Familiar v. Faith | John 5:1-9

This message immerses the listener in the story of John 5, where Jesus heals a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years. Jesus doesn’t wait for this man to come to Him; He goes to the man. The miracle is about more than physical healing—it's about the Messiah initiating transformation even when the broken have no strength to move themselves.

The message ultimately becomes a call to exercise faith in the present. It acknowledges that, like the man at the pool, people today often cling to what is familiar because it feels safer—even when God is calling them to something better. It speaks directly to the weariness and fear that can accompany long seasons of waiting or helplessness, encouraging believers not to give up on others or themselves. Through a vulnerable story of persistent prayer and eventual transformation in the life of a family member, the message illustrates that God moves—even when we can't see it—and invites each person to ask: How can I exercise my faith this week? The challenge is clear: don’t stay paralyzed by the familiar when Jesus is saying, “Get up.”