John 5:6 “When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that conditiona long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
During the ministry of Christ, there were many people who approached Him, many desired help, while many were naive to who He was. There were times when Jesus would ask them a question that almost seemed out of place. He would redirect the conversation into what really mattered, or He would get to the heart of the issue and leave them stunned in silence.
The questions Jesus asked are questions we can ask ourselves today. Let us ponder the questions and probe our hearts to see if what we desire really aligns with God’s will for our lives, or do we seek after another?
The Paralytic
John 5:2-6. “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”
What kind of question is that to ask of a man who has been an invalid for 38 years? Doesn’t it seem obvious that the man would want to be healed?
The mystical hope of a people who are relying on fables and false pretenses often surpasses the offering that God has already made available. Why do people seek after anything but God? Is it because they can’t see Him, therefore they struggle with belief? Could it be that if they submit to God’s power for healing, they will now be subject to His authority?
Asking the Lord for help requires humility.
It is the pride of man that keeps him from true healing. God demands obedience to His Word, He demands His people walk in righteousness and truth, and the need to forsake sin can often be too great a sacrifice.
Do you want to be healed? Do you want the Lord to heal your broken heart, or the pain that has afflicted you since youth? It’s hard to let go of the bitterness, it’s difficult to release your control over something that never seems to be satisfied. You’ve kept it boxed up for years, at times trying to numb it through substances or bad relationships, but it continues to persist.
Let God heal you.
Let Him lift you out of the state you’ve been in for far too long. He is here, He is able, and He has just been waiting for you to respond to Him. When you arise, your tears will be turned to gladness, your joy made complete, and the peace of God will rule in your heart rather than the pain.
The Blind can See
Luke 18:35-41 “Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
Jesus is walking near Jericho, a place that still echoed the thunderous power of God against a city that stood in the way of God’s promises to His people. The blind beggar sat near the road, he had clearly heard about Jesus and knew He was special and so his cry of mercy is an interesting one. If the beggar believed Jesus was from God, then his cry of mercy was a belief that his ailments were imposed by God.
As the blind man was lead to Jesus, Jesus again asked a question that probed the man’s heart…”What do you want me to do for you?”. Did he really want mercy for sin? Did he desire healing, or was his faith enough to believe that God could even heal his blindness?
Spiritual blindness is a condition attributed to all who walk in sin. The inability to see God is what keeps unbelievers from knowing and understanding the Truth of God. The Spirit of God enlightens the heart and salvation is only from God. Jesus is the only means to salvation and therefore the blind man, possible in his naivety was asking the right man.
Jesus’ response revealed His compassion.
Luke 18:42-43 “Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.”
It was faith in the blind man’s heart that brought compassion from God, and it is faith that God looks for today.
Do I trust in God? Do I believe that He can heal me? Am I willing to risk everything to see?
The ones who brought the blind beggar to Jesus would be considered servants of the Lord. Believers have a responsibility to bring the lost to Jesus. They cannot be timid, they cannot look to serve themselves, they are servants of the most high King, and the reward is great. The blind cannot find their way, they need those who are in the light to show them.
“I Am He”
John 18:3-6 “Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,”they drew back and fell to the ground.
The time of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross had arrived. The reason Jesus had come to earth as a man was to die for the sin’s of mankind. Judas, one of His disciples had betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver and he had brought a contingent of soldiers and pharisees to arrest Him. Jesus first asks a question….”whom are you seeking?”. The question seemed obvious but the hearers could not understand.
There is no way those men could comprehend the magnitude of their decision that day. The God of Israel, the One who sent Moses to deliver the people from bondage stood before them that day. The One who separated the seas, and flattened Jericho’s walls, the One who had formed them in His hand….the great I Am asked them and then declared it to them.
When the men heard God pronounce His name, they drew back and fell to the ground. The power of God’s name has reverberated throughout time and eternity. To those who know Him, they worship Him. To those who oppose the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they will fall before Him and will submit to His authority one day. Jesus had allowed them to arrest, try, and ultimately execute Him, but what they didn’t realize was they had become instruments of God’s redemptive plan.
What is God’s name to you? What question has He posed to you?
Could you be the woman caught in adultery and Jesus asked of you “Where are your accusers?“. Are you like Peter when Jesus asked him “Who do men say that I Am?” Or could you be the rich young man who wanted to earn his salvation and Jesus asked him “Why do you ask me about what is good?“
With each question God probes the heart, not for answers He already knows, but to give His hearers an opportunity to respond in faith. The questions have been asked to multitudes, and the responses have revealed the hearts of both the faithful and the faithless.
God demonstrates His mercy and grace by giving people a choice of how to respond. He loves humble faith, He cherishes those who come to Him knowing they have no where else to go.
Could one of these people be you?
The way you respond will determine the path you take for eternity. Measure carefully your response, soften your heart, and you will see the love of God manifest to you.
U.T. 