Weakness Encounters Strength
The Endless Journey - John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Reading:
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.
Introduction:
The account that John is giving to us in his gospel is Jesus is God!
The supporting theme is how this truth impacts and affects us.
The connection is: because Jesus is God we can believe in Him and have eternal life!
Continuing to support the theme of John: “believe and live”.
Today we shift gears in John chapter five.
This is the pivoting point of the Gospel of John.
It is a spark that sets on fire a desire to silence Jesus to the final point of killing of Him.
Awesome how God works: they believed they were doing God’s will to kill the Blasphemer!
John 5 starts with:
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.
The: “After This” is setting for a period of time following the passover; which we aren’t given any indication for the length of time.
We also don’t know what feast in Jerusalem this is.
It could be:
Passover
Pentecost
Or Tabernacles
According to Jewish law all Jewish males in Judea were required to attend these three festivals.
Others were encouraged; but not required, probably due to distance of travel.
We just know that Jesus attended and came to a place filled with misery and offered mercy!
Jesus, the Lamb of God, seeks the hopeless and offers Himself as the only true hope,
How we respond to Him can change everything.
Transition:
Jesus came to celebrate a festival and sought out:
The Hopeless (1-5)
The Hopeless (1-5)
You’ll notice there are some landmarks we might not understand.
The Sheep Gate is mentioned
At the sheep gate there is also pools.
This location is called Bethesda which in Greek translates as: “House of Mercy”.
It never ceases to amaze me how specific God is writing the Bible to us.
The Sheep Gate was located on the North or North East portion of the temple wall.
This is where the sacrificial lambs were ushered through on the way to the temple.
Jesus comes through this gate as the Lamb of God and offers mercy to all.
Not a coincidence; but purposeful!
Let me ask a question and think about how you would answer:
If someone were to come to you and argue that scripture isn’t true, could you prove them it is?
How?
One way is archeology.
If the bible claims Pontius Pilate killed Jesus, shouldn’t there be a Pontius recorded in secular history?
Skeptics often used this argument; until the day when the name of Pontius was found inscribed as Pontius the curator of Judea in Cesarea.
The pools of Bethesda should be mentioned in Roman archeology or at least the structure of these pools location should’ve been found.
In 1911 people were digging around the location of the sheep gate and happened to find the pools.
A description of 5 porched, 5 colonnades matching the pools described in John 5.
The skeptics were proven wrong, again.
What about the pools, how were they used?
King James Version Chapter 5
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.
You might notice there isn’t a verse 4 in some translations; but there is in the KJV, this is due to the passage not being found in the older manuscripts; it is referenced so that it isn’t missed.
Verse 4 offers us the legend or belief about the pool area.
That superstition was that an angel came, stirred the waters and the first person in would be healed. Ridiculous.
How could they tell, since Angels weren’t seen by many?
How did they get to this superstition?
These pools were apparently fed by a subterranean spring and every once in a while it would let in water and it would bubble up, defining the “stirring of the water”.
We can understand the problem this would create for the impotent people.
Many probably couldn’t get themselves anywhere, let alone into the pool faster than everyone else.
What a cruel way to view God’s power.
God helps those who help themselves! That isn’t biblical!
Here all these people are sitting waiting, hoping:
To be first into the pool and be healed by God’s power, because they helped themselves!
We cringe at this, yet if we looked at some of our motivations we may do the same thing.
Illustration:
In 2009 Katie and I just moved back to Michigan, construction was really bad, I needed a job.
(Explain the process I went through trying to “help myself”)
Emphasize the point that when I trusted God and gave it over to Him to trust His will, and to follow it no matter what, He brought a job!
My first job in ministry.
Every one of us find frustration when we attempt to “make our way” instead of being willing to follow His will instead.
The statement isn’t truthful or biblical that God helps those who help themselves!
God takes care of us no matter what we do or don’t do!
The text highlights a man seeking mercy from the water, knowing there is no mercy for him.
5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
This man was hopeless.
For 38 years there was nothing to hope for.
Just imagine his state of mind, sitting there with the possible means for healing in his grasp; knowing it he could never make it happen.
Transition:
He soon finds out that his hope was in the wrong thing.
It only became aware to him as Jesus revealed Himself as:
The Object Of Hope (6-9)
The Object Of Hope (6-9)
Again we find the picture of faith, and an object of our faith being what our trust and hope hangs on!
Jesus is who we can hang our faith on, He will never drop us.
The hopeless man is approached by Jesus.
We see a truth of Jesus’ character:
He seeks out the helpless and it is never in a way they expect.
Jesus approached him with a question:
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”
Jesus’ question highlights the desire of the man.
This was probably uncomfortable and disappointing.
He sat there to fulfill the desire that his body would be healed.
See the picture like this:
Jesus, saw all the people; but looked at the one person!
Something to learn from Jesus here: “Mercy towards others begins with how you see them” (expound on this point) have a heart of compassion as Jesus would.
Jesus’ question could be viewed as a cruel; but it was an honest question:
It may help him focus on the fact that he couldn’t do it himself, he was helpless, without hope.
How many times in our lives would it be good to focus on the fact that we cannot do it by ourselves and the hopelessness we have is because we can’t?
Just ponder what 38 years of disappointment feels like emotionally.
How would you respond?
(read verse 7)
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”
He accepted his position of helplessness, there was no way he could get himself into the pool for healing.
Connection:
Instead of following what everyone else hoped in: a false hope:
He needed a the real object of hope: Jesus.
The man’s acceptance of his position brought an opportunity to accept what Jesus would offer:
8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”
9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.
Imagine the impact this statement would’ve made not just on this man; but on all who were present.
It was supposed that at Bethesda, because of the legend, there would be on an average day approximately 300 people; this being a festival I imagine there would’ve been more than that.
[highlight the fact of what is being said would’ve been heard by a lot, and they would’ve payed attention to what Jesus did]
After 38 years, what kind of muscle tone do you think he had?
Point:
When Jesus tells you do something He always provides the means to do it.
When Jesus calls you to salvation, He creates the means to accept salvation - By believing in Jesus’ sacrifice for you!
When Jesus calls you to be a missionary, He opens the doors for you to pursue that and places in you a desire to do so.
When Jesus calls you to have a job and be an ambassador who represents Him to a lost and dying world, He provides conversations and opportunities to testify of Him to others.
Those He calls He equips.
This man didn’t have the muscles to get up on his own power; but Jesus made it possible through the miracle bringing strength back into his legs.
(?) Did Jesus make him get up and walk?
No, He only needed to believe Jesus made it possible and stand up!
Which would show that he trusted Jesus’ words and stood up by faith.
What is happening in your life where you needed to hear Jesus call you to something, and you are having a hard time trusting His words enough to have faith and do it?
He called you, He will make it possible!
Don’t be ashamed, your not the first.
Highlight a few examples from scripture:
Moses stuttered but was a spokesperson for God to Pharaoh.
Jesus told Peter to get out of the boat and walk.
Take a step and see what happens.
Transition:
Not everyone will appreciate your faith in Jesus’ command, many will scrutinize, or scoff at the lunacy of what you’re attempting.
The Jews did this immediately to the man that was healed.
9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.
10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”
The Jews were very good with the law, and often times that is the only thing they focused on!
Whether a religious ritual was followed or not,
They:
Missed The Point! (10-17)
Missed The Point! (10-17)
If I were standing amongst this group at the pools and saw this take place my first statement would be: “WOW!”
10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.”
Not that!
The Jews had taken the original law to not work on the Sabbath and created 39 “Oral” laws to abide by that weren’t under “customary work”
One law was that: You could not look in a mirror on the Sabbath.
Because if you saw a grey hair you would pull it and that would be exerting energy to do that. That would be customary work.
Another was: You couldn’t wear dentures on the Sabbath.
Because heaven forbid your teeth fall out and you have to pick them up you’re in violation as your bearing a burden on the Sabbath.
Well if we categorize it, what is a burden?
The guideline for what is deemed a burden is anything that weighed equal to 2 dried figs.
You can begin to understand how difficult it was for people to “rest” on the Sabbath because they wouldn't want to accidentally be in violation of the “Oral Law”.
Guess who enforced those laws?
The Jews.
Those given the Law for stewardship made themselves the enforcers of the Law.
They didn’t rejoice at a miracle, they enforced their rituals instead.
Just curious, what would’ve been the punishment for being healed on the Sabbath?
Could they erase and make null and void the miracle Jesus did and take away the faith the man now had in Jesus?
Point:
No matter what man can do none of it can affect anything between you and God.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
When God is for us, no one can do anything!
Our faith and salvation is secure!
Unfortunately as these passages show, the biggest opposition to Jesus is the religious legalists!
They are typically the most vicious and mean!
There is no joy found in what Jesus does in peoples lives because they are so focused on enforcing their additions to the written law.
Remember this is the turning point against Jesus from the Jews, where they really began making Him a focal point to their fury!
Not just because He healed on the Sabbath.
11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ”
12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”
13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place.
The Jews wanted the man who did work on the Sabbath by healing a man and telling him to carry his bed.
What was the first thing this man did and where did Jesus find him?
In the temple worshipping God!
Maybe something He had never done before because he couldn’t.
He showed a desire to worship God and be with godly people!
Jesus spoke to him there among those worshipping:
14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
What would’ve been worse than the best years of your life being withheld from you?
Hell! Eternal separation from God.
Don’t practice sin any longer so Hell isn’t your eternal destination!
Jesus spoke the truth because He loved him!
How bad is it that in the “niceties” of conversations we hold back the love and grace that Jesus offers for sin that separates them from God and are on their way to hell?
Grace and love is extending the truth to all who are in need of it.
The man went and told the Jews it was Jesus!
Here is the main shift! From this point forward their goal is to kill Jesus!
15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.
16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
The word persecuting is a present active term, emphasizing the continual and escalating nature of their hatred for Him!
They are given an “legal” reason for the pursuit of His life by what Jesus tells them in response!
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Jesus is claiming that He and the Father are one!
Simply put: I am God!
The Jews missed Jesus because of a religious mind!
In your own Christian walk are there areas where you are more focused on religious habits and appearances than on what Jesus is actually doing around you?
Could you be missing the miracle because you're enforcing the ritual?
Be willing to accept what He is doing in other’s lives and praise Him for it, instead of competing with it.
Conclusion:
From verse 1 to verse 17, John has shown us a man who had everything working against him.
Thirty-eight years of hopelessness.
A pool he could never reach.
A crowd that would never help him.
And a religious establishment that, even after his miracle, could only see a man carrying a mat on the wrong day.
But Jesus walked through the Sheep Gate.
The same gate where the sacrificial lambs entered on their way to the altar,
And He found the one man who had nowhere left to turn.
That is exactly where Jesus works best.
Here is what I want you to walk away with today:
The hopeless man found hope because he stopped trusting in the wrong thing and accepted that he couldn't do it himself.
Some of you are sitting at your own pool of Bethesda this morning.
You have been waiting for healing, for a breakthrough, for something to change ,
And you have been trusting in your own ability to get there first.
Jesus is asking you the same question He asked that man:
"Do you want to be healed?"
Not healed on your terms.
Not healed your way.
But healed His way.
And for those who already know Jesus — don't miss what He is doing around you because you are too focused on the rules.
-Pray!
