Wednesday, February 8, 2006
John 5 Now a certain man was there (at the Pool of Bethesda) who had an infirmity thirty-eight years . . . Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
BEHOLD THE LORD WHO SUSTAINS ALL CREATION
Moving signs, we're told, are 95% more effective than stationary ones. In fact, most states and municipalities outlaw such signs on roadsides. Too distracting for drivers! In his Gospel John was Spirit-inspired to select seven miracles of Jesus for use as signs -- signs which point to Jesus as the divine Son of the Father and the world's Redeemer. And Jesus saw to it that the third of these signs (John 5:1-18) was truly a moving sign.
The Pool of Bethesda was 24 steps below street-level in Jerusalem and only a few blocks from the Temple. People surely took notice when the man Jesus healed carried his bedroll up those stairs and on over to the House of God. Not only had the paralytic been afflicted for nearly four decades, but according to the Pharisees he was violating Sabbath Rule #39 by hauling his bed about on the Holy Day.
Jesus invited the confrontation that He knew would follow His healing of the helpless fellow whose bed attracted such attention that Sabbath Day. There must be no doubt just who Israel's spiritual leaders were rejecting. So when Jewish leaders braced Jesus about this Sabbath healing He told them the astounding truth straight up and straight out, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."
God the Father is always working, 24/7, constantly tending to the needs of the world, sustaining His creation, showering blessing upon all that He has made. "He's got the whole world in His hands!"
And Jesus of Nazareth here maintains that His healing on the Sabbath was simply part of God's continual work. Just like the Heavenly Father, He also is always on duty, ever watchful, ever providing for His creation. He too "has the whole world in His hands". Clearly, Jesus is God Himself in human flesh.
The whole universe is sustained and maintained by the One who loves us and humbled Himself for us, even to the point of death on a cross. Certainly we can be confident that He will never quit His job and go on strike or take a day off.
