Responses to Christ: Faith vs. Prejudice
Summary
In the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, we encounter a profound moment that reveals the contrasting responses to His miraculous works. The narrative centers on the healing of a man on the Sabbath, which provokes two distinct reactions: one from the Pharisees and the other from the healed man. The Pharisees, blinded by their prejudice and legalism, focus on the perceived violation of the Sabbath law rather than the miracle itself. Their response is one of irritation, unbelief, and rejection, driven by a deep-seated prejudice that blinds them to the truth of Christ's divine power and authority.
In contrast, the healed man responds with faith and obedience. When Jesus commands him to rise, take up his bed, and walk, he does so without hesitation, recognizing the authority and power in Jesus' words. This man's response exemplifies the essence of true faith: seeing beyond the immediate circumstances to the divine presence and power of Christ. His transformation is not just physical but spiritual, as he acknowledges Jesus as the source of his healing and gives Him all the glory.
This narrative challenges us to examine our own responses to Christ. Are we like the Pharisees, caught up in our prejudices and missing the profound truth of who Jesus is? Or are we like the healed man, who sees, believes, and responds in faith? The story underscores the urgency of this decision, as our eternal destiny hinges on our response to Jesus Christ. It is a call to look beyond our doubts and questions, to see the undeniable facts of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, and to respond with faith and obedience.
Key Takeaways:
- Prejudice and Spiritual Blindness: The Pharisees' response to Jesus' miracle reveals how prejudice can blind us to the truth. Their focus on legalistic details prevents them from seeing the divine work before them. This serves as a warning to examine our own hearts for biases that may hinder our spiritual perception. [25:07]
- The Power of Christ's Authority: The healed man's immediate obedience to Jesus' command illustrates the transformative power of Christ's authority. When we truly encounter Jesus, His words carry a weight that compels us to act in faith, leading to spiritual renewal and healing. [42:18]
- The Urgency of Decision: The narrative emphasizes the urgency of deciding our response to Christ. We are either for Him or against Him, with no middle ground. This decision is crucial as it determines our eternal destiny, urging us to confront the reality of who Jesus is. [08:40]
- The Role of Faith in Transformation: The healed man's faith in Jesus' words leads to his physical and spiritual transformation. This highlights the role of faith in experiencing the fullness of Christ's power and the new life He offers to those who believe. [42:49]
- Witnessing and Sharing Christ: The healed man's desire to tell others about Jesus reflects the natural response of a transformed life. When we experience Christ's work in our lives, it compels us to share the good news with others, inviting them to encounter the same transformative power. [47:06]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to the Miracle
- [00:51] - The Response of the Pharisees
- [02:00] - Contrasting Reactions
- [03:14] - The Significance of "Therefore"
- [04:22] - The Pattern of Opposition
- [06:05] - The Question of Response
- [07:37] - Christ's Confrontation with Humanity
- [09:32] - The Importance of Our Response
- [12:46] - Self-Examination Through Scripture
- [13:30] - The Confrontation with Miracles and Christ
- [16:28] - The Facts of Christianity
- [19:35] - The Phenomenon of Jesus
- [22:23] - The Church's Historical Impact
- [24:17] - The Pharisees' Prejudice
- [28:22] - Preoccupation with Problems
- [33:02] - The Call to Consider Christ
- [36:30] - The Missed Opportunity for Understanding
- [40:24] - The Healed Man's Faith
- [42:49] - The Transformative Power of Christ
- [47:06] - Sharing the Good News
- [49:29] - The Call to Look at Jesus
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 5:10-15
- John 5:1-9
- Matthew 12:30
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Observation Questions:
1. What was the reaction of the Pharisees to the healing of the man on the Sabbath, and what does this reveal about their priorities? [00:51]
2. How did the healed man respond to Jesus' command to rise, take up his bed, and walk? What does this indicate about his perception of Jesus? [14:50]
3. In the sermon, what are the two contrasting responses to Jesus' miracle, and how are they described? [02:20]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of the word "therefore" in John 5:10? [03:14]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon describe the role of prejudice in the Pharisees' response to Jesus' miracle, and what might this suggest about the nature of spiritual blindness? [25:07]
2. The healed man's immediate obedience to Jesus' command is highlighted in the sermon. What does this suggest about the power of Christ's authority and its impact on those who believe? [42:18]
3. The sermon emphasizes the urgency of deciding our response to Christ. How does this urgency relate to the concept of eternal destiny as discussed in the sermon? [08:40]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the role of faith in the transformation of the healed man, and what implications does this have for understanding the nature of true faith? [42:49]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you might have been blinded by prejudice or legalism in your spiritual journey. How can you work to overcome these barriers to see the truth of Christ more clearly? [25:07]
2. The healed man responded to Jesus' command with immediate obedience. Is there an area in your life where you feel Jesus is calling you to act in faith? What steps can you take to respond obediently? [42:18]
3. The sermon challenges us to examine our response to Christ. Are there doubts or questions that are hindering your faith? How can you address these to deepen your relationship with Jesus? [08:40]
4. Consider the role of faith in your own spiritual transformation. How has your faith in Christ led to changes in your life, and how can you continue to grow in this faith? [42:49]
5. The healed man was eager to share his experience with others. Think of someone in your life who might benefit from hearing about your faith journey. How can you share your story with them this week? [47:06]
6. The sermon discusses the importance of looking beyond our immediate circumstances to see the divine presence of Christ. What practical steps can you take to focus on Jesus amidst life's challenges? [49:29]
7. Reflect on the urgency of deciding your response to Christ. How does this urgency impact your daily decisions and priorities? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with your faith? [08:40]
Devotional
Day 1: The Danger of Prejudice and Legalism
Prejudice and legalism can blind us to the truth of Christ's work in our lives. The Pharisees in John 5 were so focused on the legalistic details of the Sabbath law that they missed the miracle of healing that Jesus performed. Their rigid adherence to rules and their preconceived notions about Jesus prevented them from recognizing His divine authority and power. This serves as a warning to us to examine our own hearts for biases and legalistic tendencies that may hinder our spiritual perception. We must be open to seeing God's work in unexpected ways and be willing to let go of our prejudices to fully embrace the truth of Christ. [25:07]
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (John 7:24, ESV)
Reflection: Is there a specific area in your life where you might be allowing prejudice or legalism to cloud your judgment? How can you ask God to help you see His truth more clearly today?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Christ's Authority
The healed man's immediate obedience to Jesus' command in John 5 illustrates the transformative power of Christ's authority. When Jesus told him to rise, take up his bed, and walk, the man responded without hesitation, demonstrating the weight and power of Jesus' words. This encounter shows that when we truly encounter Jesus, His words compel us to act in faith, leading to spiritual renewal and healing. The authority of Christ is not just about commanding obedience but about bringing transformation and new life to those who believe. [42:18]
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.'" (Matthew 28:18, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to recognize and submit to the authority of Christ? How can you take a step of faith in response to His leading today?
Day 3: The Urgency of Deciding for Christ
The narrative in John 5 emphasizes the urgency of deciding our response to Christ. The healed man chose to believe and obey, while the Pharisees chose to reject and oppose. This decision is crucial as it determines our eternal destiny. We are either for Christ or against Him, with no middle ground. This urgency calls us to confront the reality of who Jesus is and to make a conscious decision to follow Him. Our response to Christ is not just a one-time decision but a daily choice to live in faith and obedience. [08:40]
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Matthew 12:30, ESV)
Reflection: What is one decision you can make today to align yourself more closely with Christ? How can you ensure that your daily choices reflect your commitment to Him?
Day 4: Faith as the Catalyst for Transformation
The healed man's faith in Jesus' words led to his physical and spiritual transformation. This highlights the role of faith in experiencing the fullness of Christ's power and the new life He offers to those who believe. Faith is not just intellectual assent but a deep trust in Jesus' ability to transform our lives. It is through faith that we open ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to bring about change and renewal in our hearts. [42:49]
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively cultivate a deeper faith in Jesus today? What specific steps can you take to trust Him more fully in your current circumstances?
Day 5: Sharing the Good News of Christ's Work
The healed man's desire to tell others about Jesus reflects the natural response of a transformed life. When we experience Christ's work in our lives, it compels us to share the good news with others, inviting them to encounter the same transformative power. Our testimony of what Jesus has done for us can be a powerful tool for evangelism, drawing others to the hope and healing found in Him. [47:06]
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8, ESV)
Reflection: Who is one person you can share your testimony with this week? How can you intentionally create an opportunity to talk about what Christ has done in your life?
Quotes
In the life and Ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the account of which we read together in the reading at the beginning as it is to be found recorded in the fifth chapter of The Gospel According to St John and in particular this evening I should like to direct attention to the 10th verse the 10th verse in the fifth chapter of The Gospel According to St John the Jews therefore said unto him that was cured it is the Sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy B now I want to call attention not merely to the contents of that particular verse but rather to that which is suggested by the verse namely the whole attitude of these Jews which really means here primarily the Pharisees to our Lord and Savior. [00:00:03]
Now last Sunday evening we were considering this incident as it is a portrayal of the great Gospel of Salvation which we meet together to consider it is an actual historical fact and event what we read here literally and actually happened I don't understand a man who has in is in difficulties about miracles if you believe that the Son of God rarely came down into this world you shouldn't be surprised if you read that he worked miracles and he did and this miracle actually took place but we were concerned about it not only in and of itself but as it is a portrayal and representation of this wondrous and glorious Gospel of Salvation. [00:01:06]
But now tonight I want to direct attention to the response to that here it is it took place and any event such as this of necessity produces some kind of a response and this incident produced a response and what we are told here is of the two responses to the one and same incident we have on the one hand the response of these jewels and on the other hand we have the response of the men who was healed and you notice that they are diametrically different and opposed uh surely we all must feel as we read this story this incident this account a sense of surprise and of amazement as we read of the response of these Jews. [00:02:04]
Never perhaps has the word therefore had such a strange significance as it has in this particular 10th verse and that is why I'm taking it as my text especially taking it in connection with verse 9 listen and immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked and on the and on the same day was the Sabbath the Jews therefore therefore because of what had just happened said unto him that was cured it is the Sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed notice the therefore because of the miracle because of the healing because of the cury because of this miraculous and Supernatural thing which are just taking place what a reaction what a response how different I say from the response of the men who was healed. [00:03:08]
Now my point is that surely all this must come to us as something amazing and astounding and almost incredible isn't it almost Beyond Comprehension and Beyond credibility that any man or any group of men could possibly react in this extraordinary manner to this momentous thing that had just taken place and yet all of us who are familiar with the gospels are not surprised because as you read through these gospels that's what you find isn't it our Lord performed Miracle after Miracle he worked these Deeds of kindness and of compassion he relieved suffering and yet what did he meet opposition scowling questions attempts to trap him and to ensnare him malignity on the part of these Pharisees and scribes and doctors of the law on he goes working his miracles and they take up stones and throw them at him he spoke as never men spake gracious words came over his lips and yet they bared their teeth at him and snarled at him and eventually they all joined together people who form had been at enmity like pilate and King Herod people who hadn't spoken for years they came together and plotted together against him Pharisees and scribes and Sadducees who were bitterly opposed all became one and they all of them joined together to cry away with him crucify him and inited the people and as we know he ended his life upon a cross between between two thieves they H shame and Scorn and derision upon him that was his fate that was the end of his life. [00:04:14]
Now I'm just asking a question why was that what explains that what can account for such a response such a reaction to the these Mighty things that were here done on the face of this Earth by the Son of God that's the question and there is no more important question confronting the human race this evening than just this question but let me make it perfectly plain and clear that I not putting this question to you this evening theoretically or in an academic manner I'm not just standing here and saying though this is an extraordinary phenomenon that we've got here in the pages of the four gospels let's turn aside and look at it tonight and dissect it and analyze it no no I'm not doing that I'm doing that but I'm not simply doing that our attitude must not be theoretical why well because you and I this evening every one of us is in precisely the same position as these Jews of which we're reading because the whole case of this gospel is to say this that as he confronted the these people there in the days of his flesh he's confronting the whole world this evening that's the meaning of a preaching service such as this it is that Christ is presented that he confronts men and women who come and listen so we're in the identical position of these very Jews of whom we read in this 10th verse I say it's not a theoretical question we all of us come face to face with this Christ with this Jesus of Nazareth and you know it is true to say tonight as it was in the days of his flesh that there are only two final responses to him and every one of us in this congregation at this minute has made the one response or else the other we are either like these Jews or elsewh like the men who was healed it's one or the other and there is no evading these two possibilities and there is no middle position between the two Christ divides us we're either for or else against you can't be neutral you can't be passive if we're not for him we're against him now I'm not saying that he said that himself he that is not for me he said is against me he said that his coming was like a sword that div Ides even mother and daughter father and son husband and wife at once as we confront him we are placed in a position where we've got to decide and we do if we do nothing we're against we're all of us either for him or against him we're either I say in the position of the men healed or else we are in the position of these Jews who therefore made this statement to the men whom are Lord had healed and I would again remind you that there is no more important question that can ever come to any one of us than thus than just this question which of these responses is ours. [00:06:16]
I don't apologize for being blunt and plain I need need I what I'm really asking is this when you sang that last hymn were you singing the words or only the tune were you singing your experience were you singing that which is true of you did you really mean it How Sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear it heals his Sorrows heals his wounds shes his Sorrows heals his wound and drives away his tears is that your experience is that your attitude to him can you say quite honestly that his name is sweet to you that his name is above every other name to you that is the incomparable one the one who stands alone that's to be Christian and that is the essence of Christianity either we can say honestly How Sweet the name name of Jesus sounds or else we are in the position of these Jews now the you it's it's the you saying I'm neither one nor the other you must be one or the other if you really believe in him you must say that his name is sweet to you if you don't well you can't say it and if you don't say it it means that you don't believe in him you never really faced him you don't know him no one can be apathetic in his presence no one ever was in the days of his flesh no one has ever been ever since was ever heard of him and therefore I say that this evening we are all of us in one of these two positions and what makes it all so urgent is this that according to what he goes on himself to say to these people did you notice it in verse 23 that our Eternal Destiny depends upon this thing what will decide how every one of us is going to spend eternity is our attitude to the Lord Jesus Christ to those who can say that his name is sweet we know that their eternity is to be one of bliss and of Joy ESS it's got to be said to those to whom the name of Jesus is not sweet they have nothing to look forward to but misery and r wretchedness and useless remorse my dear friend let me put my question again what is your reaction to him well in order to help in this self-examination tonight let me put before you this case that is outlined here because here we see the whole thing placed before us in a very clear and in a very dramatic Manner and therefore having looked at this we'll be unable to examine ourselves that's the value of the scripture that's the purpose of the record that's the whole business of preaching is to bring all this to us and we have it here in illustration so I divide my matter up like this first of all let us again be quite clear in our minds at as to what confronts the two groups what was it that was confronting the Jews and the men what is it that confronts everybody in the world tonight well here it is quite simply in the case of these people in the incident there they were confronted by two things the first of course was the miracle and the second was the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the claims that he made for himself now those are the two big things I think you'll all agree here is a person called Jesus of Nazareth and he suddenly comes to this place the pool of Beth and there are all these people this men in particular had been going there carried there 38 years impotent unable to do anything for himself and all the others you remember the blind the lame the impotent the withered and so on all desperate and hopeless waiting for the stirring of the waters that they might get in first and be healed suddenly their walks into this hopeless helpless crowd this person this extraordinary person Jesus of Nazareth and he approaches this man and says wil thou be made whole and the man you remember makes his speech and says what's the use of asking I've been here so long and I've got nobody I'm a poor man I haven't got a servant to put me in everybody else is rushing in before me I have nobody to put me in it's always somebody else and suddenly our Lord looked at the man and said wilt thou be made whole very well then rise take up thy bed and walk and the men immediately was made whole and took up his bed and walked the miracle the astounding Miracle it's confronting him it's confronting the Jews and then with it I say is the person and the claims he makes for himself they understood the claims all right he looked at them you remember and said my father worketh hither to and I work the Jews sought the more to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath but had also said that God was his father making himself equal with God and they're quite right that's exactly what he does mean but there he is standing before them he not only works the miracle he speaks and he makes plain and there they are they're confronted by the two tremendous things now I'm saying that both parties were confronted by the same facts exactly the same Miracle the same person the same words the same claim now all that is equally true of everybody who in the world this evening it's true of Christians it's true of those who are not Christians shall we therefore remind ourselves very hurriedly of the facts by which we are confronted what is it that Christianity beh holds before men and women tonight what are these things which I claim are facts confronting us well I divide them up like the like this first of all take the Bible itself take this book here is a book that is confronting the human race tonight what do it confront them with what are the facts which it holds before them well take your Old Testament what do you find there well you find that standing out prominently above everything else is the history and the story of that people called the Jews and what a story it is what a remarkable Story how did they ever come into being how do you account for the Jews how do you account for the strange vicissitudes through which they passed how do you account for the fact that this little race and this little country became so mighty at times how do you explain it how do you explain their persistence in spite of all that is so true of them and in spite of these Mighty dynasties by which they were surrounded how do you explain the phenomenon the fact of the Jew in history running right through the Old Testament and you can trace it likewise in secular history there it is but take another effect that stands out prominently in the Old Testament the fact of Prophecy there's a great deal of Prophecy in the Old Testament a number of things are for told it's said quite categorically that certain things are going to happen and in the Old Testament itself you can see some of them happening certain warnings that God gave to these people and they came to pass certain predictions that were made about some of them about a men like Abram at the age of 99 and his wife over 90 that they're going to have a son and the son came these are the kind of things that confront you here not only that there are still more specific things than that there are prophecies and predictions as to someone who's going to come into this world that a virgin is going to give birth to a child he's going to be born in a place called Bethlehem all that's in the Old Testament and many other details in the most amazing manner that he'll be of the tribe of David and all these other things what's going to happen to him the opposition he'll meet the scorn and the persecution how he's going to ride into Jerusalem on the back of an the F of an ass all these things in the Old Testament prophecy now there I say are some of the great facts in connection with the Bible that stand before us and insist upon some kind of a verdict with respect to themselves then in add addition to that we turn over into the New Testament and what we find well here standing out above everything and everybody is this blessed person Jesus of Nazareth and what do we find here well we find a person we find a life lived we find someone who though born in poverty and never had any training at all understands more about the law than the greatest experts experts and all the Pharisees it year it's confronting us this phenomenon that's been thrown up Jesus a carpenter who can defy the doctors of the Lord at the age of 12 and when he goes out in his public Ministry is unanswerable and cannot be refuted a phenomenon works these Miracles all this is standing before us his words his teachings and then the most amazing thing of all his death this man who could quell the Raging of the storm at sea who could heal the leper give hearing to the deaf make the blind see raise an impotent man up like this by just a word who could raise the very dead out of the Grave is arrested and in apparent weakness is crucified and dies and is buried in a grave and the stone is rolled over to the on the face of the grave but and here it is the most momentous fact of all herose again the resurrection and revealed himself to chosen Witnesses 500 people together on one occasion the resurrection here it is facing us these are the claims these are the statements about this person and then add to this the story of the church you remember the 12 Crest Fallen Apostles disciples don't you who in spite of his teaching were completely shattered when he was crucified on the tree didn't understand and felt utterly hopeless and utterly disconsolate but wait a minute I noticed in a few months these men are preaching about the place one of them the Apostle Peter stands up in Jerusalem in the very center of the opposition preaches one sermon 3,000 people are converted what's happened to him what is this ah this is the result of the resurrection and the result of the sending of the Holy Spirit now the fact of the change in the apostles is a fact of history Christianity belongs to history you'll find it in the secular records even of the Roman Empire it became a problem it became a phenomenon these Christians were charged with causing Pol iCal uprisings there it is in the secular history The Church where she come from how do you explain her a momentous Mighty fact the Christian Church Trace her history and her story down the running centuries see the attempt of the Jews at the very beginning to destroy her see the attempt of the Great Mighty Roman Empire to exterminate her see the attempt of Greek philosophy to throttle her and her teaching by ridicule and by cleverness and worldly wisdom see these arise one after another against her and yet on she goes this is a phenomenon and then if you like take up your biographies begin to read about a men like Saul of tssus later the Apostle Paul read of Augustine oh read of all these Mighty Men coming down through the centuries go and talk to them listen to them see what happened to them the change in their lives the men they became what they did the greatest benefactors the world has ever known look at them there they are standing before you they're confronting you tonight the facts now then there is our position isn't it before the Jews and this men where the miracle and the Christ incarnate and his claims and there I put mer hurriedly and inadequately before you the phenomena the facts facing and confronting the human race at this very moment now then let's look at the attitudes first of all let us look at the attitude of these Pharisees the Jews therefore said unto him that was cured it is the Sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed you see their reaction don't you annoyance irritation unbelief rejection what's the cause of this that's the question and my dear friend let me remind you again that I'm doing all this in order that if you who are listening to me at this moment are not a Christian and you cannot say honestly How Sweet the name of Jesus sounds I'm trying to show you why you are in that condition you're like these Jews what accounts for their reaction there's one word that puts it all and it is the word prejudice nothing but Prejudice nothing whatsoever but sheer Prejudice which is always the result of Sin Sin prejudices us against the truth of God that's what it did way back at the beginning and the devil knew how to use it so perfectly came to Adam and Eve and he said hath God said God's against you ah at once the Prejudice has been put in God's against you and the moment you get that prejudice well it's going to color everything you do and everything you say it'll control all your thinking and it'll all be blind as Paul says in writing to the Corinthians 2 chapter fourth verse and uh fourth chapter and about fourth ver if our gospel be hid it is hi to them that are lost in whom the God of this world have blinded the minds of them that believe not lest they believe the Glorious gospel of Christ the trouble with every unbeliever I say is nothing but sheer Prejudice because he doesn't believe that he doesn't say that he doesn't like that he talks about knowledge doesn't he talks about cleverness talks about his brain talks about uh science Zeta and so on wonderful advent's 20th century know so much can't possibly believe it but my dear friend knowledge has got nothing whatsoever to do with it I can prove that quite easily it's purely a matter of prejudice and I prove that you see like this I can take the same men the same men with the same brain the same knowledge the same everything and at one stage in his life he's against then in the second stage he's for with the same gigantic brain with the same immense knowledge with that vast erudition with this command of science whereas he formerly rejected he now believed but of course there is a case in the Bible itself that settles that point once and forever and it is the case of the men whom we know as the Apostle Paul as Saul of tssus the Pharisee hated Christ and would have exterminated his cause and then the same men was converted and became a Christian and he begins to sing How Sweet the name of Jesus sounds Theus sameen and he looks back and he says why did I reject why was I against and he says I did it ignorantly in unbelief prejudiced by sin and by Satan and what a devastating thing Prejudice is had you realized my friend that if you're not a Christian you're just governed by by Prejudice you're blinded by Prejudice and this is how it works it's shown here very perfectly in this illustration What did Prejudice do to these men well here's one thing it did it meant that they were utterly preoccupied with their own difficulties and their own problems and they were so much preoccupied with their own difficulties and their own problems that they couldn't see the big facts that were staring them in the face did you see that the Jews therefore said unto him that was cured it is the Sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed see they don't see the Cure they see this man breaking the laws they think they see some detail in their elaboration false elaboration of the law transgressed they're preoccupied with their own ideas and their own thoughts and absolutely controlled by them that's you see how Prejudice does blind us and isn't that the simple truth about all who are not Christians this evening so there's so preoccupied with their own problems and own difficulties with regard to the scriptures and all these things that they see nothing but that you know them don't you a man says I'm not a Christian and you say well why are you not a Christian he says you know this Bible troubles me who was Cain's wife and he can't believe it doesn't say a word about Jesus Christ Cain's wife there it is and that fish whatever it was that swallowed Jonah and these Miracles are I just count as the men you know I'm SCI I'm a scientist I'm scientifically trained Miracles they're impossible there is all every time you meet him up it comes Miracles I don't want to ridicule but I am trying to present a true and a fair picture and I think you'll have to admit it's true people come to me and say you know I don't understand this if you say there is a God why does he allow war or this or that or the other that's it always the same question they come filled with their difficulties their problems the things they can't understand and Christ is there the whole time and they say nothing about him as if they'd never seen him they're immersed in their own these people here they are it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed they say to a poor man who hasn't been able to move for 38 years I agree with you it is a matter for laughter and yet I'm not sure whether it's laughter or tears that men can be so blinded and Prejudiced and so kept from the big things by these little things in which they're immersed and by which they're preoccupied their difficulties their problems this that and the other here they are let me hurry to the second I've already mentioned it because of that you see you get their consequent failure to face the big facts they can't see the wood because of the trees did you notice how it comes out in their very language notice the difference of the speech of the Jews and the men the Jews there first said unto him that was healed it is the Sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed listen to the men answering he answered them he that made me whole he brings Christ in he brings the miracle in the same said unto me take up thy bed and walk then asked they him and now you'd expect to find here who is this extraordinary man that has healed you not a bit of it what man is that which said unto thee take up thy bed and walk and the men couldn't answer them and then the story goes on the whole time you see they miss the miracle they don't say a word about it they don't word about the healing of the men it's just this question of the mat that he's carrying and the law and the Sabbath and they don't see the miracle and they don't see the Cure and they don't rarely see this Christ they miss the big things because they're immersed in the little ones isn't that still the trouble have you considered him my friend have you looked at Jesus Jesus of Nazareth forget all about miracles for a moment forget about all these particular difficulties of yours there are certain big things I've already enumerated them that are standing before you confronting you belonging to the warp and woof of History not not ideas not theories but facts literal historical facts and events there they are have you seen them in the name of God I say and as you value your Immortal soul look at these for a moment and forget your own pet questions and your own particular difficulties because you see in the third place this Prejudice leads to this that they are totally incapable of explaining the facts these Jews couldn't explain the miracle they probably knew this men everybody knew him poor fellow he'd been carried there for 38 years he was a well-known case perhaps the most hopeless case at the pool of Bethesda and everybody knew about him here is that very man they meet him in the street walking along and carrying the mat on which he's been lying and on their hypothesis and on their view there is no explanation whatsoever of the miracle isn't it amazing that they didn't address themselves to that isn't it surprising that they didn't stop and say men what what's happened to you how's this taken place who's done this surely this is no man could do this you haven't done it yourself well who's done it what is this how have you been healed they never asked that question never interested in the mat oh that they had asked how did he do it who is this who can do such things but now they've got no explanation of the big thing that's confronting them and you know mankind is still in that position if he doesn't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ take the men for who says that Jesus Christ was only a man and no more and just a teacher and he didn't work miracles well very well if they say that you see what they're really confronted by is this if he was only a man well then I say he was a blasphemer because he claimed to be the Son of God and claimed to be equal with God you can't have it both ways if Jesus is only a man well then I say he was either a blasphemer or else a lunatic there's no choice between those two positions and they're left in this position of utter contradiction utterly inconsistent with themselves he and all that has been done through him is left without any explanation at all that this vital bit of history is meaningless it's useless uh yes but the tragic thing about them I always think was just this that they were so blinded and governed by this Prejudice that not only did they fail in the respects which I've been outlining but they failed supremely I think at just this point why didn't they go to him and ask him to explain why he had done this thing on the Sabbath they never asked him now you see if they had been thinking clearly they would have done so of necessity now this is their problem here is a man who has healed another on the Sabbath and he has caused him to carry his mat on the Sabbath which to them was a Breaking of the law now if they had only been able to think clearly and without prejudice they I think would have worked it out like this they have said this man has been healed this is undoubtedly a miracle this must be the the action of God this men who has worked this miracle must have some divine power that we don't understand and we don't possess and yet he's done this on a Sunday very well let's go to him and let's ask him to explain himself let us go and say quite openly we don't understand it to us it seems very wrong and yet we see that you've got a power that we haven't got can you give us an explanation if there is one in the name of God let's have it do tell us explain to us they'd have gone to him in humility even as Nicodemus went and they would have asked well now tell us give us an explanation they never did it they were so blinded by Prejudice they were so sure of their own case are these clever trick questions they never take them to Christ and all these problems they denounce him instead of taking them to him and asking him to give his explanation that's the real trouble with the unbeliever my dear friend if you only took your problems to Christ if you only brought them to the church through whom Christ speaks so many of your problems can be answered so easily but men won do that they stand on their prejudices and they finally go to this last point which is one of hatred and of rejection do you notice how it gets worse and worse the man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole then therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus persecute the man who healed this other and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day and then when he says my father worketh hither to and I work therefore the Jews sought them all to kill him because he had not only broken the Sabbath but said also that God was his father making himself equal with God that is the sorry story of unbelief that's the analysis of men and women to whom the name of Jesus isn't sweet he summoned to be argued against and to be dismissed and to be rejected is there anyone in this congregation who's in that position do you have to admit that the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ is not to you everything and you're all in all tonight I say if that is the case with you it is for these reasons you've never really faced him you've never gone to him you've never realized who he is and what he's done you've never even taken your problems to him you've stood in your conceit and Prejudice and you've simply been concerned to get rid of him and to denounce him and to reject him that's sure Prejudice but oh let us turn away from such a tragic and a miserable attitude what miserable men these are that in the face of a miracle a glorious Miracle of healing a man set on his feet who' been there impotent for 38 years isn't it incredible that they can persist in this attitude let's leave them I say and let's turn and look at these other men what a different attitude what accounts for it oh I'm not going to keep you it's all here and it's all so simple why is this man's attitude so different well the first thing I think is this unlike those Jews when this men looked into the face of Jesus Christ he saw something that he never seen before Ah that's the trouble isn't it the Jews came to him they came to Jesus and they looked at him looked into the face of the Son of God looked into this incarnation of everlasting love looked into those eyes with their Divine depths and simply put their questions in order to down him but there men when Jesus came and addressed him and said wilt thou be made whole he looked into the eyes and he saw something that he'd never seen before he saw hope he saw an authority he saw power he saw divinity he saw something in the face he saw something he heard something in the voice many people had gone to him at that pool and had offered their sympathy and perhaps had in a very vague and general way had offered their help but he never heard a voice like this I believe he said to himself what the soldier said later on never men SP like this man an authority a power something in the question wilt thou be made whole he asked it in such a way as to say this if you want it you can have it and he' never felt that before everything was impotent everything was but General But Here Comes someone and says wilt thou be made whole and as he hears that Wilt he says I see a possibility he looked into the face of God he saw something he heard something and he submitted he obeyed so when Christ said stand up on thy feet take up thy bed without thinking what he was doing The Men Who hadn't been able to move for 38 years he simply did it he did it automatically submitting to the authority of the Son of God and that is what happens to every man who becomes a Christian suddenly or gradually it comes to him that here is someone who stands alone not a man amongst men but God come in the flesh he hears his words he feels the power of his vice and at once he's Disturbed he's condemned perhaps at first and then he feels the hope and he responds he believes he trusts and he obeys and he rises out of his sin that's the secret of the men isn't it and you see what it leads to is this that he the whole time goes on talking about the Lord Jesus Christ he's aware of what Christ has done for him look at these men their legalistic minds is it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed he answered he that made me whole stop talking about mats he says talk about him stop talking about your law and look at me there I've been for 38 years Look at me now he did it he that made me whole he talks about Christ and about Christ alone has been able to do for him he that made me whole this is the language of the Christian not your little arguments about miracles of Providence and I don't understand this and I can't follow that and it says this here but that seems to contradict oh all's gone he and he that has made me whole He that has given me a new nature and a new life he that has put me on my feet and made a new man of me he that has given me strength to conquer where I form nor Al went down talk about him listen to him this man gives Christ all the glory you remember how Paul puts that by the grace of God I am what I am I was a persecutor and a blasphemer he says and an injurious person but I obtained Mercy and by the grace of God I am what I am don't look at me don't speak to me it's he do you remember Peter and John healing the men at the beautiful gate of the temple and this men again who' been impotent went bouncing reaping praising God into the temple and the people gathered and looked at Peter and John and Peter said unto them don't look at us as if by our own power are words we had made this impotent man to walk his name his name by faith in his name hath given this men this perfect soundness in the presence of you all they talk about Christ why well because of what he's done for them they give him all the glory and the next thing I notice is this did you notice it afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple yes in the temple was worshipping and praising God not spending his Sunday reading the clever men in the clever Sunday newspapers with their difficulties and their problems and all their worldliness no no in the temple of God what for worshiping God praising God singing the anthems singing the hymns thanking him a man on his feet who'd never been able to go there walking through the vestibule entering the house of God becoming a member of the church joining the ranks of the redeemed in the temple and the last thing telling others about him the men departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole he fell to himself when I tell them they'll all go rushing after after him they'll say to him do it to me that's what the poor men expected they didn't do that but you see what he felt he wanted to tell everybody about him he wanted the whole world to go after him he knew the need in the human heart and in the human breast he wanted to say to them he said to me go sin no more L the worst thing happen to you and you my friends he would have said to them andless you repent and go to him and be healed by him a worst thing will happen to you you are Hellbound but this Jesus has come into this world to save you and to redeem you to rescue you and to set you free to give you pardon and forgiveness to reconcile you unto God and to make you children of God he went and told the Jews and you know it does come back to this if I'm a Christian well then I say that the Supreme thing in life for me is to know Christ because through him alone I know God and there my eternal future is safe and I'm unable to live even in this life and in this world How Sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear it soothes his Sorrows heals his wounds and drives away his Fe his fear Jesus is his Prophet his priest his King his Lord he's his all and in all he's the son of God who so loved him that he came from Heaven to Earth and even went to the cruel shameful death of the cross that he might be forgiven and renewed and restored oh beloved friend I ask you what is your reaction to him for forget everything but just this one thing look at him look at Jesus of Nazareth look at him as he's depicted in the pages of this gospel look at him as he verifies all the Prophecies of the Old Testament look at him as he continues his work in the church look at him as you see him transforming the lives of men not only then but subsequently throughout the long hisory of the Christian Church look at him in revivals look at these big things look at the facts the momentous facts I cannot believe that you can go out of this service still just harboring your little arguments and difficulties forget the mat I say and see the man who's carrying it and see that there is only one who can do such things and that is Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God the savior of your soul look at him look into his face look into his eyes listen to his word hear the authority feel the power go to him and submit take your problems to him take your questions he'll never refuse you he'll never reject you you'll find impatient and compassionate he'll listen to you he'll allow you to speak your nonsense as he's listen to my nonsense he'll listen and he'll answer V to him just as you are with all your problems and failings and difficulties go to him honestly and fall before him and listen to him and he will make you home. 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