AN INVALID'S HEALING, THE SABBATH & THE LAW'S INTENT

TEXT JOHN 5:1-15 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=John5&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE JOHN 5:1-15

Some time after healing the royal official’s son, Jesus went to a feast in Jerusalem where at the pool of Bethesda he came upon a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Inquiring about his will to get well, Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well, to which the man responded by telling Jesus he had no one to help him into the healing waters of the pool. Jesus then commanded him to get up, pick up his mat and walk and the man was immediately cured – he picked up his mat and began walking.

Because this was the Sabbath day the Jews told the healed man who was carrying his mat that it was unlawful for him to be doing so. When he told them the man who made him well had told him to do this they asked him who this man was but he didn’t know his name.

Later, finding the man at the temple Jesus pointed out that though he was now well if he didn’t stop sinning something worse might happen to him. Leaving Jesus, the man went to the Jews and told them it was Jesus who had healed him.

PRINCIPLES John 5:1-5

I. 1st Century Readers

A. (CIT) John told his first century readers that Jesus healed on the Sabbath.

B. (INT) Why did John tell his first century readers that Jesus healed on the Sabbath?

C. (ANS) John told his first century readers that Jesus healed on the Sabbath because:

1. A man had been an invalid for 38 years. vv 1-7

2. The religious authorities’ Sabbath traditions were more rigid than the Law.vv 9b-13, 15

3. His authority to heal physically & spiritually was not bound by time. vv 8-9 a, 14

II. Readers Today

A. (CIT) John tells us today that Jesus heals on the Sabbath.

B. (INT) Why does John tell us today that Jesus heals on the Sabbath?

C. (ANS) John tells us today that Jesus heals on the Sabbath because:

1. Some people have been suffering for many years.

2. Some people’s religious traditions are more rigid than the intent of the Sabbath day of rest.

3. His authority to heal physically & spiritually is not bound by time.

PRAYER

Our Father, we thank You for coming to us where we are.

Our Father, we give You praise for Your Son who has mercy on our infirmities.

Our Father, we thank You for always being at work, listening to and answering our prayers.

Our Father, we ask You to forgive our sins, those we are aware of and lay before you today and those we are not aware of but yet are responsible for and also lay before you.

Our Father, we ask that in Your Kingdom come that our mind, body and soul will be healed.

Our Father, we ask that in Your Kingdom come that Your healing would always override any traditions we have, that we would not make any of our traditions greater than the healing that Your Son has brought into this world, a healing that is never bound by time, by day of the week.

Our Father, we give glory to You for who You are and what You have done!

And we ask all of this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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FAITH IN THE BREAD, WINE & SAVIOR

TEXT JOHN 4:43-54 http://www.biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=John4&niv=yes

PARAPHRASE JOHN 4:43-54

After spending two days with the Samaritans, Jesus left for his home area of Galilee where previously he had told the people of Nazareth said that a prophet has no honor in his own country when they had turned on him after declaring he was fulfilling Isaiah’s words about the Messiah. Having seen all that Jesus had done at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem, the Galileans had begun to change their minds about him welcoming him home when he arrived.

Visiting Cana in Galilee where previously he had turned water into wine, a royal official from Capernaum came begging Jesus to come and heal his son who was sick and dying. Jesus responded by telling the people that unless they saw miraculous signs and wonders they wouldn’t believe. This didn’t stop the royal official from continuing to beg Jesus to come before his son died to which Jesus responded by testing the official's faith by telling him to return home, that his son would live.

Trusting what Jesus said, the official left for home. While in route he was met by his servants who told him his son was alive and well. Asking them when his son improved they told him his son’s fever left the previous day at 1 pm. Realizing this was the exact hour Jesus had told him his son would live, he and his household believed that Jesus really was the Messiah.

This was the second miracle Jesus performed having come from Judea to Galilee.

PRINCIPLES JOHN 4:43-54

CIT = Central Idea of the Text, INT = Interrogatory, ANS = Answer)


A. First Century Readers

CIT: John tells his first century readers about believing Jesus was the Messiah.

INT: What does John tell his first century readers that believing Jesus was the Messiah involved?

ANS: John told his first century readers that believing Jesus was the Messiah involved believing He was the:

I. Lamb of the Passover Feast vv 43-45

II. Wine of the Wedding Feast v 46

III. Healer of the Infirmities v 47-54


B. Readers Today

CIT: John tells us today about believing Jesus is the Messiah.

INT: What does John tell us today that believing Jesus is the Messiah involves?

ANS: John tells us today that believing Jesus is the Messiah Involves believing He is the:

I. Bread of our Communion Feast

II. Wine of our Communion Feast

III. Savior of our Souls


PRAYER

Our Father, we thank You and give You praise for Your Son, Jesus Christ the Messiah.

Our Father, we give You the glory for the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world through His sacrifice.

Our Father, we honor You and your Son for His body and blood that were shed on the Cross for us.

Our Father, we give Your Son praise, glory and honor for He is the Savior of the world.

Our Father, we give Your Son praise for the Communion Feast we celebrate in remembrance of Him.

Our Father, we thank You for Your Son’s body and blood celebrated in the bread and wine of the meal we have been given.

Our Father, we thank You for these signs that give us faith in who Your Son is that we may have assurance of the eternal life He brings today and for time to come.

We ask all of this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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