Jesus here encounters a man who is unable to walk. He found him setting beside a place of miraculous healing, but the man was still unable to walk.
The man is incapable of moving himself for healing
No matter how much the lame man desires to walk or how powerful the healing in the pool may be, the man is simply unable to move himself to be healed. This illustrates how we are completely incapable of attaining our salvation. We cannot move ourselves to the place of forgiveness and salvation from sin.
Because the man is without strength Christ comes to him
Because the lame man does not have the strength to move himself into the pool and be healed, Jesus comes to him and heals him. When we were unable to come to God, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to us.
The man is told to sin no more because there is something worse than being lame
Being lame at this time period meant poverty, shame, pain, suffering, no marriage prospects, rejection, homelessness, etc. It was one of the most undesirable situations that a man could find himself in; however, Jesus says that there is something worse: the wrath of God poured out on sinners. From this we see that nothing is more important than victory over sin. Our health, finances, relationships, etc. are all of little worth compared to the state of our soul before God. One sin is worse than a thousand diseases. One moment in heck is worse than ten thousand pains in this life. We should fear God’s wrath more than we fear earthly pain.
Jesus is the Savior from sin
When we are unable to be healed from the disease of sin, Jesus comes to us and delivers us by His grace. Jesus came to save us and set us free from our sin. In Him we find our greatest need fulfilled: deliverance from sin. He is the One Who enables us to “Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.”
Application
Do you realize your inability to come to God? Do you know the saving grace of Jesus that came to you when you could not go to Him? Do you fear God? Are you seeking freedom from sin in the person of Jesus Christ?
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