A Mat, A Man and A Miracle

[Music] turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John at chapter 5 John at chapter number 5 verses 1 through verse number 15 I mean you're hearing the word reads after this a Jewish festival took place and Jesus went up to Jerusalem by the Sheep gate in Jerusalem there is a pool called Bethesda in Hebrew which has five colonnades within these lay a large number of the sick blind lame and paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water then the first one who got in after the water was stirred recovered from whatever ailment he had one man was there who had been sick for 38 years when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time he said to him do you want to get well sir the sick man answered I don't have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up but while I'm coming someone goes down ahead of me get up Jesus told him pick up your mat and walk instantly the man got well picked up his mat and started to walk now that day was the Sabbath so the Jews said to the man who had been healed this is the Sabbath it's illegal for you to pick up your mat he replied the man who made me well told me pick up your mat and walk who is this man who told you pick up your mat and walk they asked but the man who was cured did not know who it was because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there after this Jesus found him in the temple complex and said to him see you are well do not sin anymore so that something worse doesn't happen to you the man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well thank you you maybe see the grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God shall stand forever I want to preach about a Matt a man and a miracle Matt a man and a miracle this is the third sign in the Gospel of John that Jesus is indeed the Son of God Jesus is at a Jewish festival that is not named in the text because it's not important and he ends up he winds up at Bethesda which in the Hebrew means House of mercy but there is an ironic scene at this Pool of Bethesda because at this house of mercy is misery blind people lame people paralyzed people the pools are the size of a football field about 20 feet deep five of them separated by columns or colonnades and there is a mass of people who have gathered at this house of mercy because they are blind and lame and paralyzed all of them are there clustered around this pool at Bethesda waiting on the troubling of the water because they superstitiously believe that an angel troubles the water verse 4 talks about this angel that comes in to trouble the water which is not in the original manuscript we do not as the church the church does not have in its possession the original manuscripts of scriptural text we have hundreds and thousands of copies of manuscripts and so we depend on the science of textual criticism to try to come as close as possible to the earliest writings of Scripture and the earliest manuscripts do not contain verse number four verse number four is an insertion into the text to make verse number seven makes sense we're gonna get to that in a minute but I needed to get you to understand that verse number four is a superstition they believe that the water is troubled by an angel because they don't know anything about the science of artesian whales they do not know that Jerusalem's waters underneath the waters in Jerusalem are artesian wells and those whales bubble up every once in a while and the minerals from those wells sweep into the waters in Jerusalem and the first person into the water after the artesian wells have caused the current of water to move causes these minerals that have medicinal properties to come up in the waters and they believe that an angel has stirred the waters and the first one to get in because of the mineral properties in the waters get well something like the waters in Hot Springs Arkansas when I was growing up in my in my little town where I'm from there was a woman who lived across the street from us named Shirley Lewis me Shirley had a skin disease of psoriasis of the skin her skin was white and flaky and every year her husband would bring her to Hot Springs Arkansas and she would bathe in those waters in Arkansas and come back two units and her flesh was almost as clear as a baby's flesh because of the minerals in that water that is what is happening here at this pool and because they don't know anything about the science and the minerals and the artesian wells they believe that the waters have some healing properties that God has magically placed van there is no magic when it comes to spiritual matters God does not magically make the waters heal they just believe that because of their superstitious folk legend like a black cat crossing your pants or walking underneath a ladder when it's against the house to talk back to me if you can or somebody sweeping on your foot mean you're going to jail no you go to jail because you commit a crime you got bad luck because you don't pay your bills that doesn't mean anything a black cat crossing your path or stepping on a crack on stepping underneath the ladder or putting salt on your food and throwing some of the salt behind your back that's a superstition the same thing is going on here in this passage of Scripture Jesus is in this place in Bethesda and there are people they're lame and and paralyzed and blind and of all the people who are in this place Jesus singles out one man walk with me around the text Jesus sees this one man who is paralyzed and he's been in that condition 38 years he has never walked in his entire life he's 38 years paralyzed at the Pool of Bethesda he's paralyzed at the house of mercy he's lame he's blind at the place that promises to cure him he's broken he's paralyzed at the very place that he's superstitious man believes will give him relief this man is a type of sick people in this church in this city in this state in this country in this world who run after superstitious cures broken cisterns that hold no water broken religion broken formulas broken systems that promise us relief only to ultimately disappoint us because there's no help there's no hope outside a relationship with Jesus Christ I don't care how religious you are if you don't have a relationship with Christ you remain broken and paralyzed and blind because there is no help outside Jesus Christ I don't care who your life coach is I don't care who yourself help guru is I don't care what conference you've been to what books you've read how many times you've been loosed if you don't know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you're lost and on your way to hell because nothing will satisfy but a hope in Jesus Christ and brothers and sisters we Christians need to quit apologizing for going to church on Sunday morning we need to quit making excuses to our unsaved friends as to why we can't go with them where they want us to go I'm a child of God I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes I'm trying to get away from that but I want you to know I'm a believer I said I'm a believer it may not happen but I believe it will it may not come to pass but I believe it will he may not show up when I want him but I believe he'll show up on time he may not open the door but I believe that if he doesn't open the door he'll open a window I wish I had a believer here I wish I had one or two more believers who could help me testify if you trash and never doubt he will he will he will surely bring you out he don't have to do it I just believe he can I think I need two three more believers here who tried him in your own experience you've gone to the Lord in your own darkness in your own hour of misery and God showed up and he may not have taken you out of the situation he just may get in the situation with you Jesus decides to single out this one man because he was in the right place at the right time and this morning you could be the only person on your road to get blessed because this message may be tailored just for your situation and if nobody on your role raises a hand if nobody on your pew opens their mouth the message is not for them somebody ought to help me here some of you were raised like I was raised my grandmother's say if you throw a rock in a pack of dogs the only one that's gonna holla is the one you're here if you throw a word in a pack of believers the only one who gonna shout it's the one that word is for and somebody here this morning is going through your own misery going through your own lameness your own paralysis but if you trust he'll make a way out of no way what are you doing he'll make your enemies leave you alone he'll put your bells back ringing in your soul he'll make your enemies your footstool [Applause] [Music] he just he just he just might design and Fiat he just by divine sovereignty decides to breath of all the people sick he by divine Fiat besides the bless one man and he walks up to that man after knowing that he had been there 38 years which means there's no cure for what's ailing him jesus walks up to him and asks him a cruel question it's a cruel question at first reading Benares the temerity the goal of Jesus to ask a paralyzed man do you want to walk and the paralyzed man doesn't see it but in his mind he said what you think I'm doing here [Applause] [Music] I've been here every day 38 years and you talk about who you want to be made whole but look again zoom the camera in and look again Jesus is not asking a question he's making an offer [Applause] I like I had read in the King James because the King James helped me to make this point he says do you will you be made whole somebody's gonna shout in a minute because the word made in the text is the real shout being being whole is not what the shout is do you want to be me [Applause] because that word made in that in that verse goes back to the prologue in John chapter one in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us so Jesus is saying do you want to be just like me do you want the creative work of God that made me make you over again and brothers and sisters if you want to be made whole because that's a difference and get well and being made hope because you can be well and never behold I wish I had one or two witnesses here Jesus said do you want to be made oh not a question and also his'n he takes our brokenness and turns it into blessing he takes our brokenness and turns it into blessings the choir just got through telling us the Potter wants to put you back together again you who are broken stop not-not-not the clubhouse [Applause] not the steakhouse not the White House but the politics because there's healing there's love there's joy as deliverance but you got to stop by the palace broken folk have no business going to meet not broken foe [Applause] they can't help you they in the same shape you in that's why that's why they tell people in treatment Alcoholics Anonymous cocaine anonymous they tell them you got to change your company somebody ought to help me appreciate you got to get out from that crowd cuz because if you hang around with them you gonna go right back to what you left Jesus said do you want to be made oh he takes your brokenness and turns it into blessing now Jesus raises that question which is which is really an offer to this broken paralyzed man who has dragged himself to the pool 38 years and Jesus makes him an offer do you want to be made whole do you want me to take your brokenness and turn it into blessing and the man offers Jesus an excuse for why he's not well he said sir every time I get ready to step in the pool somebody steps in before me that's that's so much like us I would pick my time I would get back in the choir I would become an usher again I would go over to Sunday school all kinds of excuses and Jesus is saying don't let them people stop you from being and doing what I want you to do just just listen to me don't listen to them don't don't listen to the president don't listen to the chairman don't listen even to the pasta listen to me because if you keep your eyes on those people you'll never get healed if you let circumstances get in your way you'll never find a blessing if you let conditions stop you you'll never get where you trying to go [Applause] [Music] [Applause] well I'm on this little job it ain't much what I'm trying to make a dollar out of 15 cent let me go to this little piece of job little piece of job is better than no job [Applause] let me go back home to this piece of man [Applause] you mean all these men in the world you picked him talk back to me if you can this this situation that this man is in is a situation that has paralyzed them when you look at the text he talks about folk who are lame and paralyzed that's the difference between lame and being paralyzed Lane has to do with an ill in ability of your body to physically function like an arm the man who had the withered hand or the woman with an issue of blood that that caused them to be unable to physically function but but but this this this other situation this paralyzed has to do with a disease that keeps you from being all that you ought to be and every one of us in here this morning is stricken with a disease that stinks that that that that halts and lames and paralyzes and is called sin [Applause] but here is what Jesus offers not only will he turn your brokenness in the blessing but he'll turn your paralysis in the purpose he said to the man do you want to be made who he said every time I get ready to get in somebody jumps in my place jesus said I didn't ask you that you you you're coming up with all kind of stuff just like that woman that the well talking about you know we ought to worship in Mount Gerizim and worship in Mount Zion all kinds of who shot John jesus said that's that's not the issue this morning do you want to be made whole the man said what sir I do but what somebody said that's not the offer I'm not offering to bring you back to a dead water system [Applause] because you think there's life in that water when you're talking to the water of life [Applause] life is not in that one I wish ahead of witnessing if you come in the church for life you come in for the wrong reason because life is not in a building life is in a person and the person who can save is Jesus Christ stop stopping by dead systems every time I get ready to step in somebody steps in before me jesus said here's what I want you to do rise take up your mat and walk hear me brothers and sisters he did not heal him and tell him to walk he told him to walk and he got he [Applause] because the healing is in the obedience I know you haven't walked in 38 years but I say take up your man I know you've never stood on your own feet in 38 years but at my word rise take up your mat throw it over your shoulder and walk and for the first time in his life his paralysis became his purpose he got up put his mat on his shoulder and what never happened before never happened before what Jesus said get up take up your mat walk don't leave it down there because you're gonna go back to it pick it up carry it around with you so that when people ask you what you're doing with that it becomes your testimony and somebody in here this morning used to lay on a mat of depression a mat of discouragement a mat of self-pity but the law told you to pick it up and walk and everywhere you go people look at you and say you're not the same person you used to be Sutton got a hold of you something is different about you and what is different about you now is your mat is your testimony [Applause] whole lot of us want to stay on our mat because we like people feeling sorry for us like folk giving us handouts we like people pitying us we get up from that yeah get up from that rise take up your mat and walk as a hurry this man for the first time in his life took up his mat and walked but here's the shower it was the Sabbath day and the Jews the Pharisee said to him hey man what you're doing picking up a mint watch this the Pharisees had 633 laws in addition to the Ten Commandments 39 of those 633 dealt with what you could and could not do on the Sabbath day and the 39th law of those 39 laws said you can't carry something from one place to another place on the Sabbath day because Pharisees never see miracles and the reason Pharisees never see the miraculous is because they are always looking for violations they're always looking to see if you broke the rules someone ought to help me preach it the seven last words of a dying church is we've never done it this way before let me help you with me last first Sunday Reverend Washington was was home teething he was he was sick of a fever and Reverend Terry Thomas did the baptizing now Reverend Washington baptizes from right to left and last first Sunday trade baptize from left to right and some Pharisees looked at that and said he ain't doing that right [Applause] there's nothing spiritual about baptizing from right to left or left to right the only reason trade baptized this way and Carlos and I baptized that way is because he can see better on that side because he is not as tall as the two of us are but instead of you see in a man getting out of the pool saved you saw a man pulling up his mat on the Sabbath day all the Pharisees any day some of my in the flyer some of them are deaconesses some of them are deacons and rushes and members in the pew you can't see God cuz you're looking at a map [Applause] [Music] somebody got up out of the water and rose from death tonight and all you could see was he doing that right [Applause] according to WHO you Pharisee [Applause] because they they asked me I'm trying to hurry they asked that man what you're doing taking up your man on the Sabbath bed he said the man who healed me told me to take up your bed and walk the only person here my brothers and sisters the only person who has a right to command you is the person who save you you didn't save me so you can't dictate how I give God glory you didn't die on the cross for me so you can't tell me how are the priests gone you didn't go in the grave from my salvation how can you tell me how to express my Alleluia [Applause] with some Pharisees on your pew and some Pharisees in your section but you want to make a man just start shouting for no reason just stop praising God for what he's already done it don't take all of that it don't take all of that for you but you speak for yourself you don't know how much it cost me to be here this one you don't know how many tears I've had to shed your brothers I've had too bad [Applause] he turns our brokenness in the blessing [Applause] he turns your paralysis in the purpose and finally he turns your mat into a miracle so that when folks see they can't understand it I want you I want you to see something the Pharisees asked him who told you take up your bed and walk and the man didn't even know who Jesus was he said that man told me take up your bed and walk because the content of your face doesn't have to reach the reality of your face until you find out who Jesus is I don't know who he but it was something about the way he looked at me it was something about the way he spoke to me that made me know he's better than y'all you remember blind Bartimaeus I wish I had a Bible reading the total bottom males don't give him any credit don't give him any glory give God the glory this man is a sinner but the man said he might be a sinner he may be everything you say he is all I know is one day I was blind but right now I can see and you'll have to happen a theology you don't have to know anything about the Bible something's got ahold of me I wish I had a witness I wish I had a witness who could testify about your math become an America the thing that you used to depend on not you carrying it around with you ever got a witness here the thing that you had to use to carry you now you're carrying it you carry with you to work on the Marmont you carry with you in church this morning you carry to which every time you get around your family they look at you and try to remind you of what you used to be and the trouble you used to cause and the problems you used to have and the divorce that you went through and the abortion that you had and the drugs that you used to use and the alcohol that you used to drink and all of that is true all of that is real all of that is who you were because it's in your past and what God put in your pants don't let your enemies put in your face I've got a witness here what God put in your past don't let your enemies wash your face with it tell them you're right I used to be on drugs I used to get drunk every weekend I used to be a liar and a sinner but here this morning at the Linda Grove Baptist Church carrying around what used to have to carry me that's something different about you that's something strange about you you look at your hands and your hand look new you look at your feet and they do - you're starting to walk and you got a new walk is there anybody here the stuff you used to have to lay on now you're carrying it around with you cuz God will take your brokenness and turn it into a blessing God will take your paralysis and turn it into purpose God will take your mat and turn it into a miracle is there anybody here in need of a miracle just rise take up your bed and walk don't let them criticize you you might be walking crooked for a while but just get up and walk you may not walk straight all the time but you get up and walk you mean we won't tired sometimes but you just get up and walk if the Lord's been good to you if the Lord has opened the door for you come on help me preach to somebody preach to them like I'm preaching to you telling me he will he will come on look at him in the face tell me he will turn your brokenness into a blessing come on use your preaching voice he will turn your paralysis into your purpose come on use your strong preaching voice he we'll turn your mats into a miracle why don't you grab somebody tell them you don't know like I know you can't tell it [Applause] [Music] no he's alright he walks with me have you tried him has he telling you brokenness in the yo blessing shout like you mean it praise him like he did it give him glory like he performed he's able to open doors for you he's able to turn your paralysis into your purpose he'll take your mat and make it your miracle shake somebody the hands tell him if you need a miracle rise take up your bed and walk walk walk walk on a Monday walk on a Friday walk when it's raining walk when you get gray hair Rock we're sick work when you're unhappy walk and God will [Applause] [Music] yes it will yes you will yes he will yes he will I know we gotta go now but yes he will I tried it for myself and I want to have some witnesses in him that you took up your bed and walk and look how far God has brought you look how many doors God has opened for you look how many ways God has made for you don't let these Pharisees in here tell you not to shout don't let these mean people tell you not to give God glory if God's been good to you the man Jesus is the one who healed me go ahead and give him the praise go ahead and give him the glory it was nobody nobody nobody nobody buy cheap [Music] rise take up your mat walk [Music] [Applause] [Music] you [Music]

Channel: lillygrovembc

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Id: 80V-DYnqRXY

Length: 44min 54sec (2694 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 04 2018