Sin No More?
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Realizing our own limitations is an important process of self-discovering in every persons life. My youngest son just turned one, and he is still too young to understand his own limitations. Literally, he is a danger to himself. So we have to take certain precautions to make sure he avoids seriously injuring himself. We have to put a gate up to bar him from falling down our staircase. We have to puree his food, or dissect it into tiny pieces or he’ll choke to death. You cannot leave him alone in a bath tub with even a few inches of water in it for fear that he will ingest too much water and suffocate. And he has no idea! He is clueless of just how fragile he is. He has not realized at all what his limits are- he has not come to understand his own inability. And that is a dangers place to be in.
John 5 is all about helping us to understand our own inability. Jesus masterfully demonstrates for us our spiritual limitations, our moral disability if you will. At some point in the process of salvation, ever person must come to understand just how spiritual and morally limited he or she really is. Otherwise, if we live our lives in ignorance of our spiritual and moral limitations we will have no idea just how much danger we are in.
John 4- Jesus is in Samaria, and without any signs or wonders the entire town believes
John 4 (end)- Jesus leaves Samaria in order to go to a people who do not honor Him- He leaves Samaria and returns to Galilee. There he heals the royal official’s son- and the entire household believe in Jesus Christ.
John 5- Jesus leaves Galilee and returns to Jerusalem for a feast. And here in Jerusalem Jesus finds no one to honor him whatsoever!
In John 5 Jesus masterfully points out to His Jewish audience their desperate spiritual inability and the danger in continuing to live in such a manner.
Friends, all of us must realize our own desperate spiritual need and the danger of failing to do so.
How can we come to this kind of an understanding? How can we see our spiritual need the way Jesus sees our spiritual need?
I believe there are several truths that we need to understand here in John 5 if we are going to see our spiritual need the same way that Jesus does.
I. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of other needs that seem to be more important. (vv. 1-9a)
I. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of other needs that seem to be more important. (vv. 1-9a)
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
This narrative begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem on a feast day (unsure which feast exactly). And he passes by the sheep market (better gate) where there is a pool called Bethesda, and it has five porches or colonnades (pillars holding up some soft of roof structure). And in near the pool, under the shelter of the porches lay a great multitude of those who had some kind of physical ailment- they were sick, blind, lame, and/or withered. Either one or a combination of these things. Imagine that- a great multitude of desperately sick and needy people (young and old alike I imagine). And they are all waiting for the moving of the water. Now there is a textual issue here at the end of v. 3 and into v. 4, and for the moment we are going to skip over it, but we will come back to it this afternoon and have a what I hope is a helpful conversation about it.
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.
V. 4 is an explanation for why there was a great multitude of sick and blind and lame and withered waiting under the roofs of these five colonnades near the pool of Bethesda. They were all waiting for the water to be troubled in the hope that they might be healed.
It is in this setting that we are introduced to the man that Jesus will interact.
5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
We tend to read over verse like this without pausing to think about what the text just said. This man has been sick or 38 years. That is a long time to be dealing with this sickness. We are not told exact what this sickness is, but from the rest of the narrative we can think of him as at least paralyzed, lame or exceedingly weak, and maybe his sickness included more. Imagine having to deal with this kind of illness for 38 years!
6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
Jesus sees this man lying there, and He knows that this man had been sick for a long time. How did Jesus know that? Jesus didn’t need anyone to tell him what was in the heart of man for he already knew- go back and read John 2 were we are first introduced to this idea.
So Jesus purposefully went up to this man (why didn’t he heal the rest of the multitude?), and he asks him- “Do you wish to get well?”
What is this man’s response? It is very interesting.
7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Jesus asks him do you wish to get better? And this man starts talking about what I think has been consuming his thoughts as he is laying there waiting for the stirring of the water. “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” What was the man’s need? What was clouding out all other needs in his life? He was so focused on finding someone to carry him down into the water, he didn’t realize who it was talking with him.
Sometimes we can get this way. We know something is missing in our lives. It’s like we have a hole in side of us and we try to fill that hole with lots of different things- if I can only get married things will be better, if I can only get a better job or some financial stability, if I can only find some real friends, if I can only get my kids to listen to me, if I can only fix my spouse, if I can only ....
My youngest son is this way when it comes time for food. When he is hungry, that is all he can think about. Sometimes, he will crawl into the kitchen when my wife is cooking the meal, he will sit in the middle of the floor, and will just start to scream- and the house could be burning down around him, and it wouldn’t matter- all he can think about is filing his stomach with food.
We can get so focused on our immediate needs that we have no clue that our real need is a spiritual one, and only Jesus can fill that hole inside of us. Why don’t we see our spiritual need they same way Jesus does? Because we are distracted in this life by other needs that seem to be more important. Satan is really really good at that.
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
What does Jesus do?
8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
It is interesting Jesus does not here call for this man to put his faith in Him. Earlier at the end of John 4 with the royal official Jesus called for an initial step of faith- go your way your son is healed. But here Jesus simply states, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made whole- he picked up his bed and walked.
What the man really needed was Jesus. And Jesus proves this point beyond any shadow of a doubt.
How can we come to this kind of an understanding? How can we see our spiritual need the way Jesus sees our spiritual need?
1. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of other needs that seem to be more important
II. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of man made religious reasons (vv. 9b-13)
II. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of man made religious reasons (vv. 9b-13)
9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
What key piece of information do we find out at the end of v. 9? The same day that Jesus healed this sick man was the Sabbath day. This is important! Do you think this took Jesus by surprise? Do you think that Jesus forgot? Or, did Jesus intentionally heal this specific man (he had a whole multitude to choose from), and did Jesus heal him intentionally on the Sabbath?
10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
Does that strike you as being a little bit odd? A man who has been sick for 38 year miraculously is healed! The guy who these Jewish leaders walked past day after day for 38 years, and now he is up walking and carrying his bed. And what do these Jewish leaders focus on? Hey, it’s not lawful for you to carry your bed.” If it was me I might be marveling about something else. But, that is just me. The Jewish leaders are upset that this guy is violating the Sabbath.
DA Carson-
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to John 1. The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (5:1–15)
The Old Testament had forbidden work on the Sabbath. But what is ‘work’? The assumption in the Scripture seems to be that ‘work’ refers to one’s customary employment; but judging by Mishnah (Shabbath 7:2; 10:5), dominant rabbinic opinion had analysed the prohibition into thirty-nine classes of work, including taking or carrying anything from one domain to another (except for cases of compassion, such as carrying a paralytic). By Old Testament standards, it is not clear the healed man was contravening the law, since he did not normally carry mats around for a living; according to the ‘tradition of the elders’ the man was breaking the law, since he was contravening one of the prohibited thirty-nine categories of work to which the law was understood to refer.
11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
What is this man doing here to Jesus? Jesus heals this sick man, the Jews find out he did it on the Sabbath and they are furious, and in order to avoid the wrath of the Jewish leaders this guy throws Jesus under the bus! “I am only walking and carrying my bed because the guy that healed me told me to do so.” “It’s his fault, don’t blame me.” He is blame shifting. He knew the Jewish leaders would forget about him if they thought that there was a rabbi who could perform miracles going around teaching people to contradict one of the 39 categories of well established religious law. That is a dangerous man in the eyes of the religious leaders.
12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
So the Jews see with their own two eyes the wonderful healing of this man and they also see a formal breach in their religious code, and they only care about the latter.
DA Carson
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to John 1. The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (5:1–15)
They think they see what is important, but in religious matters there are none so blind as those who are always certain that they see
I don’t know how many times in talking with someone about their true spiritual need they defensively fall back on their own religion. I go to church, I do good things for other people. As long as I am a good person and I keep my religious code I’m OK.
What did the Jews think they needed? The needed to protect their man made religious system.
What if man made religion and God clash with one another? What if, in reading the Bible we find out that what God really says in his Word does not match up with our understanding of religion? What if we try to fill that hole in our hearts with religion and our religion doesn’t match up with God’s definition of our spiritual need? Which one are we going to believe? Religion or the Bible?
How can we come to this kind of an understanding? How can we see our spiritual need the way Jesus sees our spiritual need?
1. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of other needs that seem to be more important
2. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of man made religious reasons
III. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because we have not fully grasped God’s holiness (vv. 14-20)
III. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because we have not fully grasped God’s holiness (vv. 14-20)
14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
After this confrontation with the Jewish leaders, Jesus finds this formerly sick man in the temple and what Jesus says to this man I find incredible shocking!
Behold, you are made whole; SIN NO MORE, lest a worse thing come unto you!
OK, I’ve healed you physically. But now this is what you need to do, go out and never sin ever again. And oh by the way, if you do sin something worse than being lame, and withered, and weak for 38 years of your life is going to happen to you! Really?
Illustration: Emily, what is your worst subject in school? OK, I’ll make a deal with you. I will help you out. I will take your next test and I guarantee that you will get 100% on your test. Sound good? But, after that you have to promise me that you will never get a single question wrong in that subject for the rest of your life. And if you ever to do get even a single question wrong I am going to have to take you and lock you up in a maximum security prison for the rest of your life. Sound good?
Think about what Jesus is saying- Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you. What is the something worse? I think Jesus is talking about eternal judgment- lake of fire judgement. Never commit a sin ever again in the rest of your life, or else you will have to face the lake of fire judgement for all eternity.
What should have been the logical response of this man? I can’t do that! I need help! I am completely helpless and hopeless. What am I going to do?
What does this man do instead?
15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
He departs his conversation with Jesus, he goes back to the irate Jewish leaders and he informs them that it was Jesus that had healed him, and it was Jesus that had told him to pick up his bed and walk.
What? That is your response to what Jesus just told you? Why? There was an attitude amongst the Jewish people that they were able to do exactly what Jesus is asking them to do.
Do you remember the story of the rich young ruler? Do you remember what question he asks Jesus?
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
And what does Jesus say to him? V. 17- if you would enter into life, keep the commandments.”
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
The Jews actually though they could keep the commandments on their own and earn eternal life on the basis of their own holiness. What was the problem? They didn’t understand, they hadn’t yet fully grasped God’s holiness.
I think one of the goals of Jesus healing this lame man was to teach the Jews what holiness actually looks like. And I think we have a perfect definition of that in John 5.19.
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Over and over again in the gospel of John who does Jesus claim to be? The very Son of God. If Jesus is fully divine- if he is equal with the Father- then He must also be equally perfect, equally holy, equally sinless as the Father, right? But what does that look like practically speaking?
19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
Here is Jesus’ definition of sinlessness / or holiness. The Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
W. Bingham Hunter, in his book, The God Who Hears, said this about our lack of understanding of what holiness really looks like.
“A major factor is certainly our willingness to accept an unbalanced, overly negative understanding of holiness. Far from separation from the world, holiness is separation to positive goodness, with separation from wrong as its consequence. God is not a crotchety, self-righteous prude who delights in never doing anything wrong. He is a living, dynamic Being actively involved in making wrong wright.”
What I am trying to say is that we tend to think of holiness in the negative- “Sin no more.” And sometimes we can believe that we can do it. We can negatively stop doing evil deeds. But what Jesus is saying is that holiness is positive. Holiness / sinlessness is positively only doing the things that God himself would do. Every single thing that Jesus did was exactly what the Father wanted Him to do. The Son did nothing of himself, but he only did what the Father did. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does in like manner.
Who else can do that? Who else on this earth (me included) can live all the time with a positive idea of holiness. And the point is- no one can. What Jesus asked this man to do- Go and sin no more- is impossible. We can’t do it. And that is our true spiritual need. We need something outside of ourselves and our own ability to help us. No one is capable of going out and living positively righteous- only doing the things that God Himself would want us to.
Why is this so dangerous for people?
What did Jesus tell the sick man- Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you!
This is our desperate spiritual need! We are in trouble! We need someone to help us, we need someone to fill that hole inside of us. We can’t do it by ourselves! What is the solution?
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Our solution is Jesus Christ! Jesus is the only one who can fill the spiritual hole inside of us. Jesus is the only one who can help us escape condemnation / judgment. If we will believe on Jesus- he will give us everlasting life and we will not come into judgement, but we will pass from death unto life.
Next time we will look deeper into what that truly means.
But I want to close this morning by asking:
Have you ever come to the point in your life where you understood from the Bible what your true need really is? Have you ever found someone to fill that hole inside you?
1. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of other needs that seem to be more important
2. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because of man made religious reasons
3. Sometimes, we cannot see our own spiritual needs because we have not fully grasped God’s holiness
If you are struggling with this- if your sitting here this morning going- that is me! Come and talk. Find me after the service is over and let’s continue to study the Bible together. In God’s Word are the very words of life and if you have questions, if this passage has made you curious at all about your own spiritual need- let’s talk.