After Jesus had been in the area of Galilee where he healed the nobleman’s son and in region of Samaria where he had spoken to the Samaritan women about living water and true worship. The time came for Jesus to get up and go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Jews (Jn5:1). We aren’t told specifically what feast this was, but it was probably one of the major three feasts in which attendance was required; the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Pentecost.  Although he was the anticipated Messiah,  Jesus kept these feasts and used them as an occasion to teach and to work miracles.

Whichever Feast it was Jesus would be going to he entered Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate. The lambs destined for Temple sacrifice during Passover were brought in through this gate. Jesus is our perfect Passover Lamb (I Cor.5:7; Isa.53:5-6). Just inside of the gate there were a great multitude of sick people laying, sitting or standing around by the pool of Bethesda (Jn 5:2-3), a well-known place where people gathered because of the pool’s reputed healing occurrences.

“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” (vs. 4).

These needy people may have desired to attend the feast inside the Temple but their physical condition kept them waiting by the pool for a healing. There were many sick laying all around but Jesus notices one man in particular lying helpless on a sleeping pad. Jesus took the time to stop and consider the plight of this man (already knowing why this man had been in his paralyzed condition for 38 years). Jesus, full of compassion, approached him and asked “Do you want to be made well?” Jesus gave this man an opportunity to respond to His question and patiently waited for the paralyzed man’s answer. I wonder why would this man be languishing there if he didn’t want to be made well. The sick man answers Jesus’ question by saying, “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” (Jn5:6, 7).

We are not told much of this man’s history or about the years that he had been in this condition. We don’t know for certain how he got to the pool that day but he was there. As we follow this story we read that he just needed someone to bring him to the pool. He still had hope; maybe this would be the day for his healing! When Jesus approached this man he not only didn’t recognize  Jesus, the man, standing before him. He didn’t recognize and wouldn’t have fathomed that it was Jesus, the Son of God, Creator of the Universe, The Messiah.  The God of the miraculous was standing before him asking if he wanted to be made well. Possibly this man had only hoped that Jesus would pick him up and carry him to the edge of the pool. God had a different plan for him; this was his day of healing! Jesus asked him again in a different way, this time with a command “Rise, pick up your bed and walk”! He had to get up! At that very moment Jesus forced the man to make a decision. In essence, Jesus was telling him I’m not going to help you live in weakness by carrying you to the pool when you can get up and walk to the feast in the power and strength of my Word. From the authority of His spoken command, the man instantly became well and recovered his strength and picked up his bed and walked (Jn5:8, 9).

Jesus’ instruction was unconventional from the way healings at the pool had previously been manifested. It is possible that we may limit God by thinking that He has to do things the only way we understand them. God is beautiful for situations (Ps 48:2), He can intervene whichever way He sees fit. Jesus asked this man to respond, to act on His Word; “Rise Up”. This paralyzed man must have recognized the authority in which Jesus spoke; he subsequently obeyed the command to take up his bed and walk. I wonder if we sometimes wait around, witnessing God working in the lives of others but cannot quite believe to receive a touch for ourselves. Do we stand upon the authority of the Word of God recognizing the presence of the Lord himself?

The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]”  (Jn14:21 AMP)

This man rose up from where he had laid and walked into a future with new potential. He went to the Temple most likely to offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God. A little later Jesus found him there and said, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (Jn5:14). No doubt this word was received with gratefulness by the man. He had 38 years to speculate about the possible reason(s) for his condition or personal sin. Somewhere deep in his spirit this man must have known Jesus’ words were true. Going back to old habits could no longer be an option, not after such a demonstration of the changing power from the Word of God.  Jesus had set him free from his paralysis; he was healed! The Jews, who had questioned this man about his carrying his bed on the Sabbath (vs.10) also did not believe that there should be healing on the Sabbath because of the strict laws requiring the people only to rest on the first day of the week.  This man proclaimed that Jesus healed him. Amen! I love this mans attitude…He “got up!” went to the feast and testified of the healing power of Jesus!

Maybe you feel paralyzed by years of addiction or other weaknesses that seem to overwhelm you; controlling many aspects of your life. The enemy’s projections and condemnations beat you down with powerlessness and shame. It is hard to believe how you could ever be free from this bondage. In the account above of the man that was healed, we recognize that God is speaking to us about getting up and walking away from sin but somehow it’s beyond our ability to do. We hate willfully repeating sinful behavior and ask God to heal us often, but we continue in the cycle of sin. We must be willing to allow God to expose and bring into the light our sin so he can lovingly correct our course now while we still have breath on the earth. “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries”  (Heb 10:26, 27).

Saints of God it is Jesus who has come to set you free. Ask Jesus to forgive you, to heal you, and be your perfect sacrifice for sin! Do you recognize him? Do you hear his voice? He says both to you and me, “Get Up! Get up, the time is short! Get up, from the sin that has paralyzed you so long from entering His presence. Get up and enter the Feast!!”

 “What will you do in the appointed day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?” Hosea 9:5

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 at 8:58 pm and is filed under Devotionals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.