How can we apply "Get up, pick up your mat" to our lives today? Text in Focus “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’” (John 5:8) Setting the Scene The man at Bethesda had been paralyzed thirty-eight years. No ritual, pool, or person could free him. One sentence from Jesus did what decades of waiting could not. That same voice still speaks. Why the Command Still Speaks Today • It comes from the One who “upholds all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). • It is a call that never excuses paralysis, spiritual or physical. • It always produces evidence that God has acted. Get Up: Rising from Spiritual Paralysis • Believe His word over your feelings. “God…made us alive with Christ… and raised us up with Him” (Ephesians 2:4-6). • Abandon excuses. The invalid’s reasons disappeared the moment Jesus spoke. • Act immediately. “So also, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead” (James 2:17). Pick Up Your Mat: Carry the Evidence, Close the Exit • Take personal responsibility for the new life; don’t wait for someone else to manage it. • Remove the option of sliding back. The mat under his arm could no longer cradle him. • Let the visible change spark conversation about Jesus. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Walk: Live the New Life Out Loud • Keep moving forward. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:13-14). • Expect opposition; religious leaders questioned the healed man’s obedience. Stand firm (Galatians 5:1). • Use your regained strength to serve others. Jesus sent similar words to another paralytic: “I tell you, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and go home’” (Mark 2:11). When the Critics Show Up • Point them to the change Christ made: “The man who healed me told me…” (John 5:11). • Refuse to let human rules override divine commands. Daily Takeaways • Start each day by “getting up” spiritually—confessing sins and embracing His mercy (1 John 1:9). • Identify one “mat” you need to pick up—an old habit, fear, or comfort zone—and carry it as proof of His deliverance. • Walk in purposeful obedience; small steps done in His name become a lifelong testimony. Scriptures to Hold On To • John 5:8 |
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