Alive To God

“And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed’ ” (John 5:9-10).
The man, miraculously healed by Jesus after 38 years of disability, picked up his bedding according to Jesus and walked out into the light of day. John notes, “And that day was the Sabbath.” Jesus was warned repeatedly not to heal on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6-11, 13:10-17), of which no prohibition exists in Moses’ law.

But there is a prohibition against carrying a burden on the Sabbath (Exod. 20:10; Jer. 17:21-22), though I hardly think the man happily walking with his bed constituted a burden. Because the divine Author of the law of the Sabbath told the man to carry his bedding, the Pharisees were therefore overzealous when deciding what was a burden to carry. Jesus had no problem with it. Let’s be careful not to add burdens that are contrary to the new covenant of grace.

“After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 5:1).
The gospels always speak of “going up” with regards to Jerusalem. That’s because it’s built on a hill. The temple, where God dwelt, was in Jerusalem. Eventually, the New Jerusalem will come down out of heaven from God. God will be there. And there will be no need for a temple, for all Spirit-indwelt believers are temples of God.

Jesus goes to Jerusalem to a place called Bethesda, where a multitude of people are waiting for an angel to move the water. “For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had” (John 5:4).
In Hebrews 1, the angels are put in their proper sphere so that Jesus is the only one worthy to receive worship, and who ranks the highest over all. In this story, John will redirect angel-worshiping readers’ attention to Jesus. His goal, stated in John 20, is for his readers to believe in Jesus, not in angels. What are you believing of Jesus today? Do you have a fixation on angels that belongs to Jesus?

Jesus is seeking some form of faith toward Himself from among the Jews. Unfortunately, the Jews do not place their trust in His person and words, but respect Him for the miracles He does. The Samaritans, whom the Jews dismiss, believed in Jesus Himself, even to call Him Savior. This is a common theme in John’s gospel.

In this story, Jesus meets a nobleman who seeks Jesus for healing his dying son. But Jesus finds an opportunity to convert him to faith. Let’s see how it was done.

Everyone who starts a social media account usually wants to be known, respected, and remembered for something. This person is known for his insightful Bible messages. This company has a fantastic following because of his Bible archaeology documentaries. Jesus wanted to be known as well. But He was not getting the right attention. He didn’t come to be a miracle worker or healer. He came to present Himself as a Savior, that whoever believed in His person and claims would have life.

Everyone had different expectations of what the Messiah would do when He came to Israel. Drive out the Romans. Make Israel great again. Reign righteously for ever. Reveal the secrets of our hearts?

When the disciples came to Jesus at the well, bringing food, the woman He was talking to left her water pot, went to the city, and began telling the men of the encounter. “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” (vv. 28-29).

It’s interesting that she did not talk about living water, but that He knew everything about her. She probably mentioned this aspect because she said something earlier that revealed what was more significant to her people: “I know that Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will tell us all things” (v. 25).

Do you remember the Magic Eye stereograms that were all the rage a few decades ago? You saw a poster with a jumble of colors, focused on a dot in the center, and soon a jet in 3D popped out of the poster, coated with the random pattern saw earlier. Every now and then we would read the Word of God, reading a passage we’ve read many times, but then, focusing on it a little longer, there comes a freshness, a great dimension is added to it, and we wonder. Sometimes we get these “Aha” moments when the Spirit opens our understanding.

Passing through Samaritan territory, Jesus did what Jews don’t normally do. He took time to start a conversation with a marginalized woman which started when He sat at a well asking her for water.

She, surprised, asked, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (John 4:9). She points right at the bone of contention. The elephant in the room. They were speaking from opposite sides of the tracks. How, indeed, could He ask?

Because He’s Jesus. He came to break down walls that separate people from God. Easing the conversation forward, Jesus addresses her with a spiritual question, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (v. 10).

We are continuing the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at a well. But the claims Jesus makes of Himself are not what she expects.

When Jesus, tired by His journey from Judah midway to Galilee, asks for a drink, the woman who came to the well is puzzled or perhaps suspicious. “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (John 4:9). She knows that Jews avoid her people at all costs.

Jesus said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (v. 10).