Some believe; some don't St John's 8/1/2015 @ 10 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. Readings: Mark 1:1-12; John 5:1-30 Introduction Did you see last week s Horizon on BBC 2? Since Galileo, scientists have known that our solar system s layout hasn t changed for 3½ billion years. But then in 1995 they discovered planets around other stars. This new evidence has made astronomers tear up what they believed about our solar system and start again. So, what do you do with evidence that seems to contradict what you believed to be true? When the apostle John sat down to write his gospel account, he said he s presenting new evidence to change minds. Chapter 20v30: Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written [see, that s the evidence] that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God... Faced with people who didn t believe the good news of Jesus, or even know of him, John presents evidence to change their thinking on life, the universe and everything. Because, make no mistake, the Christian gospel changes absolutely everything in your world, if you believe it. But if that was it, John might as well have been trying to make you rethink the solar system. Fascinating, but it won t change your life. But John takes us one vital stage further. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and [here s that vital stage further] that by believing you may have life in his name. Page 1 of 11
Some of you are at stage one, checking out the evidence. Keep at it; the evidence I there and does stack up! And some of you here are at stage two, believing it. But you ve not yet made that vital third move, and found life. Because in the Bible the word believe of have faith means to trust. You need to do something with your belief in the evdience. Trust means you have to act on wat you believe. What do you do with evidence that seems to contradict what you believed to be true? We ll spread chapter 5 over this week and next. And it s kind of like a court case. vv1-15 record the third sign or evidence John presents to us. Then in vv16-30 Jesus explains what he s done and why. And next week, in vv31-47, we ll hear witnesses statements. But first, the healing at the pool: What s all the fuss about? The healing at the pool: What s all the fuss about? v1-15 Now, we ve read ahead, so we know two things Jesus will tells us about himself that make sense of what he s doing here. Firstly, look at verse 21: For just as the Father [that s God] raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son [Jesus] gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Watch that happen at the pool. Secondly, look at v27: And he [that s God the Father] has given him [Jesus] authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. Watch that happen, too. OK, with those two things in mind - Jesus gives life to whom he wants to, and judges everyone s hearts - let s go to Jerusalem and watch what s going on there. Page 2 of 11
So Jesus is near the Bethesda pool by the Sheep Gate. Archaeologists have found the remains of the pool with 5 columns, so this is reliable forensic evidence John s giving us. The man isn t actually dead, but he s not got much of a life. Being paralysed for 38 years must have been a nightmare. It seems that, like other such pools out there today, occasionally an air pocket bubbled up, unexpectedly. The people were as superstitious as people are today, and some thought the first in the pool after it bubbles gets healed. Don t laugh; some today believe in astrology and crystals! So, do you see in your mind s eye all the sick and disabled people lying by the pool, just waiting for a bubble? Not much of a life, was it? But Lynnie and I know that there can be a weird kind of security that comes from really long-term illness. Jesus question makes sense to us v6: Do you want to get well? The man s answer sounds a bit grumpy: In effect he says: What more can I do?! But why didn t Jesus ask any of the others lying there? We re not told, but remember v21: For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. We re given no reason to think he is any more worthy, nor that he has any more faith than the others. And yet... v8: Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; [just imagine what that must have felt like, as the long-dead nerves and muscles all come alive!] he picked up his mat and walked. the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Page 3 of 11
But look out, the religious police are on the way and v9 says: The day on which this took place was a Sabbath... So Jesus slips away, v13, without even giving the man his name. They approach our friend, who s probably playing leapfrog over his wheel chair, and hit him with a question I hope you wouldn t have asked: Actually, it s not even a question! v10: It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat. Are you guys for real? The man s been paralysed for 38 years; he s walking! And you re upset he s carry his mat on the Sabbath? And anyway, the law didn t forbid you carrying your mat. You won t find that law in your Old Testaments. God said you mustn t work on the Sabbath; it was a special day to rest and enjoy time with God and his people. What a treat the Sabbath was meant to be for everyone. But the religious leaders helped interpret what that law meant. So they made a list of 39 things that working meant. And one was carrying stuff from one place to another. And get this: the punishment for this was death by stoning! So, don t be too hard on the bloke for telling on Jesus later! Now, if Jesus words sound familiar, they are! Remember the paralysed dropped through the roof by friends? Jesus first told him his sins were forgiven, then healed him by just saying Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.. To make the point that only God can do those two things! Forgive sins and heal people. Page 4 of 11
So now look what Jesus says to our man later, 14: See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. Worse than being paralysed for 38 years!? Now, pause and take great care. If you ve dozed off, come back to me for a moment. Jesus is not saying that all suffering is caused by a person s sin. How do you know that, Tone? Because I ve read ahead to chapter 9! The disciples see a man born blind and ask Jesus if he was blind because of his own sin or his parents sins. And Jesus replied Neither this man nor his parents sinned... And another time, asked about people who d been killed, Jesus affirms it wasn t because they were worse than others. So, Jesus says there s no general link between a particular person s suffering and that person s particular sins. And yet this man was both disabled and a sinner in God s sight. Two problems that need sorting. And Jesus says or something worse may happen. His sin is more serious than his paralysis! So, Jesus can clearly sort the paralysis; but can he sort the sin? Remember v27? God has given him authority to judge... That means to decide whether you or I are forgiven for our sin! Jesus says he can sort my sin problem too! Do you see why Jesus wanted to tell them then, as well as us here as we read John s gospel, those two things about him: that he gives life to those he wants to; and that he has the authority to forgive sins? To enable him to teach that, he must walk into the lion s den! Page 5 of 11
Life through the Son: That s what all the fuss is about! V16-30 So, our second half shows us Life through the Son: That s what all the fuss is about! And just as the disabled man heard Jesus voice and found life, so too the Jewish leaders need to hear his voice. But will it end up well for them too, will they receive life? It s sometimes said There s no rest of the wicked, but here we see that there s no rest for God the Son! v16: So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Now, you might think Jesus was loving his neighbour as himself. Which I believe is in the Bible! But if so, then you re not thinking like these religious leaders. But, Jesus didn t heal people on the Sabbath because he d left his smart phone behind or deleted his calendar by mistake! It s not Sabbath again is it? Where did that week go? No, he healed on the Sabbath, to flush out the opposition. They disliked him in chapter 2 when upset their temple market. Now, he s breaking their Sabbath rules, they persecute him. But you ain t seen nothin yet! v17: Jesus said to them, My Father s always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working. For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. It s obvious, if you think about it. If God stopped working every Saturday, put his feet up and watched the footie, the universe would collapse. In Colossians 1v16 we read For by [Christ] all things were created... and in him all things hold together. Jesus is saying I can t stop being God for one day a week! Page 6 of 11
And just in case you and I miss it, calling God my Father was making himself equal with God. That s called blasphemy! Unless, of course, you really are God. Jesus claimed to be fully God; put a sticky note on your door with Colossians 1v16 on it, for the day the JW s call. You won t convince them he s God, but at least you ll have properly answered for the truth and honoured Jesus name. Christians pause: does your life look like you ve forgotten that? I know he told his disciples to call him friend, as well as Lord and saviour. But Jesus is the one who made the universe - including those new planets round other suns - and holds it all together! And Christians, pause: have you forgotten that Jesus has graciously chosen to give you life? Even more than he did for the disabled man by the pool? Because, far from seeing that and worshipping him as God, these religious leaders tried all the harder to kill him. But Jesus just keeps on digging himself a hole. Now he tells them what he s doing, healing on the Sabbath, and why. First of all, v19, he says he only does what his Father does. You criticise me; you re criticisng him! So Jesus claims to be equal with God, and yet he he obeys God his Heavenly Father in everything. Same nature, same worth, but different roles in the godhead. God the Father is in charge. Page 7 of 11
He then says the reason for this, v20, is For [because] the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. What a fantastic picture of a perfect father & son relationship! The ultimate model for all human parenting. Then Jesus really puts the cat among the pigeons in the second half of v20 when he says: Yes, to your amazement he will [so this hasn t yet happened] show him even greater things than these [these miracles]. But what s greater than healing a paralysed man? What hasn t even Jesus yet done? He hinted at it when he said or something worse may happen. v21: For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. He must mean give life in a bigger way than healing that man. How? v22 is the clue: the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son. Sort my sin problem! In chapter 17v3 at the Last Supper, Jesus explains what he means by this word life, which he gives people as he pleases. He says: Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. That s the real life he is giving, of which his healing miracles are just signs. A permanent and never-ending relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! That s the greater things the Father will soon show Jesus! Page 8 of 11
Let s make sure we are all clear on that. Jesus is claiming that all judgement of everyone who has lived or will ever live, will be his job. God the Father has delegated it to him. He, Jesus, will return one day in the future and judge who will go to live forever with God and who won t. And the reason God the Father has delegated that job is, v23: that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him. Everyone pause: today, do you honour Jesus and the Father? If the answer is No, I m not a Christian or ;I m not sure if I am, then remember he will be your judge. But if you re a Christian, the question. Do you read a couple of verses of the Bible each morning and quickly ask him to bless your day then ignore him? Does that honour him? Do you never stand up for his ways and what he loves at work or college for school, but go with the crowd? Does that honour him? Do you give him, the creator of the universe who loved you somuch he dies in your place, an hour on Sundays and keep the rest of your life for pleasing you? And think he should be grateful with that? Does that honour him? And more generally, it means that anyone who does not honour the Son does not honour God the Father. That includes Muslims and most Jews who say Jesus isn t God. And anyone who refuses to believe in Jesus and have life. Page 9 of 11
In our third paragraph, Jesus couldn t make it any clearer! v24: I tell you the truth, [Jesus only says that when he s at his most serious and urgent; listen up, he s saying] whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me [so his words are the evidence and the correct response is to believe he is the Christ, the Son of God] What happens to you if you do believe? whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. Did you spot the tenses Jesus is using? Because he...has crossed over from death to life in the past, whoever hears my word and believes... has eternal life now! If you re a Christian believer, then you have now, today, this minute eternal life, that never-ending perfect relationship with God which Jesus came to give to those he pleases. And the future tense, on which you can literally stake your life? has eternal life and will not be condemned. You are absolutely guaranteed God s forgiveness and acceptance when you meet him on judgement day. But what about you if you haven t yet considered the evidence and believed? Then you remain as before. In a broken relationship with God, and therefore if nothing changes, when you face him you will be condemned. That man who can now walk will face Jesus as his judge and be condemned, if he doesn t hear Jesus words and change! Jesus terrible word, not mine! Please hear the voice of the Son of God and live! Page 10 of 11
This is the wonderful work Jesus was doing, because he goes on to say when this receiving life will happen. v25: I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead [those currently condemned] will hear the voice of the Son of God [as you and I have done today] and those who hear will live [crsoo over from death to life]. From then on in, people will hear God s voice through Jesus, either in person or recorded for us in Scripture, and on the basis of his words will believe and therefore receive life! So I m going to stop and ask: Have you heard the voice of the Son of God? Have you considered the signs, the evidence he gave? Have you believed in him as the Son of God sent by the Father? And have you therefore received life from him? If you have, you will never face rejection or condemnation. If you haven t, or you did in the past but have turned away of gone cold towards him, then why would you want to face Jesus, your judge, condemned. Cross over from death to life, and do it today. Let us pray. Prayer (do business) Page 11 of 11