Friday, July 1, 2011

Pick Up your Mat and Go!

Scripture:  John 4-6

Observation:
John is so full!  If we do this again, we should do a whole month on John!  But, what really got to me was the story of the man beside the pool.  He was sitting there and so sick that he couldn’t get into the pool in time.  This was a pool that he believed would heal him!  But Jesus said, “Take up your mat and go!”  Be healed.  And he was!  But then, the Naysayers got onto the man and said asked him why he was “working” on a Sabbath!  Unbelievable!

Application:  So often when we do things, there are people who want to steal our joy!  No matter how wonderful what we do might be, they tell us that there’s a problem with it.  That its wrong.  Or bad.  Who in your life is telling you that you can’t?  that you aren’t good enough?  That things are wrong?  Who in your life is trying to tell you do something opposite of Jesus?  Let us all take up our mats and go, not listening to the naysayers!

Prayer:  Healing Christ—Make us strong enough to follow you.  No matter what the crowds say.  No matter what the world tells us.  Let us all take up our mats and go!  Amen

Blessings!
Pastor Emily

3 comments:

Karen said...

Amen

Mary said...

The woman at the well is a similar story. Jesus knows all her problems, her faults, her sins, yet treats her with respect, with love, offering her living water, and hope. She runs to get the rest of the village; the people she has been avoiding by getting water in the middle of the day. And these people, the Samaritans, say, "We know this man really is the Savior of the world!" Amen!
(I am enjoying reading about Andrew, who my St. Andrew UMC is named for. Today's lesson he brings the boy with the lunch to Jesus. Did he know what Jesus could do with that little bit of food and faith?)

Carol Flores said...

5:39 -40:"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." Jesus was speaking to the Jewish leaders but I felt Him talking to me too. It's not just about reading the Word every day. I have to come to Jesus to have life in God's kingdom.