FOCUS ON THE MAIN THING

John 5:9-15
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jesus Heals a Lame Man

9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”

11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.

13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

What is the main thing here? Is it the healing performed by the Son of God or is it the man carrying his sleeping mat on Sunday? The Jewish leaders, while focused in on the law, missed the main thing … the grace in the healing.

When Jesus and the man talked again, Jesus changed the focus. The healing was the old news. The man was now well. Jesus told him to focus on that which separates man from God … SIN. “…stop sinning…” What is the something worse which faced this man if he continued to sin? Jesus wants the man to avoid eternal separation from God. The main thing in their conversation became a lesson on how to miss hell. Stop sinning! Get to know the One who healed you. Fall in love with Him. Tell the world the name that is above every name … JESUS!