Daily Devotion in John 5

Daily Nugget:
The four books of the Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) echo a similar problem that Jesus had. This problem has also plagued countless Christians since. The difficulty Jesus and others face, even today, is persecution for their beliefs.

Surprisingly, persecution does not entirely come from those that hate God directly and try to oppose Him. Those that often cause the most problems for one’s living the way the Scripture commands are the “religious” crowd. This group often hides under the pretense of being godly and living God’s way, but it is with outward appearance only. These are the people that troubled Jesus often. Their hypocritical lifestyle and practices proved they had unconverted hearts. They had “… a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…” II Timothy 3:5 

In John 5:7-9, we read of Jesus’ healing a man who had an infirmity for 38 years (John 5:5). You would have thought everyone would have been so excited, especially those claiming to be followers of the one true God and His Word. Instead, it was they that found fault with Jesus. They murmured that God’s Son, the One who is also known as the Word, broke a scriptural commandment.

They also judged that the healed man had broken the commandment because he had picked up his bed on the Sabbath (John 5:10). Their critical, perhaps jealous spirit, did not stop there. They were so angered at what Jesus had done on the Sabbath, that they sought to have Jesus killed!

Wait a minute! Jesus healed a man who was ill for much of his life. Is not that a miracle? The “religious” should have been praising the Lord for what had just occurred, yet they wanted to kill Jesus for it.

Here were religious folk that was blind to God’s hand in the matter. They were more concerned about their rules, religion, and traditions than they were about God’s working.

Unfortunately, we have people with the same mindset alive today who hate the working of God. If an occurrence is outside their understanding of religion or against their organization’s teachings, they most likely will oppose it. “Religious” does not necessarily mean righteousness. There are a lot of people that call themselves “Christians” that do not know who God is or what His will and way is. They have only their understanding. Inadvertently, they are the enemies of God, as were the religious in this account in John 5, not supporters of Him.

Today’s Thought: 
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46

Words to Understand:
Halt: lame
Impotent: helpless
Quickeneth: make alive
Resurrection: raised from the dead

Today’s Reading:
John 5
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
17 ¶ But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31 ¶ If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?