Last Sunday Pastor Tim focused on James chapter 5 verses 1-9.
From the NASB; “After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; (4) for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been 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.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.
So, two things; #1 the italicized section verse 4 is highly contested as having not been the original work of John which is why it is in brackets. Most scholars believe that this verse was added later in order to clarify the lame man’s statement to Jesus regarding the water. #2. This man did not recognize Jesus as being the vessel of healing, he saw Jesus as merely a tool to get him to the healing waters. He didn’t say, “Yes Jesus, please heal me.” No instead he basically asked him hey, next time the water stirs help me get to the pool first, then I’ll be healed.
Now last week when Pastor Tim was talking about this and about how people often view Jesus as a tool to get what they thing they need it was hard to grasp. A great example of this would be someone praying to God, “God if you would just get me that promotion, everything would be okay.” Or “God if I could just meet the right person, my life would be complete.” Instead of finding completion IN God, that person is looking to find completion through God. You get it? It’s a hard concept, especially for those who are deeply suffering. I know they are hurting, bad, and they are on their knees praying for relief from their suffering in the form of an Earthly solution. However even if Jesus provided them an Earthly solution, it would not eliminate their spiritual suffering.
Think of it this way; Jesus is not a lamp genie. You don’t go to church, rub your crucifix and Jesus pops out asking what your three prayers are! No! Instead, if you have invested your faith, and placed your trust in Jesus then you would know that if you lose your job, there is a will and purpose and Jesus will set all things right. This doesn’t mean that you will never suffer. It doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen. It simply means that rather than laying down and dying, you endure. People who have no hope give up. They throw their hands in the air, rail against the heavens, giving God the bird and scream, screw you, where were you when I needed you? The bottom line is, a new job is not going to restore your soul. A new couch from Pottery Barn is not going to save you. A presidential candidate may lower your taxes but he won’t shed his blood on a cross and pay your sin debt for you. There is only way, and his name is Jesus. So, if you find yourself praying, “Jesus I really need___” and you’re not getting it, you may just have to ask yourself, am I relying Jesus to suffice, or am I asking him to give me what I think I need? The next question you need to ask yourself is, am I asking Jesus to give me more, or am I giving him thanks for what I already have?
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