Tuesday Sermon: As Soon As...

          Thirty-eight years of "what if" – can you imagine that?  That builds up a huge belief, and a huge fear.  Counting on "what if", you never have to actually do something, but rather wait for "as soon as" X happens, my life will be perfect. 

          In today's gospel, John chose this miracle as one of seven that Christ performed during his ministry.  He wanted people to believe in Christ's words, His teachings, and gave few examples of miracles.  He wrote, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name." 

          Today's miracle is about showing us that even when we get the "what if" moment – life still happens.  As soon as the man was healed, he took up his mat and walked.  He didn't leave the mat behind, because Christ understood that the mat was the symbol of his life.  It controlled his movements, his hopes, his despair – because he was constantly tied to that mat.  Christ untied the dreams associated with the pool by making the man well, but instructed him to take up his mat.  He gave the man the ability to control his own circumstances, to walk away from the pool of "as soon as", and make his way in the world. 

          Interestingly, when the man was questioned by the Jews in the Temple, he did not know the name of the man who had healed him.  So there wasn't a "belief" that created this healing, as we read about in so many others.  When the man was approached by Jesus in the Temple, Jesus told him, "Do not sin anymore so that nothing worse happens to you."  Most people think of sin as an action, but something to realize is that sin is always a choice.  Sitting for 38 years, the man made the choice to be inactive, to fail to take control of his own circumstances, so that he could accomplish much in his community.  As we say in our prayer of confession – by what we have done and by what we have left undone. 

          Perhaps there are things that can be done if X, Y, or Z happens.  But if we wait for, or count on those things happening, we have given up our own choices to continue to do good, to work for our community, to help others who may find themselves waiting for "as soon as."  Paul wrote to the Philippians:  "I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it.  Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress."

          We must take up our mats, for these are the circumstances of our lives, and move forward.  To go and sin no more, we must avoid the choice of inaction and wallowing in despair, waiting for the "what if" day.  We can create our own opportunities, and God will see us blessed and strengthened in ways we hadn't yet imagined.