John 5:8-14

"But [Jesus healed the man by the pool of Bethesda] on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't..."

"Jesus told [the sick man by the pool of Bethesda], "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!" Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping..."

"Years are short to the happy and healthy; but thirty-eight years of disease must have dragged a very weary length along the life of the poor impotent...."

"Like many others, the impotent man had been waiting for a wonder to be wrought, and a sign to be given. Wearily did he watch the pool, but no angel..."

"Dear Follower, In today's events from My life on earth, you will meet a man who had great difficulties. But like so many who find themselves in very...."

Why are we so reluctant to do what Jesus asks us when we know he cares so much for us? Max Lucado simply reminds us to obey Jesus when he asks something of us.

"[About the man who had been healed, John wrote:] But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, "Now you are well; so stop sinning, or..."

Jesus sees you, my friend, and he has a new version of you waiting to happen. Max Lucado reminds us of Jesus' power do fresh and new things if we will respond to his command to get up and do something.

Haven't you stayed down long enough? Rick Brown reminds us that lame excuses keep us lame and Jesus calls us to get up, take up, and get on with living and walking and taking responsibility for our lives.

Jesus calls us beyond the narrow caricatures of grace. Phil Ware continues his series called UNPREDICTABLE about Jesus and his love and grace and call to follow him in holiness and reminds us that grace calls us from sin and death and to a life of holiness.