““Breaking Free From Breaking Free From Brokenness”Brokenness”

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

Pastor Kelvin WalkerPastor Kelvin Walker

““I just cut away I just cut away everythingeverything

that wasn’t David.”that wasn’t David.”

-Michelangelo-Michelangelo

..every broken situation in our ..every broken situation in our lives has within it a beautiful lives has within it a beautiful

masterpiece waiting to be masterpiece waiting to be transformed from the massive transformed from the massive fractured waste of rock if we fractured waste of rock if we

would only embrace the would only embrace the brokenness in such a waybrokenness in such a wayas to let beauty emergeas to let beauty emerge

from ashes.from ashes.

Are you readyAre you readyfor a reality check?for a reality check?

““Now there is in Jerusalem near Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and Aramaic is called Bethesda and

which is surrounded by five which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a covered colonnades. Here a

great number of disabled people great number of disabled people used to lie – the blind, the lame, used to lie – the blind, the lame,

the paralyzed.the paralyzed.

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

One who was there had been an One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. invalid for thirty-eight years.

When Jesus saw him lying there When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He this condition for a long time, He asked him, “Do you want to get asked him, “Do you want to get

well?”well?”

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

““Sir,” the invalid replied, “I Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into have no one to help me into the pool when the water is the pool when the water is

stirred. While I am trying to stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes get in, someone else goes

down ahead of me.”down ahead of me.”

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

““Then Jesus said to him,Then Jesus said to him,‘‘Get up! Pick up your mat Get up! Pick up your mat

and walk.’ At once the man and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his was cured; he picked up his

mat and walked.”mat and walked.”

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

I. The Ubiquity I. The Ubiquity (Universality)(Universality)Of BrokennessOf Brokenness

v.3 – “Here a great number of v.3 – “Here a great number of disabled people used to lie – disabled people used to lie –

the blind,the blind, the lame, the the lame, the paralyzed…”paralyzed…”

““Where human frailty once Where human frailty once served as a reason for me to served as a reason for me to

withdraw from the church, with its withdraw from the church, with its unruly and divergent unruly and divergent

congregants, this is now what congregants, this is now what compels me back to spiritual compels me back to spiritual

community. I had overlooked one community. I had overlooked one essential factor—that I am as essential factor—that I am as finite and flawed as everyone finite and flawed as everyone

else.”else.”

– – Carmen Renee BerryCarmen Renee Berry

II. The Transformational II. The Transformational Question About BrokennessQuestion About Brokenness

v.6 – “Do you want to get well?”v.6 – “Do you want to get well?”““WellWell” (translation):” (translation):

Do you want to be freed?Do you want to be freed?Do you want to be sound?Do you want to be sound?

III. The Impending Danger In III. The Impending Danger In BrokennessBrokenness

v.7 – “I have no one to help me v.7 – “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is into the pool when the water is

stirred. While I am tryingstirred. While I am tryingto get in, someone goesto get in, someone goes

ahead of me.”ahead of me.”

““He has given into his illness, become a He has given into his illness, become a prisoner of despair…so often people prisoner of despair…so often people

succumb to their illness, ‘bedding down’ succumb to their illness, ‘bedding down’ with their alcoholism or heart trouble or with their alcoholism or heart trouble or

partial paralysis, or whatever. partial paralysis, or whatever.

They become psychological and spiritual They become psychological and spiritual invalids, retreating within themselves, invalids, retreating within themselves,

avoiding responsibilityavoiding responsibility and becoming more and becoming more andand more self-centered as they demandmore self-centered as they demand

sympathy from others.”sympathy from others.”

- Roger Fredrikson- Roger Fredrikson

IV. The Bondage-Breaking IV. The Bondage-Breaking Word For BrokennessWord For Brokenness

v.8 – “Then Jesus said to him, v.8 – “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and

walk.’ And at once the man was walk.’ And at once the man was cured; he picked up his cured; he picked up his

mat and walked.”mat and walked.”

Our brokenness may not be Our brokenness may not be our fault. But it is now our our fault. But it is now our responsibility. Jesus has responsibility. Jesus has

already spoken the word of already spoken the word of healing and freedom.healing and freedom.

But we must get up and walkBut we must get up and walkif we want to be free.if we want to be free.

In that phrase, ‘Get up! Pick up your In that phrase, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk,’ Christ shows us that mat and walk,’ Christ shows us that

freedom is DONE – He pronounced it! freedom is DONE – He pronounced it! (Get up…) But He also shows us that (Get up…) But He also shows us that freedom is PROGRESSIVE – we walk it freedom is PROGRESSIVE – we walk it out! (Take up your mat and walk…)out! (Take up your mat and walk…)

The problem is that we want the The problem is that we want the pronouncementpronouncement of freedomof freedom without the without the walking out,walking out, or the WORK of freedom.or the WORK of freedom.

Are you in denial about having broken places in your life? Is your brokeness in a refusal to see that you are broken?

Are you tired of settling for life on the edge of the pool, waiting for someone to help you in? Remember, freedom is declared. But, it must also be walked out.

In what ways have you ignored the voice of Jesus when He asks that transformational question – “Do you want to get well? Do you want to be freed? Do you want to be sound?”

In what ways have you rejected the idea of needing to be healed of broken places by excusing behaviors that are not consistent with whom God designed you to be?

““Breaking Free From Breaking Free From Brokenness”Brokenness”

John 5:2-9aJohn 5:2-9a

Pastor Kelvin WalkerPastor Kelvin Walker