The Signs of Jesus Part 4

1 After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 By the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda in Hebrew, which has five colonnades. 3 Within these lay a large number of the sick—blind, lame, and paralyzed [—waiting for the moving of the water, 4 because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had]. 5 One man was there who had been sick for 38 years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the sick man answered, “I don’t have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.” 8 “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk!” 9 Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath, 10 so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It’s illegal for you to pick up your mat.” 11 He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 “Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. 13 But the man who was cured did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 After this, Jesus found him in the temple complex and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” 15 The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Intro

How many of you have ever wanted something desperately? I do not mean that you just kind of wanted to have something, I mean you really, really wanted something. Not in an idolatrous or covetous manner either. If so, that is sin and you need to check your heart there and I know it can feel like a balancing act though between contentment and idolatry in the yearning. For example, I want a kid. And for a long time now I have been wanting to have a child of my own and I wanted to make an announcement before all of you today. Monica and I do not yet have kids, but believe we will have one soon.

Having desires is not something that is necessarily a bad thing. And in today’s reading, we read of a man who had very strong desires. He had very strong desires. Imagine his state for a minute, an actual minute not what you millennials mean when you say a minute. Imagine how he would have felt being sick for 38 years... 38 years of sickness. My wife knows that when I get sick, which is not often, but when I do I am the biggest baby. But this man, unnamed, has ben ailing for 38 years. This is not psychosomatic or something he self prescribed to himself after checking WebMD. No, this man was truly sick.

Body

We do not know what Jewish Festival this was that is described in verse 1, but it most probably would have been one of the three festivals that would’ve taken place in Jerusalem: Passover, Pentecost, or Tabernacles. And Jesus passes by the pool of Bethesda or Bethsaida in some translations and sees a large crowd of sick people. This is the place where they would get together and await for healing.

Have you ever had a moment where you are with a kid and they ask a question or says a phrase that just stops the world? What kind? A question that is on everyone’s mind but you know, you should never ask that question. Well here we have to wonder why Jesus asks his question. “Do you want to get well?” Of course, Jesus means this in tenderness such as, “would you like to be made well?”

The answer we would think of course is a resounding “Yes!!” No need to ask him twice. But there could be other reasons why he would not. Maybe he had lost all hope. Waiting for 38 years is a long time and he could have given up. Perhaps, he did not want to get well. And we know of people like this too, when offered help, some do not want receive it. They want to do it on their own. But this man does want help. Or at least a minimal amount, just for someone to help him into the water because of his handicap he is not able to reach the water in time. He wants to be made well is what he expresses to Jesus, in fact that is why he is there begging for money and also seeking a miraculous healing.

And Jesus asks him directly do you want to get well. But the question, as we will see goes much deeper. We read that this question is developed even further to mean “be made well” beyond just physical healing. But the man does not initially understand the full meaning of the question. But his focus is brought to the point later on. He is sick and he can do nothing. He cannot even get into the waters, should they be stirred. He needs to come face to face with his need for deliverance. This is part of the reason why we get this question from Jesus. By no means is he being cruel, he is focusing this man on his need for a savior. For one who can heal him, but again this is more than just physical healing.

Jesus then commands him to get up, take his mat, and walk. I think it is funny that he does not tell him where to walk to and possibly after laying for 38 years, it does not really matter where you walk to, but Jesus send him on his way. He does not need some magical wave pool. What he needs is a miracle.

Holman New Testament Commentary: John A. Divine Grace (5:1–9a)

Hot Springs National Park has warm and relaxing facilities—but no ultimate cure. Yet it has drawn millions to that site. But God does not need “stirring pools” to work in our lives. We do not need crosses around our necks, a saintly figurine on the car dashboard, or even oil on the head for healing. Sometimes God wants us to ask as the royal official did. And sometimes he asks for faith before he acts. But God does not need our help, our permission, or even our faith when he chooses to work in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones.

And this is so controversial to the Jews. They classify walking with your mat as work associating it with physical labor! By no means was this defined explicitly as a being forbidden on the Sabbath and yet these religious people have added to God’s law something not found there. Additionally, this man had been burdened by his sickness for 38 years and on the day that he is set free there is not congratulations and joy, but condemnation. When his burden is lifted from him, they attempt to pack on more burdens. Like in Pilgrim’s Progress, no one will find freedom in the town of Morality or the instruction from Mr. Legality.

Throughout this story, we have found that this man did not initially have faith. He did not even know who was speaking to him or who had healed him. He was commanded to get up and walk and so he just did it and did not think, perhaps in complete joy or because of the fact that Jesus had slipped away.

Some people will try and tell you that if you have enough faith, usually you have to express or prove it with a “love” offering, then you will be healed. Just have faith. Just a little bit more faith. Well here we see this man had no faith. No idea who Jesus was. He was not like the blind men in Luke’s Gospel.

Luke 18:35–42 HCSB

35 As He drew near Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Hearing a crowd passing by, he inquired what this meant. 37 “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by,” they told him. 38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Then those in front told him to keep quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him. When he drew near, He asked him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” 42 “Receive your sight!” Jesus told him. “Your faith has healed you.”

You see Jesus will heal you! He will, if He wants to heal someone. The principle we find here is obedience. A beautiful illustration is given here about the power and love of God.

But then there is a break in the story. We read in verses 9-13 that there are some wicked folks who wanted nothing but their self created religiosity to be followed. They themselves show that they have rejected Jesus. And we will see this battle rage on a bit more in this chapter as you read on and as we will see later.

But Jesus finds him a second time. He finds him at the temple. And here we read of the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ question to the man. We read...

John 5:14 HCSB

14 After this, Jesus found him in the temple complex and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.”

You see Jesus was looking at the real problem that this man had. Yes he was truly sick. And yes, he did need physical healing. But even more than that, like the Samaritan woman, Jesus goes to the deepest need of every person that he encounters. Whether it be Nicodemus, or the Samaritan woman, or a man lying by a pool, Jesus is concerned with their soul. He is concerned with that person’s relationship with God.

If Jesus’ real purpose were to help people to have their best lives now, then the story would have been fine ending in verse 13. But we read that it continues on because he had not yet completed his purpose for meeting with the man. This man still needs to be healed. This man still needs to be made well. And so Jesus speak directly to this man a second time and tells him “do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” What could be worse than being sick for 38 years? Dying and losing your soul. Spending eternity in Hell.

Implied here could be that the original sickness this man encountered was a result of some sort of personal sin and so Jesus is warning him of eternal consequences of sin. Warning him of not being reconciled to God.

Let us not fail to notice that Jesus found him. We read, hear, and even talk a lot in our lives about how we are “looking for God” as though the initiative for spiritual contact lies entirely with us. That is not true, especially when it concerns our salvation. Here we read of the Savior seeking out this poor crippled beggar.

And so we read a very happy story of a man being healed without him even searching for God, but understand that this entire narrative is focusing us on the fact that we need a deliverer and that there are worse things that physical pain and suffering. We need to be concerned with our souls and examine our state with God.

Conclusion

<Illustration>The story is told of Handley Page, a pioneer in aviation, who once landed in an isolated area during his travels. Unknown to him, a rat got aboard the plane there. On the next leg of the flight, Page heard the sickening sound of gnawing. Suspecting it was a rodent, his heart began to pound as he visualized the serious damage that could be done to the fragile mechanisms that controlled his plane and the difficulty of repairs because of the lack of skilled labor and materials in the area.

What could he do? He remembered hearing that a rat cannot survive at high altitudes, so he pulled back on the stick. The airplane climbed higher and higher until Page found it difficult to breathe. He listened intently and finally sighed with relief. The gnawing had stopped. When he arrived at his destination, he found the rat lying dead behind the cockpit!

Oftentimes we, God’s children, are plagued by sin that gnaws at our life simply because we are living at too low a spiritual level. To see sin defeated in our lives requires that we move away from the things of this world so they cannot strive. </Illustration>

Abandon sin.

Spirit- In dwelling in every believer you must discipline yourself to grow in the fruit of the Spirit

Word- Helps us to know the will of God

Church- Means of grace to support and encourage us.

If you are in need also, do not reject the help that comes from these graces of God.

Embrace the Savior.

He has saved us from something. But that also means that He has saved us to something.

Continue in Mortification and Sanctification

We may not receive the desire we are seeking in this life, but He has guaranteed to all who truly seek Him that they will find Him.

We serve a good Father who does provide be assured in that. A God who can and does richly bless whom He chooses.