Tag Archives: sabbath

God said you can’t heal on the Sabbath? John 5:17-23

Here we are, Christ not only just healed a man that had been lame for thirty eight years. He did it to show Israel that through him there is a hope to be reunited with God, but they don’t care. They just want to stone someone, anyone. First they were angry with a guy for walking with his bed on the sabbath and let’s face it, this wasn’t a Sealy Posturepedic. The man was destitute. He had a small roll of rags that you or I would have tossed away a long time ago and they want to kill him for walking home with it. Then when he said he was only following orders OF THE MAN WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE they want to kill him. So here is Christ’s response.

John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

When does a priest work? Should be they work on the sabbath. If they didn’t nobody would be taught. The sabbath was made for man, not for God. God doesn’t say, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow because it’s the sabbath” and you shouldn’t either. If someone needs help you don’t say, “I’m sorry son that you cracked your head and your bleeding, but it’s the sabbath so your going to have to lay there until tomorrow.”

Even if they wanted to be hard nosed about the sabbath and said that the guy had been there for thirty eight years, what’s one more day? They should’ve stopped to wonder how the man was healed. If God didn’t want the man healed on the sabbath then he wouldn’t have been healed. I mean if God didn’t do it, who did?

John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

These men don’t want to learn. They don’t want to even ask questions. They just want to get all worked up and kill him. But are people any different today? How many people just get upset if someone says something they don’t think is in the bible or that the bible says something they don’t believe? Nearly everyone gets worked up faster than a nest of bees that has been knocked out of the tree. Careful you don’t. We are to be as clay in the potter’s hand, wet and pliable. Not a dried pot. Paul tells us to check all things out in the Word. If someone says something, ask them for where it says that in the bible and pray about it. Meditate on it. Even if someone shows you something wrong you could still learn something by it and maybe you could correct them and help your brother or sister in Christ by taking the time to go over the topic.

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Why? Because they are one. Immanuel, God with us.

John 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

What greater works? Christ is going to rise from the grave.

John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Christ will call Lazarus forth, yes, but he isn’t talking about the physical anymore. God divorced Israel hence, they were cut off. They were dead, just as many today are spiritually dead. They were in bondage to sin and Christ said, “take up thy bed and walk.” Stand up and be counted. You are no longer dead.

John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

How does God judge? He looks at your sin and if your covered in the blood of Christ that means Christ has marked you clean.

John 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Again because they are one.

We are going to stop here today, but Christ doesn’t. We will pick up with that on the next post.

Who gets upset over a Healing? John 5:10-16

We left off with Christ healing a man that had been lame for thirty eight years and telling him to take up his bed and walk.

John 5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

Is this a violation of the sabbath? Well you weren’t supposed to burden yourself, but was this a burden? The man has gone thirty eight years wanting to be healed, wanting to be able to just get to the pool of water and suddenly can motor around on your own power. I’d say being able to move this bed wasn’t a burden it was a joy.

John 5:11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

Violation of the sabbath meant he was to be stoned to death so I am sure you can imagine this guy has just gone from feeling free to worry for his life. So I ask you who is the one putting a burden on who?

John 5:12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

These men don’t care that he was healed. They all knew this man. The man was a local fixture by the pool for thirty eight years. The priests couldn’t do anything for him. They didn’t have any power to help him, but they don’t care about that. They only want to know where they can start chucking rocks.

John 5:13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

I want you to make note of this. This man didn’t ask Christ for a healing nor after was he healed even know who he was or even thanked him for his service. It could be the man was shocked and Jesus took off before he could even register what was going on. I know I would be, but what does this tell us about the type Christ has laid out for us? The thirty eight years links this to Israel waiting in the wilderness. The end of bondage and the entering into that promise that is Jesus Christ.

God had divorced the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah 3:8) and they were crippled and withering off the vine. That time for that to change was here whether Israel knew it or not and Christ was going to be crucified. He was going to be the lamb slain which is the reason he is doing this at the sheep gate to begin with.

John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

Note he is IN the temple how. Just as after you are washed clean by the blood of the lamb you too can enter the temple. On another note, and this just came to me so I am sorry if it is a bit redundant, but when you first accept Christ you don’t know who he is. You might know of him, but until you “temple” with him you don’t know who he truly is.

What is this worse thing that could befall him? It isn’t what can happen to his body.

Matthew 12:43-45 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. (44) Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. (45) Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

John 5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

This could be that he ran to tell them because they had asked beforehand, but I think it is more that bursting desire a true believer has to tell others about the joy they have found in Jesus.

John 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

Sadly, this is what happens then you tell people about Jesus. Most people wont care just as these people didn’t care about the miracle he had done on the sabbath they only wanted to stone him. Next we will see how Jesus handles these turkeys. Remember if this has helped you in anyway share.