Do You Want to Get Well
Jesus, God in the Flesh | A Study through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 3 viewsJesus, the miracle worker and Great Physician
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Introduction |
When a person is suffering from an illness: the flu, pneumonia, cancer, etc., do you ever ask the question, Do you want to get well? Yet, this is what we find Jesus asking to a man who has been lame for thirty-eight years, Do you want to get well?
Focus Passage |
1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, there is a pool which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3 In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed.5 Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, said to him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was a Sabbath on that day.
Outline |
As we look at our text, we are given the backdrop of the sign that is about to take place. We find that Jesus and His disciples have entered Jerusalem and came to the pool of Bethesda (vv. 1-3). As one reads the Scripture they will find that the King James and New King James version include the latter half of v.3 and all of v.4, whereas the new translations omit the latter half of v.3 and all of v.4. The reason for this is that our earliest witness do not include this portion. With that said, they bring clarity to the text before us, and most scholars believe that this portion was added as a scribe for clarity sake. So, we will read both renderings as it brings more clarity to the text.
3 In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed.
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.
Warren Wiersbe gives a good description of the pools of Bethesda in Jerusalem in his commentary on John. He writes…
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Five: The Man Who Was Equal with God (John 5)
When you visit St. Anne’s Church in Jerusalem, they will show you the deep excavation that has revealed the ancient Pool of Bethesda. The Hebrew name Bethesda has been spelled various ways and given differing meanings. Some say it means “house of mercy” or “house of grace,” but others say it means “place of the two outpourings.” There is historical and archeological evidence that two adjacent pools of water served this area in ancient times.
It is within this backdrop that we begin to see the heart of a sinner and the heart of Jesus meet face-to-face with a tough question asked, an honest answer given, and faith revealed.
A Tough Question Asked (vv. 3-6)
3 In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed.5 Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, said to him, “Do you want to get well?”
We live in a broken and fallen world due to sin - ‘…sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed…’
Our sins weigh us down and keep us from being who God created us to be - ‘…a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years…’
Jesus is aware of our condition - ‘…Jesus…knowing that he had already been in this condition for a long time…’
The tough question that needs to be asked and honestly answered, “Do you want to get well?”
An Honest Answer Given (v. 7)
7 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.”
We all have excuses to as why we are tripped in our sin
We can blame our condition - ‘…the sick man…’
We can blame our environment - ‘…I have no man to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up…’
We can blame others - ‘…but while I am coming, another steps down before me…’
At the heart of the matter lies the honest answer
Faith Revealed (vv. 8-9)
8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was a Sabbath on that day.
Jesus speaks to the heart - ‘…Jesus said to him, “Get up, pickup your pallet and walk…’
Will you take a step of faith and find healing - ‘…Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk…’
Conclusion |