SF645 - SOMEONE CARES FOR YOU - WHEN YOU ARE WITHOUT HOPE (John 5 1-9)

                                                                                                                                                                                  SF645

SOMEONE CARES FOR YOU...

WHEN YOU ARE WITHOUT HOPE

John 5:1‑9

INTRODUCTION

Searching for Hope?

Hope is the fuel that keeps the human soul going.  It is hope that propels the underdog to the front.

It is hope that keeps homes together.

It is hope that sustains life in the emergency room and ICU.

Hope that elusive, unmeasurable energy that will not let us quit, when quiting seems like the best thing to do.

The Hope that things will get better and people will change.

Hope is something you don’t think about until it is gone.

THE CAR KEYS

I heard about  A woman looking into her purse for her keys. She looked casually, seriously, then frantically. Could not find them. Then she discovered she was  Looking in wrong purse.

Many of us are the same way.  We are looking in the wrong place for hope

1A.       THE MAN'S CONDITION

1B.       This Man Was Completely Helpless

He had no strength of his own (5)

Invalid = without strength

(Romans 5:6)  "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."

You may have Physical strength, or Intellectual strength or Financial strength. But what you need is Spiritual strength.

He had no one to help him (7a)

(Psalms 142:4)  "Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life."

2B.       This Man Was Totally Hopeless

Time had eroded his hope (5b)

He had become embittered by his condition (7b)

2A.       THE MASTER'S COMMAND

1B.       Jesus Respected the Man’s Right to Choose (6b)

God will not; and Satan can not; force your will.

2B.       Jesus Required that the Man Make an Outward Commitment (8)

He had to be willing to risk failure - he had not walked in 38 years

He had to be willing to demonstrate his faith - he only  had Jesus’  Word to go on.

3A.       THE MIRACULOUS CONCLUSION

1B.       The Man Experienced a Life-Changing Miracle (9)

2B.       The Man Illustrates an Greater Life-Changing Miracle

(Eph 2:8‑10) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith‑‑and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God‑‑(9) not by works, so that no one can boast.(10)  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Three prepositions

1C.       "By Grace” speaks of the Means of Eternal Life

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound...

2C.       "Through Faith" speaks of the Mode by which we receive Eternal Life

It is a faith that works

“Pick up your mat"

It is a faith that walks

3C.       "To Do Good Works” speaks of the Manifestation of Eternal Life

Get the order right

Jesus said Get up, Pick up your mat and walk. He didn't tell him to walk first, he said get up first.

Quit trying to live the Christian life without Christ.

APPLICATION

A PARDON REFUSED

1829 George Wilson was sentenced to death by hanging. But President Andrew Jackson sent message to pardon. He got the message and said I refuse the pardon. What do you do then? Do you open jail and shove him out or go ahead and hang him.

It ended up in the supreme court. Chief Justice John Marshal said, If a pardon is refused it is no pardon.

George Wilson was hanged by the neck even though he had been potentially pardoned.

Wilson, refused to accept the only hope he had and in so doing condemned himself to death.

Jesus has pardoned everybody who will accept the pardon through His marvelous grace.

This is HOPE!

Will you receive your pardon?