Are You Well?

We all have been around a kid at some point that just does not stop asking questions.

“A father and son went fishing one summer day. While they were out in their boat, the boy suddenly became curious about the world around him. He asked his father, ‘Dad, how does this boat float?’

The father replied, ‘Don’t rightly know son.’

A little later, the boy looked at his father and asked, ‘Dad, how do fish breath underwater?’

Once again the father replied, ‘Don’t rightly know son.”

A little later the boy asked his father, ‘Dad, why is the sky blue?’

Again, the father replied, ‘Don’t rightly know son.’

Finally, the boy asked his father, ‘Dad, do you mind my asking you all of these questions?’

The father replied, ‘Of course not, son. If you don’t ask questions, you never learn nothin’.’

There are times that questions are asked as just a response to normal conversations.

How are you?

I am good...How are you?

Then there are questions that make you think...why are they asking me that?

Like asking someone at a funeral...how are you doing?

In our text today, we see Christ ask a question that seems like a ridiculous question till you dig a little deeper.

Let’s read

John 5:1–16 CSB

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Aramaic, which has five colonnades. Within these lay a large number of the disabled—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the disabled man answered, “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.” “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk.” Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.” He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ “Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

Let’s Pray

Before we continue on, let me give you a bit of historical context on the pool of Bethesda.

The Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem was where sick people gathered with hopes of being cured of their illnesses. The Aramaic word Bethesda means “house of mercy” or “house of grace” in English. Lounging at one of the five porticos or porches adjacent to the pool, the ill people waited and watched for an angel to stir the water. The hopeful, diseased people at the poolside believed that the first person to step into the water after it was stirred by an angel was healed (John 5:1-4).

A German archeologist living in Jerusalem unearthed surrounded by four porticos—with a fifth portico dividing the pool into two separate pools—in 1956. The site is in Jerusalem, close to the Church of Saint Anne and near the Sheep Gate, true to its location described in John 5:2. There are sections of the pool up to 40 feet deep and other areas with small caverns and shallow baths.

The pool is believed to have been used throughout history for ritualistic baths as well as a place where invalids waited to step into the pool for healing. The Bethesda Pool where Jesus healed the paralytic man believed to have been a mikveh, or ritual bath, in the time of Christ. Roman citizens in Jerusalem a century or two later had medicinal baths constructed at the Bethesda Pool. To commemorate Jesus healing the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda, Christians controlling Jerusalem in the later Byzantine and Crusader periods added a chapel and churches at the site of Bethesda.

Now that is the history of the pool, but where does this story lead us?

Well, it leads us to the question in the title of the message...Are You Well?

How long do we live with trouble before we’re on our knees, asking God for healing of any sort—physical, emotional, or spiritual? Jesus walked over to a man who couldn’t walk and healed him on one of the porches of the Pool of Bethesda. There was a crowd of people at the Pool of Bethesda, but this lame man was the only person healed by Jesus that day, according to the Gospel of John.

Perhaps many of us who need healing sit at the side of the pool, but don’t jump in. We remain high and dry to the side of the healing waters of our spiritual journey. We come up with reasons for not seeking healing with our whole hearts. The healed, lame man in this story told his arsenal of excuses to Jesus. The miracle of this story is that even though the lame man thought and behaved in a typical, self-defeating way, Jesus noticed him and healed him.

Jesus doesn’t put much stock in the lame man’s excuse for not more actively seeking healing for 38 years. Jesus tells the lame man to get up, walk, and carry his bed— and the lame man does. Action replaces thoughts and words of self-pity, which have a hold on the lame man’s reality for far too long.

Jesus approached the lame man, whereas people in the crowds seeking healing usually approached Jesus. Jesus barely spoke to the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda before curing him. There was no ritualistic process in the man’s healing. The man did not have to step into the pool to be healed. Jesus healed him with a few words at the side of the pool.

After Jesus slips away in the crowded streets of Jerusalem, Jewish people admonish the no-longer lame man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. The walking man says, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’ (John 5:8). At this point in the Gospel story, the healed man cannot tell other Jews who healed him; he doesn’t know Jesus’ name.

Later Jesus runs into the healed man at the temple and tells him to stop sinning to avoid further trouble. The lame man knows then that it is Jesus who has healed him and tells his fellow Jews.

It is here that I did a double take. It is here that I need to ask you...Are You Well?

Why I ask this is simple, because sometimes, in actuality most of the time, it is our sin that causes us to be unhealthy.

I am a big guy...want to know why...cause i don’t eat right, I don’t exercise enough, I let stress get to me, and I wonder why I am unhealthy.

I have seen, in family members close to me, ask why Lord when they find out they have lung cancer, but they have been smoking a pack of cigarettes a day since high school.

Oh Lord cure my child of this bad language...and you have been cursing at them and around them since they were in the crib.

Sometimes we are sitting on the side of the pool, not wanting to be healed...what we are wanting is someone to come by and say it is ok...just do what you have been doing.

Church...are you well?

I have seen so many times, people come to the Lord and he heals them be it physically, spiritually or emotionally...then the Lord tells them in His words in the bible...go and sin no more...and they say no thank you...I don’t need this church stuff. I don't need anyone telling what I can and can not do.

And then they become worst then what the were before.

Christ is here to heal you...Are you well?

If you struggle with feelings of unworthiness or emotional pain in your home life, you can start accepting Christ’s healing by creating a prayer space. Dedicate a corner of your home where you can pray daily, inviting God's presence actively into your space. Pray specifically for the areas of pain or distress you feel, asking Him to heal and comfort you. Write down any scriptures regarding healing and keep them visible. Invite a trustworthy friend over, and share your struggles; allow their prayers to support your healing journey.

In a work environment, tension and stress can often weigh heavily on you. To accept Christ’s healing in the workplace, practice the act of surrendering your work-related worries to God. When you feel overwhelmed, take a 5-minute break to pray specifically for peace and guidance in your day. Cultivate a positive work culture by finding a colleague to pray with during breaks, fostering a spirit of encouragement and healing within your team, and setting an example of reliance on Christ in stressful situations.

Within the church community, you may discover that you carry burdens from past experiences that hinder your spiritual growth. Take an intentional step by participating in a small group or Bible study focused on healing and restoration. Share your story, and allow others to walk alongside you. Engage in worship with a renewed focus on God’s healing power, allowing the music and message to penetrate your heart. This community can provide support as you accept Christ’s healing and encourage each other in overcoming struggles.

In public life, you might find it difficult to maintain hope when faced with societal issues or personal struggles. Accepting Christ's healing can start with acts of kindness toward strangers. Make a conscious effort to serve others—be it through volunteering, assisting an elderly neighbor, or simply offering a smile and prayer to someone you see in distress. By engaging actively with the world around you, you reflect Christ's love and healing, while also receiving His peace in the process.

At home, if you feel weighed down by family conflicts or lack of unity, embrace Christ's healing by initiating open conversations. Set a regular family night where everyone can share feelings peacefully. Begin each discussion with prayer, inviting God into your family dynamics. Encourage each family member to speak truthfully about hurts while also sharing instances where they've experienced healing. Create a family mission to support each other’s growth and healing, ensuring that everyone knows they are valued and loved within the home.

One final thought before we leave today.

The religious leaders got angry because this healing happened on the Sabbath. Their diluted view of the day of rest.

When you start to allow Jesus to heal you in all the ways I just spoke about, people will not like it.

Many want to keep you on the side of the pool with them.

Misery loves company.

But Christ is calling you today asking Do you want to be well? Take up your mat and walk.

That means to start walking a different path now.

The man did not leave his mat, why...because he was not going back to that old life...he was walking to something new.

Today’s altar call will be a little different.

I want to invite anyone that does not know Christ as Lord and Savior to come up and pray to Accept Him today. I will be up here to pray with you if you are not sure how to pray to accept him.

But the difference today is I know that a lot of us need prayer, I want you to reach out and pray with those around you today. Be it the one seated next to you, in front of you, or behind you, ask them if it is ok and pray with them as we close in worship. If you are needing prayer, grab the person next to you and ask them to pray for you.

Church we as a family must pray for one another and be able to listen and help carry each other through the hard times.