The only thing that can hinder God from working in our lives is our own opposition to it.
In this episode, we follow a man who has given up on healing. Alone and forgotten, he sits by the pools of Bethesda, teetering in an awkward space between hope and bitterness. He resigns himself to a life of suffering... Until Jesus shows up and asks him a question: "Do you want to be healed?"
Today's Bible verse is John 5:6, from the King James Version.
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Speaker 1: When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he
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Speaker 1: had been sick for a long time, he asked him,
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Speaker 1: do you want to be made well? John five six,
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Speaker 1: Gracious Lord, to day we acknowledge your profound question, do
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Speaker 1: you want to get well? It resonates deeply within us,
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Speaker 1: as we often find ourselves entangled in circumstances that, though painful,
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Speaker 1: have become our comfort zone. Our sufferings and struggles can
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Speaker 1: become familiar companions, sometimes making us hesitate to seek the
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Speaker 1: healing you offer. Sometimes we fear the unknown more than
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Speaker 1: the pain we know. We confess O God, that our
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Speaker 1: hearts are weary of being stuck. Yet we are all
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Speaker 1: so fearful stepping into the freedom and wholeness you promise.
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Speaker 1: Teach us to trust in your loving kindness, to embrace
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Speaker 1: the courage to say, yes, Lord, I want to get well.
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Speaker 1: Help us to break free from the chains of complacency
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Speaker 1: and fear. Empower us to rise with faith and to
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Speaker 1: step forward into the life you designed for us, a
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Speaker 1: life abundant in grace, healing, and purpose. In your mercy.
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Speaker 1: Guide us from the familiar shores of suffering into your
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Speaker 1: boundless sea of healing love, in Jesus name. Amen, thank
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Speaker 1: you for praying with me to day. You are listening
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Speaker 1: to the Jesus Podcast. Gospel stories retold with dramatic tension
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Speaker 1: and deep reflection. To Day's story is about suffering and
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Speaker 1: feeling stuck in our circumstances. Follow this podcast on whatever
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Speaker 1: platform you're listening to. Doing so will keep you updated,
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Speaker 1: but also help us get discovered by more people. We
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Speaker 1: want the story of Jesus to be known throughout the world.
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Speaker 1: Thanks for making that possible. Baruk lay on his side,
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Speaker 1: eyes drearily peering at the hundreds of other invalids hobbling
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Speaker 1: underneath the colonnades. The Pool of Bethesda was host to
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Speaker 1: a multitude of blind, lame, and paralyzed people hoping for
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Speaker 1: a miracle. Baruk was one of them. He used to
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Speaker 1: lean over the pools daily, eagerly watching for the water
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Speaker 1: to bubble. The legend was that an angel visited the
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Speaker 1: pool each year, and that whoever touched the water first
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Speaker 1: would be healed of their alms. It was a pitiful sight.
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Speaker 1: Every year the water was stirred up and a thrashing
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Speaker 1: of individuals would rush to the pool, desperate for healing.
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Speaker 1: They would jab bite and claw their way to the front.
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Speaker 1: More injuries were caused than healed by the pools, a
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Speaker 1: cruel irony not lost on Baruque. He had bruises on
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Speaker 1: his arms from his last attempt to reach the pool.
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Speaker 1: He often thought about giving up. However, some people were
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Speaker 1: miraculously healed. Those instances kept poor men like Baruque close by,
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Speaker 1: tethered to a shred of hope. Yet year after year,
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Speaker 1: for thirty eight years, Bruk was pushed away, pulled back,
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Speaker 1: or outrun. He no longer rushed the pool with the
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Speaker 1: same vigor and excitement. His beard was matted from lying
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Speaker 1: too long, and his mouth tasted like dust. He hadn't
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Speaker 1: bathed in weeks or gone to the city gates to
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Speaker 1: beg Baruk didn't care. He had just stopped caring years ago,
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Speaker 1: Yet his habit of coming to the pool remained. Each
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Speaker 1: year he watched blind men stumble and lame men trampled.
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Speaker 2: They're all fools, and so am I.
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Speaker 1: Barok's hopes had been dashed against the colonnades presiding over
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Speaker 1: the pools. All that remained was bitterness. Bitter that no
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Speaker 1: one would help him to the pool, Angry at the
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Speaker 1: other invalids for getting there before him. Enraged at God
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Speaker 1: for forgetting him, he rolled over to his other side
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Speaker 1: and dozed off, content to waste away and a puddle
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Speaker 1: of self biddy.
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Speaker 3: We've all heard the question what happens when an unstoppable
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Speaker 3: force meets an immovable object? But what if we feel
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Speaker 3: like we're the immovable object faced against the unstoppable force
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Speaker 3: of God's work. The only thing that can hinder God
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Speaker 3: from working in our lives is our own opposition to it.
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Speaker 3: When we humble ourselves to Him and open ourselves up
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Speaker 3: to the work he wants to accomplish, nothing can stop him.
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Speaker 3: This is the Jesus Podcast, a year's story showcasing the
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Speaker 3: depth of Christ's love and the glory of God's truth.
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Speaker 3: I'm Zach frompray dot Com. After you listen to today's
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Speaker 3: captivating tale, make sure to take a second to follow
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Speaker 3: the podcast and leave a review. Those two small steps
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Speaker 3: actually make a huge difference. There's a lot of podcasts
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Speaker 3: out there, it's hard to make yourself known. If you
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Speaker 3: support this podcast, we would really appreciate those small gestures.
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Speaker 3: Today's story takes us through another marvelous encounter with Jesus,
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Speaker 3: meeting the needs of an outcast. We'll find a man
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Speaker 3: who has been disabled for a long time. While at
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Speaker 3: one time he might have desperately long to be healed,
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Speaker 3: thirty eight years later, he finds himself a little stuck.
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Speaker 3: Like many people who have struggled with chronic illnesses or
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Speaker 3: any sort of disability, they hold on to hope for healing,
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Speaker 3: but also hold on to a bit of cynicism that
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Speaker 3: healing is never actually going to happen. This man will
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Speaker 3: be stuck and unwilling to do what's necessary to find healing.
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Speaker 3: With no means of getting ahead, he resigns himself to
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Speaker 3: live in his condition forever. His hope has been dashed
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Speaker 3: against the rocks over and over again. We're going to
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Speaker 3: see someone who's defeated, and perhaps today you relate to him.
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Speaker 3: You've experienced defeat in your life. You've sought out for healing,
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Speaker 3: and people have told you that healing's available, but it
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Speaker 3: hasn't quite happened. Your expectations have gotten high, and then
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Speaker 3: you've been disappointed over and over again. This man is
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Speaker 3: soon going to learn the importance of trusting in Christ's
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Speaker 3: offered to heal, in his power to provide it. Let's
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Speaker 3: dive in now.
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Speaker 1: The soft glow of harvest season painted Jerusalem and hues
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Speaker 1: of amber and gold. The colonnades above the porches of
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Speaker 1: Bethesda reflected the sun's rays, lighting up the pools below.
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Speaker 1: The soft light danced on the water's surface, creating a
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Speaker 1: spectacle of shimmering reflections. Baruk stared blankly at the shifting lights,
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Speaker 1: stomach aching from hunger. The smell of figcakes wafted in
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Speaker 1: from the marketplace.
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Speaker 4: Are you ready to rush the waters, Baruk?
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Speaker 1: A voice called out from behind. It was a Meal.
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Speaker 1: He was paralyzed on his right side. He was a
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Speaker 1: terribly annoying man, but Baruk's only friend. Sometimes Baruk wished
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Speaker 1: his injury had also taken away a Meal's speech.
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Speaker 4: I have a plan to reach the pool tonight. I'll
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Speaker 4: wade in where the guards are sleeping, and when the
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Speaker 4: sun rises, I'll be healed.
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Speaker 2: Sounds like you got it all figured out, a Meal,
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Speaker 2: except for the fact you can't swim and being in
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Speaker 2: the water all night will freeze to death.
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Speaker 5: Oh what's your plan?
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Speaker 4: Then, don't have one, Baruke. I'm sorry to say it,
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Speaker 4: but it sounds like you don't even want to be healed.
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Speaker 1: Baruk stabbed a meal with his eyes.
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Speaker 2: You think I like sitting in my own filth and
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Speaker 2: watching the world.
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Speaker 6: Move without me.
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Speaker 7: You think I'm here because I enjoy the taste of
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Speaker 7: dirt and moths.
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Speaker 4: All I'm saying is it seems like you stopped trying.
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Speaker 8: It's not as simple as trying a meal. No doctor
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Speaker 8: can help me. My family has abandoned me. My only
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Speaker 8: friend is another invalid who can't carry me to the pool.
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Speaker 8: How exactly am I supposed to try harder?
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Speaker 1: Baruk's nostrils flared at the accusation that he wasn't trying.
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Speaker 1: He had tried for nearly forty years. The pools were
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Speaker 1: a cruel joke. Theoretically they could heal him, but in
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Speaker 1: reality he couldn't reach them, and even if he could,
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Speaker 1: there was no guarantee of healing. Yet the hope of
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Speaker 1: a miracle kept him there, like a dog begging for
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Speaker 1: scraps that may never come. Brook sighed and rolled his
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Speaker 1: neck back.
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Speaker 2: Ah, I feel like a fool for being here, But
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Speaker 2: where else can I go?
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Speaker 4: When I am healed and make hundreds of talents.
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Speaker 5: I shall care for you, my friend.
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Speaker 1: Emil's words rarely brought comfort to Barak. His voice was
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Speaker 1: like a constant drip that wouldn't cease, but having somebody
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Speaker 1: to talk to was better than nobody. Emial limped away,
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Speaker 1: preparing for another failed attempt at the pools. Baroque admired
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Speaker 1: Emil when away. Every year, despite his failures, he tried harder,
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Speaker 1: although his plans were often half brained. There was a
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Speaker 1: glint in his eyes that Baruk wished he still had.
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Speaker 1: But thirty eight years of sitting near that pool and
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Speaker 1: eroded his hope. If it weren't for the pools cruel tricks,
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Speaker 1: baroqu would have moved on and created a better life
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Speaker 1: for himself. He would have lived closer to relatives and
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Speaker 1: begged where he knew sympathetic hearts would welcome him. But
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Speaker 1: the pools kept him there. Even though he knew the
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Speaker 1: chances were next to none, he remained there each year.
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Speaker 1: His hope was shattered, but he came back anyway. He
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Speaker 1: was stuck, and he questioned whether Emil's questions were warranted.
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Speaker 1: Did he genuinely want to be healed? Just then, a
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Speaker 1: stirring in the water could be heard only a few
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Speaker 1: yards away. Baroque lifted his head and leaned over. The
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Speaker 1: crystal blue water was bubbling with life. To him and
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Speaker 1: the others, it was a siren song. Baroqu didn't freeze
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Speaker 1: or hesitate. As cynical as he was, he couldn't help
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Speaker 1: but move. He launched forward, tumbling down a few stairs
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Speaker 1: and clawing to the pools. His arms dragged his whole
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Speaker 1: body along, quivering with each motion. Baroq looked around. He
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Speaker 1: was ahead of everyone.
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Speaker 5: This is it, This is finally it.
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Speaker 7: Oh God, I'm going to be healed after thirty eight years.
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Speaker 4: I'm gon.
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Speaker 1: Baroque had only a few feet left, but striding behind
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Speaker 1: him was a tall man running with a woman in
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Speaker 1: his arms. He jumped over Baraque, kicking him in the
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Speaker 1: back of the head. The man reached the pool before
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Speaker 1: Baraqu and lowered the woman into the pool. Baraq didn't
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Speaker 1: have a chance to see if it worked. A swarm
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Speaker 1: of people hobbled, crawled, and jumped around him. Baraq felt
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Speaker 1: like a fool for having a hope. He worked against
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Speaker 1: the crowd, slowly inching up the steps and back to
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Speaker 1: his mat.
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Speaker 6: I swear if the water stirs again, I'm not going
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Speaker 6: blasted pools.
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Speaker 5: They don't even.
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Speaker 7: Work, And how is anyone supposed to get in without
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Speaker 7: someone to help?
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Speaker 1: Ridiculous. Baraq was fuming. He hated himself for hoping. Jesus
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Speaker 1: passed through the Great Sheep Gate into Jerusalem. The orange
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Speaker 1: glow of the afternoon sun painted the streets in splendor.
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Speaker 1: Jesus weaved in and now to the bustling streets, content
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Speaker 1: to remain anonymous amidst the sea of faces. The city
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Speaker 1: was alive with activity from the festival, the sound of
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Speaker 1: laughter and tambourines intermixed with the smell of freshly baked cakes.
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Speaker 1: He arrived at the pools of Bethesda. A large row
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Speaker 1: of colonnades held up an immaculate roof. The pools were
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Speaker 1: crystal blue, reflecting the light of the late afternoon sun.
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Speaker 1: Yet the beauty of the pools was contrasted by the
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Speaker 1: gloomy faces of individuals. Many of them were wet from
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Speaker 1: jumping into the pools. They limped back to their beds,
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Speaker 1: leaving a trail of water and shattered dreams behind them.
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Speaker 1: Jesus walked up and down a few of the platforms,
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Speaker 1: overlooking the pools. He was searching for someone. He stepped
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Speaker 1: up to a porch where a man lay on the ground,
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Speaker 1: staring blankly at the pool. His beard was matted from
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Speaker 1: lying down to long, and his eyes were red from
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Speaker 1: exhaustion and tears. Shalom, Jesus greeted him with a warm grin.
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Speaker 1: The man didn't answer or look up.
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Speaker 5: Shalom, friend.
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Speaker 1: Jesus knelt down and met his gaze. The man propped
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Speaker 1: himself up and leaned his head against one of the pillars.
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Speaker 5: Oh.
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Speaker 1: The man's eyes were impassive, barely acknowledging jesus presence.
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Speaker 5: You've been here a long time, haven't you.
00:15:38
Speaker 1: Baroque still didn't look up. He shrugged and continued to
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Speaker 1: stare blankly in front of him. Jesus tilted his head
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Speaker 1: to be in Baroque's line of sight and.
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Speaker 5: Asked, do you want to be healed?
00:15:51
Speaker 1: That got his attention. Baroqu's upper lip raised in a snarl,
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Speaker 1: his brow furled, and his jaw shook.
00:16:00
Speaker 5: Who I want to eave?
00:16:02
Speaker 1: Barack propped himself up more to raise his voice. Uh,
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Speaker 1: I don't know who you are.
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Speaker 6: You certainly don't know me, or else you wouldn't have
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Speaker 6: asked that stupid question. I have nobody, no family, no friends,
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Speaker 6: nobody to carry me to the pool. I have to
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Speaker 6: claw my way through the crowd, and when I do,
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Speaker 6: I'm trampled, shoved aside, or hopped over like a dog.
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Speaker 6: There's always someone else to get to the pool before me.
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Speaker 1: Barack didn't answer Jesus question. Jesus didn't ask about the
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Speaker 1: pools at all. Baraq didn't say whether he wanted to
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Speaker 1: be healed or not, because if he was being honest
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Speaker 1: with himself, he wasn't sure. He was stuck in a
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Speaker 1: cycle of victimhood, bitterness, and false hope. Baraq waited by
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Speaker 1: the pool daily, but rarely dreamed about what he would
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Speaker 1: do if he received healing. Emil had lofty dreams of
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Speaker 1: what he would do if he got better, but not Baraque,
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Speaker 1: who was he without his condition. Baraque was spiraling in
00:17:18
Speaker 1: his thoughts, but jesus words interrupted him.
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Speaker 5: Get up, what, Get up? Take your bed and walk.
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Speaker 1: Just as Baraq was about to yell a of fence,
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Speaker 1: he felt a prickling on his toe. He looked at
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Speaker 1: his feet. The burlap covering on his foot was itchy
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Speaker 1: and uncomfortable. He could feel his feet. Baroqu bent his
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Speaker 1: knees lightly, then looked up at Jesus. He gave a
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Speaker 1: reassuring nod and gestured for Barak to stand. His entire
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Speaker 1: body shook with excitement as he leaped to his feet.
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Speaker 7: My feet, my legs, my god.
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Speaker 1: Baraque spun around on his toes and stomped the ground
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Speaker 1: with his heels. He picked up his bed as Jesus commanded,
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Speaker 1: but when he looked up to thank Jesus, he was gone.
00:18:29
Speaker 1: Jesus disappeared into the crowd. Baraq took his bed and
00:18:34
Speaker 1: skipped along through the marketplace. He twirled, clicking his heels
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Speaker 1: and hopping on any stone or step he could find.
00:18:43
Speaker 1: He was like a child playing with a new toy.
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Speaker 1: Baraq's playful spins were interrupted by two Pharisees walking by.
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Speaker 6: It.
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Speaker 8: Sammeoth, show some respect. It isn't lawful for you to
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Speaker 8: carry something that heavy on the holy day of rest.
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Speaker 1: The pharisee stopped for a moment and tilted their heads
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Speaker 1: to the side. The man looked familiar, but they barely
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Speaker 1: recognized him since he was on his feet and not
00:19:11
Speaker 1: lying on the ground. Baroq didn't care about their venomous rebuke.
00:19:17
Speaker 1: He smiled from ear to ear, trying to contain his laughter.
00:19:21
Speaker 1: When he spoke.
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Speaker 7: I'm sorry, but I must obey the man who healed me.
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Speaker 7: He told me to pick up my bed and walk,
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Speaker 7: so here I am.
00:19:30
Speaker 1: Baroq hopped in place and kicked his heels again. This
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Speaker 1: time a childish giggle came out of him.
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Speaker 8: Forgive me, but I must obey the man of God.
00:19:41
Speaker 1: Baroq began walking away, but the Pharisee stopped him and asked.
00:19:46
Speaker 8: What kind of man of God would ask you to
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Speaker 8: pick up your bed on the Sabbath? The kind who
00:19:51
Speaker 8: could heal me after I was paralyzed for thirty eight years.
00:19:55
Speaker 8: I did not know his name, but when I do,
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Speaker 8: I shall tell you who he is, so you can
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Speaker 8: worship him as well. Shabasalam.
00:20:04
Speaker 1: Barak walked away with his head held high and the
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Speaker 1: bed still secure under his arm. No one would rob
00:20:12
Speaker 1: him of his joy. He rounded the marketplace corner and
00:20:17
Speaker 1: walked the steps to the temple mount. The Pharisees followed
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Speaker 1: him skeptically. They didn't want to accept that a man
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Speaker 1: could be healed without their knowledge and be defiant against
00:20:29
Speaker 1: the law of Moses. Sitting on the steps outside the
00:20:33
Speaker 1: temple was none other than the healer himself. Barak dropped
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Speaker 1: his bed and ran to Jesus.
00:20:41
Speaker 8: It's you.
00:20:44
Speaker 4: Yes, you're well. Now you must go and sin no more.
00:20:49
Speaker 4: You will discover there are worse things than losing your legs.
00:20:52
Speaker 1: Jesus patted the man on the shoulder and sent him
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Speaker 1: on his way. Baraq climbed the rest of the stairs
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Speaker 1: to the temple. The Pharisees who questioned him were there waiting.
00:21:04
Speaker 8: Don't you dare bring your bed in here? Drop it
00:21:07
Speaker 8: before you into the temple and repent for what you've done.
00:21:10
Speaker 8: If you have a problem with me carrying my bed,
00:21:12
Speaker 8: you can speak to that man over there.
00:21:14
Speaker 1: Barak pointed back to Jesus and waved. Jesus waved back
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Speaker 1: with a grin.
00:21:20
Speaker 8: He's the one who healed me.
00:21:22
Speaker 1: Baraq, once again, ignoring the pharisees demands to drop his bed,
00:21:27
Speaker 1: entered the temple with a skip in his step. The
00:21:30
Speaker 1: Pharisees knew about Jesus. This was not the first time
00:21:34
Speaker 1: he had broken their customs. The Pharisees stormed down the steps,
00:21:39
Speaker 1: raising their voices at Jesus.
00:21:42
Speaker 8: You healed this man on the sabbath, and you commanded
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Speaker 8: him to carry his bed.
00:21:47
Speaker 4: Well, the bed is his only possession. You can't expect
00:21:51
Speaker 4: him to go anywhere without it.
00:21:53
Speaker 8: Right, you worked on the Sabbath and then commanded this
00:21:57
Speaker 8: man to work. What kind of rabb Why are you?
00:22:01
Speaker 4: My father is working and will continue to work. I
00:22:05
Speaker 4: am also working with him now, if you'll excuse.
00:22:08
Speaker 1: Me, Jesus walked between the Pharisees and summited the Temple
00:22:13
Speaker 1: mount to worship. His good work wouldn't be deterred by
00:22:17
Speaker 1: the religious system of the time. The Sabbath wasn't just
00:22:22
Speaker 1: a day to cease from work. The Sabbath was a sign,
00:22:28
Speaker 1: a shadow of things to come. Jesus was Lord of
00:22:35
Speaker 1: the Sabbath.
00:22:42
Speaker 3: I'm sure we can all think of an area in
00:22:43
Speaker 3: our life where we want to be healed. Whether it's
00:22:46
Speaker 3: a physical affliction, emotional scars, or perhaps a mental condition.
00:22:51
Speaker 3: Ailments only seem to slow us down in life. While
00:22:53
Speaker 3: most people would gladly receive healing in these struggles, some
00:22:57
Speaker 3: people may say they want healing, but when it comes
00:23:00
Speaker 3: down to it, they actually don't want it. This isn't
00:23:04
Speaker 3: to say that they wouldn't take it if it was
00:23:06
Speaker 3: offered to them, but sometimes the fear of the unknown
00:23:08
Speaker 3: actually can hinder us from taking the first steps towards
00:23:11
Speaker 3: actual change, and sometimes fear that things won't actually change
00:23:16
Speaker 3: can prevent us from even trying in the first place.
00:23:20
Speaker 3: The man at the Pool of Bethesda was one such person.
00:23:23
Speaker 3: For thirty eight years, he was cast down and cast
00:23:25
Speaker 3: out by others. For decades, he had wondered if there
00:23:28
Speaker 3: was any way to change his circumstances. Day after day,
00:23:32
Speaker 3: he longed to be well. He longed to use his
00:23:34
Speaker 3: body as God had intended it, But day after day
00:23:37
Speaker 3: the thought of it actually happening straight from his mind
00:23:40
Speaker 3: and his heart. He had remained in the Pool of
00:23:42
Speaker 3: Bethesda because it represented a sliver of hope, but it
00:23:46
Speaker 3: had become somewhat comfortable. This represents the lifestyles many of
00:23:51
Speaker 3: us actually fall into or remain comfortable in, instead of
00:23:56
Speaker 3: seeking actual healing in Jesus. In the midst of dear
00:24:00
Speaker 3: Jesus seeks this man out. Finding the man in the
00:24:03
Speaker 3: same place he laid every single day, Jesus asked the
00:24:06
Speaker 3: question do you want to be made well? On the surface,
00:24:09
Speaker 3: it's a simple yes or no question, one that seems
00:24:12
Speaker 3: to have an obvious response for someone who had been
00:24:14
Speaker 3: stricken with paralysis his entire life, But it's not as
00:24:18
Speaker 3: simple as yes or no. The man doesn't respond with
00:24:22
Speaker 3: either expected response. Instead, he jumps into.
00:24:26
Speaker 1: A list of excuses.
00:24:28
Speaker 3: Perhaps the question met his ears with a bitter sting,
00:24:31
Speaker 3: causing him to jump into what he rehearsed day after day,
00:24:34
Speaker 3: all the reasons he couldn't be healed, whether he wanted
00:24:38
Speaker 3: to be or not, With others likely asking him the
00:24:41
Speaker 3: same question over the years, especially by a place like
00:24:44
Speaker 3: the Pool of Bethesda, another inquiry from a stranger seemed
00:24:47
Speaker 3: to be the final straw. He snapped, there's people in
00:24:50
Speaker 3: my life who have chronic illnesses and disabilities. I myself
00:24:53
Speaker 3: also struggle with a chronic illness, and the question do
00:24:57
Speaker 3: you want to be healed? On the surface can actually
00:24:59
Speaker 3: seem like an insensitive one. Of course, you want to
00:25:03
Speaker 3: be healed. Of course, people who struggle with illness and
00:25:06
Speaker 3: people who struggle with disabilities would prefer not to have
00:25:09
Speaker 3: it in their lives. However, the question can seem trite
00:25:12
Speaker 3: coming from somebody, or the question is usually preceded by
00:25:15
Speaker 3: a list of all these different things and methods and
00:25:18
Speaker 3: lifestyles and diets that people want to tell you will
00:25:21
Speaker 3: actually work. But the truth is, if someone has struggled
00:25:24
Speaker 3: for this many years. They've probably tried everything, and so
00:25:29
Speaker 3: you asking the question do you want to be healed?
00:25:32
Speaker 3: Can come across as insensitive because it's assuming that they
00:25:35
Speaker 3: haven't already tried everything. However, this is no ordinary man
00:25:40
Speaker 3: asking this question. This is Jesus, the renowned and profound healer,
00:25:45
Speaker 3: the Messiah, the one who had crafted this man's body
00:25:48
Speaker 3: in the first place, the one who knew this man
00:25:51
Speaker 3: before he was even born, the one who came to
00:25:54
Speaker 3: make all things new. When Jesus asked the question of
00:25:57
Speaker 3: whether or not he wants to be healed, we can
00:25:59
Speaker 3: eliminate any excuses we've tucked away in our back pockets.
00:26:03
Speaker 3: All we have to do is think deeply an answer
00:26:06
Speaker 3: yes or no. This man gave a lot of excuses
00:26:09
Speaker 3: as to why he hadn't been healed yet. But when
00:26:13
Speaker 3: Jesus asked us this question, do you want to change?
00:26:15
Speaker 3: Do you want to be better? Do you want to
00:26:17
Speaker 3: get up and walk again? Do you want to pick
00:26:19
Speaker 3: yourself up and live a life of purpose? The answer
00:26:23
Speaker 3: to the question needs to be yes or no, not
00:26:25
Speaker 3: a litany of excuses as to why we've been beaten
00:26:28
Speaker 3: down or why we're not where we want to be.
00:26:31
Speaker 3: All we have to do is think deeply about the
00:26:33
Speaker 3: answer yes or no, And although the answer might seem
00:26:38
Speaker 3: obvious a resounding yes, we have to do some inventory
00:26:41
Speaker 3: of our hearts. Sometimes Jesus asks us if we want
00:26:45
Speaker 3: to change. Sometimes Jesus asks us if we want to
00:26:48
Speaker 3: be set free from a specific sin or addiction, And
00:26:51
Speaker 3: although we might say yes in our hearts, we actually
00:26:55
Speaker 3: feel no because our sin is comfortable. We're used to
00:26:58
Speaker 3: our lifestyle and the thought of changing might scare us.
00:27:02
Speaker 3: But excuses have never gotten us anywhere. All they do
00:27:05
Speaker 3: is postpone finding healing and resolution to our problems. They're
00:27:10
Speaker 3: but a meager and weak attempt to protect ourselves from
00:27:13
Speaker 3: more pain caused by disappointment. If healing doesn't actually come,
00:27:17
Speaker 3: we can bat our excuses by trusting in the authority
00:27:20
Speaker 3: of the power of Jesus. Once we honestly answer the
00:27:23
Speaker 3: question if we want to be healed, we must understand
00:27:26
Speaker 3: and appreciate the one who is asking us if we
00:27:29
Speaker 3: want to be healed. Jesus created everything and holds all
00:27:32
Speaker 3: things in his hand. There is nothing outside of his authority,
00:27:36
Speaker 3: and his power reigns over all. This means that Jesus
00:27:41
Speaker 3: not only has the heart to see the healed, but
00:27:43
Speaker 3: he also has the ability to provide what he promises.
00:27:47
Speaker 3: Perhaps we've been let down by others offered to help
00:27:49
Speaker 3: us in our affliction. While there are good intentions behind it,
00:27:53
Speaker 3: their effort didn't seem to measure up to our expectations.
00:27:56
Speaker 3: But God will never fail us when he comes with healing.
00:28:00
Speaker 3: Christ's ministry is filled with signs and wonders that affirm
00:28:02
Speaker 3: his claim to be an all powerful, and ever loving
00:28:05
Speaker 3: son of God. He has given us these miracles as
00:28:09
Speaker 3: a means to help us trust in him. Proverbs three
00:28:12
Speaker 3: five through six reads this, Trust in the Lord with
00:28:15
Speaker 3: all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding
00:28:17
Speaker 3: in all your ways. Submit to Him, and he will
00:28:19
Speaker 3: make your paths straight. We may not fully comprehend how
00:28:23
Speaker 3: God provides healing in our lives, but that's not what
00:28:26
Speaker 3: He requires for us to receive it. The road to
00:28:29
Speaker 3: restoration begins by trusting in Him, whether we see what's
00:28:33
Speaker 3: ahead or not. But trust is only the beginning. Jesus
00:28:36
Speaker 3: meets us where we're at, stuck in our afflictions, and
00:28:39
Speaker 3: while he holds all the power to get us out
00:28:41
Speaker 3: of that place, he does call us to take a
00:28:43
Speaker 3: step of faith. He does call us to rise, pick
00:28:46
Speaker 3: up our beds, and walk. We get to be active
00:28:50
Speaker 3: participants in his miracles. We get to be active participants
00:28:53
Speaker 3: in the change that he wants to ignite in our lives.
00:28:55
Speaker 3: We get to be active participants and partners in the
00:28:59
Speaker 3: restoration and the freedom that we experience from addiction and
00:29:02
Speaker 3: from depravity and from bad habits. Think about our story today.
00:29:07
Speaker 3: As Jesus looks upon the man in the pool of Bethesda,
00:29:10
Speaker 3: he has already provided healing when he commands him to
00:29:13
Speaker 3: get up. But the man will only truly experience the
00:29:17
Speaker 3: blessing of being healed if he actually takes a step forward.
00:29:21
Speaker 3: If we're not willing to take the first step of
00:29:23
Speaker 3: following Jesus, we'll never see where he's wanting to lead us.
00:29:27
Speaker 3: When we obey Jesus, he proves his might. When we
00:29:30
Speaker 3: obey Jesus, he proves himself to be exactly who he
00:29:35
Speaker 3: says he is. If you're waiting for all of the
00:29:38
Speaker 3: proof before you follow Jesus, you've got it backwards. Oftentimes,
00:29:43
Speaker 3: when Jesus calls people, he says, follow me, and then
00:29:46
Speaker 3: they get to discover all of his wonders. It's not
00:29:49
Speaker 3: the other way around. Jesus often decries people who actually
00:29:53
Speaker 3: ask for signs before they have faith in him. Jesus says,
00:29:57
Speaker 3: have faith in me, take a step, and you will
00:30:00
Speaker 3: experience wonderful things. What an amazing moment when we see
00:30:04
Speaker 3: he has done everything he has promised to do. And
00:30:07
Speaker 3: how even more incredible it is when we get to
00:30:09
Speaker 3: tell others about it. Just like Baruk, we get to
00:30:12
Speaker 3: walk in the joy of the Lord and allow that
00:30:13
Speaker 3: joy to overflow onto other people. We get to walk
00:30:16
Speaker 3: with our testimony of healing and restoration and redemption. We
00:30:20
Speaker 3: get to joyfully tell others what Jesus has done in
00:30:23
Speaker 3: our lives. God deserves our praise and he deserves us
00:30:27
Speaker 3: walking with confidence telling others what He's done to us
00:30:31
Speaker 3: and for us. David writes a revelation song and praise
00:30:35
Speaker 3: in Psalm one O three. He says, Praise the Lord,
00:30:38
Speaker 3: O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his Holy name.
00:30:42
Speaker 3: Praise the Lord my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
00:30:46
Speaker 3: who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
00:30:49
Speaker 3: who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you
00:30:52
Speaker 3: with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things,
00:30:56
Speaker 3: so that your mouth is renewed like the eagles. Don't
00:31:00
Speaker 3: be afraid to tell others that you've been healed by God.
00:31:03
Speaker 3: While some may be skeptical or even judgmental of your claim,
00:31:07
Speaker 3: we know what's true, and God can use us to
00:31:10
Speaker 3: draw others to His healing, touch and restoration. The moments
00:31:14
Speaker 3: we feel stuck in life may seem insurmountable to us,
00:31:17
Speaker 3: or perhaps we like being stuck. Perhaps we still feel
00:31:20
Speaker 3: comfortable in our sins and our bad habits, or even
00:31:23
Speaker 3: our ailments. And even though Jesus offers us healing, we're
00:31:27
Speaker 3: reluctant to accept it because change can be scary. But
00:31:31
Speaker 3: let me encourage you, my friends. The change that Jesus offers,
00:31:35
Speaker 3: even though it might be uncomfortable and unconventional at times,
00:31:39
Speaker 3: is worth taking that step of faith. Even when we're stuck,
00:31:43
Speaker 3: God is going to work. Do you want to be
00:31:46
Speaker 3: made well? Deeply reflect on that in your heart to day,
00:31:50
Speaker 3: respect his offer to bring us to healing and restoration,
00:31:53
Speaker 3: Trust in His power and authority, and joyfully proclaim the
00:31:56
Speaker 3: name of Jesus, the Ultimate Healer and the Oldtimate Redeemer.
00:32:01
Speaker 3: Thanks for joining us for another episode of the Jesus Podcast.
00:32:05
Speaker 3: I've been so blessed you have given us your time
00:32:07
Speaker 3: and attention and your heart. As you go through this podcast,
00:32:11
Speaker 3: you know what to do. Rate review, make sure to
00:32:14
Speaker 3: follow the podcast and share it with a friend. And
00:32:16
Speaker 3: if you're curious about more daily devotionals, prayers and wisdom
00:32:20
Speaker 3: to last a lifetime, download the Prey dot com app
00:32:23
Speaker 3: today
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