Day 9 - Missing the point (2)

Reading: John 5:1-30

There are things in life I find rather pointless: why are buildings peppered with signs saying, “It is against the law to smoke on these premises” when there are no equivalent signs for stealing or killing (both equally against the law)? And ‘reality’ TV – a misnomer if ever there was one – what’s the point? Thankfully there are things in life with real purpose and benefit – like me I’m sure you’d rate football as one of those…

In our passage today Jesus heals a disabled man and the religious leaders present completely miss the point. A man condemned to a wretched existence suddenly has a whole new life to live but the religious leaders don’t care about that, they have a different agenda.

When Jesus heals this man he tells him to pick up his mat and walk, knowing full well the religious police will spot him doing this on a Sabbath. The healed man obeys and sure enough the religious leaders notice him so he tells them, “The man who made me well said to me ‘pick up your mat and walk.’” And they ask him who told him to pick up his mat and walk…

No, no, no – man-made laws about the Sabbath are not the issue. Somebody who had endured disability for decades has been healed. Completely. Totally. It’s time for a party, not for persecution. Yet they go after Jesus because he healed a man on the Sabbath. So Jesus makes quite a lengthy case for the defence, saying the Son of God was among them, seeking to please his Father by doing God’s work in ways people could experience for themselves – if they chose to.

I wonder if there are times when we too miss the point in our church culture. What do we expect when we come to church? The same seat, the same people, the same songs? Or do we expect to encounter the living God, knowing he loves us and conscious of what it cost Jesus to bring us life and the freedom to enter God’s presence?

Response

“The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Chris