The Man on the Middle Cross

 

Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and tit is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” (John 5:8-17 ESV).

 

Alistair Begg once preached a marvelous sermon where he used the image of the thief on the cross facing the angel at the gate to heaven. The link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrSgYyNO86w. It is just a minute and a half long, please take that moment and listen to it. It provides the backdrop of our truth today from the reading when Jesus heals a man on the Sabboth earning the ire of the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They saw it as “working” on the Sabbath, the day on which people were commanded to rest from all kinds of work. The Sabbath was meant to be a good gift to God’s people. But unfortunately, that sense was lost under a mountain of rules against activities that counted as “work.” For example, the man who is healed in this story gets in trouble just for carrying his mat.

 

When Jesus heals on the Sabbath, the religious leaders get angry because their rules have become more important to them than love for their neighbor. But here Jesus reminds us that mercy is more important to God than rigid legalism. Jesus has an opportunity to heal, and he takes it because the Father is always working to build his kingdom, regardless of what day of the week it is.

 

This challenges us today to consider any “rules” we follow that may limit our ability to serve God. Are there places we are unwilling to go, people we are unwilling to help, or times when we make ourselves unavailable to others? If so, are we putting something in the way of showing God’s love and care? We are denying the work of Christ in the grace through His death. We get there only through grace! Share that grace with people everywhere and watch the Holy Spirit do His work!