Dependence Upon the Lord for healing (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] Would you be pleased to help me? I would direct you prayerfully to the Gospel according to John chapter 5, reading verses 6 and 7.

[0:18] When Jesus saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

[0:32] The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming another steppeth down before me.

[0:50] You are doubtless acquainted with this portion of God's Word where the angel of the Lord troubled the water.

[1:05] In other words, the water was blessed to the effect of the healing of those with these afflictions and with these trials that come, came upon them as they come upon you and me by reason of that hideous monster sin.

[1:28] How lightly is sin spoken of? How lightly is it in your life and mine unless the Spirit truly convinces us?

[1:43] If the Lord by his Spirit convinces you and me of our sins, of our infirmities, we should come, I believe, with that prayerful desire of the hymn writer, heal us, Emmanuel, here we are, waiting to feel thy touch.

[2:05] We read of this case, this certain man had had this infirmity thirty and eight years. Conviction of sin, friends, thirty and eight years.

[2:20] Or, according to the number of years that the Lord has caused you and me to feel some special burden by reason of sin.

[2:33] An exercise of self. A case that is too hard for you and me to manage, whatever it might be. A thorn in the flesh.

[2:45] A messenger from Satan that buffets you. A besetting sin that you cannot even shake off or get rid of, but you would.

[2:56] You would if you could. And you get so cast down because you feel so burdened with this sin, this trial. And oh, you get so oppressed and cast down with it.

[3:10] Now, you see, it was the first, whosoever then thirst after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole. This poor man, you know, he was so afflicted that everyone seemed to be in front of him in this pathway.

[3:33] You may feel this in your experience as a believer, as a desire in your soul to be a Christian. You see it in others. You see the effects of grace.

[3:46] You may be witness to them in their walk and their conduct and their actions and their conversation that you are persuaded that there's something in them that you lack yourself.

[4:02] They seem to get the blessings. They seem to get the favours that you seem to be void of. and what a burn it is to you and you feel to be so impotent in these things.

[4:16] So helpless, so powerless even to call upon the name of the Lord. And they seem to be so favoured and so advanced in the pathway that you believe that they shall surely get to heaven because their trials bear witness at times when the Lord delivers them that this is the hand of God dealing with them and favouring them and there's you still hanging back as it were or still as it were so behind in the ray.

[4:52] Or you do long after perhaps many, many years to be healed. You want the Lord to lead you to that fountain.

[5:03] You want the Lord to plunge you therein beneath the fountain of his shed blood to wash all your sins away. And so when Jesus saw him lie you see the compassion of Christ.

[5:18] These others are outstepping him. These others are going before him into that pool. They're the first there. And he has no strength you see. Oh doesn't it reveal to you and me in religion no help in self I find?

[5:34] Oh could I but believe that all would easy be says the hymn writer. But oh you see Jesus saw him right. And you know the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous.

[5:48] Ah but you say I'm far from righteous but you you know you have a desire don't you? You come to God's house. To what ends do you come? With a humble hope that the Lord will yet favour you with a knowledge of salvation.

[6:03] You come you desire and your soul might be delivered from the pit. You feel in your own eyes of understanding that there's no hope for you in reaching heaven that desired place.

[6:19] Yet do you not realise in your little life that you know Jesus does have compassion. He does have compassion. Look how his compassion was manifested to Martha and Mary in their brother as they thought was dead.

[6:40] Ah but even Jesus wept in sympathy with them in compassion to Jesus wept. And so in the case of this man he came into the world to seek out and save lost sinners.

[6:56] You may feel lost. You may feel no hope with you but there's this character he knew what he desired but oh there was no hope for him but Jesus saw him live.

[7:11] Frustrate dear friends helpless guilty weak and helpless worm a worm and no man such is our condition at times or we may have all our faculties naturally but as a poor sinner as a believer or you feel such a worthless worm and no man well he says fear not thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel for I will help thee it's the waiting it's the patient waiting for the Lord to come and bless your soul isn't it with a token of his love and so he saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long time in that case though the Lord hadn't been present he knew all about this character because he was a chosen vessel he was one that should be healed and restored both here in his body and also in the salvation of his soul and so he said unto him wilt thou be made whole what a question from the Lord

[8:24] Jesus Christ what an exercise it puts in our hearts when we're brought into those trials and those afflictions those dispensations that come into our pathway wilt thou be made whole wilt thou look to me he says does he not in effect look to me pour not on thyself too long lest it sink thee lower look to Jesus kind and strong mercy join me power and so you may feel to be in a helpless hopeless condition such darkness such bondage so many fears you feel so spiritually impotent but and so you see like this man said sir I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool oh you know the Lord alone himself waits to be gracious but he brings you and me off all self help all independence and he infers this thy whole dependence on me fix casting all your care all your burdens upon the

[9:45] Lord and wait upon the Lord for that renewed strength this is the way isn't it I believe that a poor sinner will come dependent holy he has no strength in and of himself he has no strength in and of himself to follow the Lord we might look upon the baptismal pool won't we we don't speak much of it but you know we might look on it in that way unfair you're not worthy or not worthy even to sit at table with the Lord if you love me keep my commandments is the word isn't it and so when the Lord constrains you when the Lord works in your heart when he makes you willing in the day of his power be no holding back you know the love of Christ will overflow in your bosom the love of Christ will enforce you to follow him to be buried with Christ to be raised up a new creature yes spiritually but you still carry about with you a body of sin and death sir I have no man but ah here's the man isn't it the man

[11:06] Christ Jesus the only begotten son of God full of grace and full of truth who comes at that that accepted time that appointed time and so will thou be made half is this the desire for you or are you independent or will you not have this man to reign over you as we do in our natural mind but oh how you long don't you for the Lord to favour you with this healing touch with this restoring mercy with this way made for you where there seems to be no way oh it's truly a stripping work isn't it of all self righteousness and pride how these Jews had no love in their heart did they to come to the Lord Jesus they were full of pride self righteousness full of their own importance full of their own religion but ah the child of God you know will come as a humble beggar pleading the Lord to strengthen his weak hands confirm his feeble needs and so the Lord in his mercy and in his compassion saw him lie the eyes of the

[12:25] Lord upon then his dear people exercising them and giving them broken hearts and contrite spirits as they come before the Lord desiring to know him what moves a sinner to come and pull upon the name of the Lord you and I cannot convert any man we might try and train up our children in the way that we think they should go but only the Lord can exercise them only the Lord can quicken them only the Lord can awaken them and exercise their souls with a desire and with an exercised mind to seek to know the Lord that they might know the truth that the truth might be revealed to them that their eyes might be open their ears unstopped and their heart receive the truth deep down in the very soul the seek of the

[13:26] Lord is with them that fear him as he teaches them his fear and gives them an exercise like this man looking for someone to put him in someone to as it were favour him with that good hope through grace that he's in that everlasting covenant you know it is but a few shall find it it's striving to enter at the straight gate for all how we have read the sermon or you have perhaps in the latest tender oh it's such a narrow way isn't it few to be that find it what a mercy to be amongst the few you know when the Lord shines through the gloom and comes where you are or you lose sight of all that you have seen have you felt the advantages in the other people's lives and in their religion you are then favoured to realise that the

[14:32] Lord has come where you are there's a pointed time and place for Jesus to come where this poor man was doubtless this poor man must have grown he knew the pool was for healing he could see the source dear friends he could see the very the antidote for his for his ailment he could see the cure there and so with you and me what a mercy the antidote for death is the blood of Jesus Christ and without the shedding of blood there could be no remission for any man's sin and there could be no remission for your sins and mine unless the Lord in his sovereign mercy reveals to you this place where healing can be found and so it's coming to Calvary isn't it all that shed blood that was shed on

[15:34] Calvary's teeth or when forthwith there came water and blood water to wash and blood to pardon or the cleansing effect of the blood of Christ and the cure dear friends for all their sins you see the malady the malady first and then the remedy and so this man had a great case an impossible case for him to do anything about it but Jesus saw him oh what a mercy this is doesn't it raise up a hope in your soul in your felt incurable condition for sin here is one that sees you the eyes of the Lord he knows your fearful heart he knows your sore temptations but he also knows deep in your soul those desires feeble and faint and yet the desire in your soul to serve the

[16:44] Lord to honour the Lord to follow the Lord his track I see and I'll pursue the narrow way till him I view it's walking by faith and not by sight that we yield obedience to his Lord and so he says wilt thou be made whole Jesus not only sees but he speaks speaks through his word speaks dear friends through whatever means he might see fit to use and he would and he blesses dear friends those that desire the gospel trumpet to be blown and they'll pray for him oh Lord may I be blessed with that gospel tidings gospel news may I be favoured to hear thy voice as he says to him rise up rise up rise take up thy bed and walk walking in the ways of God walking in his fear walking sometimes with that sweet felt sense of his presence as he shines into your soul as he reveals to you a precious promise and applies that promise and all you feel little sweetness of these streams that flow out from the river of God's love to your unworthy soul and you say who is a

[18:21] God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage that retaineth not his anger forever for he delighteth in mercy you may feel to be as it were in that condition doubtless this man would have been there that he felt everything was against him seem to be trouble upon trouble waves of trouble seem to go over your head and all you see but you know the Lord causes these things to come to exercise you and to wear your own spirit down it's a hard path you know isn't it for a poor child of God to get to heaven you see because your sins are going to be made an exercise and a burden to you you know we can all see sin and speak of it can't we and talk of sin to see sin smart but slightly to arm with lip confession is easier still

[19:34] I wonder what's gone on today in the so-called places of worship throughout this land throughout the world they recite the confessions about the book don't they but oh there's no feeling from the heart is it they go to the church and they confess their sins before the priest and then they go away and do what they like is that remembering the sand is that is that a sanctifying effect upon their spirit ah sadly not it's a form of religion but oh let's come a little closer friends how have we come this morning or have we come with a desire to be made whole and we come with a desire to hear the gospel to receive the crumbs that fall from his table on the stretch as it were for a blessing importunity that you will not let the

[20:43] Lord go unless he bless you oh it's vital you know for you and me to come like this man no help in self no help in self but yet Lord thou art the one thing needful leave me not don't leave me to settle down with a mere formal gathering week by week but oh do grant me an interest in these truths that are spoken or read or the language that we sing from their experimental hymn book oh Lord do grant that I might know these things personally receive a little life giving sap into my soul that I might be favoured to look to thee to heal me to make me whole to restore unto me the joy of thy salvation to deliver me from this and that besetting sin and snare and guide my doubtful footsteps right now the impotent man answered him sir I have no man when the water is troubled we will notice this too that

[22:04] Jesus speaks first to this man this is vital isn't it the work of the spirit quickens souls not man's conversion is it it's the work of the spirit that awakens dead sinners that awakened you that have now been quickened and have caused your souls to be exercised concerning the reality of eternity the reality of heaven the reality of hell and your longing desire as quickened by the spirit will be to know him and to have some living testimony exercised in your soul as the voice of God from heaven through Jesus Christ as the God man and by the work of the spirit so you see that

[23:09] Jesus speaks Jesus speaks with no uncertain sound the sheep of Christ that hear his voice as we spoke of on the Wednesday evening that when Jesus says I am the door he is the good shepherd of the sheep he sets before his dear people an open door he has set before this man an open door that poor man you know couldn't go through himself all the others were out running him to that pool of healing and as we've already hinted there may be others seem to be running headlong before you seem to get so many blessings but you know the Lord doesn't forsake doesn't forget each of those in the covenant and a time he has set a time he has set to heal up their woes a season most fit his love to disclose this is the love of

[24:22] Christ isn't it oh his love never changes though you may have many changes and all we have to prove don't we that none can keep alive his own soul to lay on my spirit last night as we went to bed that no man can keep alive his own soul the reality of it oh we're full of earthly things aren't we we are of the earth earthly we cannot deny that we cannot alter that won't alter that we carry about with us a body of sin and death but you can't dwell upon spiritual things can you and no man he says can truly say that he is the Lord unless he takes that veil away and breathes breathes upon our dry bones breathes the living word

[25:24] Jesus speaks voice and my sheep hear my voice and oh how we long for the fulfilling of this in our lives to keep alive our soul that we're not left to perish in our sins not left to be unconcerned not left to be careless or prayerless but pray that the Lord Jesus might come now you feel your infirmity you feel your darkness your ignorance your foolishness and lack of understanding of these truths but you know when Jesus drew near to those disciples and they had much more open witness hadn't they of Jesus than you and I have had but even they were doubting and even they were fearing but you see that Jesus drew near to them oh what a mercy on that

[26:30] Emmaus road he draws near to his people then opened he the eyes of their understanding nor there's much in God's word that we do not understand never will but as it's revealed to us and we have to plead don't we Lord open the eyes of my understanding that I might understand the scriptures and walk in accordance with the teaching and instruction of thy scriptures and all may I see centred in it all the Lord Jesus Christ and the desire to know him and to feel a little of that gracious influence of his spirit upon my soul working in me both the will and do of his good pleasure Moses had to say if thy presence go not with us carry us not up hence but the

[27:32] Lord says my presence shall go with thee so we may have drifted a bit off here concerning this man but he was infirm he was like this case for thirty and eight years you're waiting time you know air time is always ready but what is time with the Lord what is time with him there's an appointed time a set time the favours and the foundation of God stand this sure having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his oh this is a favour isn't it the Lord knoweth them that are his and in knowing them he makes himself known to them in that set time and while oh don't cast yourself off dear friends or cut yourself off because you've waited so long and still there's no word for you oh the

[28:37] Lord you know knows the way you take he knows the pathway he knows the darkness and he knows the light but he is the light and the light and the darkness are like to him and so Jesus saw him light oh the eyes of the Lord then that run to and fro for the whole of the earth to see whether there be any that fear him and he knows them that fear him and he knows them that have a desire to worship him and look to him for a token no we cannot live can we without food and water can we naturally so a poor sinner you know he needs to be fed nourished and fed with living breath dear friends as a poor sinner I can't feed your souls or water yourselves only as we are used by the spirit there's nothing in me dear friends that can convert you or comfort you or support you and sustain you only what the Lord teaches me to teach you and so give him the glory oh it's worshipping him isn't it desiring to know more of him and feel more of his presence and to have that real religion and little that a righteous man has and so this man was blessed with a word from the

[30:12] Lord rise take up thy bed oh what a mercy he gave him strength gave him strength to walk in obedience to his Lord Lord and saviour and so you see your impotence dear friends your your absolute helplessness is the appointed time often when the Lord comes and pours upon you a poor sinner a spirit of grace and of supplication no it's right I believe it's right and God honouring to venture to attend the means of grace even though you've got nothing yet because the Lord you know meets with them in the way when they're in the way being in the way the Lord met with him and this is a mercy when you seek that desire in your soul to honour the Lord and wait upon him that he might favour you yet with a blessing or the exercise then with your case your case is too hard your case is too impossible too difficult for you as you view it but remember this that Jesus is full of wisdom and his eye dear friend is omniscient and he has omnipotent power and he's also omnipresent and when the Lord in his sovereign mercy looks upon your heart as a poor and needy sinner seeking water and there is none and your tongue failing for thirst eye the

[32:11] Lord eye the Lord will hear him there's a similarity here between that as seeking water and you know this man was seeking the troubled water the water that had healing properties in it when the angel went down and a certain season so you see there's a set time a certain season and there'll be seasons with you and there and oh wasn't it Philpott preached about the winter before the harvest and what a long winter it is sometimes not according to natural seasons it's a long winter or how you seem to go on in coldness and darkness and hardness of heart until the Lord comes or that set time for the springing forth of the blessed work of the

[33:20] Spirit in yourself as he is drawn to you and you are drawn to him as it were united to Christ and you will feel such a union with him as he favours you and me with that warming of our cold hearts and setting of our souls on fire sir I have no man says he I have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool but you see there's converse here there's a calling upon the name there's an answering of the Lord there's a seeking of union and communion with him and the Lord you see he had witnessed all this man's trial these trials make the promise sweet and trials give new life to prayer they bring us to his feet to lay us low and keep us there it's by faith and so a poor sinner you know will ever be looking and you notice too how Jesus doing this on the

[34:32] Sabbath day or there are those that will see there to criticise the Lord for this on the Sabbath day an act of mercy nor we do look to the Lord in these acts of mercy even if it's the Lord's day and we bless God for it the word bears us up in this in the in the right of walk and conduct even in acts of mercy on the Lord's day but oh what a mercy when the Lord so favours you and me to speak to you and to my heart as the sheep of Christ and he warms your cold heart he sets your soul on fire and you go on your way rejoicing strengthened with all might in the inner man to run with patience you see we have needed patience don't we in our lives in having this infirmity so many years we need the Lord to give us grace to endure the trials to endure the temptation and to wait and tarry his leisure then he says tarry ye here in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endured with power from on high wilt thou be made whole you and me poor sinners all how we need to be made whole how we need to be made real

[36:15] Christians washed in the dear Redeemer's blood how we need that union with the church's living hands so others may as I said seem to be running ahead of you in this race seem to get so many answers to prayer so many deliverances and you not yet had one or one even that is revealed to you in spirit regarding your soul ah but what a mercy if there's an exercise there you see if there's no concern if there's no thoughts of eternity and where you're going to spend it or is it not because we're still in a carnal state but you see he has said sin shall not have dominion over you for you're not under the law but under grace when the

[37:16] Lord gives his grace so as a wretched vile sinner you feel one thing is needful and though you feel sometimes fearful that you're being passed by ah the Lord you know he sees he knows the sincerity and desires deep down in your soul you're longing you're panting for a real deliverance Lord put me in put me in Lord that I might be healed put me in that pool of healing do put me in that that blessed covenant or reveal to me that thou hast sealed the covenant with thy blood that my name is recorded in that book of life or then I shall have no fear to die you see some are subject to bondage all their lives through the fear of death but you know if we die in faith not having received the promises but seen them afar off and were persuaded of them so this is something to raise up a hope in your soul seeing them afar off and were persuaded of them so you walk by faith for the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him so when

[38:52] Jesus saw him will they be made whole he says and the man answered him sir I have no man you see the respect that he gave to the Lord Jesus when the water is troubled to put me in the pool but while I am coming another step it down before me oh it is the pathway isn't it the lame should take the pride and so it is for the haught the lame the maimed and the blind that this blessed plan of salvation is prepared for and you wait for him to reveal it to you and you'll be on the stretch as I said earlier for the blessing for the blessing of the Lord it maketh rich but oh how solemn to be under the curse of God for eternity outer darkness will be the end weeping and gnashing of day but through mercy you know the Lord knows them that it is and he speaks to their heart and he exercises them that they might pray without ceasing that the eternal God is manifested to them as their refuge and under the needs of the everlasting arm and he will lead them forth by the right way this man here you know this was the steps one of the steps wasn't it of the good man no good in himself but ordered by the Lord appointed by the

[40:38] Lord steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighted in his word you see how light he would say were his afflictions compared with the sufferings of Christ nor when by faith we view the sufferings of Christ we see also the great love of Christ that he should come right where these impotent folk are laying helpless guilty weak and helpless dependent upon the Lord to bless the gospel with that knowledge of himself formed in our hearts as the hope of glory Lord send out thy life you say and bless me with thy grace so he says will thou be made whole and he answers sir I have no man when the water is troubled to put me in but our the Lord gives strength doesn't he gives power to the faint and them that have no might he increases strength but I see the time is gone and we have the ordinance given we will leave it for the time may the

[41:57] Lord bless his own word forgive all of me say amen