Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. You want Christ to change you? Encounter Christ church. Trust him. in your life to change the unchangeable.
Admit that you're paralyzed, that you can't cure yourself, and look to Christ. and Christ alone. for change. in your life. Because Christ Changes.
The unchangeable. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
So-called rational thinking has led many to deny the supernatural power of God. But the message of Jesus Christ is a supernatural one. And to believe in him is to believe in miracles.
So today, John is reminding us of the impossibilities that become possible when we encounter Jesus Christ.
So let's join Pastor Jean Monroe with his message. Changing the unchangeable. In the series called Encountering Jesus, we're looking at various situations in John's Gospel where people encounter Jesus. Last time we looked at the Samaritan woman who was ostracized by her community because of her immoral lifestyle. She was searching for significance and found fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
What a change in her life. and through her the entire community was changed. We're learning that the Christian life is a miraculous life. A true adventure of faith. and it begins when you have a supernatural encounter with Jesus Today we meet a man who appears to be in a hopeless situation.
He's been paralyzed for 38 years. This man encounters Jesus. and the unchangeable It's changed. In our studies in John's Gospel, we've been learning that encountering Jesus. makes a radical difference.
Wine runs out at a wedding. But a couple's shattered dreams are transformed into joy and celebration when Jesus turns the water. into wine. A Jewish Man, a leader, a religious man, Nicodemus. Has a personal encounter with Jesus and is told, Nicodemus, unless you're born again.
you will not see, you will not enter. The kingdom of God. and last week we learned That a Samaritan woman, a woman who is characterized in her life by loneliness and rejection, finds acceptance. and meaning in her life. when she has a personal encounter with Jesus and drinks of that living.
Water. The Christian life then is A miraculous life. Christianity is not about trying to Follow some rigid rules in order that we may earn enough points to, at the end of the day, get into heaven. No, the Christian life begins with a supernatural, personal encounter with Jesus, this Jesus who is the Son of God. Who lived a sinless life, who died on the cross for our sins, not only dying for our sins, but rising from the dead so that he is alive.
So one of the writers of the New Testament, Paul the Apostle, once a very severe and very vocal critic. against Christ and against the Christian faith. Has a personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and then later writes, I no longer live. But Christ lives. in me.
That's it. And that is the Christian life. The living Christ who's conquered death. and who is eternally alive, this Christ, the same Christ God the Son now lives in me. That's Miraculous.
That's the Christian. Faith. in our passage this morning. Jesus again shows concern. for an individual.
A man paralyzed for thirty-eight years meets Jesus and walks. Miracles happen. those who have personal encounters with Jesus. In John 5, the passage we're going to look at, there are those who are opposed to Jesus. in the face of an outstanding one would say irrefutable miracle They refute his power, they deny his deity, they reject his teaching.
Oh, they pour over the Old Testament scriptures, but Jesus says to them, You are not willing to come to me. that you may of life. that life has found In Jesus Christ. who is the way, the truth and the life. And so these critics, these Jewish critics, are physically healthy.
Spiritually. They are paralysed. Anyone here this morning? Who is Paralysed? Spiritually speaking.
paralyzed in some dimension of your life? Making no progress in some situation, you feel your situation will not change, you're in a rut. a habit, an addiction, some sin has captured you. And you're in a hopeless situation. A past situation continues to haunt you today, and however hard you try, there is no change.
Let's learn. from this passage. Let me ask you to open your Bibles to John chapter five. We are saying this morning In countering Jesus, changes the unchangeable. Encountering Jesus changes The on Changeable.
And in our passage, we're going to see five steps. to the supernatural change that all of us want. We that all of us need.
So badly. Let's read. The first seven Verses together, first of all. John five, then. Verses one.
through seven. After these things, There was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there was in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool which Which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticos. In these, Lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame. and withered. Waiting for the moving of the waters. For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water.
Whosoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in, was made well. from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. And a certain man was there who had been thirty eight years in his sickness. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been in A long time in that condition, he said to him. Do you wish?
to get well The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am coming, Another steps down before me. Encountering Jesus changes the unchangeable. Five steps to change, and here is the first one acknowledge that you need help. acknowledge that you personally need.
help. For 38 years, just think of it, this man had been paralyzed, clearly needing help. He lived in the hope. Yes, he was full of hope. But his hope was that one day he would be cured by the stirring of this pool.
He was not the only one at the pool of Bethesda. Bethesda, meaning the house of mercy. He realized he needed mercy. There was a multitude of others. There were sick, blind, lame, and other paralyzed people.
People who couldn't see, people who couldn't walk. People who couldn't move. People who couldn't do the things that the rest of us can do and do so easily. They couldn't live up to their potential. This man in particular was paralysed for thirty eight.
Years. There are many people today. who live shrivelled withered paralysed life, Oh, physically, they're in wonderful shape, but spiritually speaking, And perhaps also relationally speaking, They are paralyzed. They are shrivelled. They do not see, they do not feel spiritual realities.
In their personal relationships, in their relationship with God, they don't get it. Perhaps because of difficulties and Disappointments in their lives, they have become bitter, angry, shriveled people. shriveled emotions, shriveled attitudes, shriveled hopes, shriveled dreams. Life is not what they expected. Like this man, they are sitting there and they're watching life go by them.
Paralyzed. Withered. Anyone here? shrivelled in some area of life Anyone here with Spiritual paralysis. dashed dreams, dashed hopes.
As we reflect on this, we can say biblically, theologically, that all of us, without exception here, In terms of the word of God, our shriveled, are paralysed people. Writing in the book of Romans. Paul reminds us that this was the very reason that Christ came. It was when we were helpless. Did you get that?
When we were unable spiritually to move, unable spiritually to do anything for ourselves, it is then that not only did Christ come, but that Christ died for us. Spiritually speaking, you need change. And into this man's sad paralysed world Jesus comes. Verse six. Jesus saw him lying there.
and knew that he had already been there For a long time Time. Jesus saw the man. He knew his condition. He knew what he needed. He knew he had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years.
Years. Do you understand as you come into this Building. that Jesus not only sees you He knows exactly who you are. He looks right into your heart. He knows your past.
He knows every single thing about you. We only see the external. But Jesus Christ The Son of God sees the heart, He reads your thoughts, He knows all about your past. He says you're right where You are. And Jesus asks this man a question.
On the face of it, At first blush, it seems a very strange question to ask a man who has been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. What's the question, verse 6? Do you want to get well? What a silly question to ask. A man who is paralyzed for thirty-eight years, it's obvious he wants to get well, but still Jesus with infinite wisdom asked this penetrating question.
Sir. Do you want to get well? Is it such a strange question? I don't think so. This man was used to people carrying him around.
This man was. used to people providing. For him. If he's going to be cured, he's now going to take responsibility, presumably, for his own life after so many years of being paralyzed. Did he really want the challenge of living?
What the rest of us would think would be a normal life? What a question. Do you want to get Well You see, people get used to their conditions.
Some people have gone up accustomed to looking on themselves as victims. They define themselves in a certain way, and deep down they really don't want to change. Maybe in a bad marriage. They may be involved in some Since Some addiction They may have a problemed relationship. They love to talk about their sad situation.
They may even go for counseling. They might even go for biblical counseling. But they rather enjoy the sympathy rece r they receive when portraying themselves as victims. When it comes right down to it, they really do not want to change. Oh, they say they do, but deep down they don't.
Their victim mentality, their hurts, their bitterness, their problems, the past paralyzes them. This is life as they know it. They can't really envisage a life without this in a different situation. And they see their situation perhaps as an excuse. not to do what God intends.
for the life And so they stay where they are. paralysed. Withered. unchanged. by the supernatural.
Christ. I ask you this crucial question do not answer it too quickly. Do you want to get well? I'm talking spiritually. Do you want to get well?
Do you want supernatural change in your life, or are you really quite happy where you are? I meet people who tell me they want to be changed, but as I meet with them, as I pray with them, as I confront them with the truth of the Word of God, I often realize: no, they don't really want to change. They want to be reinforced in their lifestyle and their own prejudices. They want some sympathy. They want someone to listen to them.
But deep down, they don't really want to change because they enjoy the. Situation. If that is where you are. There is no hope. Because first You must acknowledge you need Help.
Do you really want Jesus Christ in your life? Do you really want to be changed this morning? Do you understand that when Christ comes, He comes to change. Christ never leaves us where we are. Staying in your present position is not an option, obviously, if you want to be changed by God.
If you're satisfied with where you are, You don't need change. You don't need God in your life. Just continue as you are, spiritually paralyzed. Are you willing to acknowledge that you have a severe Problem, a problem of spiritual paralysis. This man at the pool could do nothing to cure himself.
His situation was very difficult, being paralyzed for 38 years. We would say it was absolutely hopeless. Before Christ can change you, you must acknowledge. that you cannot change Yourself, you can't get rid of your sin, you can't get rid of your spiritual, of your emotional paralysis by yourself. You cannot change.
You need number one to acknowledge you need help. Here is step number two: obey. Christ. Verse eight. Jesus said to him, Arise, Take up your pallet.
Take up your bed and walk. And immediately The man became well and took up his palate and began to walk. No, it was the Sabbath. on that day. Isn't that remarkable what Jesus says to this man who's been paralyzed for 38 years?
Get up, pick up your bed, and walk. What a strange thing to say to a paralyzed man. But instantly, the man does that, he obeys, he picks up his bed, and he starts. walk. The man obeys Christ He hears the word from Christ and he does exactly what Jesus tells him to do.
And so. He begins a changed life. This is what the Bible calls the obedience. of faith. What is faith?
Faith is hearing the word of God. Faith is not only hearing the word of God, it is obeying the word of God. This man not only hears the words of Jesus, he obeys the words of Jesus. He acknowledges, I've got a problem, of course I have. 38 years paralyzed.
Jesus says, All right then, do you really want to get well? Get up. Pick up your bed and walk. The man hears. obeys, picks up his bed and he walks.
changing the unit. changeable obeying. Christ. Isn't this where many of us Fall down. We realise that we are not being changed as we should.
It's not merely enough to acknowledge a problem. It's not merely enough to say you would like to change. It's not Enough merely to hear the word of God. You must hear the word of God. I'm delighted that you're here this morning to hear the word of God, but hearing the word of God by itself will not change you.
No, you must not only hear the word of God, you must obey the word of God. There is a group of men who are observing here. John, as he writes, puts that little note at the end of verse 9.
Now it was the Sabbath that day. He's going to develop that. If you look down at verse thirty eight, we see these Jews who were so critical of Jesus because he'd healed this man on the Sabbath. They didn't have his word living, they didn't have his word abiding in them because they didn't believe And Jesus is the point. of verse thirty-eight.
The New Living Translation says, You do not have his message. In your hearts. Who is Jesus talking to? He's talking to religious people. He's talking to people who have the Bible in their hands.
Their Bible in their hands. but not in our hearts. The word of God is on their lips. But the word of God is not in our in our lives. I ask you.
Is the Word of God living in you? As a church, we are committed to the word of God. We believe it is inspired by God. We believe it is inerrant. We believe in preaching and teaching the Bible.
But that word, that living word, If it's going to affect change in your heart, it must be obeyed, not just in your head. Not just so you are cracked theologically, although that is very, very important, but it has. The power Your life. This man hears and And obeys. Are you obeying?
The word. of God. Here is step number three. Trust Christ. for the power To change.
That's what this man does. Trust Christ for the power to change. Jesus appears to be asking this man to do something which is physically impossible. A man who is paralysed for thirty eight years is asked to get up. kick off his bed and walk.
I mean, I'm not a doctor, but I do know. that if even if this man were healed, Wouldn't the healing process take a long time if you haven't walked for 38 years? I mean, this man's going to take months, possibly years, of physiotherapy, isn't it, in order to get him walking?
Someone who hasn't walked, you just don't get up and walk. Even if the man worked yours. But that's exactly What happens? Jesus commands him to get up and walk. Change takes place through the words of Christ.
Not through the stirring of the water, but through the words of Christ. The man believes, he gets up, he gets up. He walks. And the power to change is there. Here's an essential principle of the Christian life I want you to grasp.
My dear friends, when Jesus gives you a command Not only does he give you the command, he gives the ability, the power, the supernatural enablement to obey the command. When you obey the word of God, divine power is given to obey. That's why I started by saying that the Christian life is a supernatural life. It's not just a change of lifestyle. It's not just a change of going to a particular church and and embracing certain dogma.
No, Christ gives us the spiritual power, the spiritual ability to carry out the command. When I was a student, I got a job on a building site with two other students building houses, I've never been the most Practical um individual I tell people good and easy they have handyman in their home. But I got this job And I was told we're going to build houses. And they got a little. carpenter's apron.
I got a hammer and uh some tools, nails and so on. Before these days, when you had this gun that you could fire all the nails, I think I could do that. But we to do it the old fashioned way. And so I remember the first day the three of us We're in this trying to frame this House. and uh trying to put wood on the ceiling.
I do not know if any of you have tried to hammer a nail like that. I mean, it's difficult enough for me to do it when it's down there. But up there And of the three students, one of them was doing it pretty well. He told us he'd done it before, and he's going along very well. With the nails.
The other fellow and myself. We are having grave, grave problems. Hitting our thumb, the nail falling down, the nail being bent, trying to get it out. You know, after about half an hour getting two or three nails in, and I thought, this is absolutely terrible. I wanted the job, I wanted the money, I had a good attitude, I did exactly what the boss told me, I listened carefully to the instructions.
What was the problem? I didn't have the ability. I did not have the ability to do the job. It was rather humbling. After a couple of days of this, the boss put us on another job.
Much to our relief, he did say he was going to continue to pay us the same hourly rate.
So that was wonderful. We've all tried to do something. Sincerely, focused, been told how to do it, and we just cannot Do it, we don't have the ability. God never deals with us like that. The question is.
Do you want to change? You say, John, I. You know, my situation, I I I don't know if I could ever do that. That would be like the man saying, I don't think I can walk. Are you open to the word of Christ in your life?
Don't say your situation is impossible. Don't say your sin is so entrenched, so deep, so long-standing, so habitual that you can't change. Don't say your relationship with your wife, your husband is so bad, it's gone on so long, it's generated so much bitterness and anger that it is impossible to change. Don't say that. You're listening to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe.
and the first part of a message on changing the unchangeable. In our current series about encountering Jesus, We're learning that our lives can be forever changed through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now perhaps you've been listening today and you found yourself wondering Can I really fully depend on God? When you feel abandoned, lonely, or in the midst of a crisis, does trusting God really make a difference? John has written a helpful guidebook to help you answer these questions. It's titled Trusting God in Tough Times. Be encouraged by Biblical evidence that God is in control and He can be trusted.
To request your free copy of Trusting God in Tough Times, please visit theverdict.org. And if the verdict ministry has made a positive impact in your life, We encourage you to consider making your own impact in the lives of other listeners and being a part of this gospel work. By supporting our ministry with a financial gift of any amount. We've made it quick and easy to give a one-time donation by visiting our website at theverdict.org. The verdict is a ministry of Calvary Church in South Charlotte.
were located on the corner of Highway 51 and Ray Road. If you've been looking for a church home or a community to help you grow in your walk with Christ, We invite you to join us this Sunday. We'd love to meet you and learn more about you. For more details about Calvary and our current service times, visit theverdict.org.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Isn't this an encouraging situation? A man who had been paralyzed for 38 years seem to be in an unchangeable situation. But he's dramatically changed when he encounters Jesus. Have you felt that your situation, your relationships, your life can never be changed?
Do you truly want to be changed? Trust Jesus Christ. And join me next time. When we will see the conclusion of this remarkable story in John chapter 5. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict.
I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mm.
