I guess the first thing that strikes me is that there can be tendencies to let people walk all over us if we are unable to stand up for ourselves. It can happen even if we are able, yet down on our luck or ourselves.
Next, even though given a new lease on life, the man continued his old ways in sinning and Jesus called him on it. Even though our sins have been forgiven, we continue in our old ways because we get a "get out of jail free" card, or so we think, anytime we ask for forgiveness.
The last thing that struck me was the man's "what have you done for me lately?" attitude. Jesus had given him his health back with a new lease on life, yet this man couldn't wait to expose Jesus to the authorities as opposed to thanking Jesus for what he had done.
Other than Jesus there are three sets of people represented here: 1) the sick, in general, who needed healing, 2) the paralytic, and 3) the Jewish leaders.
The sick in general show us the large need for healing - restoration - that is in our society. How many times had people passed that way and just walked by doing nothing. For most of society the pool was just like any other shop on the way to where ever they were going. I am sure the faces of the sick who waited there day after day just blended in with the background. There is need everywhere around us. Have I become so desensitized to the needy around me that they are no more significant than the backdrop to the stage of my life?
The paralytic shows how helpless man is when it comes to healing himself. This guy had been trying for 38 years to get to the pool and be the first one in when the waters stirred and he had failed every time. Yet he remained at the pool though, probably because he saw it as his only chance of being healed. And for sure he knew he was on his own. There was not going to be anyone there to help him. If healing was going to happen it was up to him to get in that pool by himself.
The Jewish leaders were only concerned about their laws. Scripture shows in a couple places where they knew the letter of the Law - Love God (Deut. 6)and love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19). But they had lost the heart of the law. How was anything they were doing in response to this healing remotely close to loving God or this neighbor of theirs? As a religious leader I have to ask myself if I too just know the letter of the Gospel? Have I lost the heart of the Gospel? If I have, then I am no different than these Jewish leaders.
Dave - The interesting thing about it all is that it even changes for the same person as life experiences and situations change. I can do this same exercise 6 months from now and many of the perspectives will differ. Not that they become more "right" just different because I am different.
Jesus always wants to meet us in a way that is specific to our condition inwardly and externally. He is the same "yesterday, today and forever." But the way he shows himself to me is not.
In some ways, the way we see the human character is a special message from God about what we are to see about ourselves. It is like our own personal vision from God of what we need to understand about ourselves in order to grow through our current context.
Hey guys, sorry it has been a while. I feel like I am that guy who has been crippled for years and years. I feel like I view my life as something that will never improve. Even when there is hope presented to me, often I am skeptical that anything good can happen to me. I look at this man in the story and how he was healed and then stood up. I wonder how amazingly different that felt to know that things were different than they were before. That is what I want to experience on a regular basis. I want to always be lifted out of my mucky situation that I am stuck in and hear Jesus' words and see Him work in ways that I am floored. That is what this guy experienced.
5 comments:
I guess the first thing that strikes me is that there can be tendencies to let people walk all over us if we are unable to stand up for ourselves. It can happen even if we are able, yet down on our luck or ourselves.
Next, even though given a new lease on life, the man continued his old ways in sinning and Jesus called him on it. Even though our sins have been forgiven, we continue in our old ways because we get a "get out of jail free" card, or so we think, anytime we ask for forgiveness.
The last thing that struck me was the man's "what have you done for me lately?" attitude. Jesus had given him his health back with a new lease on life, yet this man couldn't wait to expose Jesus to the authorities as opposed to thanking Jesus for what he had done.
Other than Jesus there are three sets of people represented here: 1) the sick, in general, who needed healing, 2) the paralytic, and 3) the Jewish leaders.
The sick in general show us the large need for healing - restoration - that is in our society. How many times had people passed that way and just walked by doing nothing. For most of society the pool was just like any other shop on the way to where ever they were going. I am sure the faces of the sick who waited there day after day just blended in with the background. There is need everywhere around us. Have I become so desensitized to the needy around me that they are no more significant than the backdrop to the stage of my life?
The paralytic shows how helpless man is when it comes to healing himself. This guy had been trying for 38 years to get to the pool and be the first one in when the waters stirred and he had failed every time. Yet he remained at the pool though, probably because he saw it as his only chance of being healed. And for sure he knew he was on his own. There was not going to be anyone there to help him. If healing was going to happen it was up to him to get in that pool by himself.
The Jewish leaders were only concerned about their laws. Scripture shows in a couple places where they knew the letter of the Law - Love God (Deut. 6)and love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19). But they had lost the heart of the law. How was anything they were doing in response to this healing remotely close to loving God or this neighbor of theirs? As a religious leader I have to ask myself if I too just know the letter of the Gospel? Have I lost the heart of the Gospel? If I have, then I am no different than these Jewish leaders.
Interesting how the difference in perspectives are in accordance with where you are in your walk with Jesus!
I am still seeing it from a street persons point of view vs. Dan's from a nutured view.
Dave - The interesting thing about it all is that it even changes for the same person as life experiences and situations change. I can do this same exercise 6 months from now and many of the perspectives will differ. Not that they become more "right" just different because I am different.
Jesus always wants to meet us in a way that is specific to our condition inwardly and externally. He is the same "yesterday, today and forever." But the way he shows himself to me is not.
In some ways, the way we see the human character is a special message from God about what we are to see about ourselves. It is like our own personal vision from God of what we need to understand about ourselves in order to grow through our current context.
Hey guys, sorry it has been a while. I feel like I am that guy who has been crippled for years and years. I feel like I view my life as something that will never improve. Even when there is hope presented to me, often I am skeptical that anything good can happen to me. I look at this man in the story and how he was healed and then stood up. I wonder how amazingly different that felt to know that things were different than they were before. That is what I want to experience on a regular basis. I want to always be lifted out of my mucky situation that I am stuck in and hear Jesus' words and see Him work in ways that I am floored. That is what this guy experienced.
Post a Comment