John 5:1-15 (NASB) 1After
these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up
to Jerusalem.
2Now there is in Jerusalem by the
sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having
five porticoes. 3In these lay a multitude of those who
were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving
of the waters; 4for an angel of the Lord went down at
certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever
then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made
well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. 5A
man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When
Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been
a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do
you wish to get well?” 7The sick man answered
Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water
is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before
me.” 8Jesus said* to him, “Get
up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9Immediately
the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to
walk.
Now it was the Sabbath on that day.
10So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It
is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your
pallet.” 11But he answered them, “He who made me well
was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your
pallet and walk.’” 12They asked him, “Who is the
man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” 13But
the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped
away while there was a crowd in that place. 14Afterward
Jesus found* him in the temple and said to him, “Behold,
you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse
happens to you.”
INTRODUCTION
Jesus'
statement in verse 14 strongly suggests that this man's paralysis
was the consequence of personal sin—"do
not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you." Sickness
can be the result of sin in our lives.
In
II Chronicles 26:16-21 we are told that King Uzziah disobeyed God
by overstepping his sphere of ministry and doing what only the priests
had permission to do. When
the priests tried to stop him he became angry.
2
Chronicles 26:16-21 (NASB) 16But when he became strong, his heart
was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the
LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense
on the altar of incense. 17Then Azariah the priest entered
after him and with him eighty priests of the LORD, valiant men.
18They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is
not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests,
the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of
the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor
from the LORD God.” 19But Uzziah, with a censer in his
hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged
with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the
priests in the house of the LORD, beside the altar of incense. 20Azariah
the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold,
he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out
of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because the
LORD had smitten him. 21King Uzziah was a leper to
the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a
leper, for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. And Jotham
his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the
land.
In
II Chronicles 21:18-19, we read about King Jehoram.
2
Chronicles 21:18-19 (NASB) 18So after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with
an incurable sickness. 19Now it came about in the course
of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because
of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no
fire for him like the fire for his fathers.
This
judgment on Jehoram was the result of a life of great sin.
In
Numbers 12:10, Miriam's leprosy was the result of her sin against
Moses.
In
2 Kings 5:25-27, we are told that Gehazi was struck with leprosy
because of his greed.
In
Acts 12:23, an angel of the Lord struck Herod and he was eaten by
worms and died.
In
First Corinthians 11:29, Paul links physical sickness and death
to the improper celebration of the death, burial and resurrection
of Jesus in the communion supper.
James
instructs his readers, "confess
your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you
may be healed"
(James 5:16).
While
sickness can be the result of sin this is not always the
case.
The
incident found in John 9:1-3, reminds us that we must not view every
sickness as the result of personal sin.
John
9:1-3 (NASB) 1As He passed by, He saw a man blind
from birth. 2And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3Jesus
answered, “It was neither that
this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the
works of God might be displayed in him.
While
sin is a definite cause, it is not the only reason people get sick.
I.
IT CAN BE AN ATTACK OF SATAN AND DEMON POWERS
– There are many NT examples of disease that was inflicted by Satan
and demons.
A.
THE DAUGHTER OF ABRAHAM (Luke 13:11-13) – Dr.
Luke tells us that a spirit had crippled her and had kept her in
this condition for eighteen years.
Her condition was such that she could not straighten herself
up at all. In verse 16 Jesus explained, "Then should not this woman,
a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long
years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
B.
THE DUMB MAN – In
Matthew 9:32 and 33, we read, "And
as they were going out, behold a dumb man, demon-possessed, was
brought to Him. And
after the demon was cast out, the dumb man spoke…."
Many of the healings Jesus wrought were brought about by rebuking
a "spirit of infirmity" or casting out demons.
(See Mark 9:22-24; Matthew 12:22; Luke 4:38, 39; Mark 5:1-20.)
II.
IT MAY STEM FROM NATURAL CAUSES
– Some sickness and
disease can be attributed to natural causes.
A.
IMPROPER REST
– Everyone needs to take a Sabbath.
Seven
days without rest makes one weak.
B.
IMPROPER DIET
– A diet that is high in fiber is important.
Raw vegetables and fruit are essential to good health.
Such things as the use of tobacco products, eating junk
food, alcohol and drug abuse, and such like are linked
to ill health and premature death.
C.
IMPROPER EXERCISE
– The medical profession recommends
a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes of exercise everyday.
Paul said, "Bodily exercise profits little," but
he did
note that it is profitable.
D.
MENTAL STRESS – In
his book "None of These Diseases,"
Dr. McMillen quotes Dr. William Sadler as saying: