Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 36
Sin No More
Hear the words of Jesus to the infirmed man at the Temple, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14)
These words provide a grim reality of the devastation of sin since the Fall of man at the Garden of Eden. The curse of sin upon mankind is the cause of physical diseases and eventually death. What a sad state of helplessness and hopelessness if the curse of sin cannot be lifted. The curse of sin was lifted for this impotent man lying by the pool in Bethesda when he met Jesus that day. He has been plagued with thirty-eight long years of weariness and pain, an unbearable state of constant suffering. [JC Ryle]
That freedom from the bondage of sin must cause him to be grateful and choose wisely not to meddle with sin. Jesus says to him, “… sin no more, lest a worse thing come to thee.” Jesus speaks here of God’s future judgment that comes in this man’s life if he chooses to go the way of sinners again. It is a stark warning to cherish his freedom and yield not to temptation. In other words, may the fear of God cause him to depart from evil all the rest of his days on earth.
When Jesus met him that day, Jesus said to him, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
It is interesting that our Lord would ask him if he would really like to be well. He did not answer of our directly but seemed to blame his circumstances that he was too weak to move to the pool for healing, “for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the waters: whosoever then first after the trouble of the water stepped in was made whole whatsoever disease he had.” (John 5:4)It is possible for one to lose hope and even the will to get well, wallowing in self-pity, of hopelessness and be in a state of mental paralysis!
His condition is a portrait of us without Jesus Christ. But, out of the great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt and withered, our Lord came to this man that day. In compassion and mercy, our Lord reached out to him and healed him. Our Lord did not pass him by but was more willing to save the man than he was willing to be saved!
How was this man healed? 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. (Jn. 5:8 KJV) Jesus did not take his hand and lift him up. He simply said to the man “Get up, and take up your bed and walk!” The man has to exercise his will to believe in Jesus that strength will come to his feet after thirty-eight years of paralysis! He has to be willing to pick himself up and get going! He obeyed our Lord’s command.
9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on same day was the sabbath. (Jn. 5:9 KJV)
What a sight to behold! The power of Jesus is true power for He is God. However, the Jewish leaders who saw the healed man did not believe. They accused the man of breaking the Sabbath by carrying his bed and persecuted Jesus because He had healed the man on the sabbath day (John 5:16). How ridiculous can godless religion get! 18Therefore 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.(Jn. 5:18 KJV)
Jesus was doing good, relieving the suffering man, pointed to him the way to everlasting life! Our Lord testifies, 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (Jn. 5:24 KJV)
More than physical healing, Jesus is offering us everlasting life testifying that He is sent by the Father in heaven to save sinners. The man testified that it was Jesus which had made him whole (John 5:15) giving honour to Jesus. Indeed, all who will believe that Jesus is the Christ, that He died for our sins and rose from the dead the third day and be willing to come to Jesus, repenting of their sins shall be healed.
What a Wonderful Saviour,
Jesus Christ my Lord.
What a Wonderful Saviour,
From sin He sets me free.
I will praise Him forever,
Faithful to death I be.
What a Wonderful Saviour,
Jesus is to me.
This man was healed from the disease of sin as attested by the physical healing that was accorded to him. Jesus says to him, “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14)
All who are saved in Jesus Christ must live in godliness as proof of the true work of grace in our lives. We boldly testify that it is Jesus who has made us whole. We are willing to be a witness for Him. Let us be willing to give ourselves to worship and prayer. This is the best witness of the Christian that he will set aside time for worship and prayer. If we cannot do this well on earth, do you think we can serve Him better in heaven? May the Lord help us. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee