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The gospel of John records seven miracles of Jesus.
Each of these miracles displays different types of authority that Jesus has over each situation.
The last time we were together, I preached on Jesus being the master of nature in answer to man's despair.
Through the miracle of Jesus walking on the water we were able to see that no matter what situation we are in, Jesus has the authority and the power to move us out of our troubles, and to calm the storm.
All our troubles are under his feet.
Today, I would like to start again by relating to you something that I witnessed on our cruise.
It was a really nice day out.
The sun was shining down, it was probably about 85° out.
We were still at sea, being about half a days journey from our first port of call.
Lisa and I, had gone to one of the upper deck's, and sat down at a table near one of the pool's.
Now there's a bunch of people around, and for some reason I find myself fixated by a little boy, probably no more than 10 years old.
He was standing on the outer rim of the pool.
This pool had a shelf around the inside that was may be no deeper than 6 inches.
And this little boy was just standing there.
He had taken off his sandals and was just standing there in the water, while I'm assuming his sisters were playing in the deeper end.
Then I noticed the boy's legs.
They were so skinny.
They were nothing but bone.
The boy started going back and forth along the shelf trying to be near his sisters.
As he walked I noticed that he seemed to walk with a very pronounced limp.
He would walk back and forth along that shelf wanting to get in and play with his sisters; but there was no one to help him.
He wanted so bad to go in that water, but no one was there for him.
He got off the shelf and began making his way around the pool.
It was then that I could see his feet.
I could see why he limped the way he did.
His feet were deformed.
As he's going around the pool he slips on the tile and falls down, flat on his belly.
His pride hurt, he manages to get himself back up.
There was no gasp from a concerned mother.
No father came to see if he was all right.
No sibling came to help him up.
It was as if he had no one.
A few moments later, he collects his things and leaves.
As I watch this I am reminded of the account of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda.
I'm also reminded of the fact that many of the trials and tribulations that we face today are not new.
The circumstances surrounding them may be different, but overall we still have the same difficulties as those people talked about in the Bible.
Today, were going to be looking at John chapter 5 verses 1 thru 9.
Here will learn about the lame man who was made whole by Jesus at the pool of Bethesda.
Here, we'll be able to see that Jesus is the master of time in answer to man's disability.
*The setting.*
Beginning in verse one we read "after this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
For an Angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had."
Our account begins with one of the three Jewish festivals which Jewish men were required to sojourn to Jerusalem.
Some Bible manuscripts state that this was the feast of the Jews instead of a feast of the Jews.
What this possibly means is that this was probably the Passover feast.
And as an obedient Jewish male, Jesus was going to Jerusalem.
The city of Jerusalem had several different entrances.
The one we're talking about here is by the sheep gate.
The sheep gate is considered by many to be the closest gate to the Temple.
It was through this gate that a person's sacrifice would come through.
But, before someone's sacrifice was brought to the temple, it had needs to be washed.
People were coming from miles around with animals to sacrifice.
They would get really dirty along the way.
So before these animals could be brought to the temple as a spotless sacrifice they would have to make a stop at the pool of Bethesda.
Here, they were cleaned up.
Here All that dirt and grime and whatever else they had on them, was washed off.
So as you can imagine, this wasn't a very clean place to be.
It probably didn't smell too healthy either.
It is this same pool which Jewish tradition states that an Angel comes down and stirs the water and whoever is the first person in the water is healed of their disease.
Being that this was probably the time of the Passover, there could have been a few thousand sick people there wanting to get into the water first.
*The Paralytic Man.*
Beginning in verse five we read "now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years."
Among the thousands that are trying to get into this pool, here is a man who is All alone and is desperately trying to get into that pool at the right time in the right order.
Some scholars say that he was a paralytic, yet textually John uses words like infirmity, and impotent to describe this man.
Quite possibly, this man could have been a paralytic or he could've been extremely feeble or very weak in strength.
We are told that he has been with this infirmity for 38 years.
Now it doesn't say that he was 38 years old, but rather that he is had this patient for 38 years.
I believe that this man was at least in his 40s if not even his 50s.
In later verses something Jesus says makes me think that this man had attained some experiences in his life before he was struck with this ailment.
In verse 14 Jesus says "see, you have been made well.
Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."
Jesus seems to suggest that this man's condition is a result of sin.
If that is the case then this man would've had to have been at least at an age where he could be held countable for his sin when his condition first occurred.
I'm guessing between 10 and 12 years old?
At the earliest?
And in that society, that would make him an old man.
*Jesus Confronts the Man.*
This next section of Scripture describes the exchange that occurs when Jesus meets this man.
Beginning in verse 6 we read "When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been in that condition a long time he said to him, "do you want to be made well?"
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
Jesus comes on the scene and he knows this man.
He knows him on the inside.
He had divine knowledge of this man's condition.
And so, with the knowledge that Jesus has this man, Jesus cuts to the heart of the matter and asks him-do you want to be made whole?
But the man, he never answers Jesus's question!
Instead he gives Jesus four excuses as to why he cannot trust God!
And these are the same excuses that we all have used had some point in our own lives.
In this one little sentence that this man says, he makes four excuses as to why he's not trusting in God's provision.
*Excuse #1: "I Have No Man"*
How is this similar to what we do today?
How would we express this same excuse in our society today?
How many of us have ever uttered the phrase-there's nobody around to help me?
And that's what this man's first excuse is.
I'm all alone, and there isn't a single person here in this crowd of thousands who is willing to help me.
Who is this man depending on.
Who is this man placing his ability to get to where he needs to go?
He is depending upon people, not God.
Is that something that we do?
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