The Controversy at Bethesda - John 5:10-18

1:30Exodus 7.3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart that I may multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. Exodus 7.13 yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as the Lord had said. Exodus 7.22 Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen as the Lord had said. Exodus 8.15 but when Pharaoh saw that there was relief he hardened his heart and did not listen as the Lord had said in Exodus 8 19 Then the magician said to Pharaoh This is the finger of God but Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as the Lord had said and on through Exodus you get to Exodus 11 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh yet the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land Exodus 14 4 Then I will harden Pharaoh's heart and he will chase after them and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all of his army and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord Exodus 4 17 as Israel went Through the sea, and as Pharaoh pursued Exodus 4:17, as for me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all of his army. He was used as an object that would glorify God through judgment. Tragic, tragic figure in history. And as we begin chapter 5 of John, we realize that what happens to Pharaoh happens to Israel as a nation. And chapters 5 through chapter 12 are the chapters that chronicle this continuing hardening of Israel's heart until we get to the end of chapter 12. And John will write this commentary and says, They hardened. Their hearts were hardened, as Isaiah said.

4:09And the exhortation to us as we go through these chapters is that we not be like them, that we not harden our hearts to God, but that we soften our hearts, that we listen to him, and that we ask him to soften our hearts, to open our hearts. Chapter 5, we're at the pool of Bethesda. Last time we looked in verses 1 through 9 at the miracle of Bethesda. And today we want to look at verses 10 through 18, which outlines the controversy at Bethesda. So in response to Jesus's powerful mercy that was poured out on this paralytic, this sick man who couldn't even move down to the water, in response to this powerful mercy, a powerful opposition is formed here that will ultimately lead to the cross. Let me just read this text to you. Verse 10.

5:14Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So, verse 10, the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, it is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet. But he answered them, He who made me well was the one who said to me, Pick up your pallet and walk. They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Pick up your pallet and walk? But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, Behold, you have become well. Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you. The man went away and told the Jews that it was. It was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But he answered them, saying, My father is working until now, and I myself am working. For this reason, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making himself equal with God.

6:31You know, years ago, I was in a company, and I sensed and felt the blessing of God upon my work. I felt as if I was growing in favor with my superiors. They would give me the best work, they were giving me good raises, promotions. And then something happened. There came a time in this relationship where one of my superiors asked me to violate Scripture, violate a principle in scripture, or at least in my opinion, it was a violation. And something changed in that meeting. And we even had another meeting. We even sat down at dinner to talk through this, at which case I kept coming back to the point I kept. Cannot go there. I cannot, and I will not go there. And I saw it in this man's face as all of a sudden that favor changed. My relationship had crested a hill. And from that point on, there was a deterioration in the relationship.

7:51Something similar happened in Jesus' life. There was a time when he was growing in favor with both God and man. But at some point, that changed. Though he continued to grow in favor with God, he certainly did not continue to grow in favor with man. And that turning point happens here in chapter 5. He crested a hill, you could say, in this controversy that took place at Bethesda. So I want you to see how this controversy develops and the one conclusion it takes us to so that you will honor Jesus more intently and more deliberately with everything you have. So this controversy at Bethesda, I want you to see how it unfolds in these verses. Well, look at the progression of the controversy at Bethesda. First of all, it is a controversy between the Jews and a man carrying his mat. Look at verse 9.

8:56Well, certainly it says this at the last verses 1 through 9 tells us. About the miracle, and the last part of verse 9 tells us the nature of the controversy. Now, it was the Sabbath on that day. So, he had healed this man, and he tells the man, Get up, take up your mat, and start walking around. And Jesus knew exactly what he was doing, he was setting this man on a collision course with the Jews of the day. He knew that there would be this issue dealing with the Sabbath because Jesus comes to confront our false religion, he comes to confront our false ways of life. And no, that's something about who Jesus is.

9:40Praise His name that He does so. So, this is what happens. Look at verse 10. So, the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet. So, Jesus had told him to start walking around. So, this man started walking around, and so this continuing conversation or retort from the Jews came out. They were saying to him, It's the Sabbath. You are a lawbreaker.

10:17You can't carry that thing around here. What are you doing? You obviously do not honor God. You guys are like, Yeah, well, yeah, I'm amazed because I couldn't even. Walk a little while ago, you know. That's amazing that I'm just the fact that I'm just walking, you know. But not everyone was excited about the man's blessing, right? In fact, many were angered by it. Incredible. You talk about the Joy Gestapo. I mean, they put a stop to this, right?

10:49And this response came out of a hardened heart. They were cold to the man. They were cold to the work of the miracle. They didn't even see that. Think about that. Here is a man who is an invalid for 38 years that is walking around carrying his mat. This isn't a time to go, ah, lawbreaker, right? But this man, this came out of a hardened heart, cold to the man, cold to the work, cold to Jesus, and cold to the God who they professed. And this type of people advance and elevate themselves by pointing out the seemingly faults of others. They are fault finders. They have reduced following the Lord to a set of legal provisions that's either on one side or the other.

11:44And what happened is they completely missed God's work that had happened right in front of their eyes. And the sad thing is, is they really thought they were doing God a favor, I'm sure. But here's the bottom line: they didn't understand God at all. God delighted to heal on the Sabbath. But they completely missed the God of the Bible. The question is: how did they get there? Well, I think it's worth noting, or worth taking a few moments, to think through what actually happened to them and so that we can be careful not to be like them. As you come to the Old Testament and you look at the Sabbath in the Old Testament, Israel had a problem with breaking the Sabbath. They did this early in their history. The law of the Sabbath is very clear, clearly marked out in Exodus 31. Let me just read to you a part of that. Speak to the sons of Israel, you shall surely observe my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. Therefore, you are to observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death. Wow. Now that's pretty strong. For whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. So that's the provision. Obey the Sabbath. Jeremiah admonished the Jews to honor the Sabbath. And Jeremiah said, 17, 27.

13:32Jeremiah exhorts people, but if you do not listen to me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load on it and coming through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and not be quenched. In other words, Jeremiah is saying, Look, if you do not stop making the Sabbath day common by carrying on this commerce, I am going to bring total destruction against Jerusalem. Oh, they didn't listen to Jeremiah. Judgment came through the instrument of the Babylonians. And 2 Chronicles 36 tells us exactly what happened and why. Let me read to you a section of that. 2 Chronicles 36, 19. Then they burned, speaking of the Babylonians, burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all of its fortified buildings with fire, and destroyed all its valuable articles. Now, that's pretty severe. Those who had escaped from the sword, he carried away to Babylon, and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia.

14:44And this happened to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah until, and get this, the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation, it kept Sabbath. Until 70 years were completed. In other words, they had so violated the Sabbaths that the whole Babylonian exile was to give, if you will, the land its Sabbath rest. So then the Jews come back from exile, back from Babylon, under Ezra and Nehemiah. And then Nehemiah writes these words at the close of his book in chapter 13. Israel still had not learned the lesson of honoring the Sabbath. So Nehemiah writes these words, beginning in verse 15 of chapter 13. In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs, and all other kinds of loads. And they brought them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. Then I reprimanded the nobles and said to them, What is this evil thing that you are doing by profaning the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and this city all this trouble? You are adding to the wrath of Israel by profaning the Sabbath. And so, what does Nehemiah do? He makes sure that the gate is shut and he stations guards.

16:31So that no load would enter on the Sabbath day. It's pretty serious, right? The idea of carrying a load on the Sabbath day was very serious because it made the Sabbath day like every other day of the week. However, the load, quote, load, mentioned in Jeremiah and Nehemiah, has everything to do with commerce. It has nothing to do with a paralytic carrying his bed. It has everything to do with commercialism. And so what happened in Israel's past was this problem of neglecting the Sabbath. Their extreme was neglecting the Sabbath. But by the time you get to Christ, the extreme is on the other end. Sorry. Better now. All right. So they go from one extreme to the other. They go from the extreme of neglecting to the extreme of imposing so many regulations on it that they made the Sabbath a burden. From total neglect to an overwhelming burden. And that's the extreme. So that's the extreme we come into in New Testament times. In fact, the Mishnah, which was written a few years later, will give us a glimpse into. The dominant rabbinic opinion of the day. They had classified work into 39 categories, and the very last was carrying loads. And so you could, the idea is that you couldn't carry anything from one domain to the other. That would be considered work. Now, what was interesting is you could not carry a paralytic's mat on that day. But if the paralytic was on top of it, then that would constitute an act of compassion, and you could carry not only the mat, but the paralytic as well. Okay, so there was allowances for acts of compassion. Of course, they didn't really have a category for those who could heal people and tell them to walk and carry their mat. But you get the idea, acts of compassion, even in the tradition, was allowed. But the point I'm making is that they had so encumbered and burdened down the Sabbath with human traditions that they effectively elevated man's tradition and they fell victim to adding to the words of Scripture. That's how they got there, by the way. That's how they get there. They brought something alongside Scripture and they elevated their tradition to that of Scripture. And whenever that happens, as history shows, Scripture loses. That's effect adding to or taking away or turning to the right or turning to the left. It's interesting in Deuteronomy 4:1, God says to Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgment which I am teaching you to perform, so that you may live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you. It's interesting. Once you add or subtract, guess what? You no longer have the command that God is giving. That's effectively what happened to the Jews. They elevated their tradition, and because of this, they neglected to understand that God delights to heal on the Sabbath, not vice versa. So they totally didn't understand the God of the Scripture. But I want you to keep in mind, this is not just about the Jews. This is about all of us. There is a mirror into our own souls and our own disposition here. It is a human temperature. Tendency to live by our own standards, isn't it? We can get so deeply entrenched in our own traditions, our own philosophies, our own life pursuits, that we completely miss the activity of God, even if it's right before our eyes.

21:17Listen, you and I can get so set in our ways that we cannot see the activity of God even if it was right before us. This is what Scripture is speaking to us. It's not just about the Jews, it's about this human tendency to get so caught up in our own ways that we're completely shut off to the life of God and what the Spirit of God is saying. Let's not let that be us. So, looking back at verse 10, it's clear the man was faced with this hostile group of people. They were not happy with him. They were not happy with the miracle. They were trapped in their own system, in their own ways. And so they were saying, It is the Sabbath. It's not permissible for you to do this. Well, look at the man's answer in verse 11. But he answered them, he who made me well was the one who said to me, Pick up your pallet and walk. Basically, he's saying, Don't blame me. I'm just doing what the guy told me to do.

22:22So the man quickly and effectively shifted the blame. Okay? There was something. Very intimidating about this religious establishment. In fact, if you make a note to look at chapter 12 and verse 42 and 43, even the Pharisees who were starting to believe who Jesus was were afraid to acknowledge him for fear of the Jews. They didn't want to get put out. So even religious leaders were intimidated by this establishment. And certainly this man is here as well. He didn't want to face their charges. You know, it's one thing you get healed after 38 days and then you get kicked out, right? Or stoned, right? Because it could even be a capital offense, as the law demanded. You see, the man didn't want to be put out of Jewish society, and he certainly didn't want to be killed. So he said, don't blame me, right?

23:31Look at verse 12. So they asked him, Who is the man who said to you, pick up your pallet and walk? Basically, they said, well, then who do we blame? We can't blame you. Who do we blame, right? If somebody's teaching you to do this, he is of greater importance and deserves more of our intention, and we must deal with him. So, okay, who's this teacher that's telling you to do this? We want to talk to him. Let's look back at verse 13. But the man who was healed did not know who it was. For Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Basically, the man saying, I have no idea. Apparently, the man had no idea who Jesus was. In fact, there's no indication in this passage that this man becomes a true believer. In fact, he couldn't have, at least at this point, certainly at this point. They didn't even know who Jesus was.

24:24It's important to recognize that Jesus' powerful mercy that was poured out on this man's life set him immediately at odds with his own people. And the man is going to have to decide. He's going to have to choose allegiance. Is he going to choose allegiance to the Jews or to Jesus? And so this controversy between the man and the Jews then moves up a notch. It becomes a controversy between the man and Jesus. So let's take this to the second step of this controversy. It's a controversy between the man and Jesus.

25:06Look at verse 14. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, Behold, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you. So Jesus finds the man and delivers a message to him: Do not sin anymore. You must not sin. You must not be sinning. That's the idea. Idea. He says, he comes to him, look, you have become well, genuinely well. Jesus finds him and says, you have truly become well, become whole. You know, you can imagine many of the miracles or so-called miracles that may have happened at Bethesda probably were pretty short-lived. Probably many people saying they had gotten healed of something, but someone that may have been short-lived, not this one, for sure. This one was the real deal, the real thing. You have become well.

26:12So Jesus pulls him aside and says, you have become well. So use, stop sinning. Don't go on pursuing a pattern and a lifestyle of sinning, but use your wellness to glorify God. It's interesting, and I have to comment on this because some commentators and a number of them think that Jesus was admonishing the man for not, so that he wouldn't go and commit the same sin that led to his illness. So if that's the case, if what Jesus is doing is saying, don't go do that again, or you're going to be, something worse is going to happen to you, then this is a case where the person's sin led to this condition. I see. Certainly believe that sin has its consequences and sometimes may be the cause of certain conditions. There's a link between smoking and lung cancer. Like just a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to somebody that I've had occasion to know for many years who's suffering of cancer and a very pathetic individual. And I've exhorted him many times to follow Christ. And he's sitting there wasted, you know, dying of cancer. It's a pathetic scene. He's got the ventilator from the cancer that's all in his body, and he's got a cigarette. So he's got to have oxygen and a cigarette. And he's getting in his truck with all this on him. I'm like, there might be a connection here, right?

27:47But scripture also makes it clear that not all sickness is a result of sin. What I think Jesus is doing here, I don't think he's just commenting on this particular sin. I think he's speaking in general to this man and even specific to what's going on in the immediate context. In Mark chapter 1, when Jesus comes out in verse 15, he says, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Be repenting and be believing in the gospel. The same verb tense is used here, same imperative. In light of the fact that the kingdom of God is drawn near to you, you be turning away from your sin. Do not go on since. Sinning. I mean, if Jesus came up to you and said to you, you need to stop sinning, there's something going on, right? Jesus finds him, exhorts him, do not go on sinning.

28:47So I think something's going on, or something worse would happen to him, and certainly that is eternal separation. But I think there's something going on here. The man was in a situation where he was having to decide what is he going to do? Who is he going to follow? Is he going to follow the one who showed him mercy, or is he going to show, is he going to try to placate or satisfy the Jewish leaders? Christ or society? Boil it down to that.

29:21We all have to pledge ultimate allegiance to one or the other, don't we? Is it Christ? Is it society? And I think this man's dealing right then and there. Which way is he? He's already been confronted. He's already passed the buck. Now Jesus finds him. Don't go on sinning. So Jesus delivered his message to the man. So then look what happens. Verse 15. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. So how did the man respond? Well, the man took a message to the Jews. Here's your message. It's Jesus. That's the one.

30:05See, apparently, the man desired to ingratiate himself to the Jews more than to Jesus. The man wanted out of the hot seat. The man wanted out of the controversy. And by going to the authorities, the man gave the Jews what they wanted. And what's sad is he used the legs, his healed legs, to take him to the authorities. And he handed him, pointed out Jesus. There he is. I don't think this man is innocent. Some commentators like to suggest this man just innocently did this. I don't think he was innocent at all. I think he knew exactly what he was doing. He pointed the finger to Jesus in order to get himself out of the conflict, and he knew that from then on, Jesus would take the heat.

31:04He knew the Jews would go after Jesus. He knew the vitriol that they had against him. He saw it in their faces. He felt it in the way they spoke to him, and it terrified him, just like it did the other Jewish leaders. See, there's a very different incident that happens in chapter 9. There's a man who's healed. Who was born blind? Let me just read to you a little bit of this account. They called the blind man, and this is in John chapter 9, verse 24. And they called him in, and he said, Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. The man said, Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see. So they said to him, What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? He said, I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become one of his disciples? They reviled at him and said, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to this to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he is from. The man answered and said to them, Well, here is an amazing thing. You do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he hears him. Since the beginning of time, it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing. They answered him, You were born entirely in sins, and you are teaching us. So they put him out. And Jesus heard that they had put him out, finding him. Jesus said to him, Do you believe in the Son of Man? He answered, Who is he, Lord? That I may believe in him. Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and he is the one talking to you. And he said, Lord, I believed, and he worshipped him. What happens with this blind man in chapter 9 is something totally different than what happens to this paralytic in chapter 5. I do not think this man is innocent. So the controversy then goes to another level. It goes from a controversy between the Jews and a man carrying his mat to a controversy between the man and Jesus, and then it becomes a controversy between the Jews and Jesus over the Sabbath. For this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath, persecuting him. The idea of persecuting, it's the idea of pursuing with the purpose of overtaking, with the purpose of bringing harm upon.

33:54So this miracle triggers persecution, a kind of persecution that's going to run all the way to the cross. Jesus delighted in healing on the Sabbath. God delighted in healing on the Sabbath, but they didn't know. I'm due to time. I'm going to keep moving. But this controversy between the Jews and Jesus over the Sabbath then goes up another notch quickly to a controversy between the Jews and Jesus. Jesus over his equality with God. So start seeing what's taking place. The conflict is now between the Jews and Jesus. First it was over the Sabbath, and then it's over his claim to be equal with God. Look at verse 17. But he answered them, My Father is working until now, and I myself am working. He doesn't say the Father, nor does he say our Father. Both of those the Jews would have signed on with. But he says, My Father. My Father is working. I must work because God Himself is working. God is the sustainer. He is the creator. He, of course, he has to work.

35:18Rest does not mean idleness. And he is active right now in your midst, working compassion, doing things that are good. And so Jesus makes this connection. And the Jews pick up on it. The Jews definitely pick up on the connection. It's a tight connection. It's not just an abstract, he is the father of us all. No, the Jews wouldn't have a problem with that at all. They understood the implications of what Jesus was saying. Look at verse 18. For this reason, therefore, this is the reason. Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because he not only was breaking the Sabbath but also was calling God his own father, making himself equal with God. So here's the conflict that shows up. Here's the controversy that shows up at Bethesda. First of all, first charge is that he's a Sabbath breaker. But larger than that is he is claiming to be equal with God. Now you've got one of two options you can go. If a person is claiming equality with God, there's only two possibilities. One, if you're equal to God, then you're a rival with God, right?

36:47Or you can be God. And what Jesus is saying is, I and the Father am one. What he is doing, I am doing. We are of the same essence. And they understood this. In fact, in verse 23, you can drop down a little bit, and we'll see this as Jesus starts explaining all this. But the ultimate goal of all this is that all will honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. That's how synonymous. The same gravitas that the Father has. We are to treat the Son with the same degree. Of honor, the same gravitas. The idea.

37:35So this miracle triggers persecution. Persecution is going to run all the way through to the cross. Looked at four stages this morning. The controversy at Bethesda begins with the controversy between the Jews and the man carrying his mat, which then turns into a controversy between the man and Jesus, which then turns into a controversy between the Jews and Jesus over the issue of the Sabbath, which then escalates into a controversy between the Jews and Jesus over his claims to be equal with God. And for this reason, they are trying to kill him. So John is telling us about their mad pursuit to do away with Jesus. In fact, I'll just read to you a few of these as you just walk to John 7, 25. So the people were saying, is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? So going through chapters 5 through 12 are going to be this theme of killing Jesus. John 8, 48, the Jews answered and said to him, Do we not rightly say that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? So now he's a traitor and he's in league with the devil. John 9, 24, so a second time they called the man who had been born blind and said to them, Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. So not only is he a traitor in league with the devil, but he is a. Vile sinner. John 10, 20 said, many of them were saying he has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to him? So not only is he demonic, a sinner, a traitor, he's out of his mind.

39:15In John 10, 31, the Jews picked up stones again to stone him. And Jesus answered and said, I showed you many good works from the Father. For which of them are you stoning me? The Jews answered, For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God. This is the conflict. These are dark chapters in many ways. Melancholy. And then after raising Lazarus from the dead, we read these words in John 11:48. If we let him go on like this, all men will believe in him.

39:58Psalm 53, from that day on, they planned together to kill him. And then you need to see this. John chapter 12, because this takes us to the end of this section, which we are starting on today. John chapter 12, look at verse 37. John puts in a statement in one of his commentaries on what all has taken place. And he says this. He comes to the End of this section, this section of opposition runs from chapter 5 through chapter 12. But though he had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah, the prophet, which he spoke: Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For this reason, they could not believe. For Isaiah said again, he has blinded their eyes, and he has hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and be converted, and I heal them. These things Isaiah said, because he saw his glory, and he spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. And so did the sick paralytic in chapter 5.

41:31You see, what Pharaoh failed to do is he failed to see that it was God who was contending with him. So also the Jews. They didn't read the signs properly. There in their midst was an infinite reservoir of powerful mercy that was ready to be poured out on them as individuals and as a nation, an unending well of living water. But they wouldn't honor the Son. Let this not be you. And we could spend lots of time theologizing the mystery why some are hardened and some are not. But don't let the response of faith to this teaching evade you.

42:24Yes, God hardens, He is revealed as such. So, what should your prayer be in light of that? God, do not harden me. God, soften me. Let me hear. God, I will turn my attention to you so that I will hear. That is the response. Help me see, God, do not harden. I know in me I have a tendency to harden myself, and I would deserve to be hardened from you. But Lord, I see, do not let this happen to me. Do not let me be like Pharaoh. Do not let me be like those who you perform your great miracles right in their midst and totally be blind to seeing it. Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.

43:07That's where this should take us. Help me to see, understand, help me understand who you are. Help me to turn. Help me to love. Help me to serve. Help me to glorify you. Help me to honor the Father and the Son the way you want me to. Well, this is the development of the controversy, and it takes us to one conclusion: that we are to honor Christ as our Creator God. And we're not going to be able to do so without the work, the living work of His Spirit, that living water poured out into our hearts. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do come looking for living water. Father, that you would give us a right spirit. Father, that you would forgive us of the coldness of our hearts, the coldness, the calloused ways that we have set that stand in opposition to you. Father, forgive us of our unteachableness. And Father, we ask you to have your way in us. And Father, we depend completely and entirely upon the gift of your Spirit in order to do it. And so we ask, Father, that you would draw us, bring us to you, and help us to respond in a way that gives honor. Help our whole lives to be one of giving gravitas to who you are and to the work of your Son. Father, we depend upon you to do it and ask you. In Jesus' name, amen.