There is a feast in Jerusalem, so the old city is popping and everything is festive. For whatever reason, though, Jesus finds himself at a pool in this courtyard-like area with roofed colonnades (John 5:1-18). The first century world, like much of the developing world today, really did not have a place for anyone with severe physical or mental problems to have their basic needs met and live with any sort of dignity. Here they gathered.
Legend has it that at certain times, an angel would descend and stir up the water in this pool. The ones who could get there while this was happening would be healed.
There is a man who had been lame for 38 years. He’s by the pool where he supposedly can be healed, but he can’t walk. And if the waters were to be stirred, he’d be the last one to get there. There is a cruel irony here.
But on this fateful day, he is approached by a man he’s never met. He asks, Do you want to be healed?
Sir, I found this place where I can get healed, but I’ve kind of given up. Because as soon as the water is stirred, it’s a rush to get down there, and I have no one to help me. I guess if you wanted to sit here with me and wait for the water to stir, maybe you can carry me to it or something, I don’t know…
Jesus said to him, Get up, take up your bed, and walk. And he was healed!
That water can’t heal you. That legend is pure myth. Healing comes from God. Follow this sign to its destination, and we find Jesus, God in the flesh, who is better than any silly superstition. He
does not demand an invalid to walk; he comes to him.
Jesus sees us in our helplessness and does not leave us to our own devices, to find healing, meaning, and purpose in whatever superstitious story we believe. No, he comes to us where we are, and he heals us.
Amen! Good news! Jesus heals the lame! He speaks and a man lame for 38 years gets up and walks! Good news! Right…?
Well, not for everyone. Because there are some people who love their traditions more than they love people. They love to be right in their own eyes more than loving in the eyes of another.
The Jews see this happen. When John speaks of the Jews, he’s speaking of the leaders of the
dominant religious class. Theologian and missionary, Lesslie Newbigin also argues, and I agree, that he’s speaking to all of us religious folk who are tempted to baptize our opinions and sanctify our traditions. It is so dangerous to read the Gospels and think the Pharisees are unlike us.
Sir, why did you pick up your bed? Oh, that’s a violation of the Sabbath.
You see the Sabbath is for man. Here’s what that means. The Sabbath is a day of resting,
remembering our God, and reflecting on our God. It’s important for us to practice. Being over-
worked isn’t a virtue. God has actually commanded that we take a day each week and rest–take a
day to reflect on God’s grace, to remember God’s promises, and be filled up for the rest of our week. I also get frustrated when I hear the Sabbath taught, and worship is tangential.
The command to rest is a good command, but it had been distorted by thousands of laws that actually made that rest cumbersome. Modern world examples: you can’t turn a light on because that’s work, you can’t pick up an object out of place and move it because that’s work, and so on.
So it is not a violation of the Sabbath as instituted by God for this man to pick up his mat, but it is a violation of the rules that religious people have created.
This is kind of funny. The man Jesus just healed, now blames Jesus for getting him in trouble. He told me to pick up my mat and walk! I’m just doing what he said. But he didn’t know who Jesus was.
Later, Jesus sees him in the temple, and says, “See you are well! Sin no more that nothing worse may happen to you.” Was sin the cause of his illness? Probably not. But hear Jesus’ warning! Once this man finds out who healed him, where does he go? He goes to the Jews.
Oof. The very one Jesus healed is now ratting him out. Before we judge, we’ve done the same ourselves.
The Jews begin persecuting Jesus and Jesus says, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” God has always been working in the world. And so am I.
Jesus claims an absolutely unique relationship with the Father.
The Jews immediately grasp the implications of this. This man claims to be God, and now from that moment on, they knew they must kill him. This man breaks our tradition.
Jesus is better than religious traditions. Jesus is God.
Following Jesus is better than following superstition and tradition.