Do You Want to Be Healed?

Good morning, Thank you Pastor Emmanuel for lead us so faithfully over the last two weeks.

-From this point onward in John’s Gospel, Jesus and His teaching would come under the enormous pressure of pointed scrutiny by Jewish religious leaders. Such was entirely understandable. Anyone saying the sorts of things Jesus said should have been held to account, somehow.

-Furthermore, Jesus himself, as we shall see in the coming weeks, made little effort to steer into smooth waters. Instead, He seemed to throw caution to the wind, and plowed headlong into dangerous waves of controversy

-But before we get into the sermon lets read God’s word and Pray.

Read John 5:24-27!

Pray

The Shift Section:

-We are gonna do something a little different this morning and work our way backwards in some sense.

This sermon series is called the hour has come…

-Jesus frequently refers to "an hour" (or "the hour") that is either coming or has not yet come. This theme builds throughout the early chapters, but there is a notable shift in John 5:25 “Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

-Before John 5:25: Jesus often speaks of His "hour" as something future, especially in reference to His glorification, suffering, and death (e.g., John 2:4, John 4:21, John 4:23).

Present Fulfillment Begins:

Up to this point, Jesus has mostly spoken about a future time. But here, He declares that "the hour is now here," signaling that something significant is already beginning.

The phrase “the dead will hear” is likely both spiritual (referring to those dead in sin who will receive new life through faith in Christ) and a foretaste of the physical resurrection power He will display.

The context of John 5:19-30 is Jesus explaining His divine authority. He emphasizes that He does what the Father does, including giving life and executing judgment.

Authority to Give Life:

This marks a shift from just anticipating the "hour" to actively demonstrating it—Jesus is already raising people from spiritual death by His word.

This moment foreshadows two key events:

His earthly ministry—where people respond to His call and receive new life.

The final resurrection—where both the righteous and the wicked will be raised for judgment (John 5:28-29).

-This shift in John 5:25 is deeply important for people today because it reveals the immediacy of Jesus' power to bring life and transformation. Here are 4 reasons why that matters:

1. Salvation Is Not Just a Future Hope—It’s for Now

Many people think of eternal life as something that starts after death. But Jesus declares that the hour is now here—meaning that eternal life begins the moment someone hears and believes in Him (John 5:24).

This gives hope and assurance that we don’t have to wait for heaven to experience a changed life—Jesus brings spiritual renewal today.

2. Jesus Has Authority Over Life and Death

In a world filled with fear—fear of death, suffering, and uncertainty—Jesus declares that He has the power to give life.

This isn’t just about physical resurrection but also about freedom from spiritual death. People who feel lost, broken, or "dead inside" need to hear that Jesus can raise them to new life right now.

3. It Calls for a Response Now, Not Later

Since "the hour is now here," the call to listen and respond to Jesus is urgent.

Many people put off faith decisions, thinking they have time. But Jesus' words remind us that He is already at work, calling people to spiritual life today.

4. A Foretaste of What’s Coming

This shift also reminds us that while Jesus is giving spiritual life now, a greater resurrection is still ahead (John 5:28-29).

Christians can live with confidence and hope because the same Jesus who brings spiritual life now will one day defeat death completely.

How This Applies to Everyday Life

If you feel spiritually distant, know that Jesus is calling now, offering new life.

If you're struggling with sin, He has the power to rescue and transform you today.

If you're grieving or afraid of death, His authority over life means you can trust Him completely.

This shift in John’s Gospel is a wake-up call: Jesus isn’t just a future Savior—He’s working now, and we need to hear His voice today.

-I felt that it was important for us to start here this morning and to have these things in mind as we get into the main text/story for this mornings sermon.

Do You Want To Be Healed Section:

Read John 5:1-15.

This man who had been disabled for 38 years, lying by the Pool of Bethesda. This pool was believed to have healing properties, and many sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed people gathered there, hoping for a miraculous cure when the waters were stirred.

-Why Was He There for So Long? The passage tells us that this man had been there for 38 years, but it does not explicitly state why he had never been healed. However, we can infer a few reasons:

-He Had No One to Help Him (John 5:7) – When Jesus asks if he wants to get well, the man responds, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” This suggests that his physical limitations and lack of assistance kept him from accessing what he believed was his chance for healing.

-He May Have Given Up Hope – Being paralyzed for nearly four decades could have led to discouragement and possibly a sense of resignation. He had been waiting for so long, watching others receive what he desired but never experiencing it himself.

-He May Have Been Stuck in a Victim Mindset – Rather than answering Jesus with an immediate "Yes, I want to be healed," he offers an explanation of why healing hasn’t happened for him. This could indicate a level of hopelessness, even cynicism, after years of disappointment.

-The text does not give us insight into his emotions explicitly, but his response to Jesus suggests a mixture of despair and resignation rather than contentment. He doesn’t ask Jesus to heal him; instead, he explains why healing is impossible for him.

-His condition may have become his identity—he was "the paralyzed man," and after 38 years, perhaps he had accepted that reality. There’s a possibility that he saw healing as something that happened to others but not to him. This could reflect a cynical outlook, where he believed healing was just out of reach no matter what he did.

How Does This Relate to Us Today?

-We Can Get Stuck in Hopelessness – Just as the man sat by the pool for years without healing, many people today struggle with challenges—whether spiritual, emotional, or physical—that they feel powerless to overcome. We might feel stuck in cycles of addiction, depression, bitterness, or complacency, believing that change is impossible.

-We Often Rely on the Wrong Source for Healing – The man was focused on getting into the water, thinking that was the only way to be healed. However, true healing came from Jesus, not the pool. Similarly, we sometimes look for healing, fulfillment, or purpose in things that cannot truly restore us—relationships, money, success, or even religious rituals—when what we need is an encounter with Christ.

-When Jesus approached the disabled man at the Pool of Bethesda, He asked a deeply personal and revealing question: "Do you want to get well?"This is a profound question because healing requires change. Sometimes, even in our suffering, we grow comfortable with our dysfunction. Jesus’ question challenges us: Are we willing to let go of excuses, take up our mat, and walk into the new life He offers?

-At first glance, this might seem like an obvious question. Who wouldn’t want to be healed after suffering for 38 years? But Jesus wasn’t just asking about physical healing—He was addressing the man’s heart condition. This same question is posed to us today:

Do you truly want freedom from sin?

Do you want to be spiritually healed and whole?

Are you ready to leave behind what has kept you bound?

How We Should Respond Like the Disabled Man

The man’s response was not a direct “yes.” Instead, he gave an excuse: "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, someone goes down ahead of me." (John 5:7)

This response reflects how we often answer Jesus when He asks if we want to be free:

-We Offer Excuses – "I have no one to help me."

We shift the blame for our struggles onto others or our circumstances.

"If I had a better past, I wouldn’t be like this." or “I can’t change because of my past,”

"If people helped me more, I would have already changed."

Excuses Keep Us from Experiencing God's Power

-We Believe the Lie That Freedom is Unreachable – "Someone always gets there ahead of me."

We convince ourselves that change is for other people, not us.

"I’ve tried before, and nothing changed."

"God helps others, but I don’t think He’ll help me."

-We Expect Healing to Come in a Certain Way – The man thought healing would only come from getting into the water, but Jesus had something greater for him.

We look for external fixes rather than letting Jesus do an internal transformation.

"If I just had a better job, relationship, or circumstances, I’d be free."

The Reality of Self-Imprisonment in Sin

Many of us remain stuck in sin or brokenness, not because Jesus hasn’t offered healing, but because:

1. We Have Become Comfortable in Our Condition

The man had been paralyzed for 38 years. After so much time, this identity likely became normal for him.

Likewise, we can grow so used to our sin or struggles that we accept them as part of who we are.

"This is just the way I am."

"I’ll never be free from this addiction, bitterness, or anger."

2. We Are Cynical About Change

After years of disappointment, we stop believing that transformation is possible.

"Why should I try again? I always fail."

"God hasn’t answered me yet, so maybe this is just my reality."

3. We Love Our Sin Too Much

Romans 1:29–30 “They are filled with all unrighteousness, evil, greed, and wickedness. They are full of envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, arrogant, proud, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,”

Jesus asks if we want to be well, but sometimes we don’t actually want to be healed.

The truth is, sin can feel good—it can be enjoyable, convenient, and comfortable.

"I don’t want to change because I enjoy what I’m doing."

"Following Jesus completely would mean giving up what I love."

-What Jesus Calls Us to Do Instead When the disabled man made excuses, Jesus ignored them and commanded him to act:"Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." (John 5:8)

-This is what Jesus tells us today. He calls us to obedience, not excuses.

1. Acknowledge That You Need Healing

Luke 5:31 “Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick.”

Jesus doesn’t force healing on anyone. We must admit that we are broken and need Him.

Jesus wants to heal us… He is compassionate and willing to heal every part of us if we humbly seek and ask Him to....Yet we don’t… And it shows time and time again. As we continue to live our lives as anxious, paranoid, fearful, hurt, depressed, tired men and women.

“Lord, I can’t do this on my own. I need Your help.”

2. Take Responsibility and Stop Making Excuses

Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

The man said, “I have no one to help me.” But Jesus was right there!

Likewise, Jesus is here now, offering healing. Will we accept it?

3. Move in Obedience

Luke 11:28 “He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.””

Jesus told the man to get up and walk, even though he had been paralyzed.

Sometimes obedience must come before we see the breakthrough.

If we wait until we "feel ready" or "see change first," we may never move forward.

4. Let Go of the Comfort of Sin

Healing requires leaving behind old habits, mindsets, and dependencies.

True repentance means walking away from what once enslaved us.

Hebrews 12:1–2 “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Final Reflection: How Will You Answer Jesus?

Jesus is still asking today: "Do you want to get well?"

Will you make excuses, or will you respond in faith?

Will you stay in self-imprisonment, or will you step into freedom?

Will you cling to sin, or will you let Jesus transform you?

The man at Bethesda obeyed Jesus, got up, and walked. Today, Jesus is calling you to do the same. 

-The choice is ours: Will we remain imprisoned by our own cynicism, excuses, and sin, or will we take hold of the healing Jesus freely gives? 

-The man at the pool could have stayed on his mat, clinging to hopelessness, but when Jesus spoke, he obeyed—and everything changed. The same can be true for us. Jesus has already made a way for our healing, restoration, and eternal life. The only question that remains is—will you say yes?

Questions:

1.What are some "pools" (things we look to for healing) that people trust in rather than trusting in Jesus?

2.Why do we sometimes believe that healing or freedom is for other people but not for us?

3.If Jesus asked you today, “Do you want to get well?” what would your honest response be?