31 December 2011

Psalm 46, 48; 1 Kings 3:5-14; James 4:13-17,5:7-11; John 5:1-15

The Lord gives Solomon permission and a promise.  He has permission to ask for whatever his heart desires and the promise that it will be done.  Solomon’s response begins appropriately by recounting all the Lord has done for his father David and also for him in giving him the throne.  He has accepted the responsibility and has a desire to be an effective, good and godly ruler and so wisely asks for wisdom.  The request proves that Solomon already has an extraordinary measure of wisdom and not simply knowledge.  What he receives then is divine wisdom that truly sets him apart.  Additionally, he receives everything else into the bargain.  Be careful what you ask for.  The principle is enshrined in Proverbs 4.7 - Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

The third sign that John records is quite dramatic.  A man lame for 38 years has his ability to walk restored and not only that, he is able to carry a mattress!  He believes that the water can save him but needs help to get there but that isn’t an answer to Jesus’ question, “Do you want to be healed?”  Why did he believe he could walk?  He seems not to have known who Jesus was based on his later inability to identify Him.  He wasn’t particularly good at answering questions.  He sounds a bit like Eve in his reply to the Jews confrontation concerning the law.  They actually didn’t ask him anything but he is avoiding blame rather than giving praise, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, 'Take up your bed, and walk.'"  Jesus tells him to avoid sin in order that something worse not happen to him.  Was the paralysis a result of sin?  Oddly, after this he goes to inform the Jews who it was who had healed him.  Why?

Knowledge is knowing the right thing to do.  Wisdom is knowing the right thing to do and doing it.  This passage speaks a powerful word against word-faith doctrine.  It is the height of presumption and not faith to believe that we can do whatever we proclaim if we do so in the name of the Lord.  He is not bound by words of men to perform anything.  We are to discern His will and then act accordingly.  Our faith is in Him, not in anything else, and it is humbly submitted to His will not our desires, no matter how kingdom-based.  We are to be patient, in other words, not impulsively striking out on our own but waiting for Him to make His will known and to act before we move out.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,

Leaving their flocks, draw nigh to gaze;

We too will thither bend our joyful footsteps;

Refrain

Child, for us sinners poor and in the manger,

We would embrace Thee, with love and awe;

Who would not love Thee, loving us so dearly?

Refrain

Tune