A Savior who seeks us

English Standard Version Chapter 5

The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath

5 After this there was a ofeast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by pthe Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic1 called Bethesda,2 which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and qparalyzed.3 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?” 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, r“Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 rAnd at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

sNow that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews4 said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and tit is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 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said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for uJesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! vSin no more, wthat nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews xwere persecuting Jesus, ybecause he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

[Intro]

When have you been most desperate? We only have two more weekends without college football, so you are scarce to find me more desperate than in moments like right now, really jonesing for my favorite Fall-time activity. But then again I’m a Tennessee fan so get back to me here in a couple months and I might take back my sentiments. And for any of you that might be an Alabama fan, I don’t believe you, we’re in North Carolina.

But when have you been most desperate?

In 1944, at the close of the World War II, at the Battle of the Bulge, Allied forces were caught completely off guard and sustained critical loss.  If you hear any interviews of someone who endured these events they’ll tell you of the critical loss, of the bitter, biting cold that became stained in their bones.  But after suffering the initial shock of the attack.  Allied troops mounted a counteroffensive to stave off German momentum.  After being beaten and bloodied, troops at the Bulge were able to wage opposition enough for General Patton to plan the entirety of the counteroffensive that eventually wins the War.

These men were desperate. In the face of what seemed like impossible odds, a porous defensive front, harsh weather conditions, harsh medical conditions, these men were desperate for reinforcements.

Though not everyone in here knows the trials of war, I am willing to bet that as you think on those harsh conditions that it wouldn’t be too much or a stretch for you to get to something personally that brings about the realization that we are all incredibly desperate for something.

Hear now a story of someone who was extremely desperate, and through a miraculous encounter found the only one able to give the healing that he truly needed.

If you are able, stand with me in honor of God’s Word...

The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath

The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath

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. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 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?” 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.” 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. 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.” 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. 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.” 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. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

18 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.

z See ch. 7:1

a See ch. 10:33

b ver. 16

c []

d

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Main Idea: Now there is a lot going on here but if I could distill this entire message down to a single statement I want you to know, “in the face of our greatest desperation, Jesus seeks us out.”

And we see this beautifully lived out in three characteristics that we find in Jesus through this text, namely that Jesus intimately knows us. He is compassionate for us. And He is sovereign over us.

Jesus’ Intimacy vv. 1-6a

p , ;

1 Or Hebrew

2 Some manuscripts Bethsaida

q

3 Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; 4for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had

r , ; , , ; ,

r [See ver. 8 above]

s ch. 9:14

4 The Greek word Ioudaioi refers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed Jesus in that time; also verses 15, 16, 18

t ; ; , ; [ch. 7:23; 9:16; ; ; ; ; ]

u [ch. 6:15]

v [ch. 8:11]

w []

x ch. 15:20; [, ]

y ch. 7:23; 9:16

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Jesus’ Intimacy vv. 1-6a

Exposition

Right out of the gate here we have a detail that we know to be representative of Jesus’ entire ministry. He came to seek and save the lost.

A commentator on this passage notes, “When Jesus went to Jerusalem, he did not spend his time in elite hostels; nor did he concentrate his ministry merely in the temple or give attention to the rich and famous who could help him politically and financially with his ministry. He concentrated on people in need,”

[Gerald L. Borchert, , vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 231.]

He displayed His power in these signs and miracles so that many may believe as John would go on to say in .

We see this in each of these accounts throughout John’s gospel up to this point. In with Nicodemus, with the woman at the well and also with the healing of the official’s son, and so we see it here in chapter 5 at the Pool of Siloam.

It was not by chance that Jesus finds himself in these encounters. We know this as John the gospel writer details in that he had to go through Samaria in the account of the woman at the well. It was not by surprise that he encounters her, nor Nicodemus, nor this sick and lame man here.

It says here that Jesus “knew that he had already been there a long time.” Jesus knows this man. Just as he knew the Samaritan woman and her past. Jesus knows this man’s sickness, his situation, he displays that he intimately knows he’s been here for 38 years.

Proclamation

He knows these things about us and He seeks us out. This is no less profound than when we read it in that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Glory, grace, truth, we see all of these things perfectly in Jesus and this is the one who stoops down from eternity with the Father and the Spirit and dwells with us so that we might no longer be left to question through whom we might be saved.

This is the one who dwells with us in our lowest of lows and in the pits of our struggles. Just as Jesus knew with this man laying by the water here, so too does he know the most intimate details of your life. I pray that all of you are experiencing the goodness of His grace this morning and that has you all overwhelmed with joy, but the sad reality of the fallen world that we live in is that at some point or another we will know hurt and pain like this man, either personally or through a loved one.

This past year has been difficult for my family’s health. I’m hard-pressed to think of another time in my life than this past week thinking of this passage that I have connected more to all the frustration and sorrow that comes with these mortal bodies. But while I sit there in that moment, and I know that some of you are there as well, be it with sickness, hardship, struggles with families, whatever it may be, know that we serve a high and mighty God who knows the depths of your heart and struggles better than anyone this side of Heaven. The writer of Hebrews says it this way, “14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

14 Since then we have da great high priest ewho has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, flet us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest gwho is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been dtempted as we are, hyet without sin.

Application

e

f ch. 10:23

g [ch. 5:2; ]

You might be asking, “well what does that have to do with me?” That means that in the face of whatever you are going through, all of the hurt and heartache, there is someone who has endured it, overcome it, and promises that there will be a time where it will be no more.

d [See ver. 14 above]

h ch. 9:28; ; ; [ch. 7:26; ; ]

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Jesus’ Compassion vv. 6b-7

Exposition

“Do you want to be healed?” I always thought that this was a silly question. There is no way that we can know how these things were said, with what sort of tone or inflection might have been included. But we do have a pretty clear picture of the scene here. Jesus is in a crowd of paralytics, of hurting people, and He is here with a man who he knows has been stuck here for 38 years! Obviously this is a man who knows exactly what it means to be frustrated so when Jesus asks him, “do you want to be healed?” I can’t help but know how I would respond in saying, “of course I want to be healed. Don’t rub it in!” But we see that that is not his answer. In no way does he say, “yes.” He merely revels in his sickness. And many of us might relate to such frustration because, “all who experience hopelessness understand how time seems to hang like an eternity.”

[Gerald L. Borchert, , vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 232.]

“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.”

There is a myth about this story that at this pool the water, by some way or another, would get stirred up by angelic forces and that whoever would first plunge themselves in the waters would be healed. Again, the answer seems obvious. “Yes, I want to be healed.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

But, “the important thing to notice first is the man’s poor view of God’s grace. Over the long period of time of living with his problem the man had seemingly become convinced that God operated on the basis of “first come, first served.” Another of his problems was that he undoubtedly felt a sense of abandonment because of his helpless condition and his lack of support from others, particularly in times when he thought healing might be possible. He apparently had become negative, as some sick people do, and he was ready to blame others.”

[Gerald L. Borchert, , vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 232.]

Do any of you have that bad habit? I know that I do. If you stay up on movie news you know that Disney decided to bring back Winnie the Pooh. Some of y’all might love the honey-loving bear of the 100 acre wood, but I always fancied myself a bit of an Eeyore, and my wife would agree. Sometimes I get struck with a case of the blues.

At a previous job I had a bit of a tough schedule, working longer shifts so that I could have a day or two in between workdays so that I could get some schoolwork done, and it was tough work. Long hours, tougher situations, and I’d get home to Becca and she would congratulate me on having the next couple of days off, and I’d just mumble to myself, “yeah, but I gotta go back soon enough.” — Are any of y’all a bit prone to look on the more glum side of things?

This is a silly example of course but let’s not look past what is going on here in the story and how it applies to us. Does the man want to be healed? Of course he does, he is lying beside a pool that is rumored to heal those who swim in it. But in a culture where the sick and lame were treated as the outcasts of society, Jesus approaches him and gives him the dignity of addressing him. Why? Because Jesus has compassion upon the man.

One would think that a complete and total outcast would jump at any glimmer of hope but instead we see that just like with many of us, doubt and frustration can at times cloud our vision of the one who brings healing. But I pray that whatever life has thrown your way up to this morning that you would see the this truth in our text today, that Jesus has compassion upon us, even in our deepest state of helplessness and hopelessness.

But instead we see that just like with many of us, doubt and frustration can at times cloud our vision of the one who brings healing.

Jesus’ Power vv. 8-18

Why? Because not only is Jesus intimately aware of the lives of his sheep, not only is he utterly compassionate to his sheep, Jesus it totally sovereign and rules powerfully over his sheep, and that is some of the sweetest news that we could rest on here today.

Note how Jesus responds, even in the face of the man’s disbelief. “Get up, take your bed, and walk.” When our Lord speaks, diseased muscles and bones obey. Just as the Ezekiel spoke upon God’s authority and flesh and tendons assembled upon the dead at once, so too does Jesus restore this man at the mere utterance of his command. His power is immediate, absolute, and radical.

This same power was on display not but a few verses ago when Jesus healed the official’s son. And with this, among many other accounts we should in no way doubt what sort of authority and power the the Son of God wields.

Can you imagine being the recipient of such a profound miracle? Perhaps you have had something significant happen in your life and indeed in every good thing under the sun, God’s grace shines down on us and makes these sorts of things possible. The natural reaction would be joy. Right?

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.” 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. 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.” 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.

s ch. 9:14

4 The Greek word Ioudaioi refers specifically here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed Jesus in that time; also verses 15, 16, 18

t ; ; , ; [ch. 7:23; 9:16; ; ; ; ; ]

u [ch. 6:15]

v [ch. 8:11]

w []

English Standard Version Chapter 5

sNow that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews4 said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and tit is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 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 uJesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! vSin no more, wthat nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews xwere persecuting Jesus, ybecause he was doing these things on the Sabbath

x ch. 15:20; [, ]

y ch. 7:23; 9:16

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

This is the kind of stuff that we are so anxious to see. And you would imagine that it would be something so incredible to celebrate. But Jewish men, so steeped in rule-keeping instead turned away from the display of glory right in front of them to chastise and persecute. It’s the Sabbath! How dare you do work on the Sabbath. “The Jews in this story were not interested in the well-being of people but merely in their rules and traditions.” A direct contradiction to the Great Commandment found in and reaffirmed in to LOVE GOD and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR.

[Gerald L. Borchert, , vol. 25A, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 234.]

Their stumbling block you see, was this was the one day out of the week that man was to mirror God in his seven days of creation found in Genesis. You could work 6 days out of the week, but as God rested in creation, so too was man to rest in observation of all that God has done. And so too should we be in such practice.

I encourage you that if you are not spending intentional and sacrificial time with God to marvel at His work in your life and in the lives around you, you should. But do not fall into the trap of thinking that these men fell into here. So steeped in the cultural understanding of the Sabbath, that one could not even pick up a sleeping mat and walk, they desired to put down this man who had taken his first steps in 40 years.

Are we guilty of this? Not necessarily of stringent Sabbath keeping, but of laying law on top of law, on top of law? I think that this is something that plagues Christians today. We would rather see the masses toe the line and conform to a culturally appropriate understanding of the faith rather than believe boldly, be radically obedient, and respond in genuine faith.

We can rest easy that Jesus wasn’t disobedient to the law, but instead he revealed it’s true meaning. In , Jesus rebukes the Pharisees as they give a similar criticism than in our text today. Jesus’ followers merely pick grain to eat only for them all to receive the same accusation. “You are not to work on the Sabbath!”

Only for Jesus to respond, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

The Sabbath was made for man, anot man for the Sabbath. 28 So bthe Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

As we said earlier the Sabbath was meant to draw us closer to God, it was to draw us into fellowship with God and indeed Jesus says here that it was the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath that it was meant for our flourishing.

b [ver. 10]

Faith

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Faith

So brothers and sisters I hope that here today that you can revel in the truth that we are saved faith alone, not by rule following, not by heaping expectation upon expectation, but by faith alone in Jesus alone. Because he is the one who is all powerful and He is the one who wields authority. So respond in faith! Today! If you haven’t placed your trust in Him, see here that he is the one who knows us, who cares for us, he is all powerful and he is for us.

Not only are the Jewish peoples at fault here

No parties are off the hook here. Both the Jews in this story and the lame man each failed to recognize who they were truly dealing with. The Jews were accusatory, and the healed man quickly turned on his healer. “Who told you that you could break the law?”

Not only are the Jewish peoples at fault here

“It was that man, that man over there!” This man had just been acted upon by the Son of God, His life radically changed for profound gain and he insists on dragging someone under the bus to save his own skin.

We read on that Jesus had stolen away out of the crowd and these two meet back up just a bit later. 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.”

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! vSin no more, wthat nothing worse may happen to you.”

v [ch. 8:11]

w []

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

This is not Jesus equating blessing with physical well-being. This is not him saying, don’t sin or else I’ll take your legs away from you.But notice where they are. They are in the temple, a place that a lame man would not have been welcome because he would have been seen as dirty and not allowed to sully a holy place and Jesus provides correction in saying, “sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”

Few people had it worse than this man. Left in a state of misery for 40 years, how could it get much worse? But what Jesus is getting at here is something far worse than any physical ailment. This was Jesus looking at a man who failed to see that salvation is brought by Him alone and telling him that as it stands, you will one day find yourself as you were, cut off from the holy place, eternally.

Holiness

So Sin no more. Pursue holiness. and Don’t get me wrong the last thing that I want you to hear is, “I have to go and toe the line, now,” because brothers and sisters our hearts are inclined to sin. Left to our own desires were are damned. But if there is anything that we learn here today its that we have a God who has left us… but he has come after us, to redeem us. And on that day at Calvary our sin was nailed to a tree once and for all. Sin no more, rest in the provision of the Son who is our holiness.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! vSin no more, wthat nothing worse may happen to you.”

v [ch. 8:11]

w []

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Glory

Perhaps what is sweetest out of this text today is the foretaste of glory that will be seen for those who have placed their faith in Jesus. Through no merit of your own, through no earning or wooing, brothers and sisters if you know Jesus as savior there will be a day with no more pain. No more hurt. These bodies will no longer ache and work against us. Paralysis, disease, cancer, will be things completely forgotten and we will be face to face with the only one who can give us the healing that we need. Yes at times we need physical healing, but brothers and sisters we have been made for eternity and that is why we have such innate feelings of longing for something beyond what this world can satisfy.

So if you find yourself here today and you do not know Jesus as your Savior, young or old, new to these sorts of conversations or a long time attender of church, please do not do something as foolish as leave questions unanswered. Whether a trusted friend, a leader of the church or myself, we will all be ready and blessed to tell you about the same savior that has rescued us from our most severe suffering of sin and given us new life. As we wait for you to come, Jesus waits for you just as you are.

[Pray]