"That nothing worse may happen to you"

On the news, we see people in terrible pain, suffering, and/or trouble.

Sometimes we ourselves may be in terrible pain, suffering, and/or trouble.

Today’s Gospel (John 5:1-16) shows us a man who has been terribly ill for nearly four decades.

Our Lord warns him that something worse may happen to him.

What can be worse than long-term illness, pain, suffering, and trouble?

Cutting oneself off from God is worse – much, much worse.

The pain and the screaming emptiness of eternal oblivion without God is beyond human imagination.

That is worse.

And so our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ warns us,

Do not sin any more,
so that nothing worse may happen to you.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me – a sinner.