Fight the Good Fight

#17 The Recovery of Hope 06.13.21

John 5:1-15 NKJV

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 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. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 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.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ ”

12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Central Truth

True, complete healing may necessitate a work on three levels: spiritual, physical, and psychological.

I. The Pool

A. Intermittent spring, perhaps used as a mikveh or place of ceremonial cleansing.

B. Pagan influences and early uses

C. House of Mercy; House of Grace; House of Healing

II. The Angel

A. There is no debate about God’s power.

B. There is no debate about the truth and accuracy of Scripture.

C. There is, however, considerable debate about textual variants.

III. The Man

A. A paralytic of 38 years

B. He had become as hopeless in his thought processes as he was in his legs.

C. He was trapped in his expectations; angry at what others had done or failed to do.

IV. The Messiah

A. Jesus approached with a question that seemed foolish, “Do you want to be well?

B. The question should have been understood as, “Do you have the will to be made whole?”

C. The grind of hopelessness can distort our perceptions of truth and reality and create a multi-layered prison for our souls.

D. Shallow responses seldom produce deep results.

E. It is possible to be healed on the outside and remain utterly broken on the inside.

V. The Pharisees

A. Their hearts are revealed, and we begin to see clearly that John’s Gospel is about the presence or absence of “Belief.”

B. This is one of seven special “signs” designated by John that are given to reveal the deeper nature of Messiah’s mission.

1. Water into wine - Jesus is master of quality and creation (2:1-11).

2. Healing of the Nobleman’s son - Jesus is master of distance (4:46-54).

3. Healing of the man at Bethesda - Jesus is master of time and hopelessness (5:1-9).

4. Feeding of the 5,000 - Jesus is master of quantity and provision (6:1-14).

5. Walking on the water - Jesus is master over natural law (6:16-21).

6. Healing of the man born blind - Jesus is master over misfortune or circumstances (9:1-12:41).

7. Raising of Lazarus - Jesus is master over death (11:1-46).

Christian Life Lessons

1.There is always a problem with barren institutionalism.

A. Institutions can be helpful by giving “tracks to run on.”

B. Rules are timely; principles are timeless.

C. “…burdens which neither you nor your ancestors were able to bear.”

D. Balance grace and truth so that we produce life instead of death.

2.It is very easy to misunderstand the relationship of sin to sickness and thereby mis-label the cause of trouble.

A. This man was endanger of allowing sin to pull him into a worst state than before.

B. In the case of the man born blind, it appears that sin was totally unattached to his illness.

3.Physical healing must never be separated from the call to spiritual and psychological wholeness.

There are two dynamics with which we must be honest:

#1. What has happened to me?

#2. What has happened in me?