Steve Slusser

The Lame Walk

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Steve Slusser

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From the Series: Why Miracles?

The Lame WalkDownload

Review
Go Tell John the things you have seen and heard!


Jesus provides a list of six signs: Blind See, Lame Walk, Lepers Cleansed, Deaf Hear, Dead Live, and the Poor Hear the Gospel.
The first sign on this list is that the Blind See.
We looked at John 9 -The man born blind.

The second sign on the list is the Lame Walk.
Why is this the second sign? Why not the deaf hear? The Blind Seeing was an obvious choice for the first sign, but it was not until the study of the second sign that the order became more apparent. To understand, we travel back to Leviticus.

WHO MAY APPROACH
Leviticus answers two questions:
• Who can approach the LORD?
• How is the LORD to be approached
To avoid the going on a bunny trail, I am going to limit the reading. I encourage you to mark this chapter and read it through in your personal devotions.

A FAULTLESS PRIEST
The entire chapter of Leviticus 21 lists multiple defects that disqualify the Levite from service because he cannot approach the LORD. The spiritual nature of man is reflected in his bodily form. To approach the LORD, the man must be faultless.

We often speak of our Savior as being without spot or blemish. However, this is only part of the picture. Jesus is not only the sacrifice, He is the one who presents the sacrifice unto the LORD. He is both the Lamb and the Priest.

  • Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek
    • not from the line of Aaron
      (Hebrews 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:22,17,21)
  • He Offered Himself
    • Jesus said, “No man takes my life from me.” (John 10:18)
    • He gave Himself
      1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14)
      (Galatians 1:4; 2:20; Ephesians 5:25;

WHO MAY NOT APPROACH THE LORD

Leviticus 21:18,23 – Laws for Levites

  • A blind man or a lame man may not approach the LORD.
    • A blind man or a lame man may not approach the veil
      nor come nigh unto the alter

So both of these first two signs refer to removing a physical limitation that prevents a man from approaching the LORD.

HOW TO APPROACH THE LORD

Before a man could approach the LORD, he had to be ceremonially clean. We will save some of this for the cleansing of the leper.

Sacrifices were prescribed for the man that would approach the LORD, and for those he represented.

  1. Leviticus 1-4 Rules for various offerings
  2. Leviticus 5-7 Offerings for sin / Various Offerings
  3. Leviticus 8:1-17 Consecration of those that serve in the temple
    a. 8:6 Washed with water
    b. 8:7 Clean clothing (special)
    c. 8:8 The breastplate
    d. 8;9 The headpiece (mitre)
    e. 8:10 Annointed with oil
  4. Leviticus 8:17-36 The offerings [see Hebrews for further explanation]
  5. Leviticus 9 Offerings for the priest and the people
    SOME RULES FOR THE LEVITE
    Leviticus 21:1-4 The priest / worshiper must not defile themselves
  6. 21:1-2 Touch the dead (except to bury close family)
  7. 21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head,
    neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard,
    nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
  8. 21:6 They shall be holy to the LORD
    They shall not profane the name of their God.
  9. 21:6 Their wife must be pure (not a harlot)
    They may not marry a woman who was married.
  10. 21:10 He shall not uncover his head
    He shall not tear his garments

THESE CONTINUE THROUGH 22:16
 

COMPARE THE SACRIFICES

Levitical Sacrifice were temporary, partial, and symbolic.

  • Hebrews 10:1-3;11
    The sacrifices were partial, removing guiltiness, but not sin.
  • Hebrews 10:11
    The sacrifices were temporary. They had to be repeated.
  • Hebrews 10:9
    The sacrifices were symbolic of the sacrifice of Christ

The Sacrifice of Christ was real, complete, and permanent

  • Hebrews 10:9
    The sacrifice of Christ was real (not symbolic)
  • Hebrews 10:10,11
    The sacrifice of Christ was complete (not partial)
  • Hebrews 10:10,12,14,17
    The sacrifice of Christ was permanent. (not temporary)


What about the Blind, Lame, Deaf, and Leper?

There was no sacrifice that would allow them to bring their gift to the alter. Like the Gentiles, they were separated, apart from the LORD.

There was no sacrifice for them that would allow

  • the blind to see,
  • the lame to walk,
  • the leper to be cleansed, or
  • the dead to be brought to life.

However, through the sacrifice of Christ

ALL may be sanctified (Hebrews 10:10). Through the work of Christ, the outcast is invited to draw near unto the LORD.

Hebrews repeats the command to “draw near” five times.

  • Hebrews 4:16
    Draw near with confidence.
  • Hebrews 7:19
    In contrast to the Law which made nothing perfect,
    there is a better hope in Christ.
  • Hebrews 7:25
    Jesus makes intercession for those who draw near
  • Hebrews 10:1
    Sacrifices are unable to make perfect those that serve
  • Hebrews 10:22
    Draw near with assurance

Back to the Lame

YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN
As the writer in Hebrews says, what was not possible through the sacrifice of bulls and goats is now possible by the Sacrifice of Christ. Sins were covered, but not taken away. The sacrifice of animals was only symbolic.

Let us look at the times that Jesus uttered the words,
“Your sins are forgiven.”

  • Matthew 9:2
    A lame man brought to Jesus at the seaside near Nazareth.
  • Mark 2:5
    A lame man lowered through the roof of a home in Capernaum.
  • Luke 5:20
    The same event as Mark 2:5
  • Luke 7:48
    At the home of Simon the Pharisee,
    the woman who anointed and washed Jesus’ feet.

Similarly, let us look at the times the Jesus uttered the words, “Go and sin no more.”

  • John 5:14
    After healing the lame man at the pool of Bethesda,
    Jesus found him in the Temple.
  • John 8:11
    The woman caught in the act of adultery.

NOTICE
Except for two women (not associated with healing), Jesus speaks these words only to the lame that are healed.

Jesus did not say this to the blind, the deaf, or the leper

Why might this be?
I cannot say for certain, but the blind, the deaf, and the leper were able to approach the alter, but were denied admission. The lame, while also denied permission, did not have the means to approach the alter to worship.

Of those lame that were healed by Jesus, there is only one that we see after they are healed. Let us look at the man healed by the Pool of Bethesda.


THE LAME WALK – John 5:1-14

  • Many People (John 5:3)
    There were many at the pool waiting to be healed.
    Why did Jesus pick this man?
  • Many Years (John 5:5)
    Like Mephibosheth, there is no indication that this man was born lame. He had been lame thirty-eight years!
  • Many Attempts (John 5:7)
    The man reports that his inability has kept him from entering the pool before another.

The sign is rejected!

  • Jesus heals the man on the Sabbath John 5:9
    (The same as the blind man in John 9)
  • What should have been a sign, became a stumbling block. (John 5:10,16)

Again, “Why this man?”

The desire to worship!
The first place this man goes is to the temple (John 5:14)
Remember the blind man in John 9? Where did he go?

  • For thirty-eight years this man was blocked from worship!
  • He lacked the ability to enter the temple.
  • He was lame.
  • He lacked the authority to enter the temple.
  • He was ceremonially unclean.

WHAT ABOUT US?

  • PREPARATION
    A Sacrifice for us has been made.
  • OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP
    Christ has removed the partition.
  • DRAW NEAR!
    We have the invitation
    God seeks worshipers (John 4:23)

The LORD wants to remove every obstacle between us and the presence of the Father.

John 4:23 The LORD seeks such to worship Him -Those who worship in spirit and in truth.

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