John Chapter 5:7-9

Got started in the spirit will not be completed in the flesh. What is impossible with man as possible with God. First of all, we are supposed. Maybe you've been lame for little Jesus is. This morning seen you get up and will will advance step by step move by move what is walking. Webster's describes it. Walking is advancing on foot. In such a way that 1 foot is always on the ground. I like that and then again when change allows for the rock even better with 1 foot always on the run. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina to continue teaching in John chapter 5 with the message. It's possible with God. One of these associate pastors a brown into the program today welcome brother Bob Hope you for listening right now. You do not change the radio station with all this going on in our country because going on in the world. God wants to speak directly to you today maybe you feeling hopeless feeling fearful that you feel like you can't do anything about what's going on around God can today want to speak to you right where you are at.

Hope you listen this is an excellent time to listen as David McGee begins his teaching.

It's possible with God. We are in John chapter 5 and remember we got left off of verse six with the incredible question that Jesus asked this man had been laying there for 38 years. He asked him if he wanted to be made well. We talked about what it was our kind of question that it was over to see more bizarre things. Now in verse seven, the second and answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up while I am coming, another steps down before me know what you know some Jesus asked this guy you want to be made well this man did not answer the question. It was a pretty basic yes or no question one. But what happens with the man when does he immediately do immediately source a mountain man immediately start timeout. What's gone wrong in his life. I think that's really interesting. I think it's really interesting the way this man answered the question we asked the question last week. Do you want to be made. Well, that's a good question this week.

Do you want to be made well. What is your answer to that question. Sadly, some people say no I don't want to be made well on the state just where I am and I don't want to grow.

I want to be drawn closer to the Lord now say that somebody will come up in an attempt to correct you are, attempt to draw you closer to the Lord by applying God's word in your life and instead of listening. Instead of gleaning is growing sound and I really don't want to be made well I don't want to be healed of this. I don't want to be a further disciple of the Lord and that's a real task when God's word are God's people come to us in attempt to correct this. So when the Lord ask you that question when he's asking you that this morning.

Do you want to be made well I hope you give a resounding yes. If you don't start listening all the reasons you can't be made well all the problems that you have because that's what happens sometimes. But this guy immediately starts talking about what's gone wrong he begins.

I think it's fair to say that and not that he doesn't have reason I don't want to sound like I don't have compassion but he begins to complain, he begins to murmur and the sad thing is, while he's doing that it's making him incapable of saying yes he's so busy telling about these other things that he can't give Jesus the answer that he needs to get yes I want to be healed. Yes, I want to be made well and how often we do. Jesus comes. This is do you want to be made well well is this in letters that I got this and I got that you know I was born and mom didn't hold me enough you know she she weighed me too early, got this… Chemical mouth to keep me made whole, can't be made well under 100.

How tragic. When Jesus himself is obviously able to heal us ask us a question.

Do we want to be made well we start telling all the reasons we can start pointing to other people and other things. This verse actually reminds me in John chapter 21, 22, in exchange, Jesus was having with Peter and John and John asked about Peter and I love Jesus's reply. He says what is that you you follow me that's a good verse because often were like well what about this one about what about this, what about that girl and is what is sent to you. Follow me, I'm sure. Before that I know I had. I had been guilty in the past during worship being out the congregation worshiping the Lord. Looking around the room does watch other people worship actually bludgeoned out actually critiquing the way that they were worshiping bazaars and how hypocritical is that Belinda hold their heads right, worshiping, look at you, you don't really know the Lord are not discipled Jesus like we didn't follow me share the rock story before. Well, maybe some of you know about shirt again I you know this is all taken front. This is a weird story but I'll tell anyone years ago.

Yet, long, long, long time ago I was in a fellowship and there was this one guy God was using the refinement. I didn't get along with but God was using him as a tool for me into the image of God and I had a hard time with them at one time during worshiping him sit there and I'm watching Amy's arbiters got out and up and I'm and I'm thinking you doing you not a worshiper.

Put your hands down in the bazaar and on the way in the church that morning I had picked up a rock outside it just was an interesting rocket was on the sidewalk look to put in my pocket. So I'm standing there and worship and an the most bizarre thought came to my mind, I thought through this rocket and I think now here's where the I think that was from the Lord. Maybe not but anyway something and I'm thinking you guys because he'll never know through the rock and I was so convicted because I remembered the passage he who is without sin cast the first and I kept that rock with me for about two years. Every time I put my wallet in my change of address replicable rock out on there and in the morning put it back in. As I walked without rock in my pocket. I looked around at people and I thought this verse is a key verse in that what is that you you follow me see the man's answer showed that he wasn't looking to God for his healing.

But looking the man be careful. Family we we do this we do this often. We trust in other people's prayers and we don't trust in our prayers we trust in other people's counsel, and we don't trust in God's counsel. We trust in the healing that man offers pseudo-healing false ceiling. We don't trust in the healing that God can bring, and no doubt a lot of things happen in this life and make your here this morning and you need spiritual healing or physical healing or emotional healing or mental healing and we spoke about this plastic don't seek your healing seek him who heals.

That's how you begin to walk in the fullness of God have don't seek joy seek him who is joy don't seek love seek him who is love.

Don't seek peace, seek the Prince of peace. Don't seek spiritual gifts seek the giver.

This this man was looking at something that was actually get in the way of his healing. When Jesus said do you want to be made well. He's looking at the pool. He's got his eyes on the wrong thing looked into the eyes of Jesus.

What I find intriguing is the man is looking at what he thought was a source of healing, but it was actually in the way of where zeal would come from the sometimes we do that God sometimes we were waiting on some healing meeting. There were were thinking well it's going to come from this counselor. Sometimes it might, but don't get your eyes off of Jesus sometimes awaken for some big emotional move of God and God is waiting on us to make a move to take a step toward but eyes are on him. Our eyes are on something that we think is going to heal us. Don't look for something that you you look for someone to think about this.

This is a really sad situation guys been there 38 years and no one to help them for that long that you soften your heart because there's people like this in our communities, there's people like that here this morning that her lanes are not walking with the Lord may need somebody and pray form and encourage them. What happens is once you start focusing on Jesus you'll start to see people all around you who are in the you will have to look far for ministry will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob excited to be here today with you want to pray for some people in the cities and our listening audience in California Santa Maria Scotia Shasta so dad so cool. South Lake Tahoe and Stockton, God, thank you for the people in the cities listening today we pray that they would have an expectant heart right now Jurgen is speak to them right where they're at and in the situations are going to God, we pray that you would protect them if there is some the listening audience who are sick.

Today we pray that you please heal them.

Hello, we pray that everyone will be in a Bible teaching Bible believing church and get those pastors wisdom on how to navigate the waters in a tumultuous situation in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse eight. This is good stuff were not hurrying through this chapter because there's so much rich stuff.

Jesus said to him last. Take up your bed and wall J, I want to know something. Jesus didn't say, well, when people get in line in front of you at the pool house and make you feel even asked that question didn't say why can't believe they do that to you that it's just that's for all insight. How in the world and this happened to didn't say that you send your mother your father that you like insane others thing is still the man get up and and I love the fact that he said, take up your bed and walk understand this wasn't a big mattress was a little mad that you would roll up and carry on your shoulder carry on the back. In your hand, but the point here is Jesus is saying, you know that thing that had you trapped that thing that you were laying on for so many years.

I want you to pick it up and carried around like a trophy because that no longer has you in bondage. But you been set for think as were set free. There are trophies that the Lord gives us you can walk around so you know, used to be trapped by this my tripod anymore should be trapped by this usually trapped by drugs or alcohol or sexual misconduct of this or latter materialism are not trapped like that trophy now for the Lord Jesus Christ and walk around with this reality is everyone of us have been at this point before Lane not able to move Jesus is rise, take up your bed and walk. Maybe that describes you know, maybe you've come to the point where you realize you can't can't heal yourself. You can't fix yourself now that's a good place to be a distressing place to be. But you realize this morning. You don't have the strength to heal yourself. The Lord need you to come to that place for you to realize that he alone can healing see because a lot of popular truths now out there suggest you can heal yourself. If you'll just do these steps. These three steps. These four steps. These 10 steps each 12 steps. If you'll just think you'll be heal, but you have to come to the end of all that because when all is said and done most of that is pretty ineffective. But the Lord and he was in as long as were put in hole in other things, the truces pop psychology or the truths of Freud as long as you're put trust in those things and trusting yourself can't be healed.

Trust and well-intentioned Christian friends see at some point, all that clatters to the ground and at that moment we get to the end of our rope. We get to the end of our hope but at that moment is when Hope walks in the form of Jesus Christ. When you say I can't. He says I can been waiting for you to get to that point dislike lifeguards will wait until you don't.

Don't ever try to save somebody who is struggling. That thinks they can save themselves because it won't work.

Wait until they realize they can't save themselves and then you can go in and help understands the difficult place. The reality is we can't fix ourselves, but the Lord wants to fix us. The Lord wants to heal us. Yes, we don't have strength but the Lord wants to give us his strength. What an amazing thing, what awesome trade-off is the thing that is holding you down that perhaps she has overpowered you. It hasn't overpowered God, let me assure you that he's waiting for you to hand it to him and to bring about delivery maybe set out there you go, pastor, that all sounds good but I've been struggling with this one thing for years. How many years 38 years. This man had been laying there been suffering for 38 years. What a difference a day may not. One day he wakes up at the police thinking up in here always been here. I'm always going to be here. And Jesus comes in Jesus season the Jesus speaks to them and everything changes because that's part of why hope springs eternal. Because what a difference a day makes. In the presence of the Lord, what a difference a day makes. In the presence of the Lord today could be that day in your life.

This could be the day where everything changes.

Helplessness can melt into the strength of the Lord. Bitterness can melt into the comfort of the Lord bondage can be dissolved into the freedom of the Lord in one day and one moment when something think about that today could be the day that changes your life.

I'm excited. Amen. Verse nine and immediately the man was made well, took his bed and wall.

He got up and wall. Without limiting I like to do this I like to when I'm studying I like to place myself in that position of watching these things occur and think about it. If you were at the pool that day you saw this man that had been Lane for 38 years laying there and somebody walks up and tells them and speaks to Mrs. get up and start walking you realize what most of us would think that's not right that man's Lane. I can't believe that guy would come up and tell him to walk. Doesn't he know he can't walk because that's where we think some of us need to get up and walk this morning. We need to exercise her feet, faith, and I'm sure it was a scary thing for this man to try his feet that had failed him. So many job to get up once again and try this, but he did it.

And guess what God did it again perhaps that describes some people here you've tried so many times the walk in this walk in that and walk in the power and the peace and the strength of the Lord in his you failed so many times. Don't let that discourage you from trying it one more time because you know at some point your excuses become your bondage. I can't do that because I can't do this and you not trapped by what trapped you originally trapped by your excuses why can't do that one have strength to do that I can't do that seat when Jesus tells you to do something is no longer possible, is no longer possible with his commandments, his enablement, Jesus told us to do a lot of stuff in this book and we can read it sums up some seven to well it's just impossible to write in your strength. It is, you can't do it. Jesus went a little bit further in John 15 chapter 15 verse five pieces throughout me you can do nothing for without me you can do nothing as the words of Jesus.

What happened to discover new strength within what happened is govern the champion within. This is the words of Jesus is without me you can't do anything I'm not going to hang in without one is another when in their Mark chapter 10 verse 27 but Jesus looked at them and said with men is impossible, but not with God, but with God all things are possible. So there's a comparison without him we do nothing with him. We do everything, there's nothing we cannot do with him. What an encouraging verse you realize some of us try to live out Christianity and the strength of our flesh, and the power of our flesh, we think we can do it. We some people here may have been taught that you you little train that can it's going to be. It's up to me other than a some churches are our topmast variability can't do the work of the spirit. The power of the flesh. If you try to live out the Christian life in the power flesh.

Let me assure you, you're going to fail is no way you can do it. People come to me to go drive drive drive drive for this Christian life is just hard to look at the heart it's impossible. You can't do it, but he can't and is willing to give you the power to do it but don't depend upon your power.

What a frustrating way to live. Paul asked the Galatians were struggling with. He said are you so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh. You are made perfect by the spirit of God and salvation. And it's that same spirit that will continue to work in you to bring about your sanctification, your purification life lesson here is what got started in the spirit will not be completed in the flesh. What is impossible with man as possible with God. First of all, we are supposed to walk. Maybe you've been Lane for a little while Jesus is morning thing you know I get up and walk walk advance step by step move by move. What is walk will Webster's describes it. Walking is advancing on foot. In such a way that 1 foot is always on the ground. I like that and then again when walking is moving and situated 1 foot is always on the ground. Maybe change a last word the rock be even better with 1 foot always on the rock taken these steps one by one and you quite often we try we think we get up and wing Sprint. That's not a good idea wall with think I'm not sure I can walk an extra long crying you know what I'm sure the baby is quite overwhelmed with the concept of walk as they try to get up and hope balance thing gets up and it tries and fails falls over Joe and I've never seen a father when when a child is doing matted here in 1/2 or what never seen a father come up to the baby to the child is all you're not try in what you doing falling over like that get you hurt herself.

Pain is just weakness leaving the body. Just get up, start walking again. No father's earthly fathers don't do that our heavenly father does is encourage that were trying to encourage that were taken stands that were actually walking is pleased.

We need to be walk and we need to be walking in the truth and then the light we need to walk in the love and the grace we need to walk in the spirit of faith walk in the gifts and the good works that God has prepared beforehand for us walk as children of the light walk worthy of the high calling of God would be walk were to be walk. Friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous.

So congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day.

From the heart. David McGee, that sounds good Pastor day and again.

It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com.

If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our life for 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church.

The bridge North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God