I Come In My Father's Name - Part 521

The gospel of John offers a unique perspective - always intriguing when we think of how John portrays events in the Bible in contrast to the ways that we view the world today. As such, we can't expect John chapter five to be any different. Therein, as John tells it, Jesus travelled to Jerusalem, and more specifically by a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethseda. At this place was a great multitude of people - namely impotent folk, of blind, halt, and withered waiting for the water to move.

You see, in a certain season, an angel would trouble the water so that whosoever stepped in first was made whole of whatsoever disease this individual had contracted. In the midst, was a certain man which had an infirmity for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been in this state for a significant time, Jesus asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"

What a strange question coming from the same Jesus who travelled around the countryside healing people. The impotent man told Jesus of his circumstances saying, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me."

Jesus said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk." And immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked. Needless to say, the Jews who had heard that this man was cured criticized Jesus. They said that "It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed." The healed man responded by saying, "He that made me whole, the same said unto me, "Take up thy bed and walk.""

Then the Jews asked him this question. "What man is that which said unto thee, "Take up thy bed and walk?" But he that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude in that place. As the chapter elaborates, Jesus later found the man in the temple and said unto him, "Behold, thou art made whole; sin no more."

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole. As a consequence, the Jews sought even more to persecute Jesus -- to kill Him for doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered saying, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17)

By now, the Jews were even more determined to kill Jesus, not only because He had broken the Sabbath but that He said also that God was His father, making Himself equal with God. Jesus responded to their queries. Indeed, He said, "Verily, verily I say unto you. The Son can do nothing of Himself; but what He sees the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, there also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth, there also doeth the Son likewise."

"For the Father loveth the Son and sheweth Him all things that Himself doeth; and He will shew Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel."

Further, Jesus said, "He that heareth my Word, and believeth on Him that hath sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life." Reading in verse 31, it states, "If I bear witness of myself my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which He witnesseth of me is true."

Therefore, search the scriptures for in them they testify of me -- Jesus. Remember I John 5:7 -- "there are three that bear witness in heaven - the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit." It also states that these three are one.

Indeed, it is He who said, "I am come in my Father's name and ye receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, will you receive him?" Of course not. Why? Because the Lord thy God is one God, and as stated in earlier posts, there is no other God beside Him.

But let's not get too far away from the man dealing with the sickness. His difficulty wasn't the sickness. Rather, it was the fact that when the water was stirred, he did not have anyone who could help into the healing waters. That is, until Jesus -- the King of kings and Lord of Lords came by and told him he was healed. In other words, when there is no one else who can help, we can count on Jesus to take us the distance -- to carry us over all the obstacles the world sends our way. Ask Jesus into your life today. Stand in the offering plate!