Sunday, 16th May 2010

Dear Friends                                                                                               

 

It is a great joy to have Dr. Peter Storey preaching today.  We trust you will feel at home among us —knowing that you served many of the people in this congregation in the 1960’s at the Buitenkant Street Methodist Church.

 

  

Last week we reflected on the amazing healing story in John 5.  We noted that the person who was healed never asked to be healed.  He never reached out to even touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.  There is no indication that he believed that Jesus was the Messiah or if he even knew anything about Jesus at all.  There is also no hint that he was a devout person or religious in any way.  If anything he had some rather superstitious beliefs about the healing power of a certain pool, not that it did him any good because he had been sick for 38 years.

 

YET Jesus heals him!  Jesus simply orders him to pick up his mat and walk.  Jesus does not say anthing like “Your faith has made you well”.  No, this is GRACE-healing (like all healing really). 

 

We are invited to trust this story in John 5.  To trust that God is at work IN all people all the time everywhere and that God is FOR all people all the time everywhere.  Whether we know who Jesus is or not—he knows us and he longs to liberate and heal us.  Jesus reveals a God who will not be boxed by our faith!  Praise be to God.  

Go in peace, Grace has made you well.

  Alan.