1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,960 Welcome to the Liberty Baptist Sermon Archives. 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,040 The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist 3 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:13,040 Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us 4 00:00:13,040 --> 00:00:17,120 or contact us at mylibertybaptist.org or just 5 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:19,760 look us up on Facebook. And now we hope that this 6 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,040 message from God's Word will be a blessing to you. 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,320 John chapter 5 tonight. It was a close one this morning, 8 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,840 Pastor said. John chapter 1 And we were just 9 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,640 a few chapters shy of being in this almost the same place 10 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,280 tonight, but that would have been OK anyway. 11 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,960 And so we'll find our place in the 5th chapter of the Gospel 12 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,560 according to John. It's been a good day in the 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,000 Lord's house. It's good to have some visitors 14 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,160 here tonight with the Liberty Baptist Church. 15 00:00:46,160 --> 00:00:49,240 And so you are honored guests as of course. 16 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:54,400 And so here we are back in the Word of God, John chapter 5. 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:01,960 Well, the theme of the gospel according to John is that Jesus 18 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:06,840 is God and he is to be believed on for salvation. 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,680 Jesus is God and he is to be believed on for salvation. 20 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:16,440 Also in this gospel, Jesus proves his deity through the 21 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,000 power of his Word and through his miracles. 22 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,920 So through the power of His word and through the affirmation of 23 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,800 His miracles, it all goes and comes together to prove that He 24 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,760 in fact is God. And also, of course, as we would 25 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,320 find not just throughout Scripture and throughout the 26 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:39,120 immediate Gospels here, but we would also find a very strong 27 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:44,640 theme in John that salvation is offered to all people. 28 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,600 It's offered to the Jews, it's offered to the Gentiles, it's 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,000 offered to the Greeks, the Pharisees, the rich, the young, 30 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,600 the old, the poor, the gospel Jesus Christ is for all people. 31 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,160 So in this message tonight from our verses, we will see how 32 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:10,400 Christ pursued the soul of a man whose body he had used to affirm 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,120 his deity. Not only do we see that he's 34 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,520 going to heal a man physically, but that Christ will follow up 35 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:21,280 with that man in pursuit of his soul. 36 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:28,080 And so I, perhaps some of you watched the Red Sox today, and I 37 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,600 heard that they won five to three. 38 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:33,920 And I knew that, right, they were 5 to 3. 39 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,280 And so let's go ahead for another moment and think about 40 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,720 the game of baseball. And I want you to visualize the 41 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,280 pitcher preparing to pitch the ball. 42 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,240 He and the catcher are working together, and the catcher throws 43 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,960 him a couple of sign suggestions, and they find one 44 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:56,160 that they agree upon. And so the pitcher, he steadies 45 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,120 himself, he locks in on his target. 46 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,280 He takes a breath. He begins his wind up. 47 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:08,560 Then he brings his right arm through and he pitches the ball 48 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:13,680 into the third baseline dugout. What happened there? 49 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,280 Well, the pitcher released the ball much too early and he 50 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:23,400 missed the goal entirely. Pulled a Fauci, we'd say. 51 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:25,800 Some of you will catch that later. 52 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:31,080 No pun intended. We'd say that he didn't follow 53 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,280 through, correct? The pitcher did not follow 54 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,960 through with the routine, with the process, with the pitch, and 55 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:44,240 so therefore the ball totally missed the plate and missed the 56 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:48,760 catcher's miss Mitt. You know, we missed the goal. 57 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:53,400 As ambassadors for Christ in the world, when we don't follow up 58 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,240 and we don't follow through with the souls of people God has 59 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,840 providentially placed in our path to reach for Christ. 60 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,400 So often we don't follow up. We don't follow through with the 61 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,080 souls that God has placed right in our path. 62 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,880 And so I want to preach a message tonight from John 63 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,880 chapter 5, verses one through 16 called follow up and follow 64 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,080 through. Follow up and follow through. 65 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:28,920 So if you're physically able to stand, let's stand for the 66 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:34,040 reading of the Word of God and our text tonight is verses one 67 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,560 through 16. Follow up and follow through. 68 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:43,800 The Bible says that after this there was a feast of the Jews, 69 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:49,760 and Jesus went up to now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep 70 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:54,680 market, a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda 71 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,280 had five porches. In these lay a great multitude 72 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:06,000 of impotent folk of blind halt, weird waiting for the moving of 73 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,000 the water. For an Angel went down at a 74 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,080 certain season into the pool and troubled the water. 75 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,600 Whosoever then first, then first after the troubling of the water 76 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:22,400 stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had, 77 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:27,320 whatsoever physical disease that He had, if I may clarify. 78 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:34,120 And a certain man was there which had an infirmity 38 years, 79 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,920 when Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long 80 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,200 time. In that case, or in that 81 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:46,800 situation, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 82 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:52,000 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I, I have no man, when the 83 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,480 water is troubled to to put me into the pool. 84 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,760 But while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 85 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,640 Jesus saith unto him with his words. 86 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:07,840 He saith, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. 87 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,800 The man didn't need to go into the pool. 88 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:17,680 I just took the word of Jesus to heal him, and immediately, verse 89 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:22,320 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, 90 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,320 and walked, and on the same day catch this church. 91 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,480 On the same day was the Sabbath, was the Sabbath. 92 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,640 The Jews therefore said unto him, That was cured, It is the 93 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,200 Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to 94 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,720 carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made 95 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,080 me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk. 96 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,200 So it wasn't me who told me to do this. 97 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,720 It it was it was somebody else who told me to do this. 98 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,000 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, take 99 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,480 up thy bed and walk? Who is he? 100 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,880 What kind of authority does this man have? 101 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:02,560 Name him. And he that was healed with not 102 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,320 who it was, he didn't know who it was for Jesus had conveyed 103 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,680 himself away. A multitude being in that place. 104 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,360 And verse 14 is our key verse tonight. 105 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:20,600 Verse 14. Afterward Jesus findeth him in 106 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:28,120 the temple and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole sin 107 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:32,360 no more, lest the worst thing come unto thee. 108 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,760 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had 109 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,160 made him whole. And therefore did the Jews 110 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,960 persecute Jesus. This was the beginning of public 111 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:44,560 healings and miracles and persecution as well. 112 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,040 And sought to slay him because he had done these things on the 113 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:51,640 Sabbath day. On the Sabbath day you could be 114 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,360 seated. Thank you so much for standing 115 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:56,840 again the title, Follow up and follow through. 116 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,440 Let's pray. God, thank you for those who 117 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,720 have gathered in this place tonight, church members and 118 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,760 visitors alike. We thank you for the songs we 119 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,360 could sing to your glory and the fellowship we can have. 120 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,440 Lord, I pray now you'd bless this time around Your word. 121 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,880 God, I pray that your people would open their hearts now to 122 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,760 how it will be that you want to speak to them for it's in the 123 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:22,720 name of Christ. I do pray this. 124 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:30,240 Amen. We would see in verses one 125 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,520 through 9 that Christ had an agenda. 126 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,919 He was on a mission, as He always was. 127 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,320 In fact, He came here to earth on a mission with an agenda, 128 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:45,680 with a purpose in mind. So first of all, tonight Christ 129 00:08:45,680 --> 00:08:51,240 had an agenda to come heal a man who was obviously diseased. 130 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,920 This man and people around him knew this man has a problem, 131 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,520 this man has a disease. This man is impotent. 132 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:05,560 So Christ entered into Jerusalem at the sheep gate during a feast 133 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:10,360 time and on the Sabbath. He didn't come with the 134 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:14,080 intention to observe the feast necessarily, not that we know 135 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,360 of. Nor did He come necessarily to 136 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,040 honor the Sabbath if it meant that He had to do the will of 137 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,360 the Father. And as we know, the Sabbath was 138 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,920 the traditional time of rest. There was to be no excuse for 139 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:34,560 anyone to do anything burdensome, not even carrying a 140 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:39,640 bundle of sticks, not even carrying maybe even their 141 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,320 sleeping bag. Christ entered into Jerusalem, 142 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:47,800 the Bible tells us, through the entrance of the sheep gate, the 143 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:52,160 entrance wherein shepherds would bring their sheep to be examined 144 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,560 and presented for the atoning sacrifice. 145 00:09:56,040 --> 00:10:00,440 But additionally, the the Sheep gate was within close proximity 146 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:04,080 to the Lord's intended destination, and that being the 147 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,600 Pool of Bethesda. The pool of Bethesda was within 148 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,000 walking distance from the Sheep gate. 149 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,040 The Hebrew word Bethesda literally, literally means an 150 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:19,560 outpouring of God's mercy, an outpouring of God's mercy. 151 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:21,800 And apparently there was a pool of it. 152 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:27,160 There's a pool of God's mercy. The pool was where the Lord God 153 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,680 had ordered an Angel to stir up the waters. 154 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,480 And whoever was able to get into the pool, the Bible tells us 155 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:40,440 here, immediately was healed of any physical disease by the 156 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:45,120 mercy of God. This is not to be confused with 157 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,160 the salvation of souls. No one was necessarily born 158 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:52,400 again because they got into the pool of Bethesda. 159 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,360 That would be God's grace. But the pool was a place where 160 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:00,840 God showed mercy on people's physical ailments. 161 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:06,440 And it was at this pool where Christ came seeking a man 162 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,920 looking for a man who had been diseased with an infirmity for 163 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,400 38 years. Might have some 38 year olds 164 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,520 here tonight, but he wasn't necessarily 38 years old. 165 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:22,960 But his disease was, and he could never make it into the 166 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,880 pool in time for healing. So therefore, Christ found him 167 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:32,640 laying by the pool, waiting, and likely likely at his weakest and 168 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,160 most discouraged moment in his entire life. 169 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,080 He's at the pool of Bethesda. He knows that if he could just 170 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,200 get into that water, as he has seen happen for everyone who 171 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,960 steps out of that pool, especially if they were first, 172 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,480 they would be completely cleansed of their physical 173 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,120 disease. And he's discouraged. 174 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,960 He cannot get in for the life of him. 175 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,320 So when Christ approached this man, he did not know. 176 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,000 This man did not know who Jesus was. 177 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,360 He wasn't even looking for Jesus. 178 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:10,480 This man did not know it was the Messiah speaking face to face 179 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,120 with him. Therefore, when, when, when 180 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,960 asked by Christ if he desired to be made whole, it didn't even 181 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:21,360 occur to this man that this man who maybe had a few other of his 182 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,160 disciples with him, that he could heal him. 183 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,360 And so when Jesus asked him in verse 6, wilt thou be made 184 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,920 whole? In verse 7, the man does not 185 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:35,000 say, Lord, if thou wilt, he doesn't say if you are willing. 186 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,240 Yes, I believe he doesn't say any of that. 187 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,720 Perhaps he thinks that Jesus is maybe offering to carry him to 188 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,360 the pool when the Angel stirred up the water. 189 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:51,840 And so one of the primary themes of the gospel according to John 190 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:56,560 is Christ affirming his deity through the power of him simply 191 00:12:56,560 --> 00:13:00,840 speaking his word, Not needing a pool, not necessarily even 192 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,080 needing the mud that at times he had taken up from the earth and 193 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,840 spat upon it and put upon people's eyes, but all it took 194 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:09,920 was his word. There were other times in the 195 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,600 gospel where Jesus would be looking at somebody asking him 196 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:17,640 to heal maybe their daughter, and he didn't even have to go be 197 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,800 that person's daughter. He healed them at the power of 198 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,920 His will. But the Bible says, as we heard 199 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,400 this morning in John, the very first book, very first chapter 200 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,720 of John, the book in which we're in tonight, in verse one in the 201 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:36,680 beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word 202 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:39,680 was God. Jesus throughout this book of 203 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:43,720 the Bible is affirming His authority just by people placing 204 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,080 faith in His Word and by Him speaking His Word. 205 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:53,000 So the next thing the diseased man knows is that Christ tells 206 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:59,120 him to in verse 8. He tells him, rise up, take up 207 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:06,120 thy bed and walk. The man is entirely healed of 208 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,440 his disease. I mean from, from from the top 209 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:11,320 of his head to the bottom of his feet. 210 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,680 He's entirely healed of his disease. 211 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:18,080 For the first time in 38 years, the man is experiencing life 212 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,520 without his debilitating, miserable disease. 213 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:27,920 For the first time in 38 years, he stands up and picks up his 214 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:33,280 bed, carries it, and walks away as free as a bird. 215 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:39,480 The man walks away from Jesus, and Jesus, likewise, he also 216 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:45,720 walks away himself. The man is no longer physically 217 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:49,280 burdened. He's no longer physically 218 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:53,560 burdened by the disease, and he has a happiness he hasn't 219 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:55,720 experienced probably since he was a toddler. 220 00:14:56,720 --> 00:15:00,520 He's free. He can go where he wants, He can 221 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,520 do what he wants. He can make decisions. 222 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,400 It's just like someone getting a driver's license for the first 223 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:07,880 time. They're free. 224 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,640 They can do whatever they would like to do. 225 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:19,160 He was healed, but hold on, it was the Sabbath. 226 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,280 Didn't Christ know this man wasn't supposed to be carrying 227 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:36,080 his bed, considered a burden by the culture's religious elite? 228 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:41,480 Didn't the Word of God know better than to not only let this 229 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:46,680 man carry his bed, but he told the man to hunch over, pick up 230 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,000 his bed, carry it, and walk? It was the Sabbath. 231 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,560 He wasn't supposed to be doing anything burdensome. 232 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:59,600 So I want us to see secondly tonight that the culture of the 233 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:04,040 day could not stop Christ from being glorified as God. 234 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:07,840 The culture could not stop Christ from doing the will of 235 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,680 the Father and that was to be glorified as God. 236 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:17,120 What is to notice again, verses 10 through 13, Bible says, so 237 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,720 this man picks up his bed and he walks away on the Sabbath 238 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:22,960 carrying this bed. The Jews, verse 10, the Jews 239 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:25,000 therefore said unto him, that was cured. 240 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,880 It is the Sabbath day. It's not lawful for thee to 241 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,560 carry thy bed. He answered them, he that made 242 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,040 me hold the same said unto me, the he this some other man told 243 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:38,640 me, take up thy bed and walk. Then asked a him, What man is 244 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:40,960 that which said unto thee, take up thy bed and walk? 245 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:45,800 In verse 13, he, he pretty much says, well, honestly, I, I don't 246 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,680 know, I don't remember what he looked like. 247 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:53,120 I, I was on the ground and, and, and he, and he was speaking to 248 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,800 me. And by the time I got up, he, he 249 00:16:55,800 --> 00:17:00,520 walked away. So the culture of the day could 250 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,320 not stop Christ from being glorified as God. 251 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:08,520 But yes, it's true, Christ defied cultural norms not to 252 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,839 cause a stir. I wanted to catch that tonight. 253 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,760 His intent was not necessarily to cause a stir among the 254 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,319 religious elite and cause a distraction, but primarily to do 255 00:17:19,319 --> 00:17:24,480 2 other things in particular. Number one, first of all, Christ 256 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,800 was endeavoring to expose the hearts of the Pharisees. 257 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,640 As we learned this morning, He was shedding light on the true 258 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,840 nature of the hearts of the Pharisees. 259 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,800 The Pharisees were more concerned that the man carried 260 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,080 his bed then they were glad he no longer carried the burden of 261 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,880 a debilitating disease. They were more bothered that the 262 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,800 man carried his sleeping bag. Then they were glad that this 263 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,520 man everybody knew for 38 years had a disease. 264 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,640 And here he is walking. They don't even show an inkling 265 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:01,600 of rejoicing with Him, of being happy for Him or or celebrating 266 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,040 with him. No, they were more concerned 267 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:08,040 about the law than they were concerning themselves with 268 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,160 loving and being happy for people. 269 00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:16,720 And so first of all, Christ is in is exposing the hearts of the 270 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:21,360 Pharisees, but secondly, He is affirming His deity and thus His 271 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:26,840 authority as God, that by His spoken word He could heal 272 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:31,880 people's diseases. You see, God was at, is was and 273 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:36,920 is at work in the world with the agenda of reproving the world of 274 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,600 sin, of exposing the sin of people by his word and with His 275 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,520 Spirit. And the very reason why the Word 276 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,720 of God is doing that and why the Holy Spirit is working in the 277 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:51,200 world to do that is not just to leave the people in conviction 278 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,240 and leave people in guilt, but so the light can be shed up upon 279 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,360 them and they can realize that they are in fact sinners and 280 00:18:58,360 --> 00:19:03,080 that they have need of a Savior. And so Christ was endeavoring, 281 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:07,560 he was rebuking the Pharisees, but he was also evangelizing the 282 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:14,560 Pharisees. The work of the Word exposes the 283 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:20,320 true nature of the heart of man. And that's why we we read it. 284 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,960 That's why we teach it. That's why we preach it, not at 285 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:31,920 times to make you feel bad, but so you can address problems and 286 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,520 follow the Lord Jesus Christ, right. 287 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:39,160 And so God is proving time and again that he alone has the 288 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,440 power to do wonders in people's lives. 289 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,720 But in addition, church to to Christ, exposing the heart of 290 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:51,240 the Pharisees. And secondly, in addition to 291 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,480 this, He was affirming His deity. 292 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:59,880 In addition to all of this, to exposing their hearts, Christ 293 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:05,800 showed on this day that there is no law against love. 294 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:11,840 There is no law against love. It was His Word that taught them 295 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,800 to observe the Sabbath day. We understand that. 296 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,760 But He demonstrated once again on this day that the law of His 297 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:24,520 love Trump's all the law. Listen to Galatians chapter 5 298 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:29,440 and 22 and 23. But the fruit of the Spirit is 299 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:34,640 Lovejoy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 300 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,800 meekness, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. 301 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:45,360 And then in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 2 says, Bear ye one 302 00:20:45,360 --> 00:20:50,480 another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 303 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:52,560 And that's exactly what Christ did. 304 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:57,000 He bore this, this man's burden. Yeah, relieved him of his 305 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:00,400 physical burden. And this is that which the 306 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,840 Pharisees were upset with, was that this man was loved. 307 00:21:05,320 --> 00:21:09,480 But it is never wrong to love. It's never wrong to love 308 00:21:09,520 --> 00:21:13,640 biblically. In fact, Christ the Word was the 309 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,920 spiritual rest that all the Pharisees needed. 310 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,600 Christ, the Word of God gave the Sabbath day, but it was to 311 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:24,240 reveal that He truly was. The rest that He needed in 312 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:29,000 Christ demonstrated His love toward the man at the pool of 313 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,920 Bethesda and granted to him some more physical rest. 314 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:36,960 In fact, a perfect love for God wouldn't need the law. 315 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,920 Let me say that again. A perfect, sinless love wouldn't 316 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,280 need the law. If Adam perfectly loved God in 317 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:48,240 the Garden of Eden and therefore obeyed God, there would not have 318 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:53,440 to be a law, because man is in love with God and therefore in 319 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:58,160 love with people. OK, so the Pharisees never 320 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,360 appreciated. They never appreciated what 321 00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:04,680 Christ did for others, but especially if they disrupted or 322 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,880 contradicted their cultural norms. 323 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,080 In fact, once the man who was healed was finally able to 324 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:20,280 identify after verse 14, that it was Jesus who healed him, the 325 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:24,880 Pharisees demonstrated a measure of persecution toward Jesus and 326 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,480 really, for the first time, Jesus of Nazareth. 327 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:34,080 The Christ began to face serious opposition from those without. 328 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,160 They didn't rejoice with the healed man. 329 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:42,040 They didn't respond with worship and appreciation to Jesus. 330 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:46,680 They were angry that the man carried his bed. 331 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,080 So I think we understand this, the mood of the Pharisees, and 332 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,360 we understand what Christ did for this diseased man. 333 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,400 He did a wonderful thing for that man that day, 38 years 334 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:09,080 impotent, laying at the pool of Bethesda, not knowing if he was 335 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:13,360 going to survive, not knowing if he'd ever be free, if he'd ever 336 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:16,800 get into that pool. And Jesus did a wonderful thing 337 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:28,320 in his life. But what about this now healed 338 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:36,960 man's relationship with Christ? Did Christ pursue this man any 339 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:42,280 further than just healing him? Did Christ only want to heal him 340 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:47,120 to show the Pharisees the true nature of their heart while 341 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:50,120 showing them the true nature of His deity? 342 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,040 Was Christ only? Was Christ only interested in 343 00:23:55,040 --> 00:24:02,800 giving him mere physical relief, or was Christ interested in much 344 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,960 more than that for this man? Could Christ go beyond physical 345 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,240 healing? Could Christ reach below the 346 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:14,520 surface and touch this man in a way other than the physical way 347 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,280 of of healing his body? Was Christ interested in much 348 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:23,360 more than that for this man? Did Christ follow up and follow 349 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:26,320 through with the man who was now healed? 350 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:31,360 Did Christ track this man down? Did did Christ go and find this 351 00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:34,880 man and find where he was and follow up with him and and go 352 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,280 with him from the position that he started in and try to take 353 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:45,680 him further as a person? I want us to think this tonight. 354 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:55,640 What can be said of an unsaved person who experiences mercy 355 00:24:55,640 --> 00:25:00,080 from God in the midst of their difficult life? 356 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:05,360 What can be said of an unsaved person who experiences a mercy 357 00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:10,720 from God upon their physical life, who experiences a mercy 358 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:15,600 from God, maybe upon their emotions or their situation? 359 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:20,120 The Bible says that God lets it rain on the just and the unjust. 360 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:24,240 He gave the pool of Bethesda where perhaps unbelieving, 361 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,040 unconverted people could just get in there and experience 362 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,360 healing. What can be said of those 363 00:25:30,360 --> 00:25:33,280 people? What can be said of this man who 364 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,000 was, as far as we know, very clearly, it's made known to us 365 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,440 He was healed physically. What can be said of an unsaved 366 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,480 person who experiences this mercy from God? 367 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,680 It isn't made clear in verse 14 that which we'll read in a 368 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:53,800 moment, that this man was ever born again, but it was made 369 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:56,120 clear that he was physically healed. 370 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:00,880 But unsaved people experience a mercy from God. 371 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,360 They recover from a near death experience. 372 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:05,840 They're in the hospital, they're on their backside. 373 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,040 There's a surgery that helps them, there's a medicine that 374 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,760 helps and they they pull through, they come through and 375 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:15,840 they walk out of the hospital. Maybe they're unsaved and they 376 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:19,280 lose a child, maybe a miscarriage of something of that 377 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:23,520 nature and are are greatly comforted by friends and family 378 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,160 and some of which might be Christians themselves, their 379 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,800 friends or their family. They're comforted. 380 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,880 They are invited and visit a Bible believing church and are 381 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:39,840 drawn back to take in such a positive environment to 382 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,560 experience temporary relief from their difficult life. 383 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,440 What can be said of these people? 384 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,520 Is God satisfied with their physical recovery? 385 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,400 Is God satisfied with their their comfort? 386 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:57,880 Is God satisfied that they found the environment of a church to 387 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:02,680 give them brief encouragement? Or is God using all of that for 388 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,920 a greater and deeper and spiritual end result? 389 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,160 Is God trying to humble them and draw them to themselves and 390 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,560 helping them to connect the dots that the God of the universe is 391 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,000 the one who gives life and takes away life? 392 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:19,600 He's the God who can humble and exalt. 393 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,720 He's the God who provides friends and lets it rain on 394 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,240 their farms when they have no faith in Him. 395 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,720 What is God endeavoring to do? Is He simply trying to make 396 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,880 their temporary life a little bit more enjoyable? 397 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:38,960 Is God trying to do a deeper work in someone's life? 398 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:44,600 Well, I believe that as we look at verse 14, we could say that 399 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:51,800 Christ absolutely is after more than just physical miracles and 400 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,640 and temporary physical blessings, although He gives 401 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:58,400 those, He's in pursuit of something deeper. 402 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:04,320 So notice verse 14. The Scripture says that 403 00:28:04,360 --> 00:28:11,960 afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, where he was likely 404 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,000 giving thanks, as was the tradition when something like 405 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,880 this happened. And said unto him, Catch this, 406 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:32,400 Behold, thou art made whole sin no more, lest a worst thing come 407 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,560 unto thee. The word of God healed the 408 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:44,720 diseased man indeed, But why? So that he might choose a life 409 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:49,200 of fulfillment in following Christ. 410 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,160 He healed him, He healed him, he relieved him, He proved to him 411 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,560 that he was God. And he followed up with this 412 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,160 man, but not just to heal him, not just to relieve him of 413 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,120 temporary for temporary pleasure, but for this man to 414 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:06,520 now make a decision to follow Christ and find fulfillment in 415 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:07,920 him. Church. 416 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,920 Christ followed up with the now healed man in order to help him 417 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,720 realize what exactly transpired in his life. 418 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:17,960 Let's think of the term follow up. 419 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:22,840 Follow up. It means to pursue, encourage, 420 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:27,840 prioritize the continuation of something that has already been 421 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:30,040 started. It was up to that pitcher at the 422 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:34,280 beginning of the message to follow through with the process 423 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,920 that had already been started. And if that pitcher doesn't 424 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:40,920 follow up, that ball is being thrown into the dugout. 425 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:44,520 If it's going to miss its intended target, its purpose is 426 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,880 going to be totally avoided and averted. 427 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:52,880 So follow up after Christ used this man's life to expose the 428 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,920 hearts of the Pharisees and to affirm his deity. 429 00:29:56,080 --> 00:30:00,120 Christ follows up with this man, finds him in the temple and 430 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:02,840 encourages him to connect the dots. 431 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,160 This man didn't know it was Jesus who healed him. 432 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:09,640 He may not have known a ton about Jesus, but here Jesus says 433 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:13,560 verse 14 says that Jesus found him, He looked for him. 434 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:17,280 He went out of his way to reconnect with this gentleman. 435 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:22,960 The man needed to behold that he had been made whole and 436 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,800 connected all and associated all with Jesus Christ. 437 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,640 The word behold means to mentally process and comprehend 438 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:36,920 what you see. Behold to realize whole that 439 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:41,200 thou thou has been made whole. Whole is completely and entirely 440 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,200 restored to a clean bill of health. 441 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:52,200 He needed to behold that Christ had made him physically whole. 442 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:55,320 The Lord further instructs in verse 14. 443 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:01,960 He instructs him to sin no more. Sin no more which had a twofold 444 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,800 meeting his previous disease. This man in particular, which is 445 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,560 not the case with every person who has had a disease and has a 446 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:11,960 disease today. But apparently this man in 447 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:16,640 particular was in his disease was brought upon because of his 448 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:20,960 own sin in the past and Christ knew that entering back into 449 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,720 that sin would bring the disease back in greater force. 450 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:30,040 He says sin no more lest a worse thing come upon thee and so 451 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:34,400 therefore Christ was inviting him to find fulfillment instead 452 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,960 by putting God in his rightful place in his heart that he might 453 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:39,800 sin no more I mean think about it church. 454 00:31:39,800 --> 00:31:44,640 This man is is paralyzed, he's unable to just live his life and 455 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:47,200 live the life that he sees everyone else living. 456 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,440 And all of a sudden after 48 years he's healed, he's relieved 457 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:55,080 he has his his license to go and do what he pleases. 458 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,880 Do you not think if this man is not born again that he might 459 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:01,600 want to get involved with all matters of sin? 460 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:05,240 Hello. What would you do if you weren't 461 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:08,600 saved? What would you do Maybe if your 462 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:13,040 walk with God as a Christian is not that of someone who follows 463 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:16,200 through with following Jesus Christ and what would you do? 464 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,920 And so Christ knows all of this. He knows his whole back story. 465 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,720 He knows that he didn't just come to this man to use his body 466 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:26,760 as a platform to expose the hearts of the Pharisees. 467 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,520 And he wasn't just using this man to to prove his deity. 468 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,840 But no, he, he wanted something personal with this man. 469 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:37,520 He was after the soul in the heart of this man. 470 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:41,600 God never shows mercy to the unsaved without the end goal 471 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,560 being the salvation and transformation of their souls 472 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:50,600 because the primary desire of God is that unsaved souls repent 473 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:55,960 of sin by turning to faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 474 00:32:56,200 --> 00:33:00,600 He's always in pursuit of a relationship with every Sinner. 475 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:03,880 And he can use humbling circumstances, He can use 476 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,960 difficult circumstances to finally bring them to the point 477 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,520 where they're going to look up where they're going to begin 478 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,760 reciprocating God's search for them. 479 00:33:12,760 --> 00:33:16,280 And they're going to be in searching for for God himself. 480 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,200 Listen tonight, Church, the message is that God relieves us 481 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:24,240 of sinful burdens, not for the sake of relief and public 482 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:30,320 attention, but for us to replace those burdens with Christ in his 483 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:35,240 rightful place. There was now a a vacuum. 484 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:37,520 There was a void now in this man's life. 485 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:40,000 There was something no longer holding him back. 486 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,600 And Christ was supposed to fill that vacuum. 487 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,920 He was supposed to fill that void lest that man get into 488 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:50,480 something else or another lifestyle that would take the 489 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:55,400 place of God and perhaps land him back in a worse place in 490 00:33:55,560 --> 00:34:00,240 where Christ found him. God always shows mercy. 491 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,920 Catch this. He always shows mercy that He 492 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,320 might show grace even to the unsaved. 493 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:11,199 He shows mercy that He might show grace. 494 00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:16,080 Mercy is God taking away what I do deserve, and grace is God 495 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,920 doing for me what I do not deserve. 496 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:26,960 So I believe that verse 14 yields to us the liberty to 497 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:32,199 apply what Christ was doing within the verse in several ways 498 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:37,679 regarding the principle of following up with people, 499 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:44,679 following up with people, following through with the whole 500 00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:48,040 process of discipleship, the whole process of the Great 501 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:51,239 Commission, the whole process of evangelism. 502 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:55,400 So let's look at that verse one more time. 503 00:34:55,400 --> 00:35:00,120 Afterward Jesus verse 14. Afterward Jesus findeth him in 504 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:04,360 the temple and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, sin 505 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:07,200 no more, lest a worst thing come unto thee. 506 00:35:08,240 --> 00:35:11,800 Church, we need to follow up with the unsaved. 507 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:16,240 We know upon whose lives God has shown mercy. 508 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,400 You know people who have been in serious accidents. 509 00:35:21,440 --> 00:35:25,360 They've been, they've recovered, they've been released, they've 510 00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:29,960 dealt with serious sickness and issues in their life and they 511 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:33,120 recover and they come back into regular life. 512 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,880 They've been released from hospitals. 513 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:39,640 We need to rejoice with them that God has had mercy on their 514 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:44,440 life, but we need to learn, be reminded of this tonight. 515 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:48,240 Why did God who gives life, has the power to give life and the 516 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:54,680 power to take life? Allow them to recover, that they 517 00:35:54,680 --> 00:36:02,800 might have the gospel of Christ declared to them again, But God 518 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:05,640 is long-suffering to us word, not willing that any should 519 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:08,360 perish, but that all should come to repentance. 520 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:13,440 The Bible teaches us in the book of Peter, we need to rejoice 521 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,640 with them that they're here and we know them all the time. 522 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:20,640 Oh yes, I know God. I was in the hospital and God 523 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:22,760 healed me. Of course I have faith in God. 524 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,880 And there comes a time where we need to look at those people 525 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,520 after we've rejoiced with them that God has had mercy on their 526 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,800 body and has allowed them to, to come back to healing. 527 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:35,920 We need to rejoice with them. But then we need to declare to 528 00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:39,680 them the saving gospel of Christ. 529 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:43,440 We need to follow up. We need to be sensitive to the 530 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,240 fact that God has placed these people in our lives. 531 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:51,040 We need also to follow up with the unsaved we know who are 532 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:59,200 experiencing tragedy and crisis. We need to be there for them to 533 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:03,480 put the love of God in on display in their in our lives to 534 00:37:03,480 --> 00:37:06,800 their lives. We need to show comfort to them 535 00:37:06,800 --> 00:37:10,800 and and rejoice with them and show them the love of Christ and 536 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:13,760 and pray with them and and be a friend to them. 537 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,480 Why? So that we can then declare to 538 00:37:17,480 --> 00:37:22,240 them the saving gospel of Christ. 539 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:28,800 We need to also follow up with all kinds of people. 540 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:35,240 The people who have visit us, visited us as a church, and have 541 00:37:35,240 --> 00:37:39,880 been encouraged by God's presence among us, we need to 542 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:44,120 follow up with them. We need to go to where they are 543 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:46,680 as Jesus went to where this man was. 544 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:51,560 We need to go to where they are, show our interest and love for 545 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,920 them while they're perhaps in the building or in their very 546 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:57,160 homes. We we can't just be satisfied 547 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,720 that unsaved people have come and has have seen what the Lord 548 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:03,080 might be doing. We can't just be satisfied that 549 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:05,240 we've got random people to church. 550 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:09,680 We, we, we cannot be satisfied until we have at least declared 551 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:13,240 unto them the gospel of Jesus Christ and perhaps have seen 552 00:38:13,240 --> 00:38:15,920 them converted from death unto life. 553 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:19,080 We're not just trying to fill this house with visitors. 554 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:22,080 We're trying to fill this house with visitors who have come to 555 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,560 Christ and have joined the church and are going to follow 556 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:28,680 through with their own discipleship by following Jesus. 557 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:32,440 Jesus was not just satisfied that this man was now healed and 558 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:36,760 the Pharisees had a stir and that he proved his deity and all 559 00:38:36,760 --> 00:38:40,800 of that was necessary, but he came back to this man and showed 560 00:38:40,800 --> 00:38:46,560 serious interest about his soul, because if he only healed a man 561 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:50,200 of his sickness, he has done the lesser of the two healings. 562 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,800 That's right, the spiritual or the physical. 563 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:55,080 And if you're here tonight and you're battling a physical 564 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:57,760 disease, but you were born again and you are saved, I want to 565 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,240 remind you tonight, maybe you're watching tonight because 566 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:03,280 something is keeping you home. If you're born again, you have 567 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:07,720 been healed of the greater sickness, the sickness of sin, 568 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,000 and there's coming a day where all of this disease and the 569 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:13,960 temptation to sin will all be banished. 570 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:18,120 But you have received the greater of the healings. 571 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:23,920 Christ was not just satisfied that He made very necessary 572 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:30,880 points on this Sabbath day. We need to follow up also. 573 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:41,600 Church with ourselves, with our born again selves upon your 574 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:45,480 faith and our faith in Christ. We were brought from death to 575 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:50,080 life by His grace. You have been forgiven by God 576 00:39:51,120 --> 00:39:56,680 and restored into a relationship with God, and it's going to lead 577 00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:58,880 to heaven. It's a guarantee. 578 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:04,160 But in the process of time, you have experienced increased 579 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:11,320 victory over sin and perhaps bad habits and addictions. 580 00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,000 You must follow up with yourself. 581 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:22,200 Every day with these gospel realities, why that you sin no 582 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:26,120 more Christ. I let me say this, that Christ 583 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:30,440 is not just satisfied alone that people get saved. 584 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:33,560 He has commanded us to make disciples. 585 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:37,160 They need to be saved and then they need to obey this, their 586 00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:40,360 Savior as their Lord. Why? 587 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:44,560 Because they'll find something else to be committed to and get 588 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:47,960 involved in and get distracted in. 589 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:51,640 One of the greatest things about the Kingdom of God and the local 590 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:55,720 Church of Jesus Christ is it distracts us from sin. 591 00:40:56,360 --> 00:41:00,680 We keep our eyes on the agenda of the Lord Jesus Christ and it 592 00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:05,000 distracts us from an alternative lifestyle, something else. 593 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:10,120 And Jesus was telling this man, Behold, you've been made whole 594 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:16,760 by me, sin no more lest a worse thing come upon you. 595 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:19,400 We need to follow up with ourselves. 596 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:23,760 We need to follow up with one another of these gospel 597 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:28,880 realities that we sin no more. We need to stay in the light. 598 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:35,120 We need to meditate upon the gospel and you say, well, I've 599 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:38,080 already received the gospel. The gospel is for the lust. 600 00:41:38,080 --> 00:41:41,920 Why must I meditate upon the gospel so that I become good at 601 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:43,920 giving the gospel to lost people? 602 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:49,400 No, Romans chapter 6, Romans Chapter 7, we need to meditate 603 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,520 on the fact that God has given us new life and that there is 604 00:41:52,520 --> 00:41:55,120 victory in Jesus and that we have been passed. 605 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:58,800 We've passed from death unto life and that we have the power 606 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:02,080 of God within our lives to have the victory over sin. 607 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,040 We need to meditate upon the gospel when when there is there 608 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:09,000 is issues happening in our family and we have a temptation 609 00:42:09,000 --> 00:42:11,480 to be bitter. But the gospel teaches us that 610 00:42:11,480 --> 00:42:15,320 we need to forgive and we need to forget and we need to move on 611 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:17,560 in newness of life. The gospel teaches us how to 612 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:22,200 have a healthy marriage, how to love another Sinner who is a 613 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:27,240 Sinner as yourself, to forgive and give unmerited undeserved 614 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:29,920 love. The gospel teaches us those 615 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:31,240 things. It doesn't just bring us to 616 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:34,400 salvation. It's it's a template for how to 617 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:40,400 live our life. We need to follow up with 618 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:42,200 ourselves. We need to follow up with one 619 00:42:42,200 --> 00:42:46,000 another and be and remind one another of these truths. 620 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:50,920 Lastly, we need to follow up with newly saved members. 621 00:42:53,720 --> 00:42:57,760 Newly saved members, we need to follow up with them why? 622 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:03,120 That they fully devote themselves to their Savior Jesus 623 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:06,360 Christ and the cause of His Church. 624 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:11,200 That they sin no more. But that is the goal. 625 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:15,840 Fruit. The will of God is fruit that we 626 00:43:15,840 --> 00:43:21,160 would bear the evidence that Jesus is in us and we need to 627 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:28,040 follow up so that this is the case in their life as Jesus did. 628 00:43:29,640 --> 00:43:34,480 The essence of the gospel is that it it took a mighty act of 629 00:43:34,480 --> 00:43:41,520 God through his word Christ, to take our away, our sin and 630 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:46,280 reconcile us to himself. Not just for us to marvel. 631 00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:49,360 Wow, this is great. I'm saved, so I'm going to 632 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:50,120 heaven. Yeah. 633 00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:53,160 Oh, no, this is great. No, not just for us to marvel, 634 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:59,280 not for us to just become emotionally worked up and 635 00:43:59,920 --> 00:44:01,720 religious. No, no, no, no, no. 636 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:10,280 But for us to love and devote our lives to following through 637 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:15,880 with Christ. But we will not experience 638 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:22,040 ourselves and others following through with Christ unless we 639 00:44:22,040 --> 00:44:31,880 follow up with it. Because following through with 640 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:39,800 Jesus is contingent on following up with ourselves and those 641 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:44,000 among us. We have to take responsibility. 642 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:48,160 We have to recognize the people that God has providentially 643 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:55,040 placed in our path on the job, in your extended family, in the 644 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:56,640 marketplace, you have to see this. 645 00:44:56,880 --> 00:45:02,840 If Jesus prayer was for us to see as he sees, he sees the 646 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:06,560 Father working, He listens to people, He listens to the Holy 647 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:11,320 Spirit and he goes to where he's LED to change people's lives. 648 00:45:11,600 --> 00:45:14,680 It's no different for us. That's exactly what we're to do. 649 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:19,680 That's exactly what we're to do and we need to be listening. 650 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:22,520 You've got people in the workplace say, yeah, man, I just 651 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:26,040 two months ago, man, I should have died, man, I should have 652 00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:28,280 died. But you know, the good Lord he 653 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:30,960 had, you know, he had mercy on me and you know, I said, well, 654 00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:34,520 whatever, right? And I go on the that's your cue 655 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:38,880 to rejoice with them. And over time, God kept them 656 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:43,520 alive to hear the gospel. That's right. 657 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:46,880 Again, this is the way we need to think. 658 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:50,080 John 514. Mark it in your Bible. 659 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:54,760 John 514 Every head bowed, every eye closed. 660 00:45:57,360 --> 00:46:05,160 Let's think about perhaps how the Word of God spoke to your 661 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:09,280 heart. Think of the people God, the 662 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:14,360 people God that God has providentially placed in your 663 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:19,640 life. God has given them a chance to 664 00:46:19,640 --> 00:46:23,600 be spiritually healed. He's kept them here. 665 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:28,160 He's allowed people into your life who have heartache, who are 666 00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:31,720 living miserable lives. They're always in a crisis and 667 00:46:31,720 --> 00:46:36,520 you know them, and we're not supposed to just make sure we're 668 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:39,600 not bothered by them. There are boundaries to be to 669 00:46:39,600 --> 00:46:43,000 in, lines to be drawn, and you need to protect yourself, but 670 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:47,120 you also need to balance that with love and discernment and 671 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:50,680 grace. Think of the many people who are 672 00:46:50,680 --> 00:46:54,840 looking for God when they visit our assembly. 673 00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:59,160 We need to get them the gospel of Christ. 674 00:46:59,160 --> 00:47:03,240 Think of the brethren here. We need to be following through 675 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:06,640 with following Christ. He doesn't just want your soul, 676 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:10,760 He wants your body, your heart, your life, your all. 677 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:14,800 Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of 678 00:47:14,800 --> 00:47:17,720 Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing 679 00:47:17,720 --> 00:47:21,200 to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us 680 00:47:21,200 --> 00:47:25,800 know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org. 681 00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:30,600 Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, 682 00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:33,440 MA. May the Lord bless you as you 683 00:47:33,440 --> 00:47:34,640 grow in His Word.