Never Stops Working

The fifth chapter of John recounts the story of Jesus healing a man with a long-time disability by the Pool of Bethesda. When this miracle is described in these simple words, it doesn't stand out from the others.

However, what sets this one apart is that the Jewish leaders were furious that He healed this man on the Sabbath, thereby breaking the rule that no work, even miraculous acts of compassion, should be done on that day. As always, Jesus is changing the rules of the game, and in doing so, He establishes that He and His Father created the Sabbath and have authority over how it is observed, and indeed, over life itself. In healing the disabled man, He set aside the Pharisees' strict adherence to religious laws and emphasized the deeper purpose of those laws—to show God's mercy, love, and grace. Not only that, He lectured them about their inability to see who He is and by whose authority He performed great works, and the fact He equated Himself with God only made them more deranged.

There is more to this story than just Jesus breaking the rules again, so let's delve into it and learn more about the Savior who never stops working for you and me.

Blessings,

Ron