Today’s Reading: John 5; John 6
Scripture: John 5:2-14
2 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. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 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?"
7 "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."
8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat."
11 But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.' "
12 So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?"
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Observation: Today's reading is great! John's gospel is so rich. I picked this portion because the way the crippled man responded to Jesus caught my attention. Notice that Jesus asks him a direct question which is easily answered yes or no: "Do you want to get well?" But the man doesn't answer the question at all. Instead he gives excuses and even places blame on other people. Look at his response in verse 7 above. First he says that he has no one to help him into the pool. This places blame on his family and friends because no one truly cares enough about him to take time to help him. And then he says that someone else gets to the pool ahead of him, again blaming these other people for stealing his healing. Notice that those he blames he views as truly uncaring, showing no concern whatsoever for his plight. So for this man, it's all about him and how neglected (and even abused) he is.
But Jesus has simply asked him if he wanted to get well. He missed the question entirely! In spite of the man's non-response, Jesus speaks healing to him. Notice that the method of Jesus healing requires the man to take action -- this was no time for excuses -- act and be healed or sit there and be miserable. The man chose to act and was instantly healed!
What is particularly interesting is what follows. As he picks up his mat and walks, he is immediately confronted by some religious people who criticize him for a sabbath violation. (This always amazes me: people who can't put aside their religious pet peeves for a moment to rejoice with a man who just experienced a life-changing miracle!) And here, the man reverts to blaming again. He could have accepted responsibility: "I'm sorry, this is the first day of my life that I have been able to walk and carry my mat, so I guess I didn't know about this law. I will stop carrying it today and pick it up again tomorrow." Instead, he blames Jesus: "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" He is saying, "It's not my fault! I am a victim of this other guy who told me to do it!" Pretty astounding that he would blame Jesus. But there are may people like this who simply don't seem to be able to face and accept personal responsibility.
Jesus confronts him about it later saying, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." He tells him that his behavior is sin. And notice the phrase "you are well again". I see two possibilities here. Either this is not the first time he has received a healing, or the onset of his sickness was the result of his sin, perhaps a judgment from God or the consequence of some folly he brought upon himself.
Application: I'd like to make two simple (and short) applications from this story:
1) Accept responsibility.
2) Don't be hesitant to confront those who live by the blame game.
Prayer: Lord, help us to live responsibly and honestly before you and others. Help me to take responsibility for myself before you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
