The Divine Story of Jesus and You: Do You Want To Be Made Well?

Sermon Quick Summary
            We are continuing our miniseries, “The Divine Story of Jesus and You.” The scripture text for today is from John Chapter 5:1-9, which is Section 3.10 in your booklet, available at www.plusnothing.com. This message, “Do You Want to Be Made Well?” describes an encounter between Jesus and a sick man at a pool who needed healing. We live in a sick society that is confused about its identity, confused about the truth, with no real absolutes about right and wrong but everything depends on how you look at it. Surrounded by wickedness in this fallen world, we are a sick society. As The Church, are we bowing down to the culture of today? The real question for The Church is: Do you want to be made well? We have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who has the power, strength, ability, and authority to make us well. But some do not want to lose their position relying on the world rather than trusting Jesus Christ for healing. “One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been sick for a very long time. So he asked him, 'Do you want to be well?'” (John 5:5-6). The sick man at the pool that needed healing did not answer Jesus’ question. “The sick man answered, ‘Sir there is no one to help me get into the water when it starts moving. I try to be the first one into the water. But when I try, someone else always goes in before I can.” (John 5:7). Have you ever been in a place where you were so depressed and discouraged that you missed Jesus’ question, do you want to be made well? The sick man’s answer was not to trust in Jesus; instead the sick man relied on others in the culture to place him in the stirring waters of the pool. The sick man was using the culture as a crutch for self-pity from pain, discouragement, and disappointment. “Then Jesus said, ‘Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ Immediately the man was well. He picked up his mat and started walking." (John 5: 8-9). Jesus supplied the sick man even with the will to be cured, trusting in Jesus rather than the culture.
            There are crowds of people who are physically, spiritually, and emotionally sick waiting for the movement of the water. The purpose of the movement of God to make you well is not for you to sit around and do nothing, but rather to see humans totally set free. The Church should be known for its mercy and grace. Mercy is love reaching out to meet a need without considering the merits of the person who receives the aid. Grace is God’s unmerited favor that enables us to be what we could not be and do what we cannot do without God’s power. Never give up in trusting in Jesus Christ, for you never know when God’s power through Jesus Christ will show up.