Jesus’ Activity and our Obedience

 

In John 5  John continues to demonstrate the power of Jesus through a series of miracles that he discusses.  In this one a lame man is healed at a place called the pool of Bethesda.  When Jesus approaches the man, He asks him, “Do you want to be made well”?  The man essentially says, “yes” and then Jesus tells him to pick up his mat and walk.  The man does so and for the first time in at least 38 years, he walks.  This particular healing occurred on the Sabbath and so the religious leaders are indignant.  This Jesus fellow continued his nasty habit of healing people on the Sabbath, which was a “no no” in their book.  The Jewish leaders say to the man, “It is the Sabbath.  The law forbids you to carry your mat”.  This man never had to consider not carrying his mat on the Sabbath before because he had never carried anything on any day before.  The man replied, “The man who made me well said to me, “Pick up your mat and walk.”  This is what got my attention this morning.

The man was willing to do what Jesus said to him because of what Jesus did for him. The activity of Jesus moved this man to obey Jesus.  I think this still works today.  When people have difficulty obeying Jesus, is it not a problem of inactivity regarding Jesus in their lives?  When we are engaging with the activity of Jesus in our lives, we are going to do what He says.  However, when we are not allowing Jesus Christ to move in and through our lives; when we are not seeing His activity, we are not likely to do what He says.  This is sort of a circular idea for us.  The more we see His activity, the more we will obey.  The more we will obey, the more activity we see in our lives.  This man was willing to go against the standards of his day because of what Jesus did for him.  Jesus’ activity led to obedience.  I think the same is true today.  The activity of Jesus in our lives is directly proportional to our desire to follow Him.  Please look for His activity…invite Him to be involved and active in your life.