Look to Christ's cross and see that "at once," you are finally healed from sin's sickness: "At once the man was cured." At the cross, you were not "gradually" cured of sin and gradually forgiven; no, immediately upon belief, upon believing the message of power and love, you are healed! Our life as believers is one of ever-increasing light as we live out the gift of salvation for the rest of our lives, being sanctified steadily throughout our lives, but we are healed immediately from sin's power and sin's curse. Freedom from our slavery to sin and forgiveness is found at the cross where Jesus said to you personally, Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."
It's also exciting to see that Jesus always meets us right where we are just as He did with this man with paralysis. Jesus met this man at the pool of Bethesda, which means "house of mercy" or "the flowing water." And still, today, Jesus meets us as His house of mercy - the cross- the place where rivers of living water flow out to all who believe.
Many who come to the church will be like the paralytic man who only hoped for healing from his paralyzed state, but Jesus came to heal him (and all His people) from the inside out, making the healing full and complete! Let us experience this healing ourselves and then be ready to help others to experience it as well.
Question 3. Can you see how the gospel brings healing to those who are sin-sick? Please share.
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It is important to acknowledge that there will be times when we encounter difficulties in life that cause us to doubt. We might go through hardships personally or someone might come to the church for help whose situation is extreme and appears too far gone. What do we do with doubt?
"When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’” 21 At that very time, Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Luke 7:20-22
In prison, facing death by beheading for his ministry work, John the Baptist experienced doubts about Jesus, and so, in his fear and uncertainty, he sent questions to Jesus. And Jesus quickly responded with the “good news” that the One who was to come has arrived! Jesus reassured John with the truth. From the Scriptures, John was reassured that Jesus is the long-expected Messiah. And this is the answer to our doubts today too. We look to the cross, to see that it is powerful for salvation and sanctification. Jesus is indeed the One who sets captives free, heals the sin-sick, and gives new life.
Jesus fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah on the cross when He “took up” our infirmities and bore our diseases on it. Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) that He might destroy our old man and make us new. “For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). All sin and sickness have died with Christ, and the new life has risen with Christ!
“At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was the 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” John 5:9-13 NIV
As we close out our study today, take note that this healing Jesus did was on the Sabbath, the day of rest, and this brought criticism from the religious leaders of the day.
Friend, when we anchor our testimonies to the cross of Christ and proclaim that we’ve been set free from years of paralyzed sinful living and then seek to help others to freedom through the gospel, we may experience criticism. There will always be “religious leaders” that want to impose rules or limits on who, when, and how people should be helped. But Jesus, the “Lord of the Sabbath,” our “daily bread,” and “Great Physician” is the One in whom we find our life, death to sin and self, as well as our rest, and healing. We must not allow those who lack faith in Jesus to discourage or dissuade us from our gospel ministry.
Another form of discouragement can be when those we help with the gospel turn back to a life of unbelief and sin. This was the case with the man that Jesus healed, but observe how Jesus finds the man, reminds him of what God has done, and calls him to repentance.
“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.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.” John 5:14-15
“Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you?” What could be worse than living a life of paralysis? A life in constant need of others' help? Death! Death in sin is worse, and that's where sin takes all who continue in it.
But we can come and invite others to come with us to the cross of Jesus to experience freedom from sin and its wages of death and enjoy new and abundant life through the Spirit, who teaches us to say no to ungodliness (Romans 8:2, Titus 2:12)!
Peter spoke to those who are faltering in their faith and failing to thrive spiritually when he wrote, "For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins." 2 Peter 1:9
When we see those we've helped with the gospel returning to a life of unbelief and sin, we want to remind them of what God has done for them through Jesus' death and resurrection. We want to invite them to turn from their sin and come and receive fresh cleansing at the cross.
Jesus is the only one who can heal from the paralysis of sin, breaking the chains of habitual sin and keeping all who are His from death in sin. We must come again and again to the healing waters at the foot of the cross where Jesus’ blood pooled, and we were made well and healed. We come, and bring with us all who need help, to the cross and die to our old paralyzed life and rise to live our new life in Jesus. Stabilized by the gospel, we are free to carry our mat. We’ve died to sin and have been freed from its power over us because “one who has died has been set free from sin” (Romans 6:7).
Worldly counselors, teachers, and programs can only help with physical, behavioral, or outward conditions, but Jesus can heal both the physical and spiritual sin sickness of the heart. Jesus heals both our physical condition–a paralyzed life due to sin and our spiritual condition–a sin-sick heart that needs forgiveness. Only Jesus can say, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
In the church, we will encounter many sin-sick people, but God has given us the message of healing for those who are lost in sin or trapped in sin: the life-giving and restorative message of the dying Lamb who atoned for our sins, the risen Lion, who overcame death. The gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection to set captives free is the message that is to be proclaimed from pulpits, taught in Sunday School, interacted around in small groups. The church has one message to proclaim, both to believers and non-Christians.
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds, you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24-25
Question 4. Are you seeing your role in the Church hospital for the sin-sick is to apply the medicine of the gospel to everyone at all times - in every sermon, teaching, prayer, and counseling session? Please share.
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Miles writes, "I am! My wife and I are sharing our story of God's rescue and pray everyday that God will allow us to share the Gospel of Jesus love and sin-breaking power"