Did God say that?

Did God say that?? (5:1-19)

Verse 3 Many historians believe that several hundred people would be there on any given day.

• Some even think it would have been several thousand people.
• This is important to keep in mind once we get to verse 19.

Verse 5 This should be an encouragement to anyone with a long running chronic illness.

• Bing an invalid for 28 years is no match for the power of Jesus.

Verse 6 This is an important question and one that we should sometimes ask.

• Some people so identify with their illness or condition that they don’t want to be healed.

Verse 7 The man’s answer turns not to his condition but to what he sees as his lack, but it certainly turns to the natural realm. Lack of help to get in the pool. But it also turns toward his tradition, that the only way to get healed is by getting in the pool. He couldn’t imagine another option.

Verse 8 I love how casual Jesus is with the healing. He doesn’t pray for him or lay hands on him. He just says get up.

Verse 10 Of course, Jesus broke the religious rules of the day, healing on the Sabbath, to heal the man.

• You would think they would celebrate that the man was healed and no longer a burden on society.
• Jesus healed the man because that’s what he saw the father doing, obedience.

Verse 17 God is always at work, therefore there is always the opportunity for us to join Him.

• We don’t lack for opportunity; we lack for seeing what the father is doing.
• Jesus says that the Father is always at work in defense of their criticizing him for healing on the Sabbath.

Verse 18 Sometimes doing what you see the father doing will get you in trouble. God desires mercy not man-made religious rules and laws.

Verse 19 Jesus says he can do nothing by himself.  If this is true of Jesus, then how much more for us?

• Jesus is saying this to defend why he healed on the Sabbath. But there is a universal principle here for us.
• We can only do things with the Father’s help.
• But even more importantly, he can do only what he sees his Father doing,
• Which means we should do nothing unless we see the father doing it.
• I see and hear people all the times say I am going to do this or that.
  • Often times what they are saying doesn’t even sound like the character or nature of God.
• Or I hear people say, I am going to quit this or that
  • And again, I think, did the Father tell you to quit this or that?
  • God is the God of a long obedience in the same direction.
• This little phrase, he can do only what he sees his Father doing, needs to become the sound track of our life.
  • Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s time to quit.
  • Remember the Son can do nothing by himself; Are you doing it with Jesus?
• Then there is the obedience factor, think of Jonah.
• We may hear or see well enough what the Father is doing, but then we don’t obey.

• Jonah clearly understood what the Father was doing and didn’t obey and ended up in the stomach of a large fish.

• We also can’t do more than we see the father doing.
  • This will also get us into trouble.
  • Jesus only healed one at this pool despite the fact that there was a great crowd there.
  • Do what you see the Father doing and no more.
• Can’t be an excuse for lack of activity.
  • If you never see The Father doing anything then that is a problem too.
  • Remember the Father is always at work.

So what do we do?

Ask yourself about all of your recent decisions, Father was that you?

Father show me what you are doing so that I might join you.