John 5:1-18, Compassion for the Complacent

The Compassion of Jesus, John 5:1-9

Intro/illustration on hope

There is a story that is told about - a man sentenced to death who obtained a reprieve by assuring the king he would teach his majesty's horse to fly within one year--on the condition that if he didn't succeed, he would be put to death at the end of the year.

Later in private the man explained, "Within a year the king may die, or I may die, or the horse may die. In a year, who knows? Maybe the horse will learn to fly."

-This man was looking for hope. And for good reason.

Transition - In our passage today we see a man that clung to hope that one day he might be made well.

Intro - In our passage today we find Jesus back in Judea, in city of Jerusalem (Southern Israel). He is there for a one of the required feasts. There were 3 required feasts during the Jewish year. If a male was able to make it, he was required by the Torah to go to celebrate in Jerusalem.

We don’t know which feast Jesus in attendance for. Know this, Jerusalem would have been slam packed.

Made The Masters in Augusta look like a poorly attended picnic.

In this very busy city Jesus visits one of the pools in Jerusalem. Cities in ancient times had pools for people to soak in for their health or to cool off in.

This particular pool (the pool of Bethesda) had many porches or areas around the pool that you could lounge.

No plastic pool chairs around the pool.

People would lounge. They would literally lay all around these porches.

This pool was especially popular by the sick because:

1) Not only did iIt have a large areas to lay,

2) The legend of the day said that an angel would stir the waters and that the first person in the pool would be healed.

If you do not have the King James version, you don’t have a verse 4.

-Since the King James was created we’ve found earlier Greek Manuscripts that point to verse 4 being a commentary that a scribe added in and not part of John’s original Gospel.

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.

-Was the legend true? No. We have not reason to think it’s true.

We believe that due to the underground rock formations there would be an occasional bubbling of trapped gases or stirring from an underground spring that would take place.

If you’ve ever been out in fresh water in a boat for any amount of time you’ve seen this kind of activity.

Non-the less, this man, who couldn’t walk held out hope. He was desperate. No one could heal Him. He sat by the pool day after day alone - wasting away with no one to help him be the first in.

Transition - And this is where we see the compassion of Jesus.

The Compassion of Jesus, John 5:1-9

Verse 3 tells us that at this particular pool there is a “Multitude” of sick people: the blind, lame, and paralyzed.

Jesus would come that day and by his kind mercy would choose one for healing.

There are times in Jesus ministry that Jesus is healing scores and scores of people, but today he would elect one for healing.

Jesus chose this one man out of his Sovereign Mercy.

He did not chose this one because the man deserved it, or because his faith was greater, or because His worship was more fervent.

Jesus simply chose that day to have compassion on one.

When we consider that Jesus only chose to heal 1 of the dozens of people who would have been at the pool that day, we are tempted to think - that’s not fare.

When Jesus left with the one healed man, don’t you know people said, what about me.

We know he could have turned to all and said, “All of you - get up and walk. Be healed”

Transition - Here is the painful part.

-The only reason you are not crippled and stuck like so many others, is God’s mercy.

-Every person in this room doesn’t just deserve a lifetime of physical brokenness, but deserves an eternity in Hell.

If you are saved … the only reason you are saved is because God chose to save you. He hasn’t given you what you deserve.

God healed the man in our passage for the same reason he saved you … not because you deserved it more than others, not because you lived a better life, but out of God’s Sovereign mercy and grace.

Charles Wesley said it this way in my favorite hymn, “An can it be”

[How] can it be that I should gain An int'rest in the Savior's blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued?

(He pursued death for me.)

Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me?

By a divine miracle, God has awakened your dead heart to see and the savor the living Lord Jesus.

-By diving mercy Jesus said to our crippled man, “Take up your bed and walk.”

This man was instantly healed. He jumped up, rolled up his mat and walked away.

This is where the story should have ended, but

There was a problem.

The problem was with the religious leaders and their unbiblical religious rules.

You see this healing didn’t happen on just any day. It happened on a Sabbath day. No work was to be done on the Sabbath.

Healing was considered work. Carrying your mat was considered work.

-Jesus could have healed this man the next morning when this would not be a problem.

-But Jesus chose to heal this man on the sabbath to point out the evil hearts of the religious leaders.

-In this we see the...

The Contempt of the Jewish Leaders,

John 5:10-13

The religious leaders had piled on the people rules that were impossible to keep.

Rules that don’t appear anywhere in the Bible.

It is my opinion that these extra rules were started centuries before out of good intention.

-Over time, this list of rules grew.

Over time the rules became a means to control the people. The rules began to replace the Bible.

For example -

On the Sabbath you could not:

walk more than 2/3 of a mile.

Write, erase, threading a needle, lighting a match or a candle, carrying anything, ripping up a piece of paper, agreeing to buy something, climbing a tree, adding water to a vase of cut flowers, brushing mud from your boots, braiding hair, rubbing soap to make a lather, sharpening a pencil, opening an umbrella … much more

We laugh. It is ridiculous.

BUT, almost every Christian church or Christian culture has its set of unbiblical rules.

Example - Both in India and in Africa if you are a man going to church - and especially if you are going to preach, you must wear a white collared button down shirt.

Why would you do that in these foreign countries?

-Several hundred years ago, The white shirt was a tradition for men in Europe and America in most churches.

-For Pastors especially.

As missionaries over the last 2-3 centuries went out to the mission field to Africa and India from England and the U.S. they would preach on Sunday with the white shirt.

Then as the native people became pastors and church leaders they just copied what they saw.

Now we have a church rule in India and Africa that preachers have to wear a white shirt to preach.

We have our own set of unbiblical rules in the Baptist church.

Example -

The Lord’s Supper, Many think the Lord’s Supper has to be in a tray, like we do it.

Did you know there are about 10 ways of taking the Lord’s supper - including the congregation lining up down the isle, John Russell standing up here in a black robe tearing a piece of bread from a loaf, dipping each piece in wine, and placing it in your mouth himself.

-Even though it’s different, it still counts.

Forms of preaching - We’ve heard the screamers & yellers. And, I’ve also heard a man sit criss cross on the floor in an illegal house church oversees and quietly speak the scripture.

-The point is that God’s Word is taught no matter what style you prefer.

Dress in church - And my friends I love you, but if I hear one more person say that the Bible teachers that you are to wear your best to church I’m going to lose the last bit of hair I have.

-There is no such teaching anywhere. That is a traditional church rule that people call scripture, but it’s not.

-In the early church, most people were so poor they didn’t have a change of clothes. There was no dressing up.

When evaluating when our religious rules are correct (?)

Ask these question:

-Is this clearly written in the Bible?

-Is this something I grew up doing and never questioned?

-Is this something that I see in my denominations, but don’t see in other churches?

-Is there another way of doing this, that would get the same result?

Transition - Since these church rules are not based in the Bible, these added rules should be thrown out. They are of no use.

-Let me tell you where rules are a really great help.

Conviction of personal rules.

This is an application point.

Illustration -

In an interview with Rowing Olympian Sarah Bonikowsky.

-You life style is set by a set of rules that are different than everyone else.

-You eat the diet that is prescribed to you, not what you like. (No more Bistro cake.)

-Your go to bed when it’s best for your athletic recovery. No late night movies.

-You leave family & close relationships behind and you train away from family and friends.

-Your best friends are your team mates because it’s best for your sport.

-You live by a different set of rules.

-You sacrifice your life and lifestyle to represent your country.

In all countries of the world this sacrifice is honorable. You are celebrated.

Transition -

-What if I told you that your walk with Jesus could go up 5 levels if you would treat your spiritual walk like you were training to see Jesus face to face.

-Every person in this room should also have some personal convictions, spiritual guidelines that help direct your spiritual life.

-These are personal convictions - just for you alone - not for anyone else.

-These are guardrails or speed bump that help keep you on the path.

-Individual personal rules that help your growth in holiness.

Let me give you some examples of a rule that God might put on your heart.

-This is for you, not other people.

Possible Rule 1 - I must have my devotion in the morning.

You can have your devotion other times, but some people need to have it first thing.

-Example, Youth Ministry I had a lot of students that struggled with devotions in the summer. Challenge - Don’t feed your body, until you feed your soul.

Don’t eat breakfast until you have your devotion.

Transition - Here is another possible rule - if god were to lead you in this.

-I will never watch a rated R movie.

-95% of rated R movies are no good for any believer. A few may be in a gray area.

For some Christ Followers there are no gray area. Their conviction is Zero rated R movies. You now what I say, Good for them!!!

-You say, You miss out on some good war movies.

-The person with this personal conviction. “You miss out on some good personal holiness.”

-Curfew - Personal rule, A college student may say, As a general rule, I do not stay out passed midnight on any night.

-I get tired. My guard gets let down. I’m more vulnerable to alcohol and impurity.

-You may miss out on some laughs.

-It’s likely I will sin less and be more consistent with my time with God.

We hear of Olympic Athletes who make sacrifices of dedication and we look up to them.

When you hear of someone who has a personal conviction that is different than you - that should be met with respect.

-Illustration,

In college a group of friends one Spring Semester left campus out of Columbia, SC at 7am one Saturday for a day trip to the beach.

One young man who we thought might come didn’t show up. We asked his friends if he was coming.

-The response was, He said he would sit this one out because he was concerned that he would really struggle with lust at the beach with seeing a lot of girls in their bathing suits.

-There were a few that snickered. Most of respected his personal conviction.

-This 21 year old young man was less interested in seeing the sand and more concerned with worshiping and honoring maker of the ocean.

There is a place for extra spiritual rules.

They are best used as spiritual tools in the private life of the Christ Follower.

In our passage today - we see Jesus confront unbiblical rules.

Transition - The religious leaders confronted the healed man because he carried his mat on the Sabbath.

BUT - Look how that man responds.

Complacency of the healed, John 5:14-15

Read vs. 14-15

Now that you are healed, and you know you were crippled due to sin, be holy, don’t sin anymore.

-Sometimes, not always, we can get sick or hurt as a discipline for sin.

-We don’t know the details, but this is what happened to this man.

So, Jesus finds him and warns him.

-Jesus was after this man’s holiness.

-How does the healed man respond?

-The healed man goes and sells Jesus out.

-He doesn’t turn from his sin. He doesn’t ask forgiveness. He doesn’t worship Jesus.

-The healed man betrays Jesus.

-There is something else BIG missing in our passage today. There is no mention of any faith.

What does it tell you about the heart of God that He would heal someone he knew was going to betray him?

-That God has compassion, even on unbelievers. Even on those who will never come to him.

-God had compassion on you the Christ Follower, even though He knew there would be a time in your life that you would be a spiritual mess and that you would in some way betray Him.

Transition - And finally we see ...

Rejection of the Son??? John 5:16-18

verse 17, “Jesus answered them” means there was a confrontation.

The religious leaders found Jesus and confronted Him about healing on the Sabbath.

Jesus says, vs. 17 - Just like my Father works, I too work. Equating his work with the Father’s work.

When Jesus said, “My Father” He was saying that God the Father was personally His own Father , and that Jesus was the Son of the Father.

Jesus was breaking all their unbiblical church rules - And so they planned to eliminated Him.

Transition As we close very quickly.

Close -

My friend - Are you eliminating Jesus in your life by keeping Him at arms length? Are you a person who is religious, but does not walk closely with Jesus?

-While the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus. Your way to keep Jesus from changing your life is to keep Him at arms length.

Or maybe your are a person who sees that Jesus has deeply effected your life, but your faith toward Him, your worship of Him has fallen flat.

You have become complacent.

The beauty of Jesus is that He is compassionate toward the complacent.

Come back to Him.

Pray