Help For This Year

As the year goes by, do not lose hope and remain steadfast in the Lord. Things may not pan out as per your timeline, but they surely will come to pass in God's time. As per the scriptures there are two types of timelines, Kronos time and Kairos time. Kronos time is the timing that you see on your watch, essentially the time that the world runs in. Kairos time is God's time, and God's timing might not be your time.

John 5:7 says, ‘“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”’

The context here is, a man is at the Bethesda pool. Bethesda means house of mercy. It was more like a shrine and in several translations it is believed that an angel of the Lord comes down from heaven and stirs the pool and whoever steps into the pool first is healed. However there aren't a lot of facts to back this matter. In fact this pool was a pagan shrine and was related to Greek culture. It was believed that serpent spirits visited the pool once a year and their movement led to the water being a healing medicine, however this is merely hearsay. 

Beside this pool, was a man lying  who was plagued by a disease. It was a Sabbath day when Jesus arrived by the pool. Jesus went to the man and there were many people lying beside the pool hoping to be healed. Jesus asked the man ‘Do you want to get well?’ and that is when the man says there isn’t anybody to lift me into the water. 
Oftentimes this is the cry of everyone around us where there isn’t anybody there to help them. A lot of people feel like they don’t have enough family support to do things. This is a very common problem that we all face in different aspects, where we wish we got more support. This could be in terms of getting sponsorships, getting references, feeling like you don’t have the right genes to pursue certain goals. This man beside the Bethesda pool is also thinking something very similar - there is no one to help me. We might also be in a similar situation. But the difference is he tells about his helplessness to Jesus. It is Jesus who is capable of doing anything, asking this man if wants to be healed. 

This is the message for this year, stop depending on people. Do not pin down your hopes and dreams on people as you might be disappointed. 

This is the central verse of the Bible - Psalms 118:8 says, ‘It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.’

It is not possible for a human to always support another. They will get tired and they will let go after a while. It is only our Lord who can help us, guide us and carry us through to eternity.

Take a resolution to not depend on people. There is a Jesus standing just beside you even in your most dreadful situation and he says ‘can you believe in me?’ 

John 5:8 says, ‘Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.’

The crux of this sermon is that 2024 is a year where we leave our past behind and are looking at a better and brighter future if you can believe that Jesus will do mighty things in your life. We serve an unlimited God.