Empowered to Live
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After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
New King James Version (NKJV)
Empowered to Live
Empowered to Live
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, [a]Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, [b]paralyzed, [c]waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”
12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Observations:
§ Jerusalem...
§ Feast time... Likely the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost
§ Bethesda... Like going through Samaria, Jesus chose his route...
§ Verse 4... Inclusion/Exclusion; The belief of the people; Verse 7
§ A certain man... This one man; God is purposeful... He chose you!
§ Jesus knew... How did he know? Met before? God revealed?
§ Jesus' Compassion... Passive Faith, Active Faith...
§ Jesus' Power... Breaks through superstitions & faith struggles...
§ Verse 14... Salvation and duration of sufferings (38yrs vs. Eternity)
1. Jesus Empowered him to Rise Up – “And immediately the man was made well...”
CONTRAST: The Man vs. You
§ Jesus initiated this man’s transformation....Jesus initiated yours...
§ Jesus has empowered Him to rise up... “Rise...”.Jesus empowers you...
§ Jesus has empowered you to do something you’ve not done before – “take up your mat...”
§ Jesus has empowered you to get a move on... “And walk...”
2. Jesus Inspired him to obedience – “... (Arose), took up his bed and walked.”
§ The man wanted to be well...
§ The man was accustom to his condition... (38 years... 38x3 times at the pool...)
What about us?
The man’s circumstances – “No one...” ... that we now make excuses for?
§ The man had excuses... What about us? (What excuses have we fashioned to justify our pitiful conditions?)
§ Jesus spoke... the man received... he heard the words of HOPE – Rise... and so he did...
3. Jesus empowered him to stand up – “He answered them, “He who made me well said to me...”
§ He could not stand before... Jesus empowered him by renewing... empowered, he stood.
§ Defends his allegiance... The man who had real power said, so I do what he says...
§ Jesus has empowered you and I to stand... to stand our ground... (Questions, arguments, persecutions, trials, tribulations, ‘No’ answers from God, [whether from man or devil])
4. Jesus empowered him unto salvation and sanctification– “Sin no more”
§ Jesus prompts toward Life (Salvation)... “Your sufferings have been a result of sin in this world ‘broken world, law of decay – all creation groans... Believe in Me, sin no more... failure to believe in me, remaining in your sin, will result in eternal sufferings...
§ Salvation is marked by God’s children empowered to repentance and holiness
§ The same power that healed us, empowers us to turn from sin and live holy unto God
5. Jesus empowered him to testify – “It was Jesus who made me well”
§ Jesus found him @ the Pool Bethesda... Jesus sought him out to finish the work...
§ Jesus found him @ the Temple... Sin no more... I believe this man believed in Jesus...
§ His healing wasn’t about this life and the next 38 years... his healing was about being “Empowered to Live” – Salvation & Sanctification... and Eternal Living begins now!
§ God’s love, God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s power...
We have been empowered to live...
§ We have been healed... the power of Sin has been broken...
§ No more lame excuses...
o Its time to get up, gather up, and get going!
§ Its time to live the empowered life and
o Make a stand for Christ!
o Make a stand against the devil!
§ Its time to honor God with our lives... empowered for holiness... “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and render unto God that which bears His image – our very lives!”
§ Its time to testify to the masses... “Its Jesus that has made me well!” (Not... the latest whatever... JESUS!)