T HE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S compassion today, for He never changed. “W ilt thou be made whole?” W hat a strang e question. Why, th e man was th ere for healing! He, was th e re w ith a hopeless h ea rt, yet he, was th ere, hop ing against hope. Can you no t h ear him? “ I have no man. No one cares for me.” Jesu s’ question w a s ' intended to awaken a new question in th e m an’s mind, “Who is this? Why does He ask a question like th a t? ” The question is intended as, p reparation for response to His command, “Rise, ta k e up thy bed and w alk.” . The words inspired confidence. These were th e words of God. This was a. command of God. The man responded. He p u t fo rth the effort and the power came. He picked up his bed and walked, — faith, obedience, testimony. The bed is a symbol of h is weakness, b u t now becomes a testimony to his strength. He was no longer th e friend less man. Old things have passed away, all things have become new. . The world is an abyss of sin. The Gospel of Christ is a pool of Bethesda— a house of mercy. The w aters are tro u bled. No need to wait. Step down. Come in. The Confirmation of th e Miracle.' The carping sp irit of th e Pharisees is now, as always, manifest. They had no pity or compassion for the man and no in terest in him. They were perfectly w illing th a t he should suffer and die. bu t they were quick to criticize. They were full of zeal against a man who would carry a bed on the Sabbath day, bu t th e man him self was by carrying his bed setting his seal to the perfect ness of th e miracle.
94 (2 ) THE WORLD’S SELFISHNESS, vs. 5-7. The crowd was waiting for the move m ent of th e waters. P ain t th e picture — a life picture. F ath e rs were th ere w ith th e ir children. Husbands were there w ith th e ir wives. B rothers were th e re w ith th e ir sisters. F riends were th e re w ith friends. All were occupied w ith th e ir own, and th is was natu ral. One man was th e re who for th irty ' and eight years had been a hopeless, help less cripple. We do no t know how many tim es he had tried to get to th e w ater, b u t when Jesus saw him and knew how long he had been seeking to drag his poor, impotent body to the w ater’s edge, He was touched w ith the feeling of his infirmity. He knew it all. (Heb. 4:15) “F o r w e h a v e - n o t a n h ig h p r ie s t w h o c a n n o t b e to u c h e d w ith th e Jfe eim s o f o u r in firm itie s ; b u t w a s in a il p o in ts te m p te d lik e a s w e a r e v y e t' w ith o u t s in .” The w aters of H is own soul were stirred . He came to stir life’s sea with th e movement of life, not fo r one, hu t fo r all who would. Now H is life and death and resurrection-life go fo rth in stream s of life-giving waters. The world’s motto is “Look out for Number One.” Some are so occupied w ith th e ir own needs .th a t they a re never able to see th e needs of others. But Jesu s never though t of “Number One” . He thought of “Number Two” even on the cross. He though t of His mother and provided for her. He though t of th e dying th ief and took him w ith Him to glory. He though t of you and He though t of me. Would it not be a happy, refreshing scene if we could see people as anxious about th e saving of th e souls of th e ir loved ones as they are for the health of th e ir bodies? (3 ) THE WORLD’S SAVIOUR, vs. 8-16. We know why Jesus went to th e pool. We know w hat moved Him. We know H is g reat h e a rt was filled w ith compas sion always, and th a t it is filled w ith
Jesus had asked th e question: . “W ilt thou be made whole?” He never does any h a lf healing of a soul. Religious systems seek to make men better. Jesus gives a new nature-^-a new life— a fin ished production. ,, The Confession of th e Healed. The ENEMIES OF THE TRUTH! WHO ARE THEY?
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