This will be a new 10 part series on glory and what God has to say about it and what it "does". Many people want to be like Christ, but what they don't know, is that the bible says that it is his glory that changes us into Christ. Really? Yep.. It takes Christ and His essence to turn us into Christ. From that perspective what this series has to say will make a lot of sense. Christ himself changing us into Christ-likeness by his own glory. He does it by his glorious presence!
Last time we looked at:
Habakkuk 2:14
and
John 17:20-23
This time we will look at John Chapter 5. In this chapter Jesus heals a lame man by the pool of Bethesda and here's what happened:
John Chapter 5 NIV
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] [b] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 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?”
God asks him if he wants to get well! That would indicate that sometimes we wallow in our problems and our sin. Our lives have not been aligned with God's purposes and we are paying the consequences with sadness, depression, and sickness. God asks you today, do you want to get well?
Lets continue:
Now this angered the religious leaders as it broke their interpretation of the Law. They had decided what it meant and it meant nobody getting healed on the Sabbath. They actually would kill you for doing good on the Sabbath, which means rest. They weren't so interested in the good work, but in the system that they run being threatened. God always breaks down the religious system that stands in His way.
Jesus asked the man to stop sinning. If you have sin in your life such as anger, bitterness, rage, adultery, drunkenness (that includes under-aged drinking), worry, anxiety, and the like. God is asking you to give these things to him, repent (which is a church word to stop and turn from what you are doing) OR Jesus says something worse may happen to you. When you live in a habitual practice of sin, sin has you and sin is death to your health, life, emotions, and relationships.
God has brought Shalom in Jesus. Shalom means peace on every side (physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, relationships) It means everything in order.
Later in the chapter 5 of John Jesus has to confront the religious leaders about their hardened hearts and how they don't believe him. He tells them the following:
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study[c] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[d]?
Lets continue:
“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”
8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
When the man is talking about the water being "stirred" it is because an angel would come and touch the water. Whoever would get in, would receive their healing. He was explaining to Jesus that he had no one to help him in. Jesus breaks the tradition at the pool, circumvents the process established, and skips right to the good stuff. "Pick up your mat and walk". Often times Jesus has a path that gets right to the point and removes the things in our lives that need healing. We need to say 2 things. 1. Yes I want to be healed. and 2. Obey when He gives you a command.8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.
The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”
11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”
12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”
13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Now this angered the religious leaders as it broke their interpretation of the Law. They had decided what it meant and it meant nobody getting healed on the Sabbath. They actually would kill you for doing good on the Sabbath, which means rest. They weren't so interested in the good work, but in the system that they run being threatened. God always breaks down the religious system that stands in His way.
Jesus asked the man to stop sinning. If you have sin in your life such as anger, bitterness, rage, adultery, drunkenness (that includes under-aged drinking), worry, anxiety, and the like. God is asking you to give these things to him, repent (which is a church word to stop and turn from what you are doing) OR Jesus says something worse may happen to you. When you live in a habitual practice of sin, sin has you and sin is death to your health, life, emotions, and relationships.
God has brought Shalom in Jesus. Shalom means peace on every side (physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, relationships) It means everything in order.
Later in the chapter 5 of John Jesus has to confront the religious leaders about their hardened hearts and how they don't believe him. He tells them the following:
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study[c] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[d]?
Jesus says that the "works" i.e. miracles/signs/wonders he was doing testify that He is from God and is sent by the Father. Jesus always performed signs/wonders with His preaching. We do the same.
He also pointed out that the religious leaders studied the bible, but they didn't know of whom the bible pointed to. The bible points to having a real, tangible relationship with Jesus, and that is what is available for you today. Searching the bible for other reasons can be helpful, but they should point us to a life-giving, heart felt, spirit-led relationship with the very image of the Father: Jesus.
Finally, he points that although some want to be commended by others and accepted by others, that we should seek the glory that comes from the only God?
What is this glory? How are we to seek it? Find out next time. Until then, Shalom!Take care and God bless,
Jared Walther
Apostle
Ascend Church & Apostolic Center
