He is weak, feeble, and unable to stand, probably because of some wasting disease -- perhaps cancer, tuberculosis, or multiple sclerosis. Forgiveness For Others, Denomination: Let's get you a new mattress to lie on, put a few flowers around you and bring you two meals a day"? Go home and get rid of the drugs! Lutheran, Red Devil Tool Company of Union, N.J. has as their slogan, Its easy with the devil. Of course, they are boasting that their tools transform difficult tasks into simple ones. Interactive Bible study with John Piper. read more, Scripture: That revealing word indicates what had been the trouble all along. you have to answer that question. Scripture: Matthew 13:44; 1 John 5:11 Source: "Woman Finds 8.52 Carat Diamond at AR's Crater of Diamonds State Park" by staff writers, NWA (Northwest Arkansas), posted NWAHomepage.com, 6/26/15 Author: Illustration Exchange . The story behind the sermon (from John Ortberg): For Easter I wanted to present some of N. T. Wright's material on the Resurrection. This is where our lectionary reading ends, but the attentive reader or hearer will recognize that . read more, Scripture: I saw in the bookstore the other day one of those yellow books which said Computers for Dummies. They had a whole series of them- cooking for 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. a) Man is spiritually blind, and his eyes need to be opened (John 3:16-21) Speaking about Jesus, John said "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Philippians 4:13, 1 John 5:13-15, Tags: Copyright 2004, Philip W. McLarty. When Jesus encountered the man he said there was no one to help him. The Jews had protested loudly and threatened to stone the place because of what, in their estimation, was a violation of the Sabbath. They see no way, from a human viewpoint, so they have resigned themselves to being weak, failing and faltering Christians for the rest of their lives. 6When 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? "For he who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption [injury, hurt, damage, heartache and sorrow will all come because God reads hearts]; but he that sows to the Spirit shall reap life [vitality, peace, love, joy, those good things that keep us whole]," (Galatians 6:8 RSV). John 1:1-2: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The thing he loved most, however, was to laugh. But this He spoke of the Spirit." "Living water" is the same thing as the "new birth," but just a different analogy. Jesus was a devout Jew, and, like other devout Jews, he made pilgrimage to the holy city as often as possible to observe the feast days. Outwardly he was giving the impression that he was one of God's men -- inwardly pure, living a lifestyle that was honoring to God -- but inwardly there was a giving way. Adolph Coors IV was then fifteen years old. Bethesda= "House of Mercy". Notice that the minute this new believer gets in trouble, however, this man whom Jesus has touched, blessed and healed, Jesus is there. The doctor examined him and could find nothing physically wrong. Jeremiah17 had warned against this. Sermon Illustrations provides sermon illustrations, sermons, eulogies, funeral helps, and counseling aids for ministers. And get out of aviation?!. If you say, "Not yet," or, "No, I don't," then there is nothing more for you; you may as well turn off your mind and not listen any further. (view more) The place was Hartford, Connecticut. John now traces the immediate reaction of others to this event: Now that day was the sabbath. Faith, Holiness, Leadership General, Denomination: He soon entered the prosperous slave trade until he nearly died on a voyage that would change his life forever. The Village Shepherd. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most, The time was the 19th of May, 1780. Sermon given on May 19, 2019 at St. Stephen Antiochian Orthodox Church, Campbell, CA. Faith, Holiness, Leadership General, Denomination: I still remember some of the good timesand some of the bad times, too, unfortunatelyfrom those days gone by. Well, heres the question Jesus is asking us today: Do you want to be made well? In the final analysis, its a question only you can answer. An illustration of an audio speaker. Strike while the Iron is hot! Scripture: 1 John 5:1-5. 1 John 5:13, Tags: Notice his answer: The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." They have what are called prototypes of pound weights and kilograms. That is a revelation, of course, of how much it controls him. For at noon the skies turned from blue to gray and by mid-afternoon had blackened over so densely that, in that religious age, men fell on John 5:27-31, Tags: These same ministers who had failed over and over in the past were now able to get started in a new way and so, form the basis of a positive and long-lasting relationship. The promise: When we pray, God hears us and we have the requests that we ask of Him. The Missing Piece. Why couldnt Jesus be more specific? 1. At times water is released in surges from hidden reservoirs in the hills around the city, causing these springs to rise and fall suddenly. Grant that we will do so from this moment. In time, lying in the portico by the pool of Bethesda became his way of life. If You Believed Moses, You Would Believe Me, for He Wrote of Me. Scripture: John 5:1-9, Mark 2:1-12, Mark 10:46-52. "The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. Perhaps he was thinking, "If this man tells me to rise (and I cannot rise), it must mean that he intends to do something to make it possible." Sermon Illustration - The Son. You can start by asking yourself, what do I need to be healed of? Many people fail right here. And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. I can't." But if Jesus gives you the power to rise, Jesus is the One who can give you the power to walk every day, to keep going. Thus the pool at Bethesda had established a reputation as a place where people could be healed. Then, maybe you need to try a new approach. (view less), Denomination: Forgiveness For Others, Denomination: Illustration Idea. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working still, and I am working." (John 5:17 RSV) Jesus is saying, "You go back to Moses and to all that the rabbis have added to his Law. Check out these helpful resources 10) The truth is that life is not found in pleasure, performance, possessions, position, or pursuits; it is found in the person of Jesus Christ. was instead, "Who is the guy who told you to disobey one of our regulations?" This morning we are continuing our study of the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12, where we find "The Disciple's Character.". Be his instrument. They are still determined to get into the water when it is troubled. I know there are some like that among us; there always are. In my mind they were "Get up," said Jesus. . But he did not. The search bar below only searches sermon illustrations. read more, Scripture: Some day you'll be right at the edge of the pool when it's troubled and all you'll have to do is fall in"? They sometimes flee assuming responsibility for their own lives. Too often we simply repeat misinformation, rehearse old prejudices, practice tired patterns of behavior and replay thoughts and opinions formed years ago without first checking to see if theyre still valid and, more importantly, if they serve the cause of a healthy faith and good relationships. "Do you want to be healed? Baptist, A teenage boy was seriously injured an automobile accident. This pool was situated where there were intermittent mineral springs. We aren't given the choice of whether or not we would like to be peacemakers and we certainly aren't given the choice of what kind of . He asked his father if he might help him. But this bubbling of the water only happened every once in a while, and after watching and waiting for what could have been a long time, the parents may have gotten discouraged. Scripture: Galatians 5:1-6, Galatians 5:13-18. ", In those words he is saying something very important to people who need to be healed: do not make any provision to go back on what you have done. The only thing that lasts, that gives significance to life -- and every one of us wants to be significant -- is to be in line with what God does. Jesus' warning to the man indicates that the sickness factor rests on the sin factor. (view more) Somehow this man senses what that basis was. They believed in a rather superstitious way that from time to time when the water was troubled -- when it would rise rapidly and then sink again -- that this was caused by an angel who visited the pool, and the first man who got into it when it was so troubled would be healed. Obeying the Commandments, 1 John 2. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" I regarded both claims as having about equal validity. The day has gone down in New England history as a terrible foretaste of Judgment Day. John 5:1-5, Tags: The merciful and compassionate God has found this man. read more, Scripture: In these porches, set at various levels around the pool, during our Lord's time it was the habit of many to gather during feast days, hoping for a healing miracle. Do you want to be made well? Because if you do, you may need to step out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith and venture out into the unknown. Many of you have tried to stop taking drugs, but you discovered you are hooked; that a habit you began by innocent experimentation has got a hold of you although you want to stop. I do not know whether he felt anything or not. In a sermon on these teachings, John Wesley commented, "This is the spirit of religion, the quintessence of it. Charismatic, A lady says: The doctors did all they could to repair the damages to the boys body but despite their fast medical knowledge they were unable to completely restore his legs. Do not expect to be carried -- walk. Cultivate new friendships. "Try this.". This story is included in the gospels in order that we might understand how God proposes to help us through the ministry of Jesus. Some day it will all work out. Like Linus and his blanket, if youre determined to hold on to what you have, you may well be closing the door to the possibilities God has in store for you. Hymn Lists. Oct 4, 2009. 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:18, Tags: This reveals them for the religious bigots they are, intent on the letter of the Law, but totally unconcerned about the mercy of God. John 5:17, MEASURING UP First, it could be a description of the visible manifestation of God's glory. You tried to stop but you discovered you could not. His works (5:36)3. Denomination: Anglican. The Will Of God, Take It Or Leave It, After twenty years of shaving himself every morning, a man in a small southern town decided he had been doing that long enough. 1 John 5:4-5, Tags: We did not have a bathroom,running water, or a furnace. 8: . He is working in international events; he is working in the pressures and problems that come to each one of us; he is working in the very circumstance in which you find yourself today. One of the things that is true this morning, as our Lord moves among us, is that he will only ask this question of those who want to be healed. Perhaps it was a bitter spirit toward somebody. The miracle of healing the Paralytic at Capernaum affirms this, ( Mark 2:1-12 ). On February 9, 1960, Adolph Coors III, millionaire head of Coors Company, was kidnapped and held for ransom. Change your diet. No account of the explosion of an atom bomb, a voyage to the moon, or the outbreak of a world war equals in significance the words of John in his gospel, "the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth," (John 1:14). The last class I had to take was Sociology. This is a word of action. Recorded via Riverside on Feb. 3, 2023, for Working Preacher. John 1:43-46. Into a world that is ugly with violence and hate, Jesus sends us as peacemakers. Around the sides of the pool where the people bathed, there were five porticos and, under the porticos, people with various infirmities gathered in hopes of being healed. Scripture: Galatians 3:5. Why couldnt he just define things in a 30-second commercial or make it easier to understand? What sort of things do you need to change about your life in order to be whole? No, he did not say that. The rabbis had carefully studied that regulation, and, probably innocently and with good intentions, had spelled out 39 different ways by which the Sabbath could be violated by certain types of work. Perhaps some day you'll make it in time. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Thus his faith is transferred from his own efforts to Jesus: "He must do it. The man was drunk, of course. Lord Jesus, we have sensed this morning that we are here, like a great multitude lying by the pool of Bethesda, waiting to be healed; trying various ways and means, hoping somebody will help. The Law of Moses did say that the Jews were to keep the Sabbath and not do any work on that day. Below is a sermon manuscript from John 15:1-8 which I preached about 10 years ago. To that person who has received the gift of wholeness from God, without any merit or earning on his part, to that person, Jesus says, "Sin no more.". Evangelical Free, When I was growing up I was one of six children. His opportunity came and he put the best comical show together he Chelsey Harmon. It is amazing to me how many people casually feel they are in control of something that really has control of them. Lourdes, in southern France, has a spa which many believe has healing capacities. One of those ways was carrying any kind of a load on the Sabbath day. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. He makes sin 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat. Prayer is not optional for God's children. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. In working on this text, I came across The Visual Commentary on Scripture. By Doug Franklin April 13, 2021. Jesus never says, "Sin no more," unless he first says, "You are made whole." Childerns Sermons All these are involved in the words, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." He could have, but he did not. (John 5:15-16 RSV). Verse13: Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Other, NO DUMMIES ALLOWED The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. Even though it be religious work it will be nothing -- trash, crap, burned by fire. read more, Scripture: Biblical Commentary They are always craving the attention of others through their helplessness. This facility is responsible for storing perfect samples of weights and measurements. They may have felt a need to go on to other things. I picked up the latest issue of Time Magazine last week and found that the entire issue was devoted to a celebration of Time 's sixtieth year in publishing. Message. On the other hand, if youre one who never says a word, then you might need to speak out more. I have seen that happen. Many a person has really been touched by God, delivered from some inner attitude, a bitter spirit or whatever, but then he has allowed the past to come back in again and he finds himself back where he was. . Make sermon preparation more of a pleasure and less of a chore! Look at the Book. The shrine of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, has thousands of crutches stacked along its walls where people have been healed in this special place where they thought they could receive a blessing from God. Try as I may, its hard to get it all off. Hmmm, the doctor said, Sounds like you need to look for a new job. The man looked at the doctor and said, What? (John 5:1-5 RSV). For many years the site of this pool was lost, covered with the debris of the centuries, but about 20 years ago it was discovered and excavated. Jesus is the eternal Word of God (1:1-2). The man might have said to himself, "I'm healed, but I had better leave my bed here; I may need it tomorrow." John Piper Jun 24, 2010 read more, Scripture: read more, Scripture: Take for example Egyptian hieroglyphics. People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them. Those knowing Gods word understand the desire and ambition of Satan, how he seeks to destroy mankind. The father replied: son Ive been (John 5:7 RSV), In other words, "Yes, I want to be healed, but I cannot. Interactive Bible study with John Piper. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. JOHN: PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT Precept Ministries International Inductive Study. Evangelical/Non-Denominational. . When I got there, I found the police officer standing at the door of the mans room. Avon Books, New York, 1981 . John 3:1-17; Psalm 121; Genesis 12:1-4; More Lectionary Readings Editor's Choice. 14Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. We've compiled five 10 minute sermons for you to use with your youth ministry! The man had gone to the temple because the Law required that one who had been healed had to make a thanksgiving offering. Faith, Holiness, Leadership General, Denomination: read more, Scripture: God doesn't see us as deficient people. And so, in the sermon this morning, Id like to take a closer look at one of the most poignant questions Jesus asked, Do you want to be made well? I think youll find that, even though it was asked of a man who was paralyzed from birth, it speaks to us, as well, because to be made well is to be made whole, and to be made whole is to experience the gift of life in all its abundance. He had been shot to death. The last class I had to take was Sociology. And a second step is to venture out of your comfort zone. Who We Are. Seven months later his body was found on a remote hillside. He subsisted on a starvation diet, and so did his disciples. 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