The Healer Rejected, Monday

0:00Hello friends, welcome to the SeenPod for Kids. Thank you for joining me today as we spend time with our friend Jesus. Spending time with Jesus is the best way to start your day. Let's begin our time together praising Him. Have you ever lost something? One day a family went on a hike along a small creek. The boys and their dad were playing tag, dodging around bushes, jumping the creek, playing on the rocks. After a long afternoon hike, they made their way back to their car where they discovered that their dad had lost his cell phone. He had no idea where it was. They stopped and prayed and then their dad tried to retrace his steps. It seemed impossible. But they kept praying and looking.

1:00After over an hour he found his phone half buried in the sand under a bush. They were so thankful. Jesus seeks for those who are lost. Not cell phones, but people who don't love or follow Him. Isn't that wonderful? Speaking of loss, yes, I'm too intrigued. It's one of his own, the mountainous array. How about you be his message repeating? Word of the message weeping today. Going of all. Going of all. The mountain. down to me. peopulante. Cow Typ. Cow bezpie. Your does? 're the store reads daily. Five greatest shop champions are thegie. Jesus leaves the ground. the noose slain enters the forest.

2:02He maks his ebbs and loses patience. He draw is barely enough. day on today, she renafated, praising the bold, then pointing the lost to Jesus the way, going up all, going up all the mountains, bringing the water back again, and bringing the water back again, bringing the water back again, bringing the water back again, bringing the water back again, bringing the water back again, Hello, hello, welcome back! You are with me today, and I'm so glad that you made the choice to spend time with Jesus. And to spend time with me, but we're studying the Bible together, aren't we? Learning more and more about Jesus and His great love for us.

3:05So, we want to get started, but first, what do we always need to do? We always pray because we want God's Spirit to help us. Dear Lord, as we open your word, as we study this story about the man at Bethesda, at that pool, who was so helpless and weak, but you reached down and helped him. I pray that you will help us to see ways that you love and care for us, and how you help us in Jesus' name, amen. When Jesus spoke to the man at the pool of Bethesda, how was the man feeling? Was he like, oh, life is amazing, life is good! No, how was he? He was sick! And when Jesus said those words, do you want to be made well? I'm sure he felt a little bit of hope, but then he looked away, and what did he say to Jesus? Let's turn in our Bibles to John chapter 5, verse 7. John chapter 5.

4:06John tells us this story. Lays it all out for us. John chapter 5. And then verse 7. Here's what it says. The sick man answered him. Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am coming, another steps down before me. I think this is the sick man's way of telling Jesus, I've tried. I want to be made well, and I've done the things that I could, but it's always too late. And then, the words that came out of Jesus now must have shocked him. Look at verse 8. Jesus said to him, rise, take up your bed, and walk. But while I am coming, another steps down before me. I want you to stop. Just stop and think for a minute. What could have happened when Jesus told that helpless man what to do?

5:07Could the helpless man have said, I can't! Don't you see? I'm laying here, and I can't move. I am helpless! I'm just told you, I tried to get in, and I'm always the last. No, it's impossible. That would have been true. All by himself, he could not obey Jesus. He couldn't do it. But he could do it if he chose to believe that Jesus had the power to help him. Even when the man chose to believe he could have just stayed their line on his mat. He would have expected Jesus to pick him up. But even though he knew his body was helpless, he immediately tried to move. And as he tried his body obeyed through the strength that Jesus gave him. Isn't that wonderful? Now the man was perfectly well. Oh, how happy he was. He knew that he didn't deserve what Jesus had done for him.

6:08Even though his sickness had started because of the wrong things he had done. Jesus had cured him. Quickly, he rolled up his mat. He rolled up his blanket. He picked them up and turned to thank Jesus. But Jesus had disappeared in the crowd. Where was he? Do you know that Jesus heals us from sinning just like he healed that man? We cannot stop sinning. We cannot change all by ourselves. We need Jesus to help us. When we choose to make that change, when we choose to trust in his power to help us, guess what happens? We change. And we learn to become like him. And he gives us the power to do what he has asked. We don't have to sin. If we make mistakes, Jesus will willingly forgive us and he will help us to start again.

7:13Isn't that wonderful? Dear Lord, thank you for the power that you give to help us. Please help us to turn to you when we need help. When we sin, when we make mistakes, help us to choose you and your power to give us that power to do what is right in Jesus' name. Amen. Matthew 12-12. Have you ever wanted more children's material for family worship, homeschool lessons, classrooms or kids' classes at church?

8:23Then you should check out mybibelfirst.org. That's mybibelfirst.org. Or go to their socials at mybibelfirst. If you have enjoyed this program and would like to find others like it, go to stridewichesus.com. The materials for this devotional podcast are used by permission from mybibelfirst. Visit their website at mybibelfirst.org to get your own copy. For more information about this episode, check out the description box below.