Today's Passage - John 5:1-9

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 5:1-9   Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie-the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"   "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."   Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked....     Around the pool of Bethesda lay many sick people, because legend said that every year an angel will promptly come down to that place to stir the water. Whoever goes into the pool first will be healed of his sickness. This is why there were many people lying there throughout the year, waiting for the angel to stir the water in the pool. Jesus saw a man lying there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years, and asked him, "Do you want to get well?" Doesn't Jesus often ask this question? Who doesn't want to be healed after lying there for thirty-eight years? But let's think about this more carefully. This man gets to be carried there every day, with people providing food for him, and all the friends there to hang out with. He has already gotten used to this kind of lifestyle. Once he gets well, he needs to work to provide for himself and start a different lifestyle. Let's think about this more carefully, does he really want to be healed?   Very often we come to God and ask God to help us, to heal us, or ask God to change our circumstances. But, do you really want to change? When you really get changed, you will have different life responsibilities. Do you really want to follow God's path? Jesus puts this question before the sick man to remind him of his poverty inside. Many times, we just look for changes on the external things, but neglect our need to be changed in our hearts. Unless our heart is changed first, unless we get a new attitude, just changing the external circumstances will not truly solve the problem.   Not only does Jesus remind him, but immediately heals him. And after he is healed, he picked up his mat and walked. Hallelujah! Brothers and sisters, when deep inside you are willing to be changed, God then will bring to your life changes and miracles! Are you willing to be changed by God? Let us have a humble and glad heart, welcoming God to come work in our life.           Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, I thank you because when my heart is willing, longing, and glad to obey your commands, Lord, you will personally do the work of renewal, reconstruction, and restoration in my life. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!