"Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk..." John 5:8.
Jesus interacts to change circumstances.
1. Jesus notices the man.
Go down the streets of any major urban center and you can find people. Hurry through the local market or mall and there are people. Crowded on a city bus or train or elevator - there are always people. How often do we really see them? How often do we notice them to provide simple grace, human respect, or Christian love?
2. Jesus speaks to the man,"Rise..."
Jesus is not content to allow people to remain down i nspirit, down in circumstances, or down in limitations. Jesus will always give the command to "get up!" "Arise!" "Move!"
3. Jesus directs the man to "take up thy bed"...
There are no half-way measures with Jesus, There is no slinking back down, taking the easy way...ceasing to try....No! Jesus says "take up thy bed"...gather it all together and go...stop waitng around and stop depending on anything outside of faith in God. It does not matter what your "bed" is: health, money, relationships, bad choices, fear, insincrity, lack of confidence, addiction, sin, or confusion....what ever the "bed" is pcik it up and take control of the situation through the power of God.
4. Jesus sends the man away, changed....
Faith put into action...one foot in front of the other....heading off...into service...into witness...into mission...."walk!!"
Jesus interacts to change circumstances.
1. Jesus notices the man.
Go down the streets of any major urban center and you can find people. Hurry through the local market or mall and there are people. Crowded on a city bus or train or elevator - there are always people. How often do we really see them? How often do we notice them to provide simple grace, human respect, or Christian love?
2. Jesus speaks to the man,"Rise..."
Jesus is not content to allow people to remain down i nspirit, down in circumstances, or down in limitations. Jesus will always give the command to "get up!" "Arise!" "Move!"
3. Jesus directs the man to "take up thy bed"...
There are no half-way measures with Jesus, There is no slinking back down, taking the easy way...ceasing to try....No! Jesus says "take up thy bed"...gather it all together and go...stop waitng around and stop depending on anything outside of faith in God. It does not matter what your "bed" is: health, money, relationships, bad choices, fear, insincrity, lack of confidence, addiction, sin, or confusion....what ever the "bed" is pcik it up and take control of the situation through the power of God.
4. Jesus sends the man away, changed....
Faith put into action...one foot in front of the other....heading off...into service...into witness...into mission...."walk!!"
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