Do You Want To Be Made Well?

A couple had two mischievous little boys, ages eight and 10. At their wits' end, the parents contacted a clergyman who had been successful in rehabilitating bad children in the past.

The clergyman asked to see the boys individually. The eight-year-old was sent to meet with him first. The clergyman sat the boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?"

The boy made no response, so the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God?"

Again the boy made no attempt to answer, so the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face, "WHERE IS GOD?"

At that, the boy bolted from the room, ran directly home, and slammed himself in his closet. His older brother followed him into the closet and asked what happened.

The younger brother replied, "We are in big trouble this time. God is missing, and they think we did it!"

Historical/Cultural Context -

The Gospel of John was written between 90 AD and 100 AD. Scholars also believe that John wrote the three Epistles and the book of Revelation around the same time-frame as he wrote this Gospel. The Gospel of John was written after Matthew, Mark, & Luke had been written and circulated. John has been dubbed by most scholars as “The Spiritual Gospel.”

Biblical Text -

John 5:1–16 NKJV

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ” Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - God May Not Take Care Of Your Circumstances In Your Way Or Your Time. So, Don’t Miss The Miracle When It Comes.

Life Point - God May Not Answer The Way You Think He Should.

Exegetical -

John 5:1–9 NLT

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,

Homiletical -

Here we have a pool of water with 5 porches surrounding it. These were not the type of porch you put on your house. These porches were pretty large.

We are told that the prevailing belief here is that an angel would come down and stir the water and the first person in would get healed of whatever disease they had.

There is a debate as to whether these were legitimate healings or just something in people’s minds. Like a hypochondriac kind of thing. It’s all in there head.

Whether it is true or in the mind, doesn’t matter. What matters is what Jesus did.

We are told there was a man their who had an ailment, which apparently had to do something with his legs. He couldn’t get to the pool before anyone else because someone would step into it before he could get there.

So what was going on? Well you got all these people looking at a body of water during the day to see if the water moved. When it did, it would cause a huge problem. I can see people being trampled as everyone rushed to be the first to the pool.

Their eyes were constantly on the material realm. They were continually looking to the pool

So you have all these committed people looking at this water and Jesus comes up and asks the guy “Will you be made well?”

That’s an odd question isn’t it? He is there to be made well right?

Well, not really when you think about people. My answer is two-fold

1) Jesus wanted the man to take his eyes off the pool and to look to Him.

Too many times we get caught up in our own problems and we wait for something to happen. We wait for an emotion or as I like to call them, a Holy Ghost Shiver or something.

That is not how God works, He works by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

2) Jesus is demonstrating that the way the man thinks he will be healed isn’t how God’s provision is going to come.

Jesus is trying to pry the man away from the one way he is looking for healing.

Maybe God’s answer doesn’t come in the form of a big check. Maybe it comes in the form of small steps.

Maybe God’s spiritual healing doesn’t come from the parents talking about Jesus, but in the form of someone else talking about Jesus.

God makes things happen in His own way.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NLT

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Be ready and open for God to answer your prayers in ways you haven’t even thought of yet.

Keep trusting God and remember to PUSH. Pray Until Something Happens

Luke 11:9–10 NLT

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Philippians 4:19 NLT

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Notice it says your needs, not your wants. I want to be physically healed from Diabetes. I have wanted that for 30 years. But I am reminded every time of Paul’s thorn in the flesh. My grace is sufficient for thee.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.

Remember Phil. 2:13

Philippians 2:13 NLT

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

So Jesus asks of him, “Will you be made well?”

His answer is quite simple. He basically tells him I have no one to put me in the water. In other words, “Hey would you put me in the water?”

So focused on this one way that he still wants Jesus to do it the way he has been looking for.

As a side note, did you know that there are those out there who do not want to be made whole? Not in there body, thinking, nor their spirits. They say they do, but they really don’t.

Do you know why?

Because if they were, then they wouldn’t have nothing to complain about!

John 5:8–9 NLT

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,

Now that is a miracle folks, when God does miracle you may have been suffering through a situation or circumstance and then all of a sudden the answer comes and it all works out. That is how God works. How many times has that happened for you?

What was this man’s response?

Did he continue to lay there and wallow?

NO! He picked up the mat he was laying on, rolled it up and walked away. Why? Because God took care of his problem, that’s why.

Life Point - Don’t Miss The Miracle Because You Have Your Eyes Looking In The Wrong Place.

Exegetical -

John 5:9–16 NLT

Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him. So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules.

Homiletical -

So all of this was done on the Sabbath, which is the Jewish day of worship for the week. We know it as Saturday. As Christians we worship on the first day of the week which is Sunday.

The Jewish leaders saw this man carrying his mat and didn’t like. They said it was not lawful.

The one thing you have to understand is that God gave commands. Such as remember the sabbath and keep it holy. So what does man do? Man takes that command and adds all kinds of things to it. As humans we like to add things to God’s commands that were never really there.

1 Corinthians 4:6 NIV84

Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

We are admonished when it comes to the Word of God to not go beyond what is written. That means, don’t go beyond what is written.

That is a good idea for us today. Did you know that for a time it was controversial for women to wear makeup in some denominations?

I heard a preacher once say that he was asked about that and his response was “Does she need it?”

Did you know that the style of worship has been a topic of controversy in the church? My answer is simply. Do the lyrics honor God? If so, then I don’t care what style you listen to. It may not be my particular cup of tea, but it isn’t evil if the lyrics are God honoring.

Such controversies have existed throughout church history. It wouldn’t be a problem if we would just stick to what is written in the scripture.

John 5:11–14 NLT

But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”

Did you know that some sin leads to sickness. Not all who are sick are sick because of sin, but at least some are.

For example, Did you know that it is a sin to be promiscuous in your romantic relationships. God’s standard is one man and one woman for life.

There are certain diseases that can come upon a person who is in this situation. This is an example of sin making someone sick.

Here is another example. Drunkenness leads to stupidity. This is why the scripture tells us not to be drunk. Drunk people do dumb things all the time. Many try jumping from roofs and end up breaking something. That is an example of sin leading to sickness

God’s not trying to stop your so-called fun, He is trying to protect you from the consequences of sin. A thing is sin because of two reasons

1) God gets to declare what is a sin and what is not. You don’t get to do that. You are not all powerful, all knowing, and you do not live outside of time and space. When you get those attributes then you can call yourself God and decide for yourself. Guess what? It isn’t ever going to happen, so you best just do what God said.

2) God declare sin, sin because of the consequences that may come of it.

Romans 6:23 NLT

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

James 1:15 NLT

These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

Sin leads to death so we should probably stay away from it. Quit playing with fire, because sooner or later you will get burned.

John 5:15–16 NKJV

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

Some other translations will say they sought to harass him, or sought to persecute him. I believe the best translation is that they sought to kill him. You see He broke their sabbath rules so they wanted to stone Him to death.

They don’t at this time, but they wanted to do it. They tried to do it, but stopped short.

Notice the religious leaders completely ignored the fact that Jesus performed a miracle. They were too caught up in their rules and regulations that they missed the forest for the trees.

Don’t be like the religious leaders. Ask God to always show you the big picture. Don’t go beyond what is written and keep your eyes open to the miracle working power of our God.

Life Principle– God May Not Take Care Of Your Circumstances In Your Way Or Your Time. So, Don’t Miss The Miracle When It Comes.

Call to Action – altar call….