Title: Living Faith Experience / John 5:1-9
Content Living Faith Experience / John 5:1-9
To the famous Christian philosopher and poet Kollitz, someone asked the following question: “Please give us your apologetics so that we can understand your Christian faith very easily.” The person who asked the question knew that a Christian philosopher named Lee Kolitz would preach the truth of Christianity with very reasonable theories and logic. But Kollitz said of the Christian faith in a nutshell: "Experiment it, try it, and you will know."
D. L Moody, a famous American revivalist, one day a man came to him and begged him to lend him a Bible. It is said that in Moody's Bible, everything from Genesis to Revelation was written in T and P letters. The young man was curious and asked Moody why, and Moody said, "The letter T is TRIED (tested and reliable) and the letter P is PROVIDE (supply). In other words, I applied God's Word of truth to my life. The letters T and P are written on the words that have been proven to be true." said to have
In Mark 9, we see Jesus, who experienced a wonderful transformation on the Mount of Transfiguration, descending from the bottom of the Mount of Transfiguration to heal a patient possessed by a mute demon and cast out demons. At this time, the disciples were arguing with the scribes and arguing with each other only verbally. When the disciples saw that Jesus was able to cast out demons, they asked, "Why were we not able to cast out the demons?" At this point, Jesus says, "This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer."
This verse tells us the difference between logical faith and experiential faith. In other words, it shows how vastly different there is between the results of those who lead a logical life of faith and those of those who live an experiential life of faith.
What is my problem today? The point is that there are many atheists of unbelief not only outside the church, but also within the church. Formally, the church comes out. We believe in Jesus as our ancestors. But they don't know if there is a God in their heart. I'm not sure. The miracles and wonders of Jesus walking on the water are thought to be unbelievable. The reason why so many modern people today fall into atheism and unbelief is that they have a logical faith and believe in Jesus.
On the other hand, experiential faith is faith based on amazing experiences that can be obtained by rehearsing the Word of God and putting it into practice. The Bible we believe in is not a book written logically based on human reason, but a book written by experiencing the living God focusing on various miraculous events. Therefore, when you try to read, understand, and believe the Bible, which is an experiential word, from a logical standpoint of human beings, you cannot believe it.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is not strange that the miracles and wonders that took place in the days of Jesus 2000 years ago still occur today. On the contrary, it is really strange that the miracles and wonders of 2000 years ago do not happen to the church and the saints today.
The text shows us a living faith, an experiential faith that can make anything possible. Through the incident where Jesus healed a sick man who had been a slave to a diseased horse for thirty-eight years at the pool of Bethesda, it is telling us that we Christians today should have this kind of experiential faith. What is the most representative of Christianity? It is a free gift, grace, given by God. The text says that God is a free gift, grace. The text shows that when God gives grace to us humans, it is through Jesus Christ that the subject of grace is God Himself and Christ Himself.
In verses 1 to 3 of the text, there were many sick people by the pool of Bethesda. Of these numerous sick people, only the thirty-eight-year-old one received the grace of being healed. It is also the grace that God has freely given us. Even today, it is the fact that God only gives grace to those He has predestined to give to everyone. Then, who can receive God's grace?
1. A person who waits.
You don't have to try this or that, but still, grace pours down when you don't give up and your waiting heart doesn't cool down. What does this mean? Under no circumstances should you give up hope. In verse 5 of the text, it is said, “There was a sick man thirty-eight years old while waiting for the water to move. According to the text, this thirty-eight-year-old sick man waited for the door to open for many years, but he continued to wait despite the experience of failing each time that others entered before he reached the pond.
God gives blessings and grace like a waterfall to those who wait like this. God gives grace and blessings to those who wait despite unfavorable conditions and unfavorable circumstances, those who wait while looking at the hand of the Lord even though all hope is cut off and they cannot see.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you look around us, there are people who have been living a good life of faith for several years and then suddenly stop coming to church. There are people who work hard in the Lord's work and give up halfway through. Such people do not receive God's grace and blessings. Why? God does not give blessings when people want them. God gives grace at the time God has scheduled, that is, when he gives grace, when he thinks that the most precious time of his or her life is the most precious time full of grace.
Everyone, please wait. Do not be discouraged under any circumstances and if you wait, the grapes will ripen as much as you wait, and the blessings will ripen as much as you wait. Blessings come to those who wait. The Holy Spirit comes to those who wait.
2, I am a person who does not put expectations on people.
The words, "Lord, when the water rises, there is no one to put me in the pool; while I am on my way, another goes down first." This emphasizes that this sick man did not put any expectations or hopes on anyone. Today, too many people place their expectations and hopes on them, and they become disappointed, frustrated, and ruined. The thirty-eight-year-old sick man had been by the pool of Bethesda for many years, but no one helped him. Everyone there was his competitor, not a single sympathizer to help him. Through the bitter experiences of living and experiencing, I have come to realize that trusting, waiting, relying on, and relying on people is futile. “Lord, there is no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred.” These words are a confession of faith, saying, "Lord, there is no one here to help me. Therefore, I do not trust people. I do not depend on people."
Ladies and gentlemen, Joseph interpreted the dreams of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker and helped the chief cupbearer to be released. He tells the chief cupbearer as he leaves the prison door. "If you go out, please think of me and tell Pharaoh about my circumstances so that I can get out of prison." However, although they had made a promise, the chief cupbearer said that he did not remember Joseph but forgot. Why do I not live up to my expectations of people? Because the human heart is deceitful and corrupt, as Jeremiah said.
Folks, what we need to know is that man is not subject to will. People are objects of love. It is not an object of hope. Don't expect people. The person you trusted the most betrays you first and kicks back first. There is no one who is the object of a completely reliable will.
3. A person who admits to his or her failures.
“While I go, others go down first” This means that life is in competition, and I admit that I have lost the competition. There are two types of confession of faith: positive and negative. Peter's positive confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," pleased the Lord, but no miracle occurred. However, the negative bitter confession of the 38-year-old sick man, "When the water is stirred, there is no one to put me in the pool, so while I am on my way, I go down to someone else." This happened.
"The other goes down first" means "I have failed the competition", "I have lost". It is not easy for a person to admit his own failures. Since everyone has self-esteem, it is very difficult to admit to one's own failures because this self-esteem becomes a pillar that sustains them. That's why most of them brag about their successes and abilities. He does not talk about failure, poverty, or his own suffering. Jesus said to him, "Are you going to get better?" This means, "Acknowledge your failures."
Achan refuses to confess his sin and is eventually cast lots and stoned to death. King Saul also did not admit his wrongdoing, and he held on to the kingship until the end and died.
Gentlemen, repentance is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of before God. On the contrary, it is shameful before God to hide one's own failures and sins and one's shame.
Today we studied the three secrets of receiving God's grace.
Whatever happens, don't be discouraged and wait one more time. It is not easy to receive grace. Don't expect people, expect God. If you live your life confessing your failures and sins to the Lord, I believe that God will open the doors of heaven and give you abundant grace and blessings.