A Year of Troubled Water

A year of Troubling Water John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 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?” 7 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.   The water is stirring. 1.    Are you ready to get in? Have you ever been stuck? It’s not fun being stuck • Life moving by you... How frustrating it must have been to be stuck so close to a miracle. ·      Every day he watched someone get their miracle. 38 years, STUCK. ·      How did he get stuck? ·      Possibly born this way. ·      Possibly became this way.   The water is stirring. 2.    You do not need someone else to carry you. ·      This is between YOU and God. • How did you get stuck? When did you get stuck? • Stuck in addictions, sin, relationship, attitude. • Staring at something that is out of reach. ·      You come here week after week and watch everyone around you get their miracle and you lay there in your affliction.       The water is stirring. 3.    You must want it more than anyone around you. An angel would trouble the water... • Why wasn’t he sleeping in the water? • Always too late. Always falling short. • He could have given up. lost hope. BUT AT LEAST HE WAS STILL THERE. • Stuck in insignificance. Stuck in obscurity. Stuck in the shadow of his destiny.   The water is stirring. 4.    Water that does not move attracts disease. • Some of you have been hanging around stagnate preaching, listening to stagnant Christians in mosquito infested churches, who water down an old time Gospel and nothing in sight is alive. ·      IT’ S TIME TO STIR THE WATER! • This man with a problem stuck in the middle of a crowd of problems.  LOOK AROUND!   The water is stirring. 5.    You must ask yourself, am I in the right place? 5 Pools. He was sitting in Grace and didn’t know it. There is a miracle in this moment. ·      Jesus is not passing you by. ·      It is your day. • But the difference is- they’re moving on.. touching the water. Being healed. • Getting remarried. finding a new job. Getting in shape. Meeting new friends. starting a family. • And here you are... relationships falling apart, losing your job, only thing new in your life is the latest prescription the doctor gave you and he’s about the only person you dress up to see on a regular basis.   The water is stirring. 6.    Make sure the water is the only thing being stirred. ·      We have become Institutionalized. • Institutionalization - Incarcerated mentality ·      We think we need to help God, Jockey for position, Tare down anyone that gets in our way. ·      We think and say we want to be healed; in our heart of hearts, we really do not.  ·      Prison gangs… gang signs. ·      Your association defines your condition.   The water is stirring. 7.    You must position yourself for success. ·      AS A Pastor - all business owners high level thinkers... gossips, bitter, quitters… • Check your social media- That’s your porch. • COVID has become your porch of excuses. • You never leave the place where you’re comfortable. • While you were finishing your 15th Netflix series they were training, investing, preparing... ·      They are moving - while you stay stuck.   The water is stirring. 8.    What is your answer? • JESUS IS ASKING… Do you want to be healed? • But they did this... Do you! • Dis-function always blames someone else. • With one question Jesus has laid the full responsibility of the miracle on the man.  • God is laying the responsibility of your miracle on you! • Not on other people! ·      This man was giving excuses. God’s giving a remedy. • Some of you have been giving God reasons. Today God is offering you a REMEDY! ·      YOUR EXCUSE is the Condition YOU EMPOWER. ·      Instead of celebrating someone’s restoration you find yourself jealous, envious, self-righteous, and sower.   The water is stirring. 9.    Are you ready for the radical? ·      We Jesus arrived on the scene; He didn’t do it the way it had always been done. ·      He didn’t check the length of their hair or whether they had long-sleeves or dresses on. ·      He found the one that He thought was hungry! ·      I love it when God does something so quick and so amazing, you’re like... What? Who? How? • Verse 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Who’s the Man?!   John 5: 6 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?”