What if God Asked You This Question?
“When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” John 5:6 (NIV2011)
Here is one of the most confrontational chapters in John. In fact, there’s a question in John 5 that will cause you to stop and think! At first glance, it would seem insensitive and unkind of Jesus to even ask. Would you ask someone who had been an invalid for 38 years this question: “Do you want to get well?”
As you read today’s chapter, ask Jesus why He would pose such a question and consider for a moment what the Holy Spirit may reveal to you about your own “disabilities.” What is it that you lean on as an excuse that disables you from moving forward in your faith journey? Re-examine the story again and discover why this man was in the condition he was in. What warning did Jesus give him in verse 14 that confronted the man’s lifestyle?
The healing of this invalid man led to a confrontation with the religious leaders because Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. In John 5:39-41 (NIV), Jesus identifies the root of their problem. They had substituted their religious system and laws for a love relationship with God. He said to them, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.”
The danger of this religious crowd in Jesus’ day is just the same as in our day. It’s not enough to know the Word of God. We must know the God of the Word. God didn’t give us the Bible to increase our knowledge but to change our lives. Let the Word of God lead you to the God of the Word as you journey with Jesus through this chapter.