John 5:1-15

Introduction

The New International Version Chapter 5

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4]

As we follow Jesus lets track where we have been. Cana, to Jerusalem, to samaria, to Galilee, back to Jerusalem.

Wouldnt you love to know what else happened? Did he go back through Samaria?What followers did he pick up? Sadly we dont know the details but you can guarantee it was amazing. His ministry continued. People were divided and people followed. The following is getting larger and louder and the tension slowly rises.

John says he is back for one of the Jewish festivals, but unsure which one. Let me stop and make a small side trip. When you follow the life of Jesus you quickly understand more and more about him. I have had several run ins with groups of people who find themselves married to Hebrew tradition. This movement is called hebrew roots, and they are convinced that they need to follow these Jewish traditions because He was a good Jewish boy.

On the contrary I would ask why was Jesus going back for different feasts? Was it because he simply was following tradition? No. Just like the book of John shows it is so that He can show that He is God and He is the fulfillment of the prophecies and the feasts. So here He is preparing for another demonstration of His Godhood and fulfillment.

Now lets look at the backdrop and the scene of this story. Right outside of the jewish wall are the pools of Bethesda and you can actually still see the colonnades to this very day. Then there is the sheep gate which was an entrance on the outskirts of the wall, OH WHICH BY THE WAY NEHEMIAH AND HIS PREISTS PRAYED OVER AND BLESSED. and here comes the Messiah

Can you imagine Nehemiah in heaven looking down.......for years its nothing but sick and paralyzed people and filth and Nehemiah is thinking. Well this wasnt what I had in mind and then here comes JESUS

Now my Bible goes straight to verse 5

If any body has verse 4 in their Bible. It is ok but........ it should not be there in my opinion. It talks about how there was an angel that would come and stir the water in order for this man to be healed and when it would stir people could be the first to get in and be healed.

It is a very late addition that should be omitted. As a matter of fact, there is not one single manuscript prior to AD 400 that has this verse in there.

Now this does not mean that this wasnt some cultural tradition. It seems by all accounts and research that it was. But this was not something John was teaching nor does the Bible teach such superstition. Now I wish I could say that we no longer have crazy traditions but unfortunately we do.

Many people line the wallets and air liner jets of Binny Hen, Kenneth Copeland, Bill Johnson, Joel Osteen, and many others for the same non sense. What a cruel teaching that God would some how have some pool that randomly would stir and there would be a game where the blind and crippled have to jump in first.

IF YOU RELY ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN JESUS FOR YOUR CONTENTMENT, YOU WILL NEVER FIND IT.

Finances Family health peace relationships salvation

The New International Version Chapter 5

5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

38 years......38 years!!!! Paralyzed with no modern medicine no help and an outkast.

Some of us couldn't make it a few weeks in isolation with COVID until we almost lost our mind.

38 years no meaningful relationships. The man was cognitive and able to understand things. He would be at the sheep gate and see so many families and children. How many times was this mans hopes destroyed? How many times did someone promise to bring this man something or to help him and never return? Could his hope get any lower?

I believe this man had absolutely given up? and guess what?

Jesus knew it!!

The NIV uses the word Jesus LEARNED he was an invalid and that sounds like maybe someone told him. but the translation and the greek is actively knowing. He is God right. He knows the hearts of every man. and he sees the defeated spirit of this man with no hope.

Let me ask you guys something. Anybody ever been crushed and defeated? Hopeless, let down? Here is the Good news for all of us. Jesus sees you and knows it.

He hasnt forgoten about you and to a degree, the question He will ask this man is the same question he asks me and you.

Do you want to get well?

This is an intriguing question right? Because to me its like hey I have been laying here in my filth with no hope no love, body sores, rain or shine cold and hot and you ask me if I want to get well? But Jesus asks because this is a real question this man must answer and every person ever born must also answer.

I have come to realize two things about this question.

Not everyone wants to get well. I saw a pastor who made a nasty and unnecessary comment on social media this week. And I could care less about correcting this man because he was clearly a fool, but under neath his comment someone said “If youre a pastor, this is why I am glad I am an atheist”.

Now I message that Person, and I said Im sorry for the hurt he feels from some Christians and I dont make excuses for them, but ultimately that person will not answer to that foolish pastor , nor will he answer to anyone but Christ. And one day when he answers to God, the excuse “there was pastor that was mean or a Christian that abused me” wont be good enough for eternal life.

They responded and said “Why would I believe in your made up God, if you have any proof I will be all ears. But you have none”

I knew at this point that this pastor was the reason this man wont come to know Jesus, its because ultimately he has been faced with the Truth and said “I dont want to be well”

Here is the second thing I relaized about the question look at the next verse.

The New International Version Chapter 5

7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Jesus asks the man a question, and the man does what? He gives an excuse.

Now this could be a valid excuse but this is not what Jesus was asking. he asked do you want to be made well.

There is a part of Jesus that must be looking at the man and saying, Yes tell me more.

Tell me something I dont know.

We offer so many excuses when Christ presents us with experiecing more of him. And Im not blaming the guy. Im not blaming him because i have done the same thing. and sometimes I walk into my prayer time and confession time with the Lord and I present excuses to Him LIKE HE DOESNT ALREADY KNOW and like He hasnt walked through so much more than I could even bear.

WHEN GOD COMES TO YOU HE DOESNT WANT YOU TO OFFER EXCUSES HE WANTS YOU TO OFFER YOUR LIFE

Just say yes. Do you want to be healed say Yes. Do you want to know more of him and experience more of Him say Yes. Do you want to see God move greatly in this community dont offer excuses Just say yes.

The New International Version Chapter 5

8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

One thing that has always stuck with me is this third character in the story. His name is Mat. Mat causes some drama with the pharisees but before that, think of the journey that mat has been through.

This man has been on this mat for 38 years. The filth of that mat. The horrible memories of that mat. and Jesus tells the man to pick it up and go. I think I would be like, nah Im good with that Mat. I can walk now. I dont need it any more. Ill get a new one. A clean one. I want to leave that behind me. BUt that mat is a remonder to the goodness of Jesus.

Many of you know my story with anxiety and depression. The horrible seasons I have been through. As a 20 year old I can remember pleading for my life to just be over if this was how my brain was goung to work. I still have moments of struggle and will likely always battle it to an extent. But thank God it isnt how it use to be and I hnestly mean it when I say I woulsnt have it any other way. It was that dirty mat of anxiety of depression that brought me to a stronger faith in Jesus and I will gladly carry it. It was the dirty rugged cross that Jesus hung from yet he gladly carried it and He calls you and I to carry our cross. and one day Just like this man and just like Jesus we will trade our dirty mats and our rugged cross for a crown.

Zuck and woodford

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 5:9–10

The Sabbath was a central issue in the conflicts between Jesus and His opponents (cf. Mark 2:23; 3:4). The Mosaic Law required that work cease on the seventh day. Additional laws were added by later Jewish religious authorities, which became very complicated and burdensome. These human traditions often obscured the divine intention in God’s Law. “The Sabbath was made for man” (Mark 2:27) so that he could have rest and a time for worship and joy. The Jews’ rigid tradition (not the Old Testament) taught that if anyone carried anything from a public place to a private place on the Sabbath intentionally, he deserved death by stoning. In this case the man who was healed was in danger of losing his life.

The New International Version Chapter 5

12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Now here is the meat of the story. This seems to be one of the few instances where Jesus healed someone who did not have faith. He didnt know Jesus and couldnt even name Him to the priests at this time. He showed little gratitude from what we can tell. I dont know if this man ever believed, WHICH IS WHAT IS INCREDIBLE TO THINK ABOUT. The grace of Jesus was so great that he showed mercy to someone that did not even believe. How many are a walking testimony of that?

But Jesus heals and shows these signs because why? We say it every week. To show that He is God! When it says in Isaiah 35 the lame will walk and the blind will see, here it is. it was the fulfillment of prophecy.

This is what gets me about health and wealth and prosperity gospel. it isnt about you just being well or having “enough faith” to be healed or be blessed. It is about the display of God and Jesus wants to drive this home by what he says to this man.

Stop sinning or something worse will happen. WORSE?? Whats worse than being paralyzed and helpless for 38 years....... an eternity away from Jesus. Thats whats worse.

The pharisees just hated them

The jewish crowds would see him and they fell in love with the show but forgot about the Savior.

CHRIST IS MUCH MORE CONCERNED OVER THE CONDITION OF YOUR SOUL THAN HE IS THE CONDITION OF YOUR BODY

Dont here me say that God doesnt heal nor he doesnt care about your body, but in comparison to your soul it is all a momentary affliction.