A QUESTION OF WILL!

A QUESTION OF WILL!

John 5:2-8

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 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.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Matt 8:1-3

1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

          Notice the company kept by the infirm man! He had lain in his condition for thirty eight years amongst a sea of “impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.” Do you see what sin does to us? In one way or another it wounds us and places us at the mercy of impossible circumstances. I can tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps.

          Jesus asked a curious question when He asked: “Wilt thou be made whole?” The infirm man never directly answered the question but launched an explanation of why he was not already healed. First there was the cruel and unfair unpredictability of the angel who stirred the water. One never knew why or when he might show up to disturb the glassy calm of the water’s surface. Next he explained that only one sufferer out of so many would be healed. Thirdly, he explained that he had no servant or friend to help him into the water so others would always enter the water before him. Almost forty years of hopelessness was the result. The question, however, still hung in the air.

          Wilt thou be made whole? The question addresses our will and forces us to consider what we really want. Moreover, it asks us just how much healing we would like. What would it mean to be made whole? Jesus knows that we often come to him with some emergency and then forget about him after the emergency passes. Do we want only an answer to an immediate need or do we want a relationship that is ongoing?

          In Matthew, we do not see a question but a statement of faith. “Lord, I know that you can if only you will.” The leper points out the incurable nature of his condition. A leper had only one last resort and that was to God. Appealing to Jesus ascribed divinity to Him. Jesus honored his faith with only two words: “I will.”

          The last time I asked “wilt thou” was at a wedding. The couple stood before me after long and detailed preparations had been made. Special clothing had been purchased including expensive jewelry and special decorations had transformed the church. Everyone knew why this couple were now standing here but I asked the question anyway. “Wilt thou?” It forced the couple to once again examine their will and to consider the seriousness of their actions.

          The question Jesus has for you today is “Wilt thou be made whole?” Your response should be “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean!”