Encounters 4 (The Downtrodden)

Welcome to the radio ministry of cleavage or goal is to make Christ visible Clearview is a place of genuine worship with ministries for all age groups and all people. For more information, visit us at 3485 Oxford Rd. in Henderson or visit us online@clearviewbc.org now join us for this week's message by Pastor items for the past three weeks to been a series the gospel of John engaging people. The Jesus way in this fourth and final message in this series were going to meet a man who had been sick for 38 years desperately waiting and hoping for a miracle for healing and by the time Jesus found him.

He had given up all hope John chapter 5 know a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years when Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time.

He said to him do you want to be made well the sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stored. But while I'm coming.

Another steps down before me. Jesus said to him, rise, take up your bed and walk and immediately the man was made well, took up his bed and walked and that day was the Sabbath. Do you know someone who is in a hopeless situation I'm in, humanly speaking, there is no way out for them physically or mentally, emotionally or even spiritually. Maybe they are in that hopelessness because of their own choices or their own decisions, or maybe is through no fault of their own that they are now in this mess. The men were going to meet this morning was also hopeless is sick. Downtrodden person who had been in a debilitating situation paralyzed situation for four decades. That's a long time 38 years he had been paralyzed and lost all whole life. Now for those of you may not know, just as a reminder for those who do know we been in the series were there looking at for encounters between these four bracket versus both the verses talk about how human beings are sinful, how they are fickle and Jesus did not come to get their applause or their endorsement. Jesus came to save them to heal them to transform them. The first individual. We looked at was a man by the name of Nicodemus, a religious man who was trusting in his traditions and Jesus told him to be born again.

The second individual was a Samaritan woman who was coming to just fetch water but had a problem. The sin problem.

Jesus met her and offered her the well of living water. The third individual. We looked at last weekend was a rich nobleman.

He did not believe in Jesus.

All he wanted was some healing for his son Jesus confronted his sin of unbelief not only healed his son, but also saved him and his family and this morning is the fourth individual this man sitting by the pool of Bethesda waiting for a miracle had given up all hope of ever finding one before we get into this message and look at this man and how Jesus engaged him.

Let me ask you this morning. Do you believe that there is hope for the hopeless.

Do you believe that if the situation seems impossible that God can change that situation. Do you believe that physically people are sick, my God doesn't heal every time. But sometimes God does of this in his will. But do you believe you can bring hope in that situation. They believe people who are spiritually lost, hopeless, do you believe that Jesus can bring hope in their life. Do you believe are you that someone who has lost all whole, are you that someone who's lost some hope you believe, for certain things.

But there is some area in your life where you think are possible. Can you for the next 20 minutes. 25 minutes. As we walked to this message in your heart, pray Holy Spirit send me hope, send me hope sinful to my family sent hope to us as a couple. Send hope to discharge in your heart. Do you promise to do just that for the next 25 minutes. Sent hope. I promise you the authority of God's word.

Jesus is going to visit you and his hope will come into your life in a way you never imagine are you say if you're not this morning. I'm praying that you will receive that hope that comes only through Jesus Christ hope of eternal life. Hope of forgiveness of sins.

So let's begin by looking to questions. The first question is who was this crippled man who was this, and what he says in verse two. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches four years archaeologist were trying to find this pool and they said this is the mythical pool. It did not exist until recently they actually found this pool. It is the north of the Temple Mount somewhere near the sheep gate.

What are the sheep get past the gate through which they brought the sheep to be sacrificed in the temple there a lot of ideas about the school. Some people believe that this was just a pool for cleansing before people went into the temple.

Others believe that when they brought the sheep through the sheep gate. They had to be cleansed in the temple that in the pool. That was the pool. They washed the sheep and the folks either way whether people bathed in their or sheep were washed in their I can only imagine how filthy this area probably was making the viewer been on a farm around sheep that are the cleanest animals in the world.

Pretty filthy and this pool was in line you have to walk past this place to get to the temple. If you're coming through the sheep gate people who were upper class would not go to this place. Maybe some other entrance but not this one. This is a nasty place but guess what Jesus came to this pool ill before we get into the message. Further, in the me ask you this question. Are you willing to go where people are. Many of us have these boundaries. Boundaries about people boundaries about certain kinds of people when I can associate with them when I go and touch them and Wednesday this morning.

If Jesus is willing to touch those people are you better than Jesus. Folks are people who will not shake hands with certain people. Shame on us something and have to answer for that. If you truly say if you truly say you should be feeling very convicted at this point, but there's something special about this pool. In these lay a great multitude of sick people. Not only was a filthy pool with all the animal droppings, but it was also a place where you want to go because all the sick people are coughing and hacking, blind, lame, paralyzed waiting for the moving of the water numbers at me when I was a little boy when I read that passage, I remember thinking I'm not getting in a pool. This is what he says in verse four.

Some translations have it. I believe the mask is behind those translations are original. Listen verse four for an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and start up the water.

Then whoever stepped in first. After the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had. Now this was not true. This is not God's angel coming to do that. It's just a myth. Personally, I think it was a hot spring everything hot spring like a mineral bath unit bubbles up and and it has some healing powers, and so people would get in there and they would feel better. They will feel refreshed. Some may even have been healed depends on what that sickness was listen to what happens in verse five. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years now.

There is enough in that one statement to create a profile of this man first? How old was this man he was sick 38 years that does not mean that he was 38 years old. Later on in this message are going to hear about how Jesus told him, don't you do what you did before, or something worse is going to happen to you, which means that more than likely he was an adult who did something bad's if he was an adult. On the count.

His age somewhere after 15 to 20 years of age on something happened between that each bracket so how was this man, I would put them somewhere in the 50s or 60s. What was his infirmity. What was his problem.

Why was he said it must've been some kind of a paralysis because he could not move fast enough to get into the pool so he was paralyzed that we already assume that just to get a good profile of this man. He was paralyzed. What was the cause of his paralysis.

Why was he in this problem. Maybe he got endured at work. Maybe someone heard him. I think it was something else based on Jesus's words in verse 14. Listen to what is says afterwords Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, see you have been made well send no more, less something worse happened to you worse is comparative apparently first time this man did something bad that put him in this predicament Jesus is saying don't you do it again good is going to be worse this time. What you think he did it was a sin must not have been very good. Maybe he was a heave Miata number?

That he was trying to run away, tripped over failed next the you know you is paralyzed, maybe do something bad in many parts of the world what you have is mob justice unit with mob justice is where the crowd comes and they catch you, and they beat you up before the police can even please don't even step in this step back and let the thing go August they're doing the job for them. This man must have done something bad in the mob beat him up to the point that they paralyzed him. Maybe they hit him in the spinal cord. Who knows what happened can ask you this morning. If this man had done something like this something I can say is something bad. Do you think you have some regret for 38 years. He is thinking that I don't know why I got in the round crowd. I don't know what was I thinking why did I do this you think he has shame but also by the way, physically he's in a lot of pain, but also mentally, emotionally, he is in a lot of pain. How did Jesus find him. What was his condition. I want you here what it says. When Jesus saw him lying there. He was not sitting up.

He was lying there now. I've been to many parts of the world, especially in India you see people lying on the sidewalks and those sitting in their filth. They have the same clothes they've been wearing for probably I don't know for five years, they don't move from that spot.

He's in a bad situation.

Now I don't think he was lying there 38 years and I people think that is a he was there for 38 years. It doesn't say that the text does not say that it may have been three years.

It may have been three months we don't know for sure. One thing we do know is this. He is all alone. How do you know that. Listen to what is says when Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been in that condition a long time. He said to him do you want to be made well the sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am coming, another steps down before me.

I have no one to help me how to get to the pool. Maybe his parents brought him there.

We don't know. Maybe his friends brought them there. Maybe his family brought them there, but for some reason the left.

Some of us trust our friends and family way too much. We put them before God. I will tell you here today and something to thank me trust everybody but only give your heart, soul, mind and strength to God. God will never let you down. You believe that so this man is lying there all alone. People have left him why we don't know, maybe they were embarrassed of him. Maybe they had given up on him.

Maybe they got tired of trying to help him.

He is not to get better on why he wants to go the pool using he's angry.

I would think so I think is an angry man, do you think he is cynical what you see that in the way he answers Jesus asked him a question. He said you want to get well. He didn't say please he said well, make it to the water. Somebody else jumps ahead of me as I can get the best benefit of that spring what you think. Then I can get over there museums cynical.

So let's look at this man once again. Do you know people like this somehow something painful has happened in their life. Maybe it's a trauma. Maybe they are even responsible for the predicament they have become bitter and angry incentive: frustrated there all alone and I can tell you many of first don't like to be around people like that is depressing and holds it doesn't have to be age can be even younger people, when you see someone who is just nobody got no one we don't care about them. They can do anything for you. They only make you depressed. Why would you want to help.

But Jesus did. Jesus came and found him. I don't know how many sheep droppings he had to walk over you don't know how many people he had to climb over to get to this one man he noticed sitting towards the back because a body is that of them you can get close to the water. He got to him and asked him do you want to get better. Here's the point I'm trying to make this morning when you look at this man's profile. We know a lot of people.

They may not be exactly in the same situation but they are in a hopeless situation.

You and I should notice them just because they look all well-dressed just because they have a good job does not mean that they have hope in their hearts. You never know what someone is going through.

So here's the second thing now. How did Jesus engage him listen to verse six when Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been in that condition for a long time.

He said to him what you want to be made well when Jesus treated this man with dignity even though he was a nobody. Jesus still got down on his level and said do you want to get better. He offered hope to this hopeless man you. I don't know if you know this, but I hope you do that if one thing that we Christians have, that no one else has in this world make is that what we have Jesus we have forgiveness yes that's all true but there's one thing we have above everything else that no religion, no philosophy can offer and that is hope. This is what Paul says in Romans chapter 15 in verse 13 he says now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. There's one thing we have that the world desperately needs and that is hope was the man's response of your member. The man said to him, so I have no one to put me in the water when the water is stirred up while I'm coming. Another steps down before me. He does not get it. By the way, when you try to reach people, especially people who are hopeless.

You try to tell them about Jesus.

They will tell you something completely different and we have ministries to the inner cities and sometimes we think people are gonna go yes I would definitely appreciate the salvation of Jesus Christ or blood atonement for months and that some of the things that I need to pay my rent.

Can you help me out. Show me a person who makes millions of dollars and you come to them and say hey listen you know God has a plan for your life. You know to go say what they were, you know, my wife. You know how she is and how she spends money you think it I'm not talking about that I'm talking about eternal life in your heart. Seek both individuals. One very rich one very poor but they don't understand what you're saying to them right is spiritual man gets it a natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and if what I'm saying right now. Sounds like Chinese to you, please listen. Please listen your lost or Norman George come every Sunday. You are still going to die and go to hell. I don't know how else to say to you what did Jesus say to this man.

Rise up to pick up your bed and walk. The one thing is notice and this is the authority with which Jesus said those words rise, it is one thing that is lacking in our church today in our churches all across the land is affording the boldness with a lot of gadgets and gizmos and and tricks and customer service. What we don't have is affording what happens this man well he actually does it.

It took up his bed and he walked. But there's a twist in this narrative in this account. There's a twist coming. What is the twist and that day was the Sabbath, anti-climactic, there's something else about to happen. What is about to happen. The Jews, meaning the religious leaders, therefore said to him, who was killed is the Sabbath is not lawful for you to carry your bed as funny to me as if I do, you fall for decades for four decades anything about it for decades going back in the early 70 mid 70s I guess for four decades. This man has not been able to walk.

He starts taking a few steps.

Only the people to say is not supposed to carry yourself as the Sabbath you laugh, but is that what the church does instead of introducing people to Jesus Christ. We tell people what they should or should not do. According to our ideas and our traditions. If you cannot say something positive and uplifting to that person. Bite your tongue and walk out. Those people are saying I been lost in my sin and I'm finally free and all you can say is something so dumb as the Sabbath in a supposed to walk.

When you say to them. He answered and said to them, you made me well said to be take up your bed and walk. Then they asked him who is the man who said to you didn't even ask him or how long have you been better only will you say they didn't care. One thing about that is the one who told you that. But the one who was healed did not even know he was a happy he's better for Jesus had withdrawn a multitude being in that case and I pray that the Clearview would never become that kind of church that instead of rejoicing at people getting saved in marriages getting healed and lives getting transformed in young people choosing to follow God and stops talking about that you talk about some personal traditional ritual or something. There's another twist coming now listen to verse 14 afterward Jesus found him where in the temple. She doesn't say that this man believe God saved nothing. How do you know that he got saved instead of running out and going home. Yes, we went in our lingo. He went to church. That tells me he got it muddy thing even to the temple to thank God he still did not know Jesus and he only believed that Jesus could heal him based on the context, but he still did know Jesus. Anytime someone is willing to say I'm here to look for God because of what God has come and done for me. Jesus will find excellent people say how about those about those natives in the heart of some jungle where you know know read it if they simply respond in gratefulness to God for what he is doing for them. Somehow, a missionary somehow a pastor somehow a layperson. I don't know how they would drop a track from a plane. Somehow they will hear about you and find what is Jesus say that we only looked at this see you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing worse is comparative mean something bad you did something worse is going to happen to you this time the man departed. What are you doing, he told the Jews the religious leader. It was Jesus who had made him well.

For this reason the Jews religious Jewish people persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the Sabbath limits. In conclusion, Jesus had a higher purpose in his encounter with this crippled man.

It was not just to heal him and save him, but he also wanted to expose the sinfulness and the hard heartedness of the religious leaders.

Here the punchline of this whole narrative is not the demand God healed and God saved.

The punchline is that the religious leaders didn't believe some time back a little boy was born six months before he was born. His father died and when he was six years old, his mother died as well and his father's father, his paternal grandfather took him in and try to raise him for two years and then he died Tuesday can imagine this little boy was an orphan and then when he terminates, since he had nobody. His uncle took him in. Uncle had a business so he took him wherever he went in there a lot of churches around where you live.

This little boy grew up around churches so he looked at these churches. In fact, between the ages of nine and 12. He even met a pastor. He talked to this pastor in the past for her, told him that look. God has a plan for your life, but he I don't think told him the true gospel. This little boy had a very distorted understanding of Christianity.

He grew up, got married and then began having nightmares.

Later on he put his account of what he was saying and hearing in a book. In this book. He also talks about what he thought about the Christians. What's more is that when he did hear about churches. All he heard was how church people were fighting and fussing all the time. Does it sound like 2016.

In fact, in his book he talks about this is that these Christians are always vainly disputing that it is so bad that people have cut off their affair of unity between them into sex means there even get along with each other and fellowship with each of the biggest fight with each other. Each party, each group rejoices in that which is with itself means if I win we went over that denomination went over this church were better than you were more spiritual than you this little boy was Mohammed. What book did he write it with the Koran and he went on to start a religion named Islam when I get to heaven. I would love to meet those pastors in that community and asked him that question. Did you ever think your neglect caused so much bloodshed through the centuries and so many millions of people walked into darkness of hell.

But you know one another and asked him that that's the question I want to ask myself today and I want to ask you today. Only eternity will prove what are disobedience is going to cause in my lifetime as an Christian and as a pastor I will always always stay true to the task of going to the downtrodden going to those who have nobody and tell them about Jesus, thank you so much for joining us today, and you may be in that state of paralysis may be physical or even spiritual led Jesus Christ bring healing to your life. For more information visit us online@clearviewb.org and for this sermons outline visit Avedon Shaw.com