These are the concluding remarks of a message I delivered on March
23, 2014 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sharon, PA. It does not include the
exegetical, interpretive and analytical comments made from the passage in John
5 prior to these comments.
======================
I want to spend the remaining
minutes would have together focusing on one small detail in this miracle. That
detail comes from what I believe is the most astounding, self-revelatory,
soul-searching, life impacting question recorded by Jesus addressed to any one
individual. It has ramifications that carry forward to the 21st century and hit us in the face so hard
as to leave us reeling from the impact.
The question was simply this,
“Do you want to get well?”
Do you want to get well?
Well, do you?
Many folks are not physically
impaired, but have something that can be far more daunting. Many of you are
lying by the pool emotionally or relationally or personally paralyzed.
In theological terms, what we
have here is the delicate balance between divine sovereignty and human
responsibility. The purpose of this question is to get at the heart of the
individual.
Maybe Jesus’ question gets at
the heart of this man's disability. Would he prefer the known, i.e. living with
this disability or is he willing to risk the unknown, being healed and the
massive life change that would follow.
Do we really want to be rid
of our sin and our addictions and our negative behaviors? If we were to honestly
invest 15 to 20 min. seriously thinking about this topic the ramifications
could be huge.
I want you to seriously ask
yourself, “Do I want to get well?” Because I can tell you from over 30 years of
ministry experience everyone does not want to.
Some individuals like where
they are.
Some folks are just too lazy
to make the changes.
Some are afraid of what the change will mean.
There are some of you here
today to have an issue with alcohol or tobacco or some other substance. It
controls you. I am not here to tell you if it is right or wrong. Those
questions have varying shades of gray attached to them. But Scripture is clear.
We should not be controlled by any substance and some of you are. As I as I
stand here and make these statements, please do not hear judgment from me. But
do here this this is a decision you must wrestle with. You must decide do I
want to conquer this or not. You have had family members plead with you to make
changes. But they cannot make the change for you. Only you can do that. You
know what it is going to take to conquer whatever it is. The question you need
to ask yourself is "Do I want to get well?"
There are some men here today and your computer regularly takes you to sites it should not take you. It is
sites that are demeaning to women and degrading to sexuality as God designed
it. You know in your heart of hearts it is not right. The personal guilt you
feel after having visited those sites tells you that. The question you must ask
is "Do I want to get well?” Am I willing to set up accountability
structures - serious accountability structures - to allow me to stop permitting
this activity from controlling me?
Others here today have some
relational issues that seriously need to be addressed. There are husbands and wives
here and your marriage is not the way God would desire it and not the way you
want it. But you have fallen into a trap. You fallen into a pattern. You may have
allowed yourself to think it cannot get better. The question you have to
ask is, "Do I want to get well?” Will I go to my partner and open my heart
and tells them what is missing in our relationship and how it hurts me? Am I
willing to hear from my partner things that I must address and myself? Because
it is NEVER one person. Never. You may need to ask, "Am I willing to sit down with a mediator if that
is what is needed?" Do you want to get well?
There probably are some
students here who have allowed themselves to frequent activities they know are unhealthy. You know this is not in your best
interest. I know. I know. I know. You say, "Everyone is doing it. I'm just in college.
I'm just in high school. Everyone has to sow their wild oats at this age." NO,
everyone does not do it! But I can guarantee you everyone must reap the consequences
of any oats they may sow. Maybe you need to make some hard decisions about being real with yourself and decide what you will go to and what you allow yourself to do. It may be a
decision you need to make in a dating relationship. There may be some
activities are allowing yourself and your partner to participate in you should not and you know
you should not. Do you want to get well?
There are those of us here
who look in the mirror or step on the scales and know we are not treating our body the way God wants us to treat it. Our eating habits and our exercising habits or
lack thereof are not honoring to God. And our body is showing the wear and tear and we are paying the price or we will pay the price. Are you willing to address that
issue? Are you willing to address your diet or exercise? It might mean going to
see a physician. There may be some serious decisions you need to make medically
to get help. There may be a cost to pay. But the question is this, do you want
to get well?
Some of you wake up every day
with a feeling as if there is a dark cloud hanging over you. You would like to
see and feel and hear the joy in life you once felt. You put on that things are
fine, but only a select few know just how much pain you are in. You have tried
everything you can imagine to ignore it and move on, but it is just not
happening. Maybe it is time you made an appointment with a counselor. Maybe you
need to see a doctor. Perhaps there is medication that you need and have been
putting off. I know the fear that comes from that. If not a counselor, maybe
you start by finding and individual you can trust to guide you. Do you want to
get well?
Some of you here today were
wounded terribly when you were younger. For some it was physical abuse. For others it was emotional or mental abuse you endured and the scars run deep. Also based on
my experience, I can promise you there are several women in this room who were
sexually molested or raped when you were younger. Some of them on a date where they thought they were safe. There may be some men here
with that scar as well. You have never told a soul. But it burns deep. Very deep. You have
suppressed it and hidden it and denied it and quite frankly, we both know that
is not working. If impacts the intimate relationships in your life, perhaps
sexually with your spouse. You were the victim. You were and are innocent. Yet you are the one paying the price. Is it not time for that darkness to be owned and
exposed to the light of day and allow Jesus to heal it. It may involve therapy
and some hard honesty with the ones who are impacted. But the question remains,
do you want to get well?
There are some folks here
that have been wrestling with placing faith in Jesus for some time. You may
have been attending Covenant for years. You may have never been in a church
before. But either way, for whatever reason you have never placed faith in
Jesus. In some cases if you did, it very well may surprise those who know you.
For others it would not surprise anyone, but they would be glad for you. Here
is the question, “Do you want to get well?” Haven’t you struggled with your sin
long enough? Isn’t it time to finally place faith in Jesus and stop pretending?
Maybe your issue is something
I have not even scratched the surface on but the Spirit of God is burning it in
your mind right now.
Do we want to get well?
Do I want to get well?
Do you want to get well?
Well, do you? Because if you
do, it is going to require you to make some hard choices and make some serious
changes in your life, in your relationships, interpersonal habits, and what can
prove to be the very core of your life.
