We might assume that Jesus was universally popular; after all, what can be criticised about healing someone who had been paralysed for 38 years? John shows us, however, that the healings Jesus did often aroused criticism and ultimately persecution from religious leaders, largely because they so often happened on the Sabbath day and were construed by them as unnecessary work. They could not see beyond the letter of the law and failed to understand Jesus’s actions.

In John 5, Jesus went on to describe what is truly important (“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” John 5:17) and taught about His relationship with the Father. This enraged the Pharisees even further (‘For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.’ John 5:18) All of this discussion came about because of what Jesus did in healing a man on the Sabbath.

We might ask why Jesus chose to heal so frequently on the Sabbath, knowing how it would antagonise the religious leaders. I think the answer lies in the fact that Jesus always responded to the needs around Him, and those needs would not fit into a Monday to Friday schedule! He used every opportunity He had for God, just as we are called to do, and then He used every opportunity He had to teach. The healing was not only an opportunity to help a man who had suffered for thirty-eight years. It was an opportunity to teach about the Father’s heart, about the Son’s relationship with the Father, and about the nature of God’s work on earth. Jesus took these opportunities and taught that life was ultimately found in Him. (John 5:39-40) He used every opportunity wisely and well; we are called to do the same. (Col 4:5)

The third miracle or sign Jesus performed in John’s gospel is the healing of a man who had been paralysed for 38 years (John 5:1-15), a vivid reminder that healing can be for something sudden or something more long-term. It should not surprise us that God is the healer, since the Bible reminds us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made by Him and that nothing is impossible with God, but long-term conditions often leave us debilitated and no longer really expecting change. This man seems to have had some faith in that he was by the pool at Bethesda which was rumoured to have healing properties; we also see how he responded to Jesus with faith. He is an inspiration to us, a reminder that when God steps into situations, anything is possible. (Jer 32:17, Mark 10:27)

Yet once again, we see the manner of the healing is understated, with Jesus simply speaking to the man. (John 5:8-9) The Word made flesh speaks and healing comes. (John 1:1-18, Heb 1:1-3) Words are powerful, as the book of Proverbs makes clear, as James reminds us. (James 3:3-12); the words of Jesus may seem remarkably mundane, but actually, they contain the power to transform. The man responds in faith, picking up his mat and walking, and we see physical restoration coming in an instant.

John goes on, however, to remind us that Jesus was not only concerned with physical restoration but with spiritual restoration. When he meets the man again subsequently, he urges him to ‘stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.’ (John 5:14) For Jesus, our relationship with God is more important than anything else that happens on earth, and everything He teaches underlines this fact: ‘If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.’ (Matt 18:8-9) The imagery is stark; the message uncompromising. We can have great physical health and wealth in this world, and if we do, we count ourselves blessed. But Jesus taught that spiritual blessing goes much further and spoke of blessings on those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who seek peace, who are meek and who are pure in heart. (Matt 5:3-10) He wanted this man not only to know the blessings of healing and wellness; He wanted him to use this God-moment and God-blessing to ensure that he left behind the ways of sin. He cared for the man’s soul as well as his body, a reminder to us all that healing can lead to wholeness when Jesus is present.

We are grateful for these photos from Fredrick and Reeba telling us of the help they are giving to a pastor who is building a new church building, six hours away from their own church in Bangalore. Please pray for the completion of this building project and for the church that will meet there to flourish.

My favourite Christmas song is Michael Card’s song ‘The Final Word’, which speaks of Christ’s incarnation, looking at His title ‘the Word’ (John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:1-3). I am always reminded that God had the first word (speaking creation into being, Genesis 1) and will have the last word in our world.

In our Bible studies on Revelation, we are seeing many woes: times of trouble, disaster and judgment. Revelation 8, after speaking of silence in heaven for half-an-hour as creation waits in fearful expectation for God to move, goes on to speak of seven trumpets. The woes associated with the first four of these are dark indeed: hail and fire mixed with blood resulting in the destruction of a third of the earth; destruction of the sea, poisoning of the waters; a lack of light. Woe is pronounced at the end of the chapter (Revelation 8:13) as if the woes described already were not enough.

Is woe all we have to look forward to? Is the future really so bleak?

There will indeed be difficult days ahead if this part of the Bible is to be believed, but it is important to remember that this is not the end of the story. Every story, if we take a ‘freeze frame’ in the middle, has this tension and apparent disaster, but a good writer then develops the storyline to bring about resolution and that coveted ‘happy ending.’ God is the greatest storywriter of all. He has a wonderful ending for all who believe in Him. His final word is one of restoration and light and life.

So don’t give up on the story because of the present (or future) woe. Remember God has the final word, and He’s told us it will be a positive one!