1. After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4.For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. ( could it be possible that had somebody stepped into the waters in faith before the waters were troubled, they would have been healed or better yet would have no need for healing because God chose to prevent them from falling sick or being maimed? perhaps what we need is more trust and faith, to be willing to step out and into the seemingly troubled waters of our lives, you know the circumstances and situations that we so often fear, the things we know we should do but we hesitate in fear and confusion, like this man we wait for others to help us, wait for others to move us, maybe we even get complacent and comfortable in our sad and sick state because of all the attention and pity we get, but unlike this man we have no excuse )
5. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
( my that’s a long time to be in such a state as was this man, it must have seemed like an eternity but God was wanting to move in this mans life from day one, what could have been the hindrance? was it a lack of faith? a complacent attitude? or something as simple as a lack of desire? “ wilt thou be made whole? ” will you accept healing? or do you like where your at? and how you are? hum.... )
7. The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. ( Isn’t that like most folks they want their blessing first never mind that you were there first, that you are in greater need, but sometimes life is like that we have no one in our corner, no one else cares, no one else moves in our favor, and when your down they not only step over you but on you! but as for Jesus I like his style he comes when and where others fail )
8. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 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. ( that’s just like some people they have their own concepts and agendas and if you don’t follow or do things their way, they will not accept not even your good actions or intents let alone your confessions and repentance.)
11. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
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.
( Jesus findeth him meaning that Jesus went looking for him, hum... wonder why? well for one if you know your bible most folks Jesus healed usually had to undergo severe persecution and ridicule, rejection and questioning sometimes even excluded from society and religious gatherings including the Church? my guess is Jesus wasn’t satisfied with just healing this man but wanted to make him and his life whole, & wanted to bring this man back into union with his family and society! “ behold thou art made whole “ that means that not only was he now able to walk and move but also that the muscles that had atrophied during those many years of neglect and non use were now made strong and fortified, the bones that had become brittle and broken were now given solidity and firmness, a man who was once a weakling was now virile and capable of self sustenance, its a terrible feeling to not be able to do anything for yourself let alone support yourself )
15. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
LUKE 5: 16. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
17. And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” behold I give unto you all power over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you “
18. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.
19. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.
20. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, thy sins are forgiven thee.
Mark 2: 1. And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
( would to God that our houses, hearts and Church’s would be filled and full with people wanting to hear the word of God preached! never mind that many of them are sick and hungry and are only there for the healing and the bread, but after all he is the bread of life, its ok just as long as they get to hear the word! for the word always accomplishes it purpose, it gives life, light, healing, hope, and guidance; but in reality its not so much the word as it is what the word is, Jesus! God incarnate, God with us “the word of God is alive, quick and powerful...“ in the beginning was the word (Jesus) and the word(Jesus) was with God and the word (Jesus) was God” and the word became flesh (Jesus) & dwelt among us” & now lives in us! read Acts 2:38, John 1: 1-3,14, Heb 4:12 )
3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
REFLECTIONS AND THOUGHTS: Oh what a life! what pain and misery, what hopelessness, what despair, what these poor men had to endure must have seem like their own hell had arrived, and for a long time at that at least in their own eyes it seemed like an eternity, lets take a look at these men again, on the one hand one man had no one to help him or at least it seemed that way, then the other man on the other hand had some loyal friends, ah friends how nice! yes it’s so nice to have some loyal friends in a time of need? “ there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” oh I’m not talking about those so called friends who tell you anything you want to hear, you know the ones who say anything to please you, who are to afraid to tell you when your wrong, who comfort you rather than confront you when needed! no I’m talking about the other kind of friends the ones who tell you what’s right and wrong even if it will hurt, the ones who encourage you to do what is biblical despite the fears, the ones who stand by you when you make a mistake, the ones who pray and mean it, the ones who live Jesus so you can see his love in them, not the ones who sometimes unknowingly influence anger and the spirit of unforgiveness in others by the actions they show toward those whom have offended them, sound familiar? hum.. yeah we all have both kinds of friends. Now lets take a closer look at the life of a paralectic; well for one his life was defined or rather confined by a 3” by 5” mat, he laid on that mat for what seemed like an eternity, imprisoned in his own prison of despair and impotency, you see the bars that held this man confined were not metal or wrought iron but rather the frail and atrophied bones and body that refuse to respond to his needs and commands, but you’d think he would be used to being ignored by now, for not even the walls or the ceiling that surrounded him would pay him much attention let alone the family or friends he had, for many a time he prayed and wept crying out for help, for deliverance, but to no avail, he had no intercessor, no mediator, no one seemingly to hear his lowly cries or prayers, no these walls nor ceiling never offered him any condolences nor even acknowledged his prayers, to him his prayers just seem to bounce off the walls, his cries never even made it through the ceiling or at least that’s what he thought! so now you see; what a life but there’s still more for every morsel he ate, every movement of the bowels, every drink he longed for, every turning of his body, he needed assistance, every bath etc, God help us to be kind to the paralectics among us, to be aware of their pain and struggle, to feel for them, but that’s just it when and even if others don’t care or respond to your needs Jesus will, he cares! you may be paralyzed with fear and imprisoned by doubt, it may not be your muscles or bones that are atrophied but rather your spirit, your prayers, your mind and understanding, your emotions, from the many years of hurt and brokenness, from improper use or neglect, from the many years of wrong teaching and guidance, it may not be a mat that your life is defined by but rather a blanket of failures and defeats, it may not be the walls or ceiling that ignore and surround you with hopelessness and futility but rather the folks, friends and family around you, who constantly condemn and criticize you, who fault you, who pressure you, who neglect you, who encourage you? yeah encourage you, but to do all the wrong things, encourage you to be like them, to think like them, act like them, and so you end up being left alone and you may feel like there is no mediator, no one to help, not so Jesus is moving on your behalf.. but sometimes like this paralectic you have to go to Jesus! have to want your healing, your deliverance, your salvation etc ..
A PRAYER: Dearest Daddy, today I feel like I really need forgiveness and help, you see its one of those days were I feel so tired and weary, I want to lift my hands to you in surrender & worship but I can’t even do that! my hands are so weak, so tried, so tired, so tainted with sin and shame, I’m so confused, feeling like I’m ready to throw in the towel, hum guess I’ am a paralytic after all, paralyzed by fear, despair and rejection, by my inability to pray anymore, God the pain! Don’t know how much longer I can hold on? how much longer I can continue to believe? any of you ever feel this way? when all you can do is cry? and say uphold me please Daddy! or could you at least give me a sign or token of some sort that your moving on my behalf! that my hope is not in vain, that I do still have a FAITHFUL FRIEND or friends? It seems I don’t know anymore, don’t know what to do or say? God I feel like I’m speaking to the walls? but they won’t even acknowledge me or my needs, even my prayers and pain just seem to overwhelm me, you see these walls of condemnation and shame that surround me just seem to ignore me, bouncing my prayers and troubles back unto me when I try and send them up toward heaven, help me through this time when my spiritual muscles have atrophied and I’ve become brittle and broken, help me when my friends and family have forsaken me and left me, when I find myself imprisoned not by bars but by my foolish behavior, when I am confined to the closet of despair and loneliness; cover me in your comforts , sooth my rejection and heal my paralysis , cure me of my lost friendships, my lost love, let my heart beat again! ...oh God, help me daily to remember your compassion and tender mercies, God I don’t want to become ungrateful and unconcerned about others, please don’t let my heart get hardened, I don’t want to become spiteful and mean towards others, even those who hurt me in return for my behavior, please end this vicious cycle here and now and I guess you can start with me let me be the first to forgive and bless! but I don’t want to step over and on others just to get my blessing! my healing! forgive me when I become comfortable and complacent in my paralysis, when I become content to stay in my condition, my sin, remind me that it is you who is Lord not me, you are God I am man, and a fallen man at that, a frail man, a failure of a man, but thanks be to you who has redeemed me out of my paralysis of sin and shame! glory to God! oh and forgive me, move me and stir me, when I refuse to be moved from my state of sin not due to my paralysis but due to my stubborn will and hardened heart, above all please do not let me slip back into the abyss of sin, Oh Daddy for the times which are many lately when I do not feel your presence nor see your hand at work, nor hear your encouragement, let me to know that it doesn’t mean you’ve abandoned me? yes I may be paralyzed in fear but not out of faith! when it seems like others could care less of my problems and circumstances again remind me that it is written “ come unto me all ye who are troubled ..for I care for you “ casting all your cares upon me “
Thank you Daddy I love you! Love your son and servant, sorry I let you down....
Prepared by : George R. Nava 2170 E. Market St. Stockton, Ca phone -46-59731
My web page: http://gospelstuffs.homestead.com/index.html