Unbelievable Responses to Jesus

When approached by Jesus, Unbelievably, some respond with excuses ()

Explanation: Jesus is back in the city of Jerusalem. The text makes no mention of the disciples, so It is possible Jesus is alone. The setting of this account is at the pool of Bethesda where many invalids and sick people lay in need of healing. Absent from this account is any recognition of the Healer in their midst. No on is shouting to get His attention, no one is attempting to get close enough just to touch His garment. There is no awareness by any of the invalids that the One who could meet their greatest needs was present.

Jesus divinely chooses one of the multitude and presents him with a question concerning his desire to get well - to be healed. The man does not give Jesus an affirmative answer (like a simple “YES”). Instead the man acts like he has been insulted with a stupid question and makes a sarcastic reply, which is actually an excuse

Example: talking with a person with an addiction. When you ask him or her if they want to get better, seldom is a simple YES! given with conviction. Usually we receive a laundry list of reasons for the continued struggle

Argument: Jesus is totally able to heal. Jesus is not held back by any constraints. There is no life so messed up it lies beyond the power of Christ to redeem. He is the One who declared, “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (). Unbelievable as it is, a lot of people ignore the cure for their problem. Even more unbelievable, is that some people are waiting in the darkness for some great blinding light with thunder and a neon sign appearing out of nowhere with the phrase “Jesus is the Answer! on it. The irony is that the Spirit of Jesus is present and able to heal at this very moment.

Application: Some need to quit making excuses. Many have become way too comfortable waiting and whining, when the Healer is passing by.

When physically healed by Jesus, Unbelievably, some respond with ingratitude ()

Explanation: Even though the man did not give Jesus a very good response, Jesus healed him anyway. This supernatural healing was immediate and complete. Jesus spoke the command for the man to get up, and he did so because he was totally healed. [this account also supports the authority of Jesus to heal when He desired. There is absolutely no indication that this man had any kind of faith. He did not even know who Jesus was!] Upon receiving his healing, the man gets up, picks up his mat as he was told, and goes on his way.

Illustrate: A family who had a member with major illness, possibly life-threatening. The family member is healed, the cancer is in remission, the paralysis is gone, the mysterious fever has broken. Thankfulness abounds for a period of time, then the drift back to “normal” occurs and the things of God are forgotten

Argument: Those of us who have not experienced an extreme trauma may tend to look down on those who have and then have drifted away. We should not be so quick to judge. While we may not have received a supernatural cleansing like the lepers (), we still find ourselves identifying more with the nine who did not return, more than the one who came back with a grateful heart. God gives us the health to get up, the ability to work a job, nice homes to live in, cars to drive, clothes on our backs, and shoes on our feet. Additionally we have the freedom to worship, and the ability to praise Him

Application: How did you enter God’s house this morning. Is your heart set according to ? Are you thankful and grateful for what Christ has done for you?

When faced with the supernatural power of Jesus, Unbelievably, some respond with legalism & persecution (, )

Explanation: The story continues to worsen. In what should have been a happy and joyous occasion, the atmosphere gets tense with blame and suspicion. The Jewish leaders approach the newly healed man with accusations of law-breaking instead of asking him about his healing. Note that these legalistic Jews never even acknowledge the miracle of healing, even though they probably knew him in his previous state as an invalid (he had been laying there beside the pool for a long time!)

The healed man doesn’t have a good response either. Instead of focusing on his miraculous healing, he blames his breaking of the Sabbath law on the One who healed him! When the Jews asked him for the identity of the Healer, tragically, he has to admit he doesn’t know. (It is obvious from this that the man didn’t spend a lot of time talking with Jesus)

If that’s not enough, Jesus comes and finds the man in the Temple (this is the second time Jesus has specifically sought him out). Jesus affirms that the man is healed, but then gives him a warning to stop sinning. NOTE: this is one time where sickness and sin are tied together. In other places, sin is definitely not the cause of sin ().

Jesus warning about “something worse happening to him” can be understood to mean eternal death if the man doesn’t repent and trust Jesus. This is yet another indicator that personal faith is lacking in this healing instance. Tellingly, the man’s response is to “throw Jesus under the bus” to the leaders of the Jews. Ironically, the man actually sought them out to inform them that Jesus was his Healer. He did this in spite of knowing the Jews were going to accuse Jesus as a Sabbath-breaker.

Argument: The Jews were becoming hostile to Jesus because He was not following their personal understanding of how things were to be done. Jesus was continually demonstrating that the old system of the law was inadequate - that it could not change the heart. Instead of being open to Him, the leaders became threatened and tried to silence Him. Sadly, many heirs to the legalists and persecutors remain among us.

Application: Are you resentful of the changes Jesus wants to bring to your life? Are you more comfortable in your sin and your “supposed” control of your own life? Do you persecute Jesus by your denials and hardening of the heart?

Unbelievably, Jesus is still in the Saving Business (John 5:17)

Explanation: When these legalists came to accuse Jesus of law-breaking, He responds that He is working, even as the Father is working. Jesus does not give a teaching on the true meaning of the Sabbath at this point, but it is obvious that it is not a sin do good on the Sabbath.

Argument: The Jews had missed the true significance of the Sabbath. They had surrounded the Sabbath with so many man-made rules (39 of them) they missed the point. The Sabbath was given that man might enjoy God and worship as he took a break from the hard labor of living. God can and did work His blessings for mankind on the Sabbath so Jesus did as well

Application: Jesus is still working even up to the present moment. The Scriptures inform us that He “came to seek and to save that which was lost.” If the Spirit of Christ is working in your heart today, don’t miss your spiritual healing. Repent and believe!