God in the Flesh - Real and Risen.
ENGAGEMENT –
The Culture has certainly shifted!
It has shifted so fast that I am sure that for some of us it feels like it has shifted right under our feet.
and what is even weirder is you don’t have to be all that old to see the massive quick shifting.
One of the many ways our culture has shifted is in the area of Skepticism.
I think this is a specific result in going through the Post- Modern era 20-60 years ago when this all kind of began.
It began with “question everything that was considered tradition”
To moving into “well there is no Objective Truth” where truth became this thing that existed from person to person - Truth became personal “My Truth” - and we can still hear the influence of that in our culture today.
So from questioning everything - to Truth is relative from person to person - Now what Is easy to see is we have arrived to the time of Skepticism and suspicion.
A culture that is Needing proof for everything -
The age of “100% proof”
The age of “Prove it to me”
Not an age of discovery where we look at the evidence But rather an age that says How do I know the evidence is true - “Prove it to me”.
Show me 100% and I will then MAYBE agree - if I want to make it my truth.
What this really is - the root cause of this is just a pride of heart.
and independent self reliance.
That is indicative of the words at the beginning of every declaration “My Truth” and “
I want you to prove it to me 100%”
I want - MY truth
A boastful pride that says “i can figure things out on my own I don’t need anyone or any things to tell me”
I will trust only myself.
And if you were to honestly look at the brokenness of our world and our own lives - It somehow makes sense that we would be in a generation that would live by these conclusions.
TENSION
The problem that this created is in our own way we approach the person of Jesus -
And when I say we I mean all of us.
And you might think - Wow Pastor you mean this effects all of us? - Even those of us who claim Christ? -
Yes all of us and me included in that!
We all live, at differing levels, in this “show me and I will believe” kind of faith that is supported by our own pride that culturally we are discipled into by the curriculum of the Autonomy of the individual.
This has effected all of us -
Loved ones our pride that we carry is so ingrained and so sneaky that it influences all of us.
Have you chosen a Life Verse?
Almost with out exception - Everyone that I know of “and this includes myself” that has a live verse.
9 times out of ten time it is interesting that Life verse begins with “I” or “My” or I and My are implicated.
Examples:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
“For I know the plans I have for you declares the lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you plans to give you a future and a hope.”
“For I know that all things work out for the good of those who are loved by God and call according to His purposes”
And we reflect “man h man gods has a great plan for my life”
And listen loved ones - There is nothing wrong with having and Choosing a life verse - They are oh so helpful.
But we are naive if we think there is not a smidgen of “I or ME” in our selection then we need to be more honest with ourselves and with God.
What’s your pastor? I want to know Christ and the Power of his Resurrection”
See I am not immune to the problem of pride either.
What our text is going to open our hearts and lives to confront us with the question: “how do we approach Jesus?”
Do we do so with “i am” and I want and I can and I'm comfortable?
Or do we approach Jesus with framework of Him and Him alone.
BACKGROUND
Just before this part of the Story line of Jesus life is unfolded for us by The Holy Spirit through Jesus best friend John the Apostle.
Jesus has been in Sumeria having a conversation with a woman who came to a well - A women whose life was very very broken as many of our lives have been.
She comes to faith in Jesus, Heads back home to tell people and many more come to believe in Him and he stays there a couple of days.
VS 43-45 of this chapter makes mention of Jesus speaking that His home town people would not necessarily believe Him.
And that region the Jesus is from is Galilee and Where our narrative pick up is in the city of Cana -
You might well remember that part of history - Cana is where Jesus turned a bunch of water into the worlds finest wine towards the end of the Wedding Banquet.
UNPACKING
So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.
Lets get our bearings here in Just a minute -
Galilee is a region - Like what you and I would consider a county.
Like Comal County
Regions like that -
Galilee is up in the northern part of Israel Jesus is from the city of Nazareth - Which is in Galilee -
Cana is about 5 miles or so North of Nazareth and Capernaum is about 20 Miles or so East of Cana -
Capernaum is actually sitting on the sea of Galilee - It is a sea side city.
Jesus gets to Cana
and 20 miles away at Capernaum - The text Says “and official”
And official was more than like someone who was in the service of King Harrods -
Here is what Happens -
When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
20 Miles away - This guy hears that Jesus is was in Galilee in Cana -
Now either that man had spies in every corner of every city - WHICH is Possible or - Jesus Reputation went fast.
This man doesn't Know Jesus really at all -
Up and until this point Jesus had only been to Capernaum ONCE and when he was there didn’t do anything -
In fact Jesus did so little during his time there that the Bible records for us nothing - ONE verse- mentioning that he stayed there a couple of days.
SO it is reasonable to think that this OFFICIAL only knew about Jesus for the phenomenal things that Jesus was doing.
This Official hear that Jesus has come to town and make the 20 mile trip to get to Jesus and goes to Jesus and asks Jesus to Heal His son.
He needed healing becasue the kid was about to die.
It is almost as if this official made this trip as a last hope and with kind of a chip on his shoulders.
Like when He got to Jesus - His attitude might have been something like-
IF you are who everyone says you are then why don't you come and take care of my problem - My son is dying !
Prove your reputation with that one miracle man!
There are a couple of things that can draw us to that conclusion -
ONE is the the word in the original language that is used for the word Heal in verse 47
The word that the official uses right here means: “to take care of His wound - As if he has been attacked.” Like come tend to Him -
Second is the way Jesus responds to Him
So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.”
It’s almost as if Jesus kinda blows Him off - Or at the minimum interprets His request as less than humble -
and it is not a humble request - This official believes at some level that Jesus has the ability to cure His son from what ever disease has attacked His son.
and that becasue of His position He has the right to call Jesus to come to His house and Tend to His sons needs
REMEMBER: Jesus has also referred to the fact that in His own region, in the area of His own home town, people are going to have a hard time believing IN him.
Now watch the arrogance of this official.
Jesus says “you wont believe without signs and wonders” and the official responds with what almost looks like an order.
and an order with urgency
The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
Jesus responds to this order - this urgent order.
Go - your son will live -
Notice Jesus did not say - Your son will be healed -
and what is even more interesting is the “Go” jesus uses here.
In the language it is not just GO it is Go a long way away!
VSS 50
and what seems to happen in VVS 50 is the man come to faith -
BUT watch - NOT quite
Listen to what the text says “The man Believed in the words that Jesus spoke to Him”
In simpler terms “He trusted in what Jesus said”
Jesus said “You son will live”
and the man Trusted the word that Jesus said but not in Jesus himself.
There is a HUGE eternal difference -
But things change -
VSS 51-54
On his way beck to Capernaum on the 20 mile journey Watch what happens Listen to what changes!
As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
vs 53
The official knew - In the idea of remembering - The official knew this was the hour that Jesus said “your son will not die”
then watch - listen - He himself Believed - He himself Trusted in Jesus in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Not only Him but it says “ALL his Household”
Chapter 5 verse 1 - The scene Changes - VSS 1 begins with “After this” -
This is quite a while later - Jesus goes to Jerusalem
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
and VSS 2 - places Jesus at a pool just away a bit from one of the temple gate. The sheep gate.
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.
There is a pool called “Bethesda” which is such an interesting name -
Its not a Greek word or a Hebrew word - It is actually an Aramaic word and it means “house of outpouring”
and in this pool or around this pool there were many people who were blind and lame and paralyzed
One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
Out of all the people that were at the pool that day -
Jesus picked ONE -
So very important to understand the difference between Paralyzed - Lame and Invalid
SO in the language of the New Testament - Blind means well Blind - The inability to see no matter what the cause of blindness.
Lame - is the idea of a disability that is caused by flawed function - The limbs don't work properly - They work improperly. They have strength but they don’t function properly.
Paralyzed - is the idea of the limbs - the arms the legs and so forth not being formed properly - The Man with the withered hand that Jesus healed - His has was formed improperly and there for it could not function and was Paralyzed
This word that John uses to describe this man is “Invalid”
This is so very unique - Invalid - In the original language of the new testament - Here is what it means - It describes the condition where there is no strength - Weakness - Form is there - Function is there - BUT there is no strength - No power - Weakness.
When you hear new testament writers say things like “God’s power is displayed in my weakness” Same word - Same meaning.
This guy has been in this weak - no strength condition for 38 years and Jesus sees him there, has compassion on Him clearly; and says to Him in verse 6
When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”
this is so important to understand the difference in these two scenes - This man who was clearly in need of Help and the official who demanded Jesus come and heal His son -
The Official used the word we get for Healed - that really means - Come and tend to my son who is suffering from an attack -
And the question Jesus used towards this man when Jesus said “Do you want to be healed” - This healed means - “DO you want to get well?” “DO you want strength?” “Do you want your condition in this life to be assessed as healthy and strong?”-
Watch how this man answers Jesus - This man who is being approached by the creator of all things - God in the flesh - Has no clue who He is talking to -
and in the midst of this conversation two things happen- 1- Admits His weakness. 2- He thinks there is only one solution to His problem.
The weak man does not say “yes or no” to Jesus question - He simply admits “I have a huge problem I cannot over come”
The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”
I cant do it on my own -
When I try someone else jumps in front of me
I have no one to help me -
My situation is helpless and hopeless -
Notice what Jesus does -
Jesus does not pick him up and move him closer to the water -
Jesus does not sit with him and wait for the water to me stirred and then take him to the water.
Jesus does not touch him or shake him or move him or rebuke him -
Watch and listen to what Jesus does -
Jesus issues a command - VVS8
Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”
So what does the man do?
He obeys Jesus - Get’s up Pick up your bed, and then walk.
At the end of Verse 9 -13 there is another group of people that Enter the Story
The Text in verse 10-13 says “the Jews” and they have a problem with what is happening.
So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
Here is the funny part - The Jewish people DON’t have a problem with what happened - Their problem is how and when it happened -
Almost as if they were saying “Hey you did that wrong” We don't have a problem with healing the guy but not on the sabbath and you told him to carry his bed - That is a big NO NO.
He Can’t carry a bed on the sabbath!
The Jewish people were focused on the wrong thing -
They were focused too much on the ethics of the man, on the ethics of Jesus, On what is proper and legal and not the healing from God.
Here is what is oh so interesting about this story -
This man had no clue who Jesus was -
He had no historical background - He had no knowledge -
He had no rumor or gossip about Jesus come to Him -
He simply heard the voice of God in his ears and He obeyed and was healed.
That is all -
and Jesus didn't hang around to get credit from the man either -
VS13
Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
VERSE 14
takes us to the temple - where this man who had possibly never been to the temple to worship God - was now seated and worshiping -
Jesus meets Him and Encounters Him:
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
Jesus says “You picked up your bed after you heard my command and you recieved your strength -
Now sin no more - so that wore things don't happen.
Now we have to hear this and see this admonition from Jesus for exactly what it is.
WE know from the whole counsel of Scripture that we can never get to the place in this physical life where we have no sin at all -
But here is what Jesus is admonishing this man to do - Set your mind and heart agenda and intentionality on obedience to God.
You see that is what Sin is -
We sin when we are not obedient to God.
Jesus was like - God saved you from your problem and you obeyed the commands of God to pick up your bed and walk and in that obedience you recieved your healing - Continue in obedience - OR something worse.
In Verse 15 through 17 - This guy after learning that it was Jesus who healed Him - Went to the Jews to give glory to God a testimony of His deliverance and healing -
Remember the Jews initially had a problem with this guy for Carrying His bed on the sabbath.
He then goes back to them to Say - This is the man who healed me and who was working miracles on the sabbath -
The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
And so they really had a problem with Jesus doing miraculous work on the sabbath and telling people to Carry their beds on the sabbath -
and the Text said “they were persecuting Jesus becasue of this -
Persecuting in the language of the new testament means -
To systematically organize a program to oppress and harass people - to be mean - to threaten people - To chase people from place to place!
SO what this text says is that the Jewish people who knew the old testament, who knew that Jesus was supposed to come and be there as God in the flesh -
They didn't like the way that God administered grace to this man and they organised a program to oppress, harrass threaten and try to chase jesus off from place to place -
Watch what Jesus said” John 5:17
But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Jesus had just dismissed their comments and just said - No matter what day it is not matter what conditions persist - no matter what you think is right and wrong - In the midst of it all - My Father and I are both working to accomplish his will.
what Jesus had just done is calling YHWH his father but also making himself equal with YHWH and for Jewish people that was a big NO -NO
THE GOSPEL CONNECTION
Loved ones this is the Gospel -
Jesus heals - Jesus is the great healer - He can certainly heal our bodies if He chooses
But more significant is Jesus heals our souls, reveals Himself to us, Calls us out of the darkness, our of our blindness of who He is, and out of our weakness and brokenness and our of our arrogance and pride
Jesus Heals our broken relationship to God - Strengthens us in our weakness - Puts down our pride, self reliance and demands we put on God.
Call us into a different, new and abundant life, of having our heart and minds and strength given over to worshiping Him in our obedience to Him.
This morning all of us are confronted by this text -
How are we approaching Jesus the great healer of our souls, the restorer of our strength, the one who is working in the messiest of places every day?
Are we like the official - WE know a lot about Jesus -
WE have heard the stories about Jesus and the miracles he can do.
Do we try and command Jesus so we will believe - Navigating Jesus with skepticism with a Trust but verify attitude -
and if Jesus does what I demand then I will believe?
If so Jesus is calling you to fully trust - even in our pride and arrogance.
OR
Do I approach Jesus and the messiness of His grace with Legalism - Should and Should not’s - No on the sabbath - No in this place - Not with these people -
and Because of my legalism I am, by default, not really knowing that I might be - standing in the way of Jesus, oppressing Him, chasing Him from place to place - preventing Him from doing His work in my life and in the life of others becasue I am more concerned with the rules that give me comfort, convince, safety and security than I am the work of God?
OR
DO we interact with Jesus like the man in the pool -
confessing our weakness and inability -
simply hearing the words of Jesus - In the middle of our mess and the mess of others -
Knowing that His grace is messy and meets us sometimes when we don't even recognize it is Him -
Do we hear the words of Jesus - “Pick up your bed and walk” and Pick up and walk and receive the healing of our souls!
and in our devotion to Him, like the weak man by the pool, that is evident in our obedience for Him: Are we experiencing Him as the great healer and restorer of our souls?
- and once we recognize Him as Lord AND Savior and what He has been doing in our lives in the healing, in the deliverance, in the restoration, in the strengthening...
are we going back to those who asked “what happened to you and how did that happen?
Are we going back to them and saying “it is Jesus the great healer of my soul and the healer of yours as well?
Let us examine ourselves and ask - How are we approaching Jesus? -
For he is the great healer of our souls and He simply command us to turn to Him -
Loved ones - let us all this morning hear the voice of God and let us all “Pick up our beds and walk!
PRAYER TEAM
