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Introduction:
Dozens of songs describe the beauty of walking with the Lord.
“When we walk with the Lord In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey” (J.
H. Sammis).
“Trying to walk in the steps of the Savior, Trying to follow our Savior and King; Shaping our lives by His blessed example, Happy, how happy, the songs that we bring.
How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior, Stepping in the light, Stepping in the light; How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior, Led in paths of light!” (Eliza E. Hewitt).
Walking with Jesus—what a lovely idea!
For many, the happiness and beauty of walking with Jesus is sadly missing.
For others, if we are honest with ourselves, it is not what it used to be.
If we wish to rekindle the beauty and joy of walking with Jesus, we must learn what it means to walk with the Lord.
Our text, in John 5:1-18, provides insight into what it means to truly walk with Jesus.
Please observe five characteristics of a true walk with Jesus as seen in the healing of this sick man at the Pool of Bethesda:
A True Walk with Jesus Must Be Strongly Desired (1-7).
This unfortunate man must have had a great desire to walk again.
We are not told exactly what had been his illness, only that he had been sick for 38 years.
The word used to describe his condition means to be “weak” (deficient in strength).
He may not have been lame.
It may have been that he was just too weak because of his illness to get around effectively.
He, along with many others burdened with similar issues, was lying by the pool of Bethesda.
Though its existence was doubted by skeptics for many years, evidence discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls and, then, subsequent archaeological diggings have confirmed the site.
Having exhausted all other alternatives, this man, along with the rest of the multitude at the pool, were holding to the mistaken hope that the first one into the pool at the stirring of the water would be healed.
If the latter part of verse three and all of verse four are bracketed or otherwise marked in your Bible, it is because this information seems to have been written first in the margin as an explanatory note of a copyist.
When Jesus saw this man, He knew his condition.
It may have been instant perception as in the case of Nathanael or the Samaritan woman.
Because He knew this man’s situation, Jesus asked, “Do you wish to get well?”
(6).
Apart from Christ, we are spiritually helpless.
The same word used to describe this man’s physical condition is used by Paul in reference to spiritual matters.
The first question which must be answered—a question that speaks to desire—is: “Do you wish to get well?”
Do you?
God doesn’t force anyone to accept salvation.
So, one must first possess a strong desire for spiritual healing.
There ought to be a strong desire evident in every Christian’s daily walk.
There ought to be a strong desire for His word.
There ought to be a strong desire to walk with the Lord in the light of His fellowship.
Correspondingly, there ought to be a strong desire to be following Jesus together with others of like precious faith.
Walking with Jesus ought to be a group activity.
A true walk with Jesus ought to be strongly desired.
A True Walk with Jesus Must Be an Obedient Walk (8-9).
When God gives a command, He gives the ability to keep the command.
We must place our trust in the right person.
Jesus turned this man’s attention from the pool called Bethesda to Himself.
But, his trust in Jesus still required obedience to the instructions of the Great Physician who said, (1) “Get up” (2) “Take up your bed” (3) “Walk.”
We are familiar with the example of Naaman, the leper.
His strong desire for healing is evidenced by the fact that he traveled all the way to Israel in search of the prophet of Israel in hopes that he would be healed of his leprosy.
His attention, like that of the man at the pool, had to be turned in the right direction—toward God and His plan.
At first, Naaman was insulted when Elisha commanded him to dip in the Jordan seven times.
He thought surely the prophet would come out and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure him of his leprosy (2 Kgs.
5:11).
To his credit, he was willing to listen to the voice of his servants and, when he obeyed God, he was healed of his leprosy.
Ours must be a walk of obedience.
We cannot be spiritually healed until we obey God.
Initially, we must obey the Lord’s commands to believe, repent, confess, and be baptized.
Then, as we grow in Christ, we must seek always to do His will.
We cannot truly walk with Jesus until we obey His commands.
In Order to Enjoy A True Walk with Jesus, We Must Endure Persecution (10-13).
The Pharisees were not concerned about this man’s well-being, but only in that he had broken their traditions regarding the Sabbath.
The Law of Moses forbade work on the Sabbath.
Jesus did not break the Law of Moses.
Jesus was without sin (Hb.
4:15).
Therefore, we must conclude that what this man did was not a violation of the Law, but only a violation of their traditions about the Law.
The Pharisees, themselves, often neglected the weightier matters of the Law, such as mercy and justice, in order to keep their man-made traditions.
So far as they were concerned, the man had two choices:
He could stay in his bed until after the Sabbath.
Or, he could leave his bed and allow it to be stolen.
Jesus did the merciful thing and encouraged him to take it along, knowing he would need it.
But Jesus also wanted to teach the people about Himself.
This event illustrates the fact that persecution is part of the Christian walk.
Jesus taught this principle.
Paul also taught this principle.
This account shows us that, while we must suffer, Jesus helps us in our suffering.
Jesus went and found this man at the temple (Jn.
5:14).
Jesus did not leave this man alone; nor does He leave us alone.
He promises to be with us always (Mt. 28:20).
He sympathizes with our situation.
Suffering play an important role in our walk with Jesus—purifying our faith and identifying us with Jesus.
A True Walk with Jesus Must Be a Thankful Walk (14a).
What was this man doing in the temple when Jesus found him?
The most likely explanation is that he was offering thanks to God.
Similarly, after his healing, Naaman offered thanks.
On another occasion, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only nine returned to give Him thanks.
Jesus’ haunting question was: “Where are the nine?”
Shouldn’t they have returned to offer thanks?
Ingratitude is one of the besetting sins of our selfish culture.
Paul listed it alongside of some heinous sins.
Ingratitude leads to indifference.
Some who plead illness as an excuse, do not express thanks or evidence faithfulness when health improves.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful command!
A True Walk with Jesus Must Be a Walk of Purity (14b).
When Jesus found this man in the temple, He said, “Do not sin anymore.”
In other words, The Lord asked him to keep his walk pure.
A changed life is the expected result when deliverance, healing, or restoration have taken place.
Consider the example of the woman taken in the act of adultery.
What did Jesus say to her?
He said, “Go.
From now on sin no more” (Jn.
8:11).
When the prodigal son returned to his father, he left the old life of sin far behind.
After being healing, Naaman changed his life.
We are called to a walk of purity.
Lives are changed as a result of coming to know the power of Christ to heal, deliver, and restore the sin-sick soul.
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