John 5:10-17

John 5:10-17

Therefore the Jews said to the one who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permitted to take up your mat.”  And he replied to them, “The one who made me well – that one said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’”  They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up and walk?’”  And the one who was being healed did not know who He was for Jesus had withdrawn into the crowd that was in that place.  After this Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Look!  You have become well!  Sin no more, in order that nothing worse should happen to you.”  The man went away and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the one who made him well.  And because of this the Jews were persecuting Jesus, since He was doing this on the Sabbath.  But Jesus answered them, “My Father works until now, and now I work.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The man doesn’t know who Jesus is.  I understand that Jesus slipped away in the crowd.  But if a man just cured you of an illness that kept you from walking for thirty-eight years, do you think you’d let Jesus get away?  Would you simply go to the temple and say, “I don’t know who did it?”  This is an unfortunate part of the story.  God’s power is on display.  God is acting in a bold and bright manner.  Yet the man does not take the time to recognize it and find out more information.

Has God ever been active in your life and you simply didn’t notice?  Why do you think it is so easy to have God work in our lives only to have so few people notice?

Second Thought:

Jesus seeks out the man once more.  It’s almost as if Jesus is saying to the man that he gets a second chance at coming to know Jesus.  But what does the man do?  He doesn’t follow Jesus but instead runs to the Jewish authorities and reports that he now knows the identity.  The man was looking to appease the Jewish leaders and get back into their graces, not find God’s Messiah.  The man completely misses Jesus’ teaching.  Jesus tells him, “Go and sin no more.”  In other words, when God calls, change who you are and live a new life!  God doesn’t call us to remain the same, He calls us into change.  The man completely misses the point.

Do you think it is important to remember that Jesus told the man to “sin no more?”  Why is this important?  Do you always listen to God and obey His voice when you hear it?

Third Thought:

At the end of this passage, Jesus makes a very bold claim.  Jesus says, “The Father worked up until now.  Now, I am at work.”  In other words, Jesus is claiming equality with God.  He is making a very distinct claim that the work of the Father and His work is one and the same.

How do you think the Jewish leaders would react to such a claim?  How does the world react to such a claim today?

Passage for Tomorrow: John 5:18-24