Outside the Box

John 5:1–18 ESV

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, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. 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.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 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.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

-18Pray

Pray

I want to start today with a question. How are you responding to Jesus? Each week, we offer a time at the end of the sermon called the invitation. I define that as an invitation to respond to what God is saying to you. I say that because I firmly believe that as Christians almost all of our existence is a response to God. Think about it. When you are first saved, you are responding to the Gospel message. True worship is a response toward a worthy God. Even obedience is our response to the grace God has shown us. Even today, as I speak, there are Christians who are responding to the disaster zones created by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Katia. I could go on and on, but I would never get to the passage I read a few moments ago. So, the question again, is: How are you responding to Jesus?

As I prepared this sermon, I was struck by the responses of the people in the story. So, we will focus on those responses as a way to understand why the Holy Spirit inspired John to write this particular story in this particular way. We know the over-arching theme that John wrote under. He told us in

John 20:31 ESV

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

:31This story shows that Jesus is indeed the Christ. And it even has Jesus claiming to be the Son of God with His own words. But I think the key to understanding the story is that we would believe by reading it. Because, we will see, we have 2 instances in this story of an unbelieving response to Jesus. So, without further introduction, let’s plunge into this story of a healing as we ask the question: How am I responding to Jesus?

This story shows that Jesus is indeed the Christ. And it even has Jesus claiming to be the Son of God with His own words. But I think the key to understanding the story is that we would believe by reading it. Because, we will see, we have 2 instances in this story of an unbelieving response to Jesus. So, without further introduction, let’s plunge into this story of a healing as we ask the question: How am I responding to Jesus?

We’ll begin by looking at the setting for the story

John 5:1–5 ESV

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, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

1. The Setting

The Setting

1.1. Now, you may have noticed that we skipped verse 4. If you are using the ESV, you’ll notice that verse is in the footnotes. I’m not going to dwell on this for a long time. If you have questions, please talk to me after the service. I will simply tell you that verse 4 is not found in the majority of the ancient scrolls that have . It is in some of them, but not all of them and not in the oldest of them. This is not a horrible thing. Someone along the way as they were transcribing this story thought it needed a little more detail about the pool, but we are fairly certain that John did not include those details. And, to be honest, those details are really not needed for John’s purpose. So, I will not speak to verse 4 any further.

1.2. Jesus has returned to Jerusalem. The last time He was here, He cleansed the temple and spoke with Nicodemus. Then He went up to Galilee by way of Samaria. And now He returns to Jerusalem for some festival, but John doesn’t tell us which festival. Because, you see, which Jewish festival Jesus came to Jerusalem for does not add anything to what John is saying.

1.3. In Jerusalem, by the Sheep’s Gate there was this pool called Bethesda. Around the pool were 5 roofed colonnades. Gathered in these colonnades was a whole multitude of invalids. Some were blind, some lame, and some paralyzed. Basically, there is a crowd around the pool. And this is the point where verse 4 was added, but we get all that we need to get in just a moment. WHY they are gathered is not in focus right now. It is merely a description of the scene.

1.4. But there was a man in that crowd who had been an invalid for 38 years. Friends, that’s a long time. We don’t learn anything about the multitude of others gathered there, but we do find out about this one man. Do you see how John started with a large picture? He started with Jerusalem, then zoomed into the Sheep Gate and the pool, then zoomed in further to the colonnades and the multitude of invalids, then he zoomed in one more time to one particular invalid who had been that way for 38 years. And the stage is set. Our attention is on this one man. What will Jesus do? Let’s read on.

John 5:6–9a ESV

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?” 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.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

The first response

2. The first response

2.1. Just like John got us to focus on this one man, Jesus sees him. John had to tell us that he had been an invalid for 38 years, but Jesus already knew that he had been there a long time. So, Jesus asks Him a simple question, Do you want to be healed? I think Jesus is asking him seriously, perhaps even compassionately if he wanted to be healed.

2.2. If I can just interject my own thinking at this point. If had been stuck on a bed, depending on others for everything for 38 years and some stranger came up to me and asked if I wanted to be healed, my response would not be kind. I might say something like, “Ya think?!?” But this guy certainly isn’t me.

2.3. Instead of being snarky, he gives Jesus his excuse for not already being healed. There is no one to help him get in the pool when the water is stirred up. Therefore, whenever the water is stirred up, someone always beats him in. Poor, pitiful me. It may be that the man thought Jesus was going to be that helper. That Jesus was going to heal according to the man’s definition of how he could be healed. And that is why he pointed out that he couldn’t get to the pool fast enough. He only had one way to be healed in his mind. Anything else was just not even in sight.

2.4. Jesus ignores his excuse and tells him to get up, pick up his bed, and walk. And the man KNEW that he had been healed. He no longer needed the pool. Do you see that in verse 9? At once he was healed and picked up his bed and walked. A miracle has just happened! A man who had been an invalid for 38 years got up, picked up his bed, and walked. No surgery. No physical therapy. No occupational therapy. He just got up, picked up his bed, and walked. This is amazing! Isn’t it?

2.5. Before we move on to the underwhelming response of the Jewish leaders, let’s talk for a moment about this man’s response. First of all, when Jesus asked him a direct question, the man basically complained that it wasn’t happening his way. But when he was healed, he did EXACTLY what Jesus told him to do. And maybe you remember from last week when the ruler’s son was sick. Jesus lamented, Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe. (4:48) This guy didn’t believe in anything except what he already knew until he was healed. This is what I mean. He knew that he could be healed if he were the first one in the pool when the water was stirred. But he also knew he hadn’t been able to be first in because no one helped him. And that was all he could think about when Jesus asked if he wanted to be healed. Then, his world changes radically and he can walk. So he does what Jesus told him to the letter. Do you see? Until Jesus touched his life in a real way, there was no belief in this man. And, to be sure, we have no indication that he ever believed fully in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Remember, John has been telling us about people believing as we have worked along, but John does not tell us that this man believed. He is responding to what Jesus can do, not who Jesus is. So, What is your response to Jesus?

John 5:9b–13 ESV

And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. 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.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 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 second response

3. The second response

3.1. Before we dive into the response, we see why John didn’t bother to tell us which festival was going on in Jerusalem. The festival didn’t matter because what John wanted us to know was that it was the Sabbath day. That is the more important thing to remember. It was the Sabbath.

3.2. And this man who had been stuck to his bed for 38 years is walking home when he encounters the Jews. John doesn’t tell us which Jews. And, again, it really doesn’t matter which Jews he encounters. Their response is the focus. They say to him, you can’t carry your bed on the Sabbath. It’s against the law. Friends, don’t make light of this. This is stunning! This man hasn’t walked for 38 years! Jesus healed him! And the Jews say, “You shouldn’t be carrying your bed.” Do you see how INSANE this is? No rejoicing because the man can now walk. No joy at his healing. No questions about how he is now walking. Nope. They just jump on him for carrying his bed on the Sabbath.

3.3. But this man is a master deflector. Earlier, when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, he blamed the lack of help. Now, when confronted with breaking the Sabbath rule, he deflects again by saying, The man who healed me told me to. Wouldn’t you want to say, I’m healed! And your worried about me carrying my bed? He just tells them that he is doing what the man told him to do.

3.4. So, the Jews say, who is the man who told you take up your bed and walk? And he looks around, but he doesn’t see Jesus. And John tells us Jesus had actually left the area because of the size of the crowd. So here this man is trying to deflect the blame for carrying his bed, but he can’t find the man who told him to do so.

3.5. We still should not lose sight of the fact that they are paying absolutely no attention to the healing. They are more concerned with the Sabbath laws. More concerned with their religious practice than with a miracle of God. They are so focused on their rules, they can’t even see the miracle. And that is another response to Jesus. To be so focused on what we think would please Him, that we miss Him altogether. Why did it matter that the man was carrying his bed? He was walking for the first time in 38 years! Do you see? But this man has another moment with Jesus.

John 5:14–15 ESV

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.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

The first response (again)

4. The first response (again)

4.1. The man couldn’t find Jesus, but Jesus finds him again. This time in the temple. Jesus fills in some of the blanks the man probably had. You can almost see Jesus pointing to the man’s legs as He says, See, you are well! But then Jesus says, Sin no more, that nothing worse happens to you. The implied meaning here is that Jesus forgave the man’s sins when He healed him. And now, Jesus tells him to walk the straight and narrow. To not go back to his sin because something worse might happen. What is that something worse? Don’t you think it is the wages of sin? - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, I gave the Jews a hard time about their response, but to meet the man who healed you in the temple of God and have him tell you to sin no more, you would expect a worshipful response, wouldn’t you?

4.2. But not this guy. He goes straight to those Jews who had hassled him about carrying his bed on the Sabbath. And he tells them that Jesus is the man who had healed him and told him to pick up his bed on the Sabbath. He goes right back to his standard practice. He points the blame somewhere else. How about you? What is your response to Jesus? When we read passages like - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Do you point the blame somewhere else? So-and-so’s sins are worse than mine. That other person made me sin. It’s not my fault. What is your response when Jesus points out sin in your life?

John 5:16–18 ESV

And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

The second response (again)

5. The second response (again)

5.1. Once again, they are not rejoicing over a miracle. They move to persecution because Jesus dared to do things on the Sabbath. How many of you know someone who can tell a man who has been lame for 38 years to pick up his bed and walk and IMMEDIATELY the man does that? No one. And the Jews response? Persecution.

5.2. But it gets even worse. Jesus tries to tell them how a miracle like this is possible. How it is actually perfectly acceptable for Him to tell the man to pick up his bed and walk. Because, My Father is working until now, and I am working. It is perfectly acceptable because I am doing the work of God. The same work He has been doing for centuries, I am doing right here in front of you now. And their response?

5.3. Verse 18, they wanted to kill Jesus because He equated himself with God. Jesus declares that the miracle of the man walking was of God and the JEWS respond by wanting to kill Him. Do you see the irony? Of all the people who should have been able to see the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Jews respond by wanting Jesus dead. He was upsetting their comfortable religion. And they wanted Him dead. He was telling them that God simply would not fit in the tiny little box they had designed for Him. And they wanted Jesus dead. Don’t change what we think we know! We would rather you were dead.

What about you?

And, with that, I’ll bring this message to a close. We have seen 2 responses to Jesus. The lame man who made sure to deflect whenever he was questioned. And the Jews who rejected Jesus working outside their comfort zone. Now, let me tell you how those same attitudes are at work right here in this room right now.

Are you sitting there thinking how much you wish someone else had been here to hear this message? That’s deflection. Or are you comparing your own shortcomings to someone else and thinking you are not as bad as that other person? That’s deflection.

Perhaps you are sitting here thinking you are comfortable with Jesus working in the same ways all the time. That’s like the Jews. You may not be rejecting Jesus yet, but it is not a far walk to go from uncomfortable with things being outside your understanding, to unbelief. Listen, friends, Jesus is not going to sit in the box of your comfort. He is God and He will do whatever He wishes for His glory alone!

So, are you deflecting? Are you rejecting? What is your response to Jesus? In this passage, Jesus has shown He is the Son of God by instantly healing a man who had been lame for 38 years. Then, Jesus stated that He was doing God’s work. Do you see? In previous passages in this Gospel, we would see Jesus working and others would believe that He was the Christ, the Son of God because of those works. But in this passage, Jesus states that He IS the Son of God. What will take for you to believe? Or are you more comfortable in your deflection? Or are you happier to reject Him all together? The question remains for you. How are you responding to Jesus?

- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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

- because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So the question for you is this. Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Do you believe that God raised Him from the dead? If so, your response needs to be to confess Him as your Lord. Don’t deflect. Don’t reject. Instead, confess.

Let’s PRAY