Sermon Notes: NEW YEAR – NEW YOU
John 5:1-9
Later on, there was a Jewish feast (festival), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades). 3 In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, [waiting for the stirring of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.] 5 There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and picked up his pallet and walked.
Now that day was the Sabbath.
1. This year is up to you.
(Do you want this to be your best year ever?)
“The full meaning of the number 38, although it appears several times in Scripture, is not entirely clear.”
It’s clearly up to you and me!
2 Corinthians 3:18 “From glory to glory.”
Luke 21:19
“By your [patient] endurance (determination) [empowered by the Holy Spirit] you will gain your souls.”
2. God’s covering of grace has been and will over you.
Five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades, coverings)
2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP
“And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him] and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity.”
3. The Father has provided everything you need for the Abundant Life through Jesus, the Lamb of God.
(The Sheep Gate)
2 Peter 1:3 NIV
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 8:37 NKJV
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
4. This is your “Appointed Season.”
Corinthians 6:2
“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
5. On the “Word of the Lord,” take up your mat and walk.
Philippians 3:13-14
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.