Skip to main content

THIRST-TRUST-THRUST: 3 Pre-requisites to a Saving Miracle (John 5:1-9)- Sermon

Evening Service, SNGR. Oct 14, 2012.


The impotent man, suffering for 38 years, was healed in an instant. That's the miracle working power of God. How can I see a miracle in my life? Three things to consider:

1. Willingness to be healed [THIRST]
Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" Of course he did, or else he wouldn't be there.
Awareness of our need for healing and salvation is very important. Where there is no thirst, water has no value. Jesus said that only the sick need a physician. Those who think they are all fine can't appreciate, (Forget about desiring!) the power of God. Jesus said, Let him who is thirsty come unto me and I will give him water to drink. The deeper our thirst, the richer our experience of Him will be.

2. Absolute Reliance in God (Throwing Away All Crutches) [TRUST]
The man replied that he had no one else to help him. He had no alternative but God. Many times we fail to fully experience God because we have so many other options still in hold; and so we cannot commit ourselves 100% to God. We cannot trust Him absolutely. Jesus said that no man can serve two masters. The rich young man could not follow Jesus because he was not willing to let go off the crutch of worldly riches. He finally returned to them and forwent the treasures of heaven. As long as we have other things to still turn to, our heart cannot follow fully after God. To seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness is the primary object of our life; other things are only meant to follow.

3. Obedient Faith [THRUST]
Jesus told the man to take up his bed and walk, and he did. The servants at Cana obeyed Jesus and they saw there a miracle through their hands. The disciples distributed the bread that Jesus blessed and gave, and a miracle happened in their hands. Unless we take the bold step of faith and obey whatever the Lord tells us, we can never walk. When Jesus told the man to arise, he had two choices; either to laugh at Jesus' statement and keep lying there forever, or believe His word and rise up and walk. He did the latter and so we read of his faith in the Gospel, the Good News.

Our Thirst for God, Our Trust in God, and Our Thrust towards God is the Sum of our Experience of God.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Poll Results: Are all Mission Fields Harvest Fields?

On Monday, April 30, I started a poll on the following question: Jesus said: "The fields are ripe for harvest... I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (Jn 4:35,38) DOES IT APPLY 2 NON-JUDEO LANDS AS WELL? They don't need preparation and sowing? Rather, they are as equally ripe for harvest as Judea-Samaria was because of previous labor by somebody (local indigenous religions and prophets!)? A total of 18 votes were cast with the following main results: YES = 9 I believe it wherever the gospel is preached and people respond. = 5 NO = 1 I'M NOT SURE = 0 One Scholar responded saying: "I think God's Spirit is at work with all people all the time through various way, and sundry ways as Hebrews says. hence they are ready for harvest... but the church is too slow to go." A Pastor responded saying: "I do believe that even in the remotest areas, the fields are alread...

Rocketing Prices Make Vegetables and Fruits a Luxury in India

Prices of agro-products soar higher in India, making fruits and vegetables almost a luxury. The Times of India reports: "The price of almost every vegetables except onion and potato has gone up to 25 to 30 per cent in the wholesale market and retail price staggering up to 45 to 50 per cent. A random market survey revealed an increase in the price of spinach to Rs 40-45 from Rs 10-15 kg a few days back. "The price of tomato has gone up to Rs 55-60 from Rs 40 a kg and capsicum to Rs 60-80 from Rs 40 per kg at the start of this month. The price of onion has gone up to Rs 20 from Rs 15-18 per kg but still remained steady in the market. "Variation between the wholesale prices and retail prices is staggering between 25%-30%." (Lucknow: July 17, 2009). Lauki (bottle gourd) went from being Rs. 7-10 per kg to Rs. 40 per kg. The price of lentils has shot up to Rs. 85 per kg from Rs. 40-45 per kg. The saying "dal bhat ab ameeron ka khana hei" (lentils and rice are n...

Three Divisions of Philosophical Theology

Also discussed as "God of the Rationalist or God of the Empiricists " at Philpapers.org Philosophical theology can be basically divided into three classes: Rationalist theology, Empirical theology, and Intermediate Theology. Rationalist Theology  includes isms such as monism (e.g. Parmenides and Zeno) and non-dualism (Advaitins of India) whose assertions are usually supported by arguments that rationally dismiss experience as false and irrational. This they do with reference to ultimate concepts such as unity, necessity, infinity, immutability, and transcendence (none of which can be predicated of the things of experience). Thus, God becomes the "wholly other" transcendent reality that can only be talked about  via negativa. Empirical Theology,  on the other hand, is quite the opposite of the previous. It actually brings religion down to the earth. The gods and goddesses are more human like, and earthly; and, of course, positively understandable in empirical categor...