Life of Christ # 16 Healing at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day

John 5:1–17 KJV 1900

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. 16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

I. The world’s desperate need for a Savior.

a. Man’s desperate hope: lying in a pool of water

b. Man’s desperate faith: hoping for healing power in a worldly source.

II. Jesus is the world’s Savior.

a. The man’s predicament.

b. The Lord’s compassion.

1. Observed his helplessness.

2. Started a friendship.

c. The man was helpless.

1. No friends.

2. No family.

d. The Lord’s healing & saving power.

e. A seemingly sinister problem.

1. Jesus healed him on the Sabbath.

III. The religionist and the man: the trying to help with a dead religion.

a. A religion of legality.

b. A religion ignorant of who the true authority is.

c. This religion was blind to love and good.

IV. Jesus and the man after his healing: a believer’s responsibility.

a. He worshipped in the temple

b. To remember his healing.

c. To sin no more.

d. To fear the judgement.

V. The world will and does reject God.

a. Healing power.

b. Saving power.