Alright, let’s continue our consideration of Jesus’ healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda. And let’s remember that after 38 years of sickness, this man was clearly not dying, but he wasn’t really living either. So, Jesus entered the scene of his brokenness, and in the form of a simple question, offered him the opportunity to be restored to his intended state.
Then, in John five verse eight, the Lord gave him three steps to wholeness. And the first of these was to “rise,” which we discussed last time. After that, Jesus said, “take up your bed…” In other words, he tells him that if he wants to experience true healing, he’s going to have to pack up his campsite.
For many years now, I’ve enjoyed watching a reality TV show called, “Survivor.” The contestants try to avoid being eliminated from the game until there are only three players left. Then, those who’ve been forced to leave the game, vote for a winner from the three survivors. But before that vote, the final three players will almost always burn down the camp they’ve been living in during the game. And they do that as a dramatic statement of the fact that they will not be coming back.
Something very similar is embedded in the Lord’s statement here. He’s telling the man that if he’s going to actually LIVE in the healing being offering, he’s going to have to eliminate the possibility of coming back to Bethesda.
Why is this important? Because we all prefer the security of a KNOWN past – even if it’s uncomfortable – over the uncertainties of an UNKNOWN future. And for this man who has been sick his entire life, a future of wholeness – as desirable as it may be – is filled with uncertainties. So, unless he removes the possibility, in those times when his healing is challenged in some way, he will be vulnerable to the temptation to return to the twisted familiarity of what he knows.
Now there’s also the issue of identity. I think it’s clear by what this man says to Jesus that he had come to see himself through the lens of his unhealth, and had begun to define himself by it. You know, there’s a huge difference between someone thinking of themselves as a person who HAS a struggle with alcohol and as someone who IS an alcoholic. And the Devil has a lot of expertise for exploiting our issues and convincing us to label ourselves by them. And that make us less available to healing.
In a sense, Jesus is telling him that as long as he has his sick bed to go back to, he will be vulnerable to the temptation to think of himself AS sick instead of as a man who HAD an illness but is now whole.
On top of that, every form of human brokenness has a support structure that’s been built around it: Like friends and family who enable the unhealth, habits that have developed, distorted assumptions, etc. And unless that structure is dismantled, the gravitational pull can be overwhelming. For instance, if a person is freed by Jesus from a pornography addiction, unless that person is also willing to tear down their well-worn pathways for accessing porn, it will be too easy to slide back into the familiar.
So, we have before us a critical component in the process of healing Jesus wants to bring to your life and mine. Just like the man at the pool, He’s asking if we want to be made well. And if so, He says it will REQUIRE us to be ruthless about cutting off every route back to brokenness.
Are YOU ready to take up YOUR bed? Dear one, Jesus is with you right now, and ready to give you the clarity, the courage, and the strength you need to do it.