Good morning. Remember that it was the Sabbath, and the man by the pool did a horrible thing – he was carrying his pallet on the Sabbath. Hey don’t look at me, man. That dude who healed me told me to do this. Who was he? I don’t know. It says that Jesus found him; not that he found Jesus. You have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you. It doesn’t say anything about him becoming sick because of some sin that he did. I do notice that nowhere in the story does he give glory to God for healing him. Instead he goes straight away and tells the Jews it was Jesus who made him well. That got them stirred up; and they started persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. We will see next time that Jesus’ response made them even angrier  OK so the Jews were upset because Jesus was “working“ on the Sabbath by healing someone. Jesus’ response – My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working. That really got them upset; so much so that they were seeking to kill Him. They wanted to kill Him not only because in their minds He was breaking the Sabbath (there is a story in the Old Testament where Moses commanded someone to be killed because he was gathering firewood on the Sabbath, I think it was), but was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. I’m glad John put this statement in his gospel; otherwise, it is very possible that we would miss the whole point of Jesus’ statement. The Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. This is just like us. How many times have we seen a child trying to do exactly the same thing that his or her parent is doing? Jesus was imitating His Father. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He wishes. If you want to know what can Jesus do – just look at what God is doing. There is no limit to what Jesus can do for you. Father thank You that You have shown Jesus all that You are doing. You are not trying to hide it. Take care of the reader today and every day. Help him/her to have a safe trip home whenever they travel.

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