Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" But he replied, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" "Who said such a thing as that?" they demanded. The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you." Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him. John 5:9-15
Meditate.
Consider how you would feel if you were healed like this man.
 |
| Where is the Sheep's Gate? It is also known as the Lion's Gate. In the northeast part of the wall in the Old City. Symbolic of: Sacrifice - Jesus' selfless love Salvation - Through Jesus, we gain eternal life Healing - hope in brokenness Restoration - Nehemiah rebuilt the wall - God rebuilds our hearts |
Jesus
told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!" John 5:8
That is
just what he did, but the problem was that it was the Sabbath, and no one is to
carry any burden on the Sabbath. The mat was considered a burden by the Pharisees, who confronted the cured fellow. Then, when this man encountered Jesus later and
learned who He was, he told the Jewish leaders. Woops! Now, those leaders were
out to get Jesus. They didn’t believe in Him, respect Him, or trust Him. It
seems to me that they just jealously wanted to get rid of Him. Jesus was doing
miracles that they couldn’t do.
Did the healed man stop sinning,
or something even worse might happen to him? The account of this
story doesn’t go on to tell us such details. We just know that he went to the
Jewish leaders. He turned on the very person who had just healed him of thirty-eight
years of a debilitating disease. How could he do that? He should have been
grateful to Jesus. Would you have been? Would you have run to the Jewish
leaders to tattle on Jesus? Did everyone have questions? Who healed this sick
man? Where did it happen? When—what day of the week—did this miracle occur?
Prayer
– Lord Jesus, You are awesome. You healed this lame man, even knowing that he
would run to the Jewish leaders and rat you out. Such compassion and generosity.
Thank You for Your healing touch to him and for sharing this story so that we
can know You more deeply. Please continue to heal those who turn to You for Your
merciful touch, and help us to understand when You don’t choose to heal our
loved ones. We love You anyway.
Verse
of Salvation ~ When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us,
not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He
washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy
Spirit. Titus
3:4-5
© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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