"Sick No More" - John 5:1-9 - May 20, 2001

There is a wonderful story about a young boy named Chris McGonigle. His primary goal was to play football. One afternoon during practice he collapsed and the coach immediately called his mother, Kristina. On the way to the hospital she prayed, "O God, please don’t let it be serious." When she arrived the doctor told her that Chris had a hole in his heart, probably from birth. It could be fixed surgically and Chris agreed to the operation.

Two months later Chris was in trouble again. This time he was diagnosed with tachycardia. He was treated with tranquilizers but the doctor said his heart would deteriorate over time. Chris had enough energy to get through school but his hopes of every playing in sports were gone. Several more surgeries were attempted but no improvement. Chris lost weight and became withdrawn. He stopped calling his friends and decided to drop out of school. He told he mother, "I have no future." From then on he refused any more surgery.

Kristina wanted him to try again but she understood all he had been through. She prayed to God for help since Chris had lost his will to live. One day she decided that a change of scenery might do both of them some good. The two of them drove to Montana, all the way from Auburn, California. When they arrived in Montana Kristina could see that Chris couldn’t get enough of the beautiful surroundings. They arrived in Bitterroot Valley and Chris asked his mother if they could live there.

Chris’s father, Jim, traveled in his business and it really made no difference where the family lived. So the family found a home in a friendly town on top of a mountain rim that overlooked rivers where Chris hoped to go fishing and hiking. One day he announced to his mother, "I’m going to climb that mountain." Then he turned to his mother and said, "One more operation." The surgery was a success and the doctor told Chris that he could now climb the mountain. (from Women’s World Magazine - Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul)

A basic principle that I teach my students in counseling is simply this: people are stuck because they fail to take advantage of opportunities and available resources. Chris had no hope until he was given an opportunity to see life from a different perspective. Human beings have a tendency to live in a rut. We keep the same friends, we keep the same habits and we seldom make any effort to change. Like Chris, we are afraid to try.

The man beside the pool at Bethzatha was not willing to try. He lay helplessly near the pool that could give him new life. The pool was his source of hope but no one would help him. If he reached the swirling waters of the pool he would have the potential to be made well. This of course would mean change. His life would no longer be the same.

Why is it that we fail to try something that can help us? Why is it so hard to quit smoking or change our diets? Why do we refrain from exercise when we know it will make us feel better? Why do we ignore opportunities for travel and relaxation when we know it will refresh us? Why do so many people skip worship when they have found nourishment for the soul in the past?

Perhaps it is the fear of change. Perhaps it is just plain stubbornness. Or maybe we enjoy being a "victim," wallowing in self-pity, wanting others to feel sorry for us. The man in our story saw only obstacles. He was stuck, miserably stuck. "There is no one to help me, or when I do get help others get in the way." He is defeated before he even tries. It is not until Jesus confronts him with the question, "Do you want to be healed?" that the man finally relents. "Rise, take up your pallet and walk," Jesus tells him, and the man walks.

Ironically, he never got to the pool. The healing, swirling waters weren’t the miracle cure for his infirmity. We live in a world that wants quick fixes to all our problems. We want a pill that will make us lose weight, cure our illness, or just make us feel better. We are bombarded with advertisements about wonder drugs, drugs we should tell our doctors to prescribe for us. Stress, work, lack of money or time are holding us back. Its all those fat grams in the processed foods we eat. Its the high cost of medicine. Its not our fault.

This past week there was an episode of "Becker," where Dr. Becker is sued by one of his patients. Dr. Becker told his patient to go to the gym and workout. While there the man had a heart attack and almost died. He then sued Dr. Becker for almost killing him. In court Becker told the jury that the man could have had the heart attack anyplace. It was his lifestyle that was killing him. He smoked too much, he was overweight and he didn’t exercise. His problem was he never listened to Dr. Becker’s advice. He was his patient for many years but never listened to the invitation to change.

It was the invitation from Jesus to the man by the pool that told him to try, to go forth, to break out of his old habits. Instead of doing nothing or blaming others for his problem it was time to change. Like Chris, who also needed a change of scenery.

One day last week I was going through the check-out line in Walmart. A woman clerk was there who knew me. Before I could say "How are you," she began to tell me about her medical problems. I listened and tried to be as pastoral as I could, although I was in a hurry and had many other things to do. Pastors can become easily burned out, especially when we constantly hear so many stories of sorrow, hurt and ailments. To compensate I have to take trips and experience a change of scenery.

However, you don’t have to travel great distances to get a new perspective. You don’t have to live in the mountains of Montana to have a new lease on life. Opportunities are always near, just as Jesus was near to the man by the pool. God is always inviting us to try something new, changing the scenery and challenging us to "go forth."

Like many of you I suffer from the same old routines and bad habits. Several months ago I changed my lifestyle. I was bored and feeling stuck. I decided that instead of going to Burger King and drinking coffee with the guys in the morning that I would instead go to the "Y." There I would run, swim or workout. The first day I ran a mile it nearly killed me. After a few weeks it got easier. One day, after running, I shot baskets in the gym. I now make that part of my routine. On another morning a man showed me how to operate the steam room. I now make it part of my routine too.

Have I lost a lot of weight? A little. Do I feel better? Absolutely. But, something quite surprising has occurred. I have discovered that my ten minutes in the steam room have become a great opportunity for personal meditation. I am usually alone, but even when others are present the steam is so thick, no one can see what you are doing. I have also met some interesting people on the running track. Occasional others will shoot baskets with me. And, I have had some very profound discussions with other men while meditating in the steam room.

I can’t recall exactly what inspired me to make this change. I can tell you that this resource was practically in my backyard. It has always been there but in the past I have not chosen to take advantage of it.

What is Jesus challenging you to do? Are you listening to the invitations to go forth and experience a change of scenery? Do you believe you can change, that the potential is there for everyone? I believe that the primary lesson of this story is that Jesus is very near, telling us to "rise, take up our pallets and walk." Jesus is inviting us. Newness, spiritual renewal, wholeness are no further than the voice of the One who calls us.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio