THE MAN WITH THE MAT

“ Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:1-14 King James Version)

A few months ago, our Pastor preached a sermon entitled, “The Little Boy in The Blue Suit.” His sermon was based on a biblical passage, and all his points of emphasis were from the text, but the inspiration came from memories of one of his younger brothers, a toddler at the time, who insisted on wearing his Sunday blue suit every weekday. As a side note, we ought to get up every morning clothed in righteousness, accessorized by the full armour of God. Amen! Furthermore, we should especially get up today and put on our Sunday clothes and head to church. Amen, again!

I digressed, so let me get back to the story. The little boy in the blue is now a grown man. For the last six months, he has been working in Japan as an Educational Specialist. He is the inspiration for this meditation. In spite of a 13-hour time difference, he attends one of our four Bible Study classes, the Wednesday evening class that meets at 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. Yes, we run over the one-hour time parameter, but as one member might say, “But who’s counting?” After this week’s class, he called home and talked to his mother and father. He discussed life in Japan and his adjustments and described his living quarters. His bed is more like a mat, and I can only imagine that it must be made of cloth. I say that because in his conversation with his parents, he said that he might take his bed to the laundromat to wash it. Laughing, he said, “The Little Boy in The Blue Suit” is now “The Man with The Mat.” The father replied, “That’s going to have to be a sermon sequel! Whether it will or won’t, who knows. But it provided the inspiration for today’s meditation.

The man who was healed did not concern himself with jumping in the pool, but he went to church. He went to the temple. While at the temple, Jesus found him in and told him he was now whole and to go and sin no more. That had to be something; being in the special presence of the Lord. Yes, that was something, getting a specific message for a specific purpose on the day of worship.

Guess what? You can experience the same thing when you go to worship on this Sunday morning. I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to experiencing what the man with the mat experienced How about you? Get to church! Get off to a great start to the week! Be blessed!

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King