Before looking at this week's message, let’s do a quick recap of this series, Signs-That You May Believe. Pastor Adam introduced us to John, one of Jesus' disciples, he wrote the book of John which is one of the four Gospels. And in the book of John he tells us the very reason he wrote it is “...that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have eternal life in His name.” (John 20:31 NIV) Week one David Sanchez talked about Jesus turning the water into wine at the wedding. Last week Pastor Adam talked about Jesus healing the government official’s son-long distance. This week Pastor Adam looked at John 5 and The healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda.
Let’s take a moment to look at some background and setting. Jesus had been at Cana of Galilee, this is where the royal official came from Capernaum to ask Jesus to heal his son. Then we read that Jesus went to Jerusalem, let’s start in John 5:1 (NIV) “Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.” Cana has a more relaxed atmosphere, a good mix of people. Jerusalem, on the other hand, is a very different culture, very strict religious atmosphere, very legalistic. Then we read in verses 2-3 “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.” Bethesda translates to “house of grace”, however we will see that it really is anything but that.
Pastor Adam shared an interesting fact that most translations do not have John 5:4. The earliest compiled manuscripts don’t have it. It seems it was added as a footnote to provide an explanation of the pool of Bethesda. Verse 4 is in both the King James Version and the New Kings James Version of the Bible. John 5:4 (NKJV) says “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.” (And if you want to take a deeper dive you can check out the Struggles series, specifically the sermon on 9/19/2021-Can the Bible Be Trusted at rockhills.com/messages.) Really the pool of Bethesda was an asclepius or shrine to the roman god of healing. This was just really a “wishing well”. There were people who were hurting, desperate, needing a real healing touch. People who were literally out of all other options. Right there in Jerusalem this legend and practice shows up. The water “bubbling” or being “stirred up” was actually (proven by archeologists) to be a valve allowing waters to pass between the two pools and the priests determined when to open these valves (stirring up the water) and people would hope to be the first one in. The way this was set up, the pool at Bethesda could be labeled the “cruel pool”. Why did this even exist? The short answer is legalism. And legalism drives people away from God to other alternatives.
Let’s turn back to Scripture, we read in John 5:5-6 “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?”This man had been an invalid for 38 years. Jesus had a question for him, “Do you want to be made well?” The word “well” in this context means whole. Jesus is asking him if he wants to be whole. Jesus tells the man to do something; John 5:8 “Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” In verse 9a we read that the man is cured, “At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.”
Pastor Adam asks the question of us, “Do we want to be made whole?” Are we feeling fragmented? Full of sin, addictions? Hopeless? Do we feel that everyone else has gotten their life together, but us? There is so much to unpack and a plot twist, so let’s get ready to journey through Scripture and take a closer look at this story and how it applies to us.
MONDAY:
It is not the First Century and we are not sitting next to the pool of Bethesda. However, we are facing real challenges-bad habits, addictions, broken dreams, relational issues. Maybe facing these issues for a very long time. Is there an area of your life that is just in shambles? Seriously ask yourself this question, “Do I want to be made whole?” Take today to ponder this question and really identify where you are. “I want to be made well, but…” “I think I want to be made well…” “Can Jesus really make me whole again? Leave your excuses and your reasoning, imagine Jesus looking sincerely into your eyes and asking you, “Do you want to be made well?” What is your response?
TUESDAY:
There are some things we can learn from this interaction between Jesus and this man.
When thinking about being made well by Jesus, we might ask, “How can I be changed?” The first step- Admit that what you are doing isn’t working. Maybe you’ve tried a million times for 30 years. Could it be that what you are doing is simply not working not working? Take some time to reflect and pray. If you find yourself going in circles with no change, ask God to help you admit you cannot do it on your own. This is a very important step.
WEDNESDAY:
Now that we have admitted to God that we cannot, let’s ask ourselves another important question, “Do I want to be made whole?” What?? Of course I do!!! But it’s not really as easy as it sounds. Sit with that question today. Tomorrow we will look at some common reasons being made whole might be easier said than done.
THURSDAY:
Deep down inside we long to be made whole. However, there are a few reasons that might hold us back.
I’m familiar with “it”
I’m identified with “it”
I’m discouraged by “it”
I’m rewarded by “it”
Whatever “it” is for you, do you find yourself identifying with one or more of these excuses? Ask God to show you where you are. Ask God to help you move beyond these excuses so that you are no longer held back.
FRIDAY:
The man by the pool of Bethesda had been there for so long. He must have been discouraged. Let’s read verses 7 in between Jesus asking him if he wanted to be whole and him being healed. John 5:7(NIV) “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.” He realizes that he is powerless to save himself. This is where the beauty of the Gospel shines through. We cannot save ourselves. We needed a Savior. Jesus came to rescue us. Jesus came to make us whole. Jesus asked him and He is asking us, “Are you really ready?” Repent, walk away from the “cruel pool” into the life Jesus has waiting for you. The last step pastor Adam talked about, Act in faith one step at a time. Take some time to pray and reflect on what your next step is. How are you going to respond to Jesus?
SATURDAY:
Pastor Adam gave us a bit of a warning, Don’t expect everyone to be happy you’re healed. Right after the man was cured and took his mat and walked we read, John 5:9b-10 “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.” This man had been waiting for 38 (long) years and he is then accused of being healed on the “wrong” day. There are always going to be the naysayers, those that just don’t believe in God’s supernatural ability to intervene. There are also some people who will come face to face with their own issues and it makes it hard for them to be happy when someone else reaches a level of wholeness. We may be experiencing freedom like never before, and we have that person saying “How dare you carry your mat on a Sunday.” Don’t let others dictate your journey with God and your wholeness. God’s timing and the way He works is different for everyone. Jesus responded to his critics in John 5:17 “In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” No need to go to the “cruel pool” any longer! Jesus sees and He knows you and all that you are facing. His simple question today is “Do you want to be made whole?” How will you respond?