1 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:11,160 John chapter 5, please open your Bibles there to John chapter 5 2 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:16,320 and we're going to read from verse one to verse 15. 3 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,200 After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to 4 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,800 Jerusalem. Now there isn't Jerusalem by the 5 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,840 sheep gate, a pool. Now it's called the sheep Gate. 6 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,840 Just by the way we went there. It's near Saint Anne's Church 7 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,560 where we sing. That's where they would drive 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,200 all the the lambs that they would bring them in for the time 9 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,280 of the Passover. So they drive them all through 10 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:47,000 that way. And, and, and just a little ways 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,640 on, not far at all, probably from here to the old trees from 12 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:56,240 the sheep gate is the pool of Bethesda having five porches. 13 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:00,440 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind lane, 14 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,040 paralysed, waiting for the movement of the water. 15 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:08,560 For an Angel went down at certain at a certain time into 16 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:13,240 the pool, stirred up the water. Then whoever stepped in first 17 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,000 after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever 18 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:21,480 disease he had. Now a certain man was there who 19 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:28,640 had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there 20 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:34,280 and knew that he already had been in that condition a long 21 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:39,280 time, he said to him, Do you want to be made well? 22 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,920 The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the 23 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,200 pool when the water is stirred, but while I'm coming, another 24 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:54,800 steps down before me. Jesus said to him, Rise, take up 25 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,800 your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made 26 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,600 well, took up his bed and walked, and that day was the 27 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,040 Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him 28 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:07,840 who was cured, it is the Sabbath. 29 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,160 It is not lawful for you to carry your bed. 30 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,560 Actually there was no problem in the law to carry the bed. 31 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,560 But what had happened is the Pharisees and the Sadducees had 32 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,280 added extra traditions to carrying the bed. 33 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,080 And so it was only the traditions of men that was in 34 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,240 breech here, not the word law of God. 35 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:33,520 Then they asked, who is the man who said to you, take up your 36 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,560 bed and walk? But the one who was healed did 37 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:41,000 not know who it was, but Jesus had withdrawn A multitude being 38 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:46,280 in that place. Verse 14 Afterward Jesus found 39 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,200 him, that is the man who'd been healed in the temple, said to 40 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:57,600 him, these words, see, you have been made well, sin no more, 41 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:00,440 lest a worse thing come upon you. 42 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,800 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had 43 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,680 made him. Well, there are times in our 44 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:15,120 lives that we sometimes wonder if God knows we we even exist. 45 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,200 I remember coming out of Bible college and all I wanted to do 46 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,960 was go into the ministry and preach and, you know, and there 47 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,800 was no churches open at the time. 48 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:28,000 And, and I was rather frustrated, frustrated because I 49 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,520 was immature and not ready. And it wasn't God's time. 50 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,120 That's the truth of the matter. As I look back and I felt as if 51 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,800 God, you know, well, God, I've gone through this. 52 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:39,800 We've sold our house. We've moved up from Dunsra, 53 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,840 we've gone to Bible college. You know, we've changed our 54 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:44,520 lives. We're seriously about serving 55 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,040 you. We've studied, we've gone 56 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,480 through all this training. What's going on? 57 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,480 You know there are times, and maybe in your life, we seem to 58 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:59,040 be living in a situation where there appears to be no sign of 59 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,280 change. It's just the same. 60 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:11,680 We feel hopeless sometimes, friendless, unable to get out of 61 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:17,240 the hole we find ourselves in, and thus we are alone, even 62 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,640 though we know the Lord. That's the sense that we have. 63 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,560 And this describes a man Jesus met in our texts tonight. 64 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,040 It says after this there was a feast of the Jews. 65 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:34,720 The words after this tell us that Jesus was acting according 66 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,360 to a predetermined plan and purpose. 67 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:42,600 After this, I'll do this. So in God's plan, Jesus was to 68 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,920 visit this man. Remember Jesus said I don't say 69 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,840 or do anything other than which my father has commanded me. 70 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:56,280 I love that man I I pray for that in my life this year that I 71 00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:59,480 would only say and do the things that God has asked me to do. 72 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:05,160 So after this, these words tell us that Jesus was acting 73 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,320 according to a predetermined plan and purpose. 74 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,920 Your life has a predetermined plan and purpose. 75 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:19,480 God has 2026 mapped out for you. There were no accidents in Jesus 76 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:25,000 ministry, His appointments that his Father had planned, He kept 77 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,760 each and every one of them and they had been set long before in 78 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,960 the councils of eternity past. We think of Nicodemus in John 79 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,160 chapter 3, this religious man who comes and Jesus knew he was 80 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,480 coming and he spoke with Nicodemus about being born 81 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:42,800 again. He said you must be born again. 82 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:47,000 Nicodemus was a religious man. Jesus said you know the 83 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,600 scriptures, but you don't know the spirit and working of God. 84 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:54,160 There's the Samaritan woman, John chapter 4. 85 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,880 Jesus sends his disciples off. Jesus waits at the well. 86 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,320 Sure enough, later the women collect their water. 87 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,000 Early in the morning, this woman turns up. 88 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:06,560 Jesus is there and he starts the discussion. 89 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,400 There's a noble man for Capone. And now this man by the pool in 90 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,600 Bethesda, I want to ask you, is it time for a miracle in your 91 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:18,000 life? You go miracle. 92 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:24,440 Well that would be amazing. Much of Jesus ministry was 93 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:26,920 occupied in the performance of miracles. 94 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:34,160 The gospels record a total of 35 separate miracles from the 95 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,360 turning of the water into wine. Remember the wedding to Jesus 96 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,880 wonderfully restoring back on the night of his betrayal 97 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,760 Malchus's ear, because Peter had sliced it off and he put it back 98 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,240 on in the Garden of Gethsemane. The miracles of Jesus. 99 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,680 And churches go on about miracles, don't they today? 100 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:54,920 Come to the miracle service. Come and there's a miracle 101 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:59,240 service of this and that. The miracles of Jesus were 102 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:05,080 demonstrations of the power of God, yes, but they were not 103 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,200 performed just to impress. Come out to the miracle service 104 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:16,160 a curious humanity. The miracles that Jesus did 105 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:20,280 testified to Christ's divinity. There was a purpose. 106 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,080 They testified of His omnipotence, His power. 107 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,160 They testified of Christ representing God, the revelation 108 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,960 of God and His compassion as He laid his hands actually on 109 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:43,120 lepers who were unclean, unclean and healed them, and testified 110 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:49,480 of his dominion over the works of Satan as he would drive out 111 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:51,880 demonic beings. The man that gathered Gadera, 112 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:57,160 remember, who lived naked in the tombs of Gadera, chained up, 113 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,640 screaming and cutting himself, and Jesus came and healed him. 114 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,000 What is a miracle? That's a good question. 115 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:10,920 What's the definition? Henry Thiessen defines a miracle 116 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:19,160 this way, a unique and extraordinary event, awakening, 117 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:27,760 wonder brought about by divine power, accomplishing some 118 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:35,480 practical and benevolent work, and authenticating a messenger 119 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:42,000 and his message as from God. Is it wrong to desire a miracle? 120 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:46,120 Well, now we're in the Scriptures and that's where we 121 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,600 get our answers to every question you have. 122 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,720 If you have a question, go to the Bible and look for the 123 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,760 answer. Nowhere in the scriptures do I 124 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:00,840 find it recorded of Jesus admonishing someone seeking a 125 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:06,480 miracle. Except to those who doubted his 126 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:10,480 divinity, Show us a sign. And he's just been doing all 127 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,520 these great Give us a sign. Show us a sign. 128 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:19,080 By what authority? Those who had already witnessed 129 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:28,880 miracles at the hand of Jesus this new year, 2026, are you 130 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:36,760 seeking a miracle from God? I pray you are seeking a miracle 131 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,080 from God. You know what a miracle is. 132 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:44,920 It's the impossible. If so, God tonight wants to 133 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:51,640 encourage you how to continue in your faith, to continue trusting 134 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:58,440 in the power, the wonder and the love of Almighty God. 135 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,280 The writer to Hebrews says this in Hebrews 11/6. 136 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:12,400 Without faith it is impossible to please Him. 137 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:17,920 What's the opposite of faith? Distrust, fear. 138 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:23,520 Without faith it's impossible to please Him. 139 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:31,000 That's God, for he who comes to God must believe that he is what 140 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:36,520 that he is almighty God, able, powerful, and that he is what a 141 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:43,080 rewarder, someone who responds of those who do what, who 142 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:48,400 diligently, not haphazardly once in a blue moon, seek him. 143 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:56,920 In Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20, Paul wrote now unto him Speaking 144 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:01,280 of the Lord that is able to do and I love the wording here 145 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,400 because it just takes us beyond everything we can imagine who is 146 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:14,920 able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask 147 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:22,080 beyond or we can even think according to the power that 148 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:26,320 works in US. In John chapter 14 verse 13, 149 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:34,840 Jesus said whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do. 150 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,600 Now here's the reason in this verse because there's a reason 151 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,760 that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 152 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:49,680 There's a purpose and a reason seeking the miraculous God. 153 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:52,480 I want to see my husband come to Christ, not because I just want 154 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,040 to see him come to cry. Lord, it would demonstrate to 155 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:59,920 the rest of my family that you are the wonder, the glorious 156 00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:05,520 God. John 1414 says Then if you ask 157 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,040 anything in my name and you're doing it, that the Father may be 158 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:14,640 glorified in the Son, Jesus says, I will do it. 159 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,680 It's been said that all the parables of Jesus are miracles 160 00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:25,920 of wisdom, and we did a series on the parables and that all the 161 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:31,680 miracles of Jesus are parables of teaching tonight, this year, 162 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:35,160 2026. Maybe you're here tonight and 163 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:36,640 you think, well, God has forgotten me. 164 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,880 I mean, it's nice that you're saying, Keith, and I'm here 165 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,640 because I'm hanging in there. I know it's the right thing to 166 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,520 do, but I feel like God has forgotten me. 167 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,200 If you think you've committed, perhaps you think you and people 168 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,120 can come to church thinking that they've committed the 169 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,680 unforgivable sin. I don't take communion. 170 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,920 I don't stand, I don't worship the Lord. 171 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,800 I'm here because I know I need to be, but I think I've taken a 172 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:09,200 step one too many. I think I've I've committed the 173 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:18,720 unforgivable sin. Or maybe you're here tonight and 174 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:22,400 you've never received the forgiveness of God. 175 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,320 You know about God, you know the Word of God, you've been to 176 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,840 church, you've been to Sunday school, but you have never 177 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:35,920 personally accepted the forgiveness of God the Father of 178 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,640 all your sins through the death of his Son. 179 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,360 You're religious, you're a good person. 180 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:50,800 You try, but you've never really sensed unforgiven. 181 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:59,240 I have been forgiven. Maybe you need a miracle. 182 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:05,400 I pray that God's precious and powerful word tonight will 183 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,920 strengthen that desire in you, and you will see it come to 184 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,040 pass. There's a background to our 185 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:16,440 story tonight in John 5. Jesus had come to Jerusalem. 186 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,400 He's passing through the pool of Bethesda. 187 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,360 His father has a plan for him to meet a man, but there's the 188 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,080 means. By the way, House of Mercy, 189 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,680 there were five porches or like patios over the pool area. 190 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:36,400 Jesus comes across this multitude of people laying 191 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:41,960 everywhere in all distorted positions and ways and clothing, 192 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:52,920 helpless folk, many homeless, they're sick and maimed, and 193 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,960 they're laying around this pool. Because it's been heard that 194 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:00,880 every now and then. And I'm not going to talk about 195 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,240 that because that's not the theme of the story. 196 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,720 Did this really happen or what? But they've heard that there's a 197 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,080 stirring of the water and we can get in. 198 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,000 Well, maybe, you know, I can be healed. 199 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,080 But really, it was a scene of great hopelessness and tragedy. 200 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,560 Tradition said, as I said, that the first one in the pool after 201 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,280 the water I'd been stirred would be healed. 202 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:30,440 Tradition says that it's interesting that that's what the 203 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:35,960 law, religion, and man's philosophy always promotes. 204 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:42,280 Be the first, be the best. Try harder. 205 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,280 That's what religion says. Try harder. 206 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:49,200 I recommend that you all read Pilgrims Progress and Fox's 207 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,000 book. Book of Martyrs has two other 208 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:55,200 books in your annual reading this year, Pilgrim's Progress 209 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:59,240 and Fox's Book of Martyrs. Pilgrim's always trying. 210 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:00,360 He's trying. He's trying. 211 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:07,440 Fight your way to the top. And don't forget, God helps 212 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:12,880 those who help themselves. But here's the point. 213 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:15,800 That verse actually isn't in the Bible. 214 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:20,120 You know where it is? It's in the Koran. 215 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:30,760 Out of all this gathering of people, there's one man that got 216 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,360 the attention of Jesus, and I find this fascinating. 217 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,680 Was he the neediest? Possibly. 218 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,760 Why? Well, we know, John tells us, 219 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:52,600 that this man had been in the grip of his infirmity for 38 220 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:57,040 long, desperate years. That's a long time. 221 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,720 How long he'd been laying at the pool we don't know. 222 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:08,839 He was in himself, not strong enough to drag himself from the 223 00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:13,839 place where he lay under the porches into the pool. 224 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:16,280 Because they go down these great steps. 225 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:17,839 There's these. You go to pull the Bethesda. 226 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:19,920 It's quite deep. You got, you're going to go down 227 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,359 quite a, a, a range of steps to get to the bottom. 228 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:33,240 He longed to reach the water, but it was always too late and 229 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,440 unable to persuade, because he had no money, he had no power, 230 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,040 no position. He was not not able to persuade 231 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:42,640 someone to help him, drag him, carry him. 232 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:50,080 So day after day, week after week, month after month, year 233 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:56,240 after year, he lay there. 38 years. 234 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,720 He'd been thinking, where's God and all this? 235 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:04,680 He's forgotten me. Jesus, we're told of verse 6, 236 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,560 sees him, walks over to him and looking down at him because he's 237 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,120 laying on the ground. Ask him this question. 238 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:18,440 Will you be made whole? That's a fascinating question. 239 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,800 On the surface. You and I, as we read this, we 240 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,440 think that's a strange question. You'd have to agree. 241 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,440 Jesus, out of all this, selects one man. 242 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,400 He didn't preach to everyone. Notice that he didn't say 243 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:40,600 everyone here, all of you. We're not told that he didn't 244 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:42,280 heal everyone. He didn't go around. 245 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,720 I'll go to you, to you, to you too. 246 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,920 But he goes to this one person, this one man. 247 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:56,800 And he asked him a question, which he didn't ask many people, 248 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:02,080 did he? You want to be made Well, I can 249 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:07,360 imagine the man's reaction. Put yourself in his shoes or 250 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:11,240 bed. The look in his face as he 251 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:16,280 looked up at this stranger. He doesn't know who this guy is. 252 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,480 Who wasn't behind this question? Who is it behind his voice? 253 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:27,160 He had no idea who it was speaking to him, standing over 254 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:28,680 him. He didn't know it was the Son of 255 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:34,200 God. His reply, his first words, Mark 256 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:41,400 his astonishment, Sir. As though he had said, What do 257 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:46,280 you mean by asking me a question like that, Sir? 258 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,280 He says. Then he responds, and he, Sir, I 259 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:56,280 have no man, and the water has troubled to put me in the pool. 260 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,360 While I'm dragging myself there, another steps down before me. 261 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,160 And Jesus just goes straight to this. 262 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:09,200 And he says this rise one, take up your bed 2. 263 00:20:10,120 --> 00:20:16,160 Three, walk the site. Let me ask you tonight if you'd 264 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,360 been part of the crowd of onlookers and how often I think 265 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:22,560 we get things wrong when we see things going on. 266 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:30,480 How many of you would have stopped the widow when she went 267 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:34,400 to the great silver trumpets that were by the temple and 268 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,280 she's getting all that she had? Would you go? 269 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,400 Hey, stop. Come on, Missus Jones. 270 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:44,640 Come on. You can't. 271 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:46,640 You can't. You got no money. 272 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:51,960 You can't throw this in. Would you have stopped? 273 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:56,520 I think I would have. But the Bible says Jesus 274 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,560 watched. He didn't stop her. 275 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:06,200 He watched as she threw it in and he blessed her. 276 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:14,920 I think many times with these we see the not what's going on. 277 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,160 So if you've been part of the crowd of onlookers, would you 278 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,200 have protested what Jesus said? You've asked him would he be 279 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:23,920 made well? What do you think he's lying 280 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,920 here for? I mean seriously, how could you 281 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,600 say that? Are you cruel? 282 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,280 Why are you picking on him? Because he wants to go down 283 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:35,640 there. Because he wants to be made 284 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,520 well. He's laying here. 285 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:42,200 He's laying here well, What happened? 286 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,880 A miracle happened. God moved on. 287 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,440 A lost hope, helpless, hopeless soul. 288 00:21:52,120 --> 00:21:55,920 So the first point is the question, Will you be made 289 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:57,760 whole? It's very important to 290 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,080 understand this. It's a simple question, it seems 291 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,400 easily dismissed by us as we read over this very glibly. 292 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:07,760 But the question wasn't so simple. 293 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,880 Jesus didn't ask it for fun, just to fill in a few words in 294 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:16,240 the Word of God and is indeed. It is in fact sublime. 295 00:22:17,360 --> 00:22:19,760 There are a number of facts within this question that we 296 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,000 need to look at if we would understand a little of Jesus 297 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,880 methods with this man in need of a miracle. 298 00:22:26,120 --> 00:22:31,840 Firstly, Jesus recognised the royalty, that is the sovereignty 299 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:37,200 of human will. In other words, God doesn't go 300 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:41,760 against your will. You've got a will and you, you 301 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,600 run it if you wish. Jesus said in the Garden of 302 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,760 Gethsemane. What what we all need to pray at 303 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:53,520 the end of every prayer, Father, Not my will, but your will be 304 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,480 done. It's probably a prayer. 305 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,040 You need to pray really at the end of every prayer. 306 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,920 Oh no, you shouldn't pray that. The faith preachers would tell 307 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:03,720 you because this is a lack of faith. 308 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:09,840 No, it's biblical truth. Jesus prayed it three times. 309 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:14,800 I reckon it's pretty important. What is God's will in the 310 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,000 matter? Well, I need this. 311 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,600 I want that person. I want to, you know, partner up. 312 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:25,520 I want to get this if it's your will, because otherwise you will 313 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:31,440 steer into 2026 and you'll crash, you'll bang into a dead 314 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,400 end. You'll be going somewhere and 315 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,720 God saying I'm not there, I'm not over there. 316 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,040 That's not where I want you to be. 317 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:49,200 I want you to be in my will. So that's why Jesus asked this 318 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:57,440 guy, do you want to be my whole for unless he does, Jesus can do 319 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:02,640 nothing for him. In Matthew chapter 13 verse 58, 320 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:06,440 Jesus goes back to Nazareth. That's where he grew up. 321 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,240 That's where he did his apprenticeship as a Carpenter 322 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,280 with his dad at the carpenter's shop. 323 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:18,640 Everyone knew him and it says and he did not mighty many 324 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:20,240 mighty works there. Why? 325 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:24,280 Because of their unbelief. If you read in that passage, it 326 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:28,760 says this is Jesus, He's the son of Joe, he's the Carpenter, He's 327 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:32,840 the guy that fixed my door. You want me to believe what? 328 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:40,960 That is something special he did not. 329 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,480 Many works there because of their unbelief. 330 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,360 Sometimes people come to church week after week, they sit under 331 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:53,960 the word and they change not. And others come to church and 332 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,800 each week God speaks to them powerfully, wonderfully, 333 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:00,200 ministers to them. Why? 334 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:08,360 Because it's your will, you hear and you choose whether you're 335 00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:10,560 going to be one of the four soils. 336 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:16,560 You choose whether I'm not taking anything else or you're 337 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:20,160 here. And each time the Bible is open 338 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,080 and I sit down the front when I'm not teaching, I'm listening. 339 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,240 I'm sorry, but the message is for me. 340 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:30,160 And by the way, don't ever say, oh, I wish you know, Bob and 341 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,000 Mary was here. No, they're not here. 342 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,600 You are. You're the one God wants to 343 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:40,800 speak to about this very topic. Don't worry about somebody who's 344 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:46,360 not here. And so the man's response back 345 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:50,560 to Jesus in fact revealed that he never expected to be made 346 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:55,520 well or whole that he had. In fact, he says, ah, what's he 347 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:59,680 used? He'd lost hope and heart for. 348 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,560 He said, Sir, I have no man. I'm alone. 349 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:07,960 There's no one with no one with me when the water is troubled, 350 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:12,760 no one to help me and others just go before me. 351 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,320 In other words, it's no use asking me such a question. 352 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,240 I've no chance of being made whole. 353 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,960 Jesus question revealed the fact he had lost hope. 354 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:31,080 But here's the beauty of it. Jesus question however, stirred 355 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,080 something in this man because no one had ever asked him this. 356 00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:38,080 No one ever in the 38 years there. 357 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,800 Oh, do you want to be better? Of course I want to be better. 358 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:49,280 So no one would ask that. The fact that the man answered 359 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,960 shows that suddenly there was a stirring in this man's heart. 360 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,600 He said you. Yeah, I want to get better, but 361 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,800 I can't get down there. See, it starts. 362 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:06,480 Embers are being fanned. Stirring in the man's heart of 363 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:11,080 hope had had been dead. But why did he answer Jesus? 364 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,240 If only, if only I can get down there. 365 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,760 Why didn't this man ask? If I wanted to be made whole? 366 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:21,200 Why? Why are you asking? 367 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,080 Is something happening here? Who is this guy? 368 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:27,800 Is this man? Are you going to help me down 369 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,160 the stairs? Perhaps that's what he's 370 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:40,160 thinking. I think Jesus is fanning the 371 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:45,280 embers. It says in Matthew 1720 if you 372 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:52,120 have faith as what mustard seed, nothing will be impossible. 373 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,720 And as we have some of these and I'll give them out tonight if 374 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:59,840 anyone wants 1, the little canister and that canner 375 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:03,120 canister that's filled with all mustard seeds. 376 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:07,800 Jesus says if you have faith as the size of one of these little 377 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:14,120 seeds, I'll move mountains, mountains. 378 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:22,920 You see, when Jesus comes to one needing a miracle, maybe you, he 379 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:26,560 recognises the sovereignty, the royalty of your will. 380 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:32,800 He is aware in many of us times we sit there and go no use. 381 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,080 That hope is lost. I've prayed, I've tried. 382 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:42,920 He renews hope by the very fact of his coming, of his stirring 383 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:45,320 in your life, the very words that you're hearing tonight. 384 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,360 He says, I want to fan that which is dead in your life. 385 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:50,200 I want you to think about that again. 386 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:55,760 He requires, however, submission to whatever he shall say. 387 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:02,320 If the work of God is seeking to give, he is seeking to give is 388 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:05,600 to be obtained. OK, what's that got to do with 389 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,000 me? What do I need? 390 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,960 Well, in your situation, if you're bound, if you're looking 391 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:18,440 for a touch from God, Jesus asks you as he did this man. 392 00:29:19,640 --> 00:29:22,160 Well, do you want to be made? Oh, do you want your miracle 393 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,720 answer? Do you want that very thing that 394 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,080 you desire? Pray for hopeful. 395 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,440 Do you want that to happen? Jesus asked that. 396 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,960 James says you have not Why? Because you don't ask for it. 397 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,880 Jesus asked this man a very legitimate question. 398 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,400 Why? Because as unusual as it may 399 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:45,200 seem, do you want to be made well? 400 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,240 Not everyone wants to be made well. 401 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:51,160 Did you know that there are people that come to church and 402 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:56,360 they bring their Ute load, their trail load of problems each week 403 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,440 They sit and they go well with me. 404 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,760 Well with me you pray for me. Well with me. 405 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,320 Thanks for that. Take them out, load them up and 406 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:11,840 they'll be back next week with the same load of stuff. 407 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,240 It's like the guy that went to the revival and he said, oh, 408 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:21,280 preacher, preacher, pray, pray for the web of, of sin and my 409 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,360 lie. Oh, H 90 came out. 410 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:27,720 Pray for the removal of the the web of sin in my life until the 411 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:29,600 finally the preacher said, shut up. 412 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,680 I'm going to pray for the spider to be killed. 413 00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:44,600 I tell you, I've seen this. We used to witness, Helen would 414 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:50,360 tell you Saturday nights in Perth, like we'd be out St 415 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:51,680 witnessing. We used to do a lot of it. 416 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:53,000 That was part of our Bible training. 417 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:57,240 It was a an interesting place, streets of Perth. 418 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:04,200 We came across this character and he, he was a strange man. 419 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:09,360 He had no shoes and he had jeans and shirt and he would walk 420 00:31:09,360 --> 00:31:13,000 around Perth and he would stop behind a, a rubbish bin, go 421 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,000 through it and then he'd look and he'd walk and rush to the 422 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,640 next bin, hide behind it and he'd go to the next bin and the 423 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:21,320 next bin. Anyway, he came to church 424 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,960 because we were, we were, we had a church in Perth at that time. 425 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,200 Helen and I was serving there. I was the worship leader there 426 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:34,240 and he came up the stairs. He came to the service because 427 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:36,160 we had an outreach put on a film. 428 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:43,160 I spotted him and someone did the worst thing ever. 429 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,640 They gave him 20 bucks. They said oh, it's the Holy 430 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,640 Spirit handshake. They called it anyway, wow this 431 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,080 is this is good. So next week he comes again. 432 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:59,680 What's he want 20 bucks? So me and another chap, we 433 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:03,960 spotted this guy and I said Nah. And we moved him over to a room 434 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:10,920 and I said to him, are you happy living the way you live? 435 00:32:12,920 --> 00:32:18,080 You like having just what you've got, Dirty shoes and no shoes, I 436 00:32:18,120 --> 00:32:21,640 think. And we said we'll, we'll, we'll 437 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:25,440 get a job for you. We'll find a place for you to 438 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,560 sleep. We'll get a place for you to 439 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,440 wash and clean. We'll provide the clothes for 440 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,400 you to have. Are you interested? 441 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:35,520 Would you like to? Would you like to change a lot? 442 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:38,440 And he took off, ran out of the building. 443 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:45,000 See, he didn't want that. He didn't want that. 444 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:48,200 And that's why Jesus asked the question. 445 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,680 And some of us, some of us, we sit in church and we go, Oh 446 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,320 yeah, do you really want to change? 447 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,880 Is that what you really want? What that miracle that you're 448 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:06,400 asking for? As long as we think we can work 449 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,720 it out on our own, as long as we think we'll figure it out, 450 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:12,840 figure it out someday, we will never get anywhere. 451 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:19,880 Because, and as it happens to many of us, God's getter get us 452 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,760 to our knees before we will surrender our will. 453 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:31,280 We have to be crushed, absolutely shattered, and then 454 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:38,880 we finally surrender and say, Lord help me now, I can do the 455 00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:42,800 miracle. But this man did want to be made 456 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,560 well. Do you think this man might have 457 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:48,360 said, you think I'm not? I like laying here amongst these 458 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,360 folk, that I enjoy the fact that I'm crippled. 459 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:55,480 But he didn't say that, did he? He said it's no use to ask me. 460 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:57,960 I cannot be made whole. I've tried, can't get in the 461 00:33:57,960 --> 00:33:59,280 water. No one helps me. 462 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:01,560 I want to be whole but I I never shall. 463 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:07,360 So it's time for a miracle. Maybe you tonight 2026 have 464 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:10,560 spoken or thought like this man, I want to live right. 465 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,480 God knows I want to live right. I want to live righteous, but I 466 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,639 cannot. Many a man or woman, young 467 00:34:19,639 --> 00:34:21,719 woman, young man is in that condition. 468 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:26,320 You want to be right before God, but you've lost all hope. 469 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:30,880 You've lost all heart. No one can help me. 470 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,520 Don't talk to me about being whole or holy. 471 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:38,600 I've tried, and every time I trial, I'll fail again, as I've 472 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:46,280 done in the past. And that is hidden to everybody 473 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:51,239 else that knows you, except from Christ, who knows your heart. 474 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:55,000 Jesus says to you where you are right now. 475 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:59,840 Do you want to be made well? He wants to help you. 476 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:06,360 Is it appointment time? Jesus walks past everybody and 477 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:08,720 he's come to you. He's speaking to you tonight 478 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:10,880 past everybody else, and He's speaking to you. 479 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:15,560 He wants to help you. Is God stirring not the waters 480 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:20,200 but your heart tonight to believe, to take you right where 481 00:35:20,200 --> 00:35:24,600 you are now in the quicksand of weakness, The fact that you are 482 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:28,880 willing to listen even at this moment to His voice, that God's 483 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,200 message is being delivered to you? 484 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:37,400 Do you want to be made whole? Secondly, then Jesus said to 485 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,840 him, now rise, take up your bed and walk. 486 00:35:41,320 --> 00:35:45,240 Wow. Jesus now passes from the realm 487 00:35:45,240 --> 00:35:48,360 of the mind and the will into the realm of action. 488 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:56,160 Jesus asked for the impossible. Jesus told this man to do what 489 00:35:56,160 --> 00:36:00,360 he had not been able to do for 38 years. 490 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:05,840 He says to this man three things all together. 491 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:13,520 Rise, take up your bed and walk. He doesn't say walk, take up 492 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:16,960 your bed and rise. But sometimes that is exactly 493 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:19,880 what we're trying to do, trying to walk before or up. 494 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:25,080 You can't do it. It's like in the book of 495 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:29,920 Ephesians, Paul teaches us to be seated in Christ before he tells 496 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:35,080 us how to walk in Christ, the word rise. 497 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:38,320 This is the first thing a man must do if he's going to be made 498 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:41,560 whole. Would you have protested again 499 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:45,920 if you had been in the crowd? That's impossible, you asking 500 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:50,040 him to do that. It's unreasonable and I protest 501 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:52,960 that you have asked him because that's what the enemy does. 502 00:36:52,960 --> 00:37:00,480 Each time you pray for a miracle, Jeremiah chapter 32 503 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:05,920 verse 17, it says our Lord God, behold, you have made the 504 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:10,520 heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched 505 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,800 arm. There is nothing too hard for 506 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:15,360 you. We used to sing a chorus. 507 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:17,440 Nothing is too difficult for you. 508 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:20,480 Nothing is too difficult for you or great and mighty God. 509 00:37:24,320 --> 00:37:26,520 When God tells you to live the Christian life, you go. 510 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,400 I've tried when God tells husbands to love their wives as 511 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:34,000 Christ loved the church. I've tried when God tells wives 512 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:35,920 to submit to their husbands is under the Lord. 513 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,400 I don't know about that. When God tells children to 514 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,120 submit to their parents and obey them, Oh no. 515 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,320 When God tells us to resist temptation. 516 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:49,520 When God tells us to go into the world and preach the gospel. 517 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:53,720 Here's the thing. It can all be done. 518 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:59,600 It all those things can be done otherwise. 519 00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:01,120 And here's what you need to hear. 520 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:05,000 He would not have commanded us to do so. 521 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:10,760 He will not ask you to do something that he will not 522 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:14,800 enable you to do. You say that's impossible. 523 00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,800 Yes, that's where he comes into it. 524 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:26,280 But the man is up. He stands while we're arguing 525 00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:27,680 with Jesus. Man, that's a bit rough. 526 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:31,920 He's saying he's standing up. He's just, he's he's gone with 527 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,280 it. Was I wrong to say impossible? 528 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:38,400 Certainly not. Was I wrong to say it was 529 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:39,680 unreasonable? No. 530 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:45,320 But he is up and he has done the impossible, the unreasonable. 531 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:49,080 This is the miracle of Christianity. 532 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:54,680 This is the revelation of Jesus perpetual method with a man. 533 00:38:54,720 --> 00:38:58,640 He is going to heal. I want to ask you tonight, are 534 00:38:58,640 --> 00:39:02,360 you under the grip of some evil passion or some evil habit? 535 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,000 You don't want anyone to know about it. 536 00:39:06,440 --> 00:39:08,760 There was a rich young rule that came to Jesus in Luke chapter 537 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:10,840 18. He said, Jesus, I've done all 538 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:12,760 this, this and this. And, you know, I live by the 539 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,120 commandments and yeah, man, I just want to follow you. 540 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:18,520 And Jesus said one thing you lack, just one, one thing you 541 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:22,320 lack. Don't sell all that you have. 542 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:32,360 And then you can follow me. Oh, and he walked away. 543 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:38,040 What was it that he lacked? The man was an idolater. 544 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:45,280 He worshipped the love of money and material things more than he 545 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:47,000 loved God. Otherwise he would say not a 546 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:49,160 problem. And Jesus said you can keep it, 547 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:55,800 keep it. Jesus said to the young man, 548 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,880 follow me. What hindered the young man 549 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:02,880 between his life of self control and his life being controlled by 550 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:07,040 another? What lay between his wealth? 551 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:12,400 Jesus said get rid of that, sell it off, give it away. 552 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:16,280 Jesus brought him face to face with the impossibility. 553 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:20,120 At that moment, he's like the man on the ground. 554 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:24,200 I can't do that. Jesus says, yes, you can. 555 00:40:24,920 --> 00:40:27,840 I'm, I'm, I'm allowing you right this moment. 556 00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:32,560 I can't do that. If he'd been the man, he would 557 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,600 just, I can't get up. I just would have stayed lying. 558 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:39,080 In Luke chapter 6, there's a man in the synagogue. 559 00:40:40,160 --> 00:40:42,840 It's the Sabbath. He's got a withered hand. 560 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:47,800 Jesus calls him out to the front, tells him that withered 561 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:52,280 hand, Stretch it out, stretch it out and hold it out. 562 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:59,640 It's funny, you know the story. Jesus always brings us face to 563 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:03,160 face with the impossible thing. Why does he do that? 564 00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:05,000 Because that's where miracles begin. 565 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,880 That's where faith begins. Otherwise you do it yourself. 566 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:16,320 Always this, always this. God asks you to do the 567 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:20,520 impossible thing. Then Jesus addressed this man's 568 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:22,880 will. First he says, will you? 569 00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:27,640 Then Jesus said arise, that means that Jesus will is for 570 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:30,200 this man, then he should be made whole. 571 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:33,080 That's God's will to God's will was there. 572 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:38,680 The man had a choice enable God to do his will and miraculously 573 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:40,520 his life or just stay laying there. 574 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:46,560 Thirdly, Jesus expected and here's something important and 575 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:50,640 ongoing change. This is not a one off 576 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:54,000 experience. Whoa, a miracle here, everybody, 577 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,920 this guy is up. Wow, fantastic. 578 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:57,400 Who did that? That's Jesus guy. 579 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:03,080 Wow, that's incredible. So Jesus meets up with this man 580 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:05,880 later in the temple. Do you think that was like, oh, 581 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:11,080 bump in oh, are you the no Jesus spots him. 582 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:16,560 He goes the temple. Hey, Remember Me? 583 00:42:16,560 --> 00:42:21,080 Jesus finds him and thankfully he's in the right place. 584 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:32,160 It says in John 5 verse 14. Afterward Jesus found him in the 585 00:42:32,160 --> 00:42:35,680 temple and said to him, what? Oh, great to see him, mate. 586 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:36,520 Good on you. Great. 587 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:37,520 Good on you. Oh you Walker. 588 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:43,320 Oh, awesome, good job. No, he added. 589 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:51,120 See you have been made well then he says this like he said to the 590 00:42:51,120 --> 00:42:53,120 woman caught in the act of adultery. 591 00:42:53,440 --> 00:43:00,920 Forgiven sin no more. Why lest I worst thing come upon 592 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:05,000 you, which tells us in many Bible commentators saying that 593 00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:09,280 it was the sin in this man's life that had led to this 38 594 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:17,880 years of infirmity. Jesus said don't go back, this 595 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:21,120 is more than just you being healed, this is a change of who 596 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:24,600 you are. Jesus previously had told the 597 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:28,040 man to take up his bed and walk, get on your feet and walk. 598 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:33,640 And some people say well I tried Christianity, it didn't work for 599 00:43:33,640 --> 00:43:36,160 me. Listen, Christianity is Jesus 600 00:43:36,160 --> 00:43:40,240 Christ and he will work in the life of any man, woman, boy or 601 00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:44,600 girl who honestly receives him as their Lord and Saviour. 602 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:50,120 Because if you didn't, if you tried it and it didn't work for 603 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:52,160 you, there's a couple of things that Jesus would say to you, 604 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,120 like he said to the man and the that he found on the temple. 605 00:43:55,640 --> 00:43:58,520 Did you read the Bible daily after you made your commitment 606 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:02,480 to Christ? Did you faithfully and regularly 607 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:06,840 attend church after that? Did you begin a life of prayer, 608 00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:09,080 seeking God, speaking with God every day? 609 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:13,200 You see, you never tried anything, You just had a 610 00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:17,440 religious experience. Helen and I have people contact 611 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,640 us at different times about certain things and say, well, 612 00:44:20,720 --> 00:44:23,320 you know, I go to Calgary and we, we haven't seen them for 613 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:27,000 ages. We haven't seen them slotting 614 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:30,720 into serving at prayer, ministering to others. 615 00:44:30,920 --> 00:44:34,600 As Christians, we need to be in regular, consistent fellowship 616 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:40,240 in a Bible teaching church and you know, the people that serve 617 00:44:40,280 --> 00:44:44,200 and and and and and give their life to Christ in fellowship. 618 00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:50,440 They never ask for counselling over the years. 619 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:54,320 It's a busy serving of the Lord. They're too busy in the presence 620 00:44:54,320 --> 00:44:56,840 of the Lord. They don't need any help. 621 00:44:59,160 --> 00:45:03,680 But those who here they're they're the ones that want much 622 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,720 time. Many times. 623 00:45:05,720 --> 00:45:06,760 Let's meet. Oh, I got to meet. 624 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:08,800 It's urgent. Something's come up, haven't I? 625 00:45:08,840 --> 00:45:09,960 Oh, yeah. But we need to meet. 626 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:17,560 Can we meet with you? The man who thought he'd been 627 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,760 forgotten by God changed to the man who knew he was forgiven. 628 00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:25,920 From the forgotten man to the forgiven man. 629 00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:29,160 You see, forgiveness is only found at the cross. 630 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:35,480 It never loses its power or wonder. 1 John 19 says if we 631 00:45:35,480 --> 00:45:39,520 confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins 632 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:42,120 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 633 00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:47,200 By the way, that's written to Christians tonight. 634 00:45:47,920 --> 00:45:53,680 Tonight, grace, God's grace calls your name. 635 00:45:56,240 --> 00:46:02,240 God's grace tells you to believe, to rise, and to do that 636 00:46:02,240 --> 00:46:05,720 which appears to be impossible for you to do. 637 00:46:06,160 --> 00:46:13,800 I can't listen to God's grace. God wants you to be a forgiven 638 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:17,760 man or woman tonight. But for that to happen, we need 639 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:23,760 to heed the call and we need to cry out to God and say, Lord, I 640 00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:26,560 can't do it on my own just like this man did. 641 00:46:27,240 --> 00:46:31,520 But I'm calling out to you, God, and I'm asking you to help me. 642 00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:36,400 Yes, I'm asking God forgive me. You know what God will do. 643 00:46:36,840 --> 00:46:43,680 He will, Matthew 1625 For whosoever will save his life 644 00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:46,440 shall lose it. Whosoever will lose his life for 645 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:50,720 my sake shall find it. Jesus said Matthew 1128. 646 00:46:50,720 --> 00:46:55,600 Come to me, all you that labour with what? 647 00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:59,920 I can't do it, it's too hard. I've tried and I heavy laden. 648 00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:08,560 I'll give you what rest, rest. If you call out the Jesus 649 00:47:08,560 --> 00:47:10,480 Christ, then He will forgive you. 650 00:47:11,400 --> 00:47:14,720 If you're willing to turn from your sins, make a clean break 651 00:47:14,720 --> 00:47:18,000 with the past, and begin to follow Him, then you will see 652 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:21,560 things happen in your life that you never thought were possible. 653 00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:26,760 Miracles, a marriage falling apart, restored. 654 00:47:27,480 --> 00:47:31,920 An addiction that seems too powerful to break can be broken. 655 00:47:33,720 --> 00:47:37,880 God can break it. A behaviour pattern can be 656 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,520 changed permanently by the power of God. 657 00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:46,480 But you have to want it. Do you want to be made well 658 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:53,440 tonight? Forgiveness for all of us does 659 00:47:53,440 --> 00:47:56,720 exist. It can be found for you. 660 00:47:57,360 --> 00:48:02,400 And here's the deal. No matter what you have done, no 661 00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:08,240 matter what you've done, question is as Jesus stood over 662 00:48:08,240 --> 00:48:12,560 the man, Jesus says to you tonight, will you be made whole 663 00:48:12,560 --> 00:48:19,320 tonight God says it's possible. Right now we are seated. 664 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:23,920 Make yourself available to God and we'll pray for you. 665 00:48:25,320 --> 00:48:30,840 God has not forgotten you. And Isaiah 4915, the Lord says, 666 00:48:30,840 --> 00:48:34,680 can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have 667 00:48:34,680 --> 00:48:38,280 compassion on the son of a womb. Yeah, they may forget. 668 00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:42,080 And here's the word the Lord says, Yet will I not forget you? 669 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:45,520 Behold, I have graven thee. Where? 670 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:51,280 On the palms of my hand. How did he graven you? 671 00:48:51,640 --> 00:48:54,920 On the palm of his hand drove a great nail through it. 672 00:48:57,320 --> 00:49:00,800 It's the same hand in John chapter 10 with the with the 673 00:49:00,800 --> 00:49:03,760 great hole and it says I will protect you. 674 00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:08,160 No one will take you out of my my my clutches. 675 00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:14,640 God's forgiveness can be received by you right now. 676 00:49:16,480 --> 00:49:21,600 A man who thought he had no one had the very Son of God walk up 677 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:29,200 to him and tonight for you, God has spoken directly by the power 678 00:49:29,200 --> 00:49:31,680 of your the Holy Spirit to your heart. 679 00:49:32,040 --> 00:49:39,480 All right, Genesis chapter 8, the world had been flooded. 680 00:49:41,280 --> 00:49:45,240 The waters had prevailed over the earth for now 150 days. 681 00:49:46,640 --> 00:49:52,240 And then this beautiful verse in Genesis 81 says, and God 682 00:49:52,240 --> 00:49:57,880 remembered Noah tonight. I'm going to pray for you. 683 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:05,200 Let's pray, Father in the in the seats here tonight. 684 00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:12,840 We too at times we're like a scattered multitude at the pool 685 00:50:12,840 --> 00:50:17,080 of Bethesda. We try, we fail. 686 00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:22,280 We've injured ourselves through poor living. 687 00:50:24,640 --> 00:50:33,120 We have no one. Or tonight, Will you visit each 688 00:50:33,120 --> 00:50:41,600 person here tonight who wills to be made whole, who desires to be 689 00:50:41,600 --> 00:50:45,440 forgiven? Will you walk up to them right 690 00:50:45,440 --> 00:50:49,040 now? Will you speak to their heart 691 00:50:49,040 --> 00:50:53,800 powerfully tonight Lord, and tell them you've come for them 692 00:50:54,640 --> 00:51:00,760 to save them, to forgive them, to heal them and to do the 693 00:51:00,760 --> 00:51:06,520 miraculous in their life. Hear our prayer, answer our 694 00:51:06,520 --> 00:51:10,320 prayer tonight. This we pray in Jesus name and 695 00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:15,800 everyone said Amen, Amen. So if you'd like to be reminded, 696 00:51:15,800 --> 00:51:19,960 if God has spoken to you and something has really happened in 697 00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:25,480 your heart tonight, I'd like to give you one of these little 698 00:51:25,600 --> 00:51:31,960 canisters here that have the mustard seeds in and you can 699 00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:35,720 look at that and go, man, that's the faith. 700 00:51:35,800 --> 00:51:39,000 That's all. Yes, because God does the rest. 701 00:51:40,520 --> 00:51:41,560 God will do the rest.