One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.

 John 5:1-9

One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me. John 5:5-7

I continue my study of John, and today, I unpack John 5:1-9 using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the passage about God?: Jesus demonstrates that He has compassion and He is all knowing - omniscient.  He saw the man who had been lying near the pool who had been "invalid for thirty-eight years" (vv5-6).  Jesus sees the pain, the challenges, the suffering, etc. that we experience and He meets us in our of need.  He knows that the man "had already been there a long time." Jesus asks the man whether he wants to be healed and then gives the man two commands (1) to take his bed, and (2) to walk.  The command to take his bed is intentional to begin stirring up Jewish leadership - stay tuned on this. Jesus then heals the man.  At times Jesus' response to pain, challenges, and suffering is to take away these things, and other times it is to equip us to endure so that others can see Jesus working in us.  See also 2 Corinthians 12:9 where Paul shares how he asked God to remove the thorn in his side, but God's response challenged Paul to see how "[God's] grace is sufficient for [him], for [God's] power is made perfect in weakness."  Paul is reminded that the thorn in his side served to "keep [him] from becoming conceited."  God has a plan - sometimes we don't like the plan, but it is perfect.    
• What do we learn from the passage about people?:  The text first describes the man as an invalid (v5) then as sick (v7).  None of God's creation is invalid - all of His creation serves a role and His purpose. We also see others who may not see the least of these (Matthew 25:40) to help them or push their way in front of them (v7).  The man is no longer invalid but instead now he is sick and somehow worthy of healing vs being simply "invalid".  The man believes that stirred water in the pool will heal him yet finds out that Jesus healed him with his words.    
• Is there anything from the passage God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do not ever view someone as invalid - all are God's creation and perfect. Claim the promise that God sees all and responds to our cries.  Follow Paul's example to see how God's grace is sufficient.  Help those who need it - the least of these. 

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My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and knows all of my pain, challenges, suffering, etc. and You respond.  Thank You Jesus for saving me and for working in my life.  I am not deserving of such love and blessing.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Leviticus 12

Know that the Lord, he is God!  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter twelve - God Rules from Our Birth - covering Leviticus 12:1-8, looking specifically at the first theme - God Commands Celebration of Childbirth.  Here, the commentary focuses on the purification laws for mothers following childbirth as described in Leviticus 12.  The commentary makes it clear that these laws of course do not imply that childbirth is a sin, or that the mother did anything sinful; the commentary also emphasizes that these laws should not detract from God's view that childbirth is cause for celebration.  We are encouraged to refer to Genesis 1:28, Psalm 100:3, and 127:4-5, as three examples of many where childbirth is celebrated, and where we can stand Biblically against the sin of abortion. The commentary also contrasts blood during childbirth vs blood during sacrifices made for atonement; "[p]eople became unclean by sin and their association with anything that resembled or represented the realm of death.  In the case of childbirth, childbirth involves blood, blood was associated with death, so childbirth rendered women [ritually] unclean because of the blood.  The only blood God allowed in the tabernacle was sacrificial blood, the blood of animals shed for the purpose of atonement. Everything else that had to do with death was kept separate from the tabernacle.  Thus, childbirth rendered a woman ritually unclean but not morally unclean." 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, worthy of my praise and worship - You made me and everyone else and Your design and Your works are incredible and You make no mistakes.  We are all fearfully and wonderfully made....and You knit all of us together.  Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You made me, my family, and all those I know - all blessings.  My sin of worry continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.