Sabbath Sermon Experience 10-24-2026

What does it mean to be stuck in the same place, year after year, waiting for something to change? The story of the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5 confronts us with exactly that question. For 38 years, this man lay paralyzed, watching others move ahead of him, unable to reach the waters that promised healing. Yet when Jesus passed through that crowded place filled with suffering and need, He stopped at this one man. Not with a grand ceremony, but with a simple, searching question: do you want to be made well? That question cuts through time and speaks directly to us. How long have we been lying on our own mats, spiritually speaking, stuck in the same patterns, the same doubts, the same distance from God? The miracle that followed was not just physical restoration. It was a call to obedience. Jesus commanded the man to rise, take up his bed, and walk, and the man did not argue or question. He simply obeyed. There is something profound in that moment of trust. When we hear the voice of God calling us to move, to change, to rise, our willingness to obey without hesitation is itself an act of faith. This message invites us to listen for that voice and respond.