The First Word of Response
- Linda Rock
- Sep 24
- 4 min read

At the end of yesterday’s meditation, I asked you to ponder your life with Jesus, asking, if at all, even in the present time, Jesus was not asking you the same question He asked the sick man. Do you want to be made well? I took this seriously, and had to admit that although I did not share the same physical infirmity as the infirm man, I certainly do share his faith infirmity. Wherever you stand and whatever your position, this I am assured. All who need to be made well, where his or her faith is concerned, need to come along in this journey.
Already stated is the fact that three huge blockages have been diagnosed in this one response of the infirm man. Here is the response. The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me. John 5: 7
Before getting to the first blockage, I would like us to meditate a bit on the first word recorded as coming from the sick man’s mouth. We are told that the first word spoken is, “Sir”. We shall now look upon the first word in the man’s response to Jesus.
Whether or not the infirm man knew Jesus, had heard about Jesus or not, has not been indicated in the given account. However, we know that the man is not blind and he must see and know that Jesus is a Jewish Rabbi or some Man of power and authority, to ask him if he wants to be made well. Bear in mind, it is the time when the angel of God has stirred the water and healing has been given, supernatural healing, to others or at least another, but not to him.
In his over-looked state, his second-class state, if you like, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Miracle Worker, Jesus the Life Giver, Jesus, He who has come to help the sick and needy, has spoken to an infirm man asking him if he wants to be made well. This is the same Jesus who told some disciples of John the Baptist, to tell John this about Jesus’ daily work. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. Luke 7: 22b. This is the same Jesus who has asked a sick man if he wants to be made well.
As we look at the first word, “Sir”, in response to Jesus’ question, my mind is taken back to the first word of the keeper of the vineyard, whose owner wants to have the fig tree in the vineyard, cut down. When the owner tells the servant-keeper to cut down the fig tree, as it was of no use to him as a barren fruit tree, the servant-keeper’s first word was, “Sir”. Sir, let it alone. Luke 13: 8b.
The addressing of the owner as, sir, before his unusual response, is most telling. The servant-keeper knew that he wanted to make a case for the fig tree, so he set his words in a highly respectful manner. On the other hand, when Jesus spoke to a Samaritan woman, offering her His abundant life, His living water, His unsearchable riches, she was quite forthcoming and adamant that this Jew could not give her water. Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? John 4: 11b. Her use of “Sir”, was also one of respect, respectfully questioning Jesus’ ability to provide her with living water.
These connections with the infirm man’s response of, “Sir”, are subtle but none-the-less, self-alerting. There is a formality being held and used, in these three instances, which is not evidenced in the one speaking. When the owner of the vineyard speaks, there really is not a sense of being formal. Nonetheless, when the servant-keeper speaks, there is formality in his first word. It is made even clearer with Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus is by no means being official and formal with her, but she is with Him, until He makes her relaxed, and less lawfully uptight with Him.
All this is to bring us to the point that Jesus is being very informal here, being most homely and free towards the sick man. Jesus never stopped any proceedings, of what was already happening. He never caused any attention, drew attention to Himself, or any such thing. He simply goes to that sad man and asks him a personal question. The very sounding of the word, “Sir” shows the condition of the mind of the sick man.
What is your first word of response to Jesus, who simply asks you if you want to be made different? It is this formal mind-set, this formal responding to Jesus’ most informal stance, which leads to the blockages to be discussed.
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