Follow His Working

Jesus loves us just as we are, but he loves us too much to let us stay that way. Here he hand-picks one invalid man out of a crowd of sick people, apart from any evidence of faith – a beautiful picture of the Gospel! Later on he pursues the man again, challenging him to “sin no more” – yet another picture of the Gospel! Sadly, both the healed man and the Jewish leaders suffer from the same basic problem: In the face of their suffering and limitations, they try to make life more controllable, sorting people into winners and losers, righteous and sinners. Ultimately, Jesus claims his healing work is an extension of God the Father’s active rule over all creation – which, as the Jewish leaders rightly conclude, implies his equality with God. While our sin is indeed real and consequential, our living wholly and holy must always be a response to the prior and gracious working of God.