John 5:1-14 ~ Victim or Victorious

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk."

John 5:8

In life we have choices.

When we are faced with obstacles we can sit still and wait for our situation to change. We can be passive and complain when our situation remains stagnate.

Or, we can stand up and try to fix our problem. We can be proactive. We can choose to "pick up our mats and walk."

In the story of Jesus healing the cripple at the pools of Bethesda, we read of a man who had been sitting by the healing pools for thirty-eight years. The pools were assumed to have healing powers. Each time the waters stirred the first person who entered the pool would find healing. This man had been waiting to be the first one into the water for the better part of a lifetime. He waited. He showed extreme patience. And he was passive.

Jesus asked the man a very important question:

"Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6)

Do you want to get well?

 This man was waiting for the world to act upon him rather than taking an active role in his healing. He was choosing the status quo rather than seeking a better experience.

He was choosing to be a victim rather than victorious.

Do you want to get well?

Each of us has something, regardless of our age, our faith walk, our station of life, that needs healing in our lives. The something is a roadblock in your faith journey. Whatever your something might be, it is holding you back from experiencing the healing grace of Jesus in your life. Allowing your something to remain a roadblock is allowing yourself to be a victim. You are choosing your something over Jesus.

Do you want to get well?

Jesus is asking you this question just as plainly as he asked the man at the pools of Bethesda 2,000 years ago.

What is your answer?

Are you a victim or are you victorious?

Scripture

John 5:1-14

Quote of the Day

“A life of reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction.”

Rita Mae Brown

Question of the Day

What is your choice?

Doubt vs. Questions

Doubt is a nasty little word.

We can suffer from self-doubt; doubt about our relationships; doubt about God's will; doubt about our country...and on it will go.

Doubt can creep into the edges of your being in ways which can cripple you. You can begin to question everyone and everything around you. Doubt can make you want to curl up in a ball and hide under your covers.

But - doubt doesn't have to win.

Our ability to have faith, which transcends what we can hear, see, smell, taste and touch is a gift from God. Faith acts like water to the fire destroying power of doubt. Faith will put out the flames and help to keep the embers of doubt from resurfacing.

Sometimes, we can confuse challenging the status quo with doubt. When we challenge the status quo, or ask questions, we aren't saying that we do not believe or do not have faith, but we are simply following in the path of Jacob who "wrestled with God". All of the great theologians throughout history have challenged their thoughts and their beliefs in order to strengthen their faith - not destroy it.

The distinct difference between doubt and challenging is that at the core of a challenge is the knowledge and the faith that God is Who He says He is. We may face difficult circumstances, but if we view them as a challenge - if we seek out God in the midst of our questions - we will find wisdom. When we allow our doubts to overshadow our faith, we will find weakness.

Questions are good. Questioning why you believe what you believe is a good thing - but be cautious to keep your eyes and your heart focused on God so that He can continue to answer your questions with His wisdom. Otherwise if we allow our focus to be centered on the world we will be pummeled with doubts rather than answers.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:6

Scripture

James 1:4-6

Quote of the Day

Faith isn't believing without proof – it's trusting without reservation.

William Sloan Coffin

Question of the Day

When have you questioned what you believed in the past week?

Faith - the 6th Sense

What does it mean to have faith?

Faith, by definition means: belief that is not based on proof.

Faith is about trusting in what you can't see but know it is true.

When you go into a dark room and reach for the switch - do you trust that the lights will come on? When you get up in the morning, do you trust that when you look to the east the sun will rise (even if it is just a different shade of gray in Columbus)? Seeing isn't always believing - often our belief system is shaped by what we cannot see or cannot understand and yet still know to be true.

Something similar happens in our faith in God. We cannot physically see God and we cannot fully understand how He works, but our belief in His power, His justice and His love, even though we cannot see, makes our faith complete. 

After Jesus' resurrection he appeared to the disciples who were hiding out in the upper room. They were shocked and dismayed, convinced they were seeing a ghost. They needed to touch his hands where he was crucified and feel his side where he was speared to truly believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

And then there was Thomas...

Thomas was not with the other disciples during that first encounter (John 20:24). He boldly claimed, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25) And then a week later, Jesus once again appeared to the disciples, this time was Thomas with them. Thomas was stunned. Here was the Teacher, the person he had followed for the last three years, the person he had watched beaten and killed by the Roman soldiers and he was alive. He praised God in that moment but Jesus had a very telling response,

 "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(John 20:29)

Jesus was talking about each of us. We did not have the great honor to walk with Jesus on his journey here on earth, but through the faith of others and the transcending grace we have experienced in Jesus, we believe in the salvation offered through him.

Our eyes do not see the physical Jesus, but our hearts and our minds know who Jesus is. Our faith transcends the ability to taste, touch, smell, hear and see. Our faith allows our sixth sense to know that Jesus is Lord. And that is the only sense we need.

Faith is believing without proof. Faith is loving. Faith is trusting in the hope promised.

Faith is being a Christian in action every day of your life.

Faith is a sense you cannot live without.

Scripture

Romans 4

Quote of the Day

"When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly”

Patrick Overton

Question of the Day

What do you believe is true - even though you cannot prove it?

Don't forget: THIS WEEK IS A SPECIAL SESSION OF GUMY - ALL GROUPS WILL MEET AT THE CHURCH @ 5PM!

The Yeast in the Dough....

Do you know how to make a loaf of bread?

You start with warm water and then you add yeast and a little sugar to the water. Once the yeast "activates", you add the watery yeast to flour and begin to stir.

The dough will begin to come together into a sticky ball. From there you turn the dough out onto a floured board and you start to knead the dough. The kneading helps the yeast to create strands which will cause the dough to expand.

Once you are done kneading the dough, you turn the dough into a bowl and let it sit in a warm location. While there the dough will grow and expand - and then you punch the dough down and let it rise again...now you are ready to bake the dough into bread.

Our faith is kind of like the yeast in the dough. It needs some time to grow and to activate. Our faith needs to be used to expand and often needs the hands and feet of other people to stretch beyond the original size.

 From there we need to take some time alone to study and come to know Jesus one on one.

We may even get knocked down a time or two but if our faith has been properly developed, we will bounce back and our faith will help us to grow stronger.

And just like bread, our faith can help to nourish others.

Are you ready to bake some bread?

Scripture

Luke 13:18-21

Fun Fact

Nearly 9 million loaves of bread are sold in the UK each day...

There are roughly 59 Million residents in the UK versus the 300 Million who live in the US...

Imagine how many loaves of bread we consume each day in the United States...

Question of the Day

What is your favorite kind of bread?