A Victim No More
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1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.
3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.
5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,
10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
1. You are what you think
1. You are what you think
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.
You get all the credit for what you think
How you identify determines what you will accomplish
In an atmosphere of healing those who want it will get it
The invalid’s problem is that he preferred a handout instead of healing
No more excuses
Invalid: Being without foundation or force in fact, truth, or law
Infirm: weak of mind, will, or character, not solid or stable
2. Christians are not victims
2. Christians are not victims
As believers, we can’t be victims during the week and claim to be more than conquerors on Sundays
We are more than conquerors
Stop looking at the color of your skin, man does that, good looks at the heart
Don’t limit yourself just because others want to limit you
Stop feeling sorry for yourself
Remember that you are a Christian first
3. Jesus gave us the way out
3. Jesus gave us the way out
Jesus was never a victim He is the Victorious One
Believers are not victims they are Victorious
Stop looking for handouts
You have been blessed
If one person has made it out, no one has an excuse
A man on the wheel chair working out
4. Set your mind towards Heaven
4. Set your mind towards Heaven
Change your mind
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Put your mind on things above
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Reject everything that is not from God
Live a disciplined life - practice self-control
Pray continuously
5. Set you eyes on the prize
5. Set you eyes on the prize
Stop looking down; you’re not going that way
Lift your eyes to the hills
Look up
The man needed a change of perspective (vision test)
The problem with Christians is that they pray, cry, and make promises when they are struggling; then, God delivers them and they forget
17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
Stop sinning
When you don’t come to church to worship God, that’s a sin
Something worse could happen to you - Jesus
If you know to do right and don’t do it, you sin