Healed on the Sabbath John 5: 1-16 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

This passage shows the legalism that was in the Pharisees’ minds that would cause them to be legalistic about their own method of doing things.  When Jesus shows up and performs miracles, all they can think about is destroying him because he didn’t follow their interpretation of the law.

The impotent man couldn’t help himself (John 5:7) — The man said “Sir, I have no man.” This man had been crippled for 38 years. No one could help him get to the pool fast enough. The only man that lost people can get to help them is the man Christ Jesus. Salvation is in a man.

Jesus didn’t make the man prove his worth (John 5:8) — Jesus did not wait for the man to demonstrate faith to heal him. He didn’t ask him if he was a good person. He just told him to take up his bed and walk. You may have heard that it takes oil, and laying on of hands, and prayer to heal. That isn’t true. Jesus just spoke and God’s power healed the man.

The man went to the Temple immediately after he was cured (John 5:14) — As soon as the man could walk, he went to the temple. The Holy Spirit will guide you to the right church. Jesus told him to “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee.” This implies that his injury was sin related. He told several other people to go and sin no more, like the woman taken in adultery.

Jesus showed the Pharisees that healing on the Sabbath was legal — In Matthew 12:1-15 Jesus’ disciples were picking corn and eating on the Sabbath. The Pharisees saw them and confronted Jesus about it. Jesus compared himself to David eating the shewbread, which was reserved for the priests, and the priests working in the temple on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees asked him if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath day. Jesus asked them if they had a sheep that fell in a pit, would they pull it out on the Sabbath. He then told them it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath.  He proceeded to heal the man. The Pharisees held their peace and went outside to plot against him. In John 7:19 Jesus asked why they wanted to kill him for breaking the same law that they did in secret. They blasphemed him, and the Holy Spirit, and lied about their intentions

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. If you get legalistic, you will judge the appearance.