Dear TVCC Students,
It's already been a crazy summer! The time seems to be rushing by! Camp is in ONE week and we are very excited to see what the Lord will have for us this year. Last night Sonny taught on John 5 and the "stirring of the waters." Here is a recap...
John 5: 4: This verse was not in the original text. According to cultural tradition, it was believed that if you went down to this certain pool and were the first to get it when the water moved, you would be healed. People that went here were most likely desperate for healing and most had probably spent all of their money on doctors and other things to try to make them well. This place was full of desperate people and Jesus goes there to extend grace to one suffering man.
5:6: Jesus asked him if he wanted to be made well. Some people have been in a place of despair for so long that it becomes the norm and they no longer wish to be made well (Sonny gave the example of some of the homeless people that we have talked to in the past who were fine with being homeless and did not want help).
- We all are in a similar situation to this man spiritually. We are born into sin and are by nature spiritually blind, naked, poor and full of shame (Revelation 3). We need to understand how wretched we are and know that only Jesus can make us whole.
-Q:When He comes to us with the Cross as our cure and asks us "Do you wish to be made well?"- how do we answer Him? Are we comfortable with our sin or do we see our depravity and desire the wholeness that only He can give?
5:9: Jesus heals the blind man. The man exercises his faith by rising to walk. Belief leads to action. He did not just say "Yes, Jesus, I believe you." He picked up his pallet and walked. Faith led to a life change. The same is true for those that are spiritually healed by Jesus. When we come to really know Jesus and His freedom, our lives will be lived differently.
-Q: Does the way that you live accurately reflect the faith that you proclaim? Faith and works go hand in hand. Genuine faith produces a Christ- seeking life (James 2).
5:10: The Pharisees get mad at Jesus for healing someone on the Sabbath. They totally missed the point of the Sabbath. The Lord had made the Sabbath to be time where the people rested and enjoyed intimacy with Him. The Pharisees took this good day that the Lord created and turned it into a day of legalism where people would compete as to who was more spiritual. They totally missed out on the intimacy that the Lord wanted with them in exchange for being good rule-keepers. We are often like that as American Christians. We often become good, moral people who are good at looking spiritual but are deeply lacking when it comes to intimacy with Jesus. Jesus died so that we could have intimacy with the Father, not just be good rule keepers.
-Q: Are you just a good rule-keeper or do you really have an intimate relationship with the Lord where you spend time with Him daily learning from His word and sharing your soul with Him?
Dear students,
We pray this week that you will spend time enjoying the freedom you have in Christ and that you will experience the healing that only He can give. We pray that you will spend time with Him daily and grow in intimacy with Him. We love you.
With hope,
Sonny and Casi
