Hello friends, Michael Youssef here with a very warm greetings on this Memorial Day.
I know that Memorial Day has come to symbolize the first day of summer fun and barbecues and games and that's fine, but remember it's also a time in which we really remember those who have given their all, their life, for this great country. Thank you for taking time for a message by Dr. Michael Youssef as he passionately proclaims the uncompromising truth of the Gospel on Leading the Way Audio. Now in a moment, Dr. Youssef continues his series, Evidence of the Exclusivity of Jesus, with a look today at a miraculous encounter between Jesus and a man seeking physical healing that also brought him spiritual healing. Listen today as Jesus draws near, offering healing for all that ails you on Leading the Way. Do you want to get well?
Do you? Well, that is the question that Jesus asked a man who was incapacitated for 38 years. Turn with me please to the Gospel of John chapter 5, the Gospel of John chapter 5, as you look at this amazing story, the Gospel of John chapter 5 as I set up the stage of this wonderful encounter that the Lord Jesus Christ had with this man. Now people during the time of Jesus at that time have maintained the superstitious belief that whenever the water of the pool of Bethesda is stirred up by an angel, the first into that pool after the angel stirred the water is healed. This perhaps would be the closest I can bring it to modern day like the legends that have surrounded or grown around places like the village of Lourdes in southern France or Guadalupe in Mexico City. People arrive to these places believing that there is healing in these places.
Questions, do people actually get healed in these places? Do people get healed at the pool of Bethesda? Now before I answer that question, I'm not ducking it, but before I answer it, I want to tell you a little bit about the pool of Bethesda so you understand the geological component of it. It was fed by an underground spring. At various times, water released surges from hidden underground reservoirs all under the city of Jerusalem.
These intermittent surges of water caused the springs to suddenly rise and fall. So to the folks at that time, this water activity was completely mysterious to them. It was just mysterious and therefore it gave rise to this superstition about an angel coming in and stirring the water of Bethesda.
Now back to my question, I told you I'm not going to duck it. Did some people actually get healed there? Do some people get healed when they go to Lourdes in Mexico City?
The answer to that is possibly, possibly. I'm personally convinced that what happens in these places are all psychosomatic. But even so, even so, some of the illnesses could be hypochondria. I learned recently that even in testing of a new drug, they give placebos to half the group and the real drug to the other half. And they found that equal number of people who have taken the placebo were healed as many as the ones that have taken the real drug.
To top it all, research has shown us that the mind is very powerful, is very powerful. Now back to the pool of Bethesda. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one who can truly heal, our Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has the power, the supernatural power to heal. He goes to the pool of Bethesda.
The great physician, the only supernatural healer goes to Bethesda. And there is no telling, by the way, how many people were there around the pool. The writer John doesn't tell us.
There are probably tens if not hundreds of them waiting there around the pool. But Jesus doesn't heal them all. He just walks and singles one person. He singles him out of a man who had been disabled for 38 years. Now the Bible doesn't tell us that he was at the pool for 38 years. It's just that he was, we don't know, he might have been weak so maybe a month, maybe years, but the Bible only tells us that he was ill. He was incapable to stand up or to move. He was weak. He was feeble.
He was unable to stand for 38 years. Out of that entire crowd that was there, they have varieties of illnesses, whether it be psychological, emotional, or physical. Jesus goes out to that one person. I pray to God that Jesus will speak to that one person today, maybe to a lot more than one person. He did not blow on them. He did not throw his jacket on them. He did not slay them in the spirit, as all the dramas that we see today. He just walked up to this person, one man.
He walked up to him and talked to him. Beloved, listen to me. This is very important. Please listen carefully because this shows us how our God deals with our human needs, our human infirmity, and our human weaknesses. Perhaps you can identify with the weak and helpless condition of this man. Perhaps you know what it means to have hurt that lingers for a long time or aches that will not go away. Perhaps you feel paralyzed in one or another area of your life. Perhaps you feel stricken in the sense of failure in your life that is paralyzing you or a sense of sorrow that's keeping you from moving forward. Perhaps you feel you're emotionally paralyzed, unable to move. I've seen people, their emotion paralyzing them literally. Or perhaps you feel the chains of addictions or sinful behavior that is taking hold of you.
In some sense, in some area in your life, you feel the weight of paralysis, like this man. It is to people like this that our Lord Jesus Christ draws near, draws near. And he's drawing near to some of you today. He's drawing near to some of you today. I know with all my heart and with the conviction of the Holy Spirit that the Lord is drawing near to some of you. And you know who you are. The best of my ability.
I'll try to be transparent with you. And so I have to confess to you, for years, this question that Jesus asked the man puzzled me, puzzled me for years. Do you want to get well?
Do you want to be bed whole? What kind of a question is that? What a strange question to ask a man who been stricken for 38 years. Oh my friends, surely you must know that our precious Savior does not ask foolish or pointless questions. But our precious Lord knew that this man's answer to the question is very important to the man himself, not to Jesus.
Listen to me. Strange as it may seem, there are people today who do not want to be made whole. There are some people today who do not want divine intervention to their problems.
They don't want to receive strength for their weaknesses. Or outwardly, they would say they do want to get well. But inwardly, they've grown comfortable in their condition.
They've grown comfortable in their situation. Beloved, listen to me. This is absolutely, absolutely, no, not, never take away from those who truly want to be changed to genuinely want to be made whole again. Are you with me? But I believe our precious Lord question to this man is a question that he asked of me.
It's a question that he asked of everyone at the sound of my voice. Do you want to be made whole? Do you want to overcome an addiction? Do you want to experience emotional and psychological healing? Do you want your marriage to be healed? Do you want the broken relationship to be restored? Do you want to be spiritually healed? And just before anyone glibly says yes, remember this, healing in any area of our lives requires commitment and willingness to change. Do you want to be made whole?
Had the man said no, I believe with all my heart our Lord would have just walked away. Afflicted, 38 years. Why?
Please listen carefully. Because you cannot help someone who does not want to be helped. You cannot help people who don't admit their needs. You cannot help those who insist that they're doing fine and they don't need anybody. Remember this, Jesus came from heaven to help the helpless, not the self-sufficient. He came from heaven to save those who are lost, not the ones who are determined to make it on their own. Do you want to be made whole?
And if the answer is not yet, or I'm doing okay, I'll let you know if I cannot handle it myself. Then he can't do it. Not that he can't, he won't do it. Look with me again, verse 7, John chapter 5, verse 7. Do you know what this man's answer was?
I'm going to give you a use of translation before I read it, okay? This man's answer was, yes, but. That was his answer.
Yes, but. The invalid replied, sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water stirred. Whenever I try to get there, someone goes ahead of me. That's what he's saying.
He's saying, yes, I want to be made, but I can't. I can't. I've tried. I have done everything I know how. I want to get into that water, but I am unable.
No one would help me. I've given up hope. I've given up hope.
Oh, my friends, listen, please. You know some people like that. You may be like that. Given up hope, have resigned themselves to their pain, to their weakness, to their addiction, to their suffering, to whatever condition they are in. Listen, I'm amazed. I'm amazed of how many people I've talked to who actually feel in control of something that I can see is controlling them. It's like the man who said, he said, it's easy to stop walking.
I've done it a hundred times. Question, what is Jesus' response to this man who lost all hope? This person who's given up on himself, Jesus' response was not, was not, was not, I'm going to help you get in the pool.
When the water stirred, I'm going to be here to help you. No. He could have said, hang in there. You heard me say this before. I can't stand that sentence. Hang in there. What does that mean? Or keep coming to the pool.
One day you're going to make it. No. He could have said, let's at least make you more comfortable where you are. Let's get a new mattress, a new mat, so you can lie comfortably. Or get you something to eat.
Maybe get you some comfort food. No. This is the Lord of glory. This is the God of the universe. This is the God of power and might. This is the God of heaven and earth. This is the exclusive Jesus.
Not what 60% of church goers say. He's a founder of a religion like the founders of other religions. Just to remind you, in case you forgot that we're in the midst of a series of messages on the evidence of the exclusiveness of Jesus.
The evidence, the gospel according to John, he called them simayons. Those evidence of the exclusivity of Jesus. Please watch Jesus' method of dealing with this man and don't miss it.
Please don't miss it. First, he asked him to do the impossible. Secondly, he removed all possibility of relapsing. And thirdly, he expected continuous success, verses 8 and 9. Jesus said to him, get up, pick up your mat and walk. So he gets up, picks up his mat and start walking. What did Jesus ask him this man to do? The impossible. He's asking him to do something that he had not been able to do for 38 years.
That's the get up and walk. Now I don't like to speculate, but sometimes it gets a better part of me. I often wondered what went on in the mind of this man who's been down for 38 years. I wonder what went on in his mind when he was told by Jesus, get up and walk and carry your mat. Because he basically heard Jesus saying to him, do the impossible. He asked him to do that which he has not been able to do for 38 years.
I mean, wouldn't you? Would you be able to do what seemed to be impossible to you if Jesus asked you? It was this act of obedience to Jesus. It was this act of obedience that the miracle took place. So the first thing Jesus asked him is to do the impossible. Secondly, he asked him to pick up his mat.
Why? He could have got somebody else to help him out, no? He asked him to pick up his mat so that there would be no provision for relapsing, no turning back, no doubt, or thinking, oh yes, I am only human. He may heal me now, but will I stay healed? Maybe I just should keep the mat just in case the healing doesn't last. Or I might leave it where it is so I don't miss my spot in the queue, as they say in England, in the line. Or I may need it.
What if I get sick again? Jesus did not leave room for back door for this man to relapse. Can I get an amen? Amen.
Oh, beloved, Jesus is saying something very important here. I don't want you to miss it. I don't want you to miss it. Do not make provision to go back after you've been delivered. Burn your bridges behind you. Say no to the so-called friends who lure you into sin and failure. Delete those websites from your computer that is keeping you going back. Smash these bottles. Cut off the possibility of going back. Have someone to hold you accountable. First, you told him to do what?
The impossible. Secondly, he asked him to make no provision for relapsing. And thirdly, he said walk. Walk. You notice the Bible talks about walking with Jesus. The Christian life is a walk. It is not hanging with Jesus.
I saw a youth pastor one time and he said, I just want the kids to hang with Jesus. It's a walking. It's progress.
It's on from one point of glory to another. And the third thing Jesus asked him to do is to walk. Don't expect to be carried.
Get on your feet and start walking. I'm sure you know some people who want to be carried after they've been delivered and made whole. They want to be carried.
They expect people to keep nursing them, propping them up. Oh, beloved, listen to me. The very Jesus who gives you the power to rise up, he can certainly give you the power to daily be strengthened in him.
That is something else here that I don't want you to miss and I cannot possibly skip right here in this passage. That is the opposition that had arose as a result of Jesus manifesting his glorious power as evidence of his messiahship. The opposition. The Pharisees. Jesus and Jesus alone, beloved, is God's messiah. Jesus and Jesus alone is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus and Jesus alone is the bread of life. Jesus and Jesus alone is the good shepherd. Jesus and Jesus alone is the gate to the sheepfold. Jesus and Jesus alone is the resurrection and the life.
And we've been seeing that. That healing of this man got him into trouble. Got him into trouble with the religious hierarchy. Jesus told him to walk and carry his mat on the Sabbath, verses 9, 10, and 11. On the Sabbath.
Listen to me. While God has commanded his people, encouraged his people repeatedly to honor the Sabbath day, it is for their own spiritual well-being. And yet these Pharisees, these legalists turned them into 39 different regulations. And that is why Jesus, so many times in the scripture, tried to explain God's intention about the Sabbath and repeatedly he said the Sabbath was made or created for man, not man for the Sabbath. God wanted his people to take a day out of their busy week. To do what? To be able to focus on God. One day a week to study the word of God. One day a week to focus on the character of God. One day a week to ponder the grace of God. One day a week to enumerate the blessings of God and offer a thank offering for him. Verse 12.
The Pharisees, instead of asking the man, who is that wonderful, thoughtful, kind and gracious person who healed you after 38 years of misery? Oh no. No. Who is the one who encouraged you to break down one of our regulations?
But there's one last thing. I don't want to leave out here, but I want to introduce it and I will deal with it later. It's a very important question. Very important question. It's a subject of confusion among many church people.
Oh my goodness, I travel the world as you know. I've seen confusion about this subject perhaps more than any other. The question is this. Do all infirmities, do all diseases come as a result of sin?
Do all infirmities are the consequences of sin? Certainly the Jews believe that. As I'm going to show you when I get to John chapter 9 when Jesus healed the blind man, born blind. I'm going to show you.
I'm going to deal with it in details. Certainly the disciples in the time of Jesus, really they believed that stuff. And Jesus repeatedly taught them not all suffering in life is a result of sin. Not all affliction in life is a consequence of sin. In this case it appears that some of the man's infirmity associated with sin.
I'm going to show you. Verse 14. Jesus found the healed man in the temple and said to him, see that you've been made whole again. Stop sinning or something worse will happen. Stop living in sin. Don't habitually sin. This man was not only physically healed but he was spiritually healed.
You see the word whole that is very choice word here means total transformations, emotional, physical, and spiritual. You see physical healing is wonderful. He's going to give you a few more years but spiritual healing will guarantee you heaven with Jesus. After this man's spiritual healing, Jesus said to him, sin no more. Do not habitually sin.
Do not deliberately live in sin. Or to be sure, we don't know what the nature of sin is. Perhaps it was, and again I'm speculating, you know that when I always tell you ahead of time. Perhaps it was a bitter spirit towards someone that made him paralyzed. Perhaps it was bitter resentment towards someone. Because all bitterness beloved, listen to me, all bitterness can sap your energy and your vitality for life. And the problem is because bitterness is a root not a fruit and you can't see it.
It's below the surface. Or perhaps it was a sinful habit that he was indulging in. The question is this, is there an area in your life where you're experiencing brokenness, anxiety, suffering of any kind, temptations that needs healing? If the answer is yes, then Jesus would say to every one of us, stand up, take your bed and walk. Thank you for taking time to listen to pastor and author Dr. Michael Yousaf on Leading the Way audio. You know you can learn more about Dr. Yousaf and Leading the Way ministry all around the world when you go to ltw.org or when you call us, speak to a ministry representative at the call center, 866-626-4356. And please write us a note. We really love getting your mail. You can send us a prayer request, you can send a gift to the ministry, or you can let us know how Leading the Way has impacted your spiritual walk. Let us hear from you at Leading the Way, post office box 20100, Atlanta, Georgia, 30325. This program is furnished by Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Yousaf, passionately proclaiming the uncompromising truth.
