Monday, June 11, 2012

SIH’s Think On These Things: Healing A Sick Man

The next miracle in our series is healing a sick man …This miracle is recorded for us in John 5:5-17



In this miracle, we find the Lord approaching the one who was in need of healing.  This is the conversation that takes place between the Lord and the young man (38 yrs old)… “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?  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.  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.“  Then, we are told that “immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath”



What follows is a condemnation of this young man by the Jews for carrying his bed on the Sabbath.  The young man justifies himself by explaining that his healer told him to carry his bed.  When asked, the young man could not identify the One that had healed him.  Later, Christ approaches this young man in the temple and instructs him to “sin no more”.  The young man, who now knows the identity of his healer, witnesses to the Jews concerning the great work of Christ in his life.  The Jews then persecute Christ and seek to slay Him because He “did work on the Sabbath day”.  Jesus response to them was very simple, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work”.



I would like us to notice two basic truths about our salvation being put on display in this miracle…

  1. First of all, the inability of this young man to approach Christ is a representation of a lost person’s inability to come to Christ in repentance and belief of his own ability, as those who are spiritually blind and spiritually dead, no one apart from the Lord’s gracious intervention in our lives can come to Him. (John 14:6, John 5:39-40, John 6:44-47)
  2. Christ saw this young man’s condition and choose to go to Him and offer to Him salvation from his condition.  This pictures for us the truth that Christ “seeks and saves that which was lost”.  We love Him only because He loved us first. (Luke 19:9-10, 1 John 4:10, 19, John 15:16, John 1:13)
  3. Immediately following his healing this young man now lives a new life seeking to follow the commands of the Lord.  This pictures for us the fact that as new creatures in Christ we now live in submission to His will and ways.  (2 Cor 5:17, Eph 4:22-24)
  4. Finally, this healing of the young man was not accredited to anything the young man had done.  It was totally accredited to the Father and Christ, when Jesus said “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work”. (Phil 2:12-13, Eph 2:4-9)



As we go about our business today, let us always be thankful for our Lord’s gracious intervention in our lives… loving us, coming to us, giving us an understanding of His truths, granting us repentance and faith, and adopting us into His family.  All of this is done by His grace in submission to His Father’s will. (2 Tim 2:25,   John 6:65, Phils 1:29)



When we come to an understanding of our inability and God’s grace in our salvation, we will find a much greater appreciation of all He has done for us and a greater motivation to become “living sacrifices” for His glory!  After all He has done for us… how can we give any less but our all to Him?



May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.






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