All Glory to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ
We are starting a new chapter, John 5, today. Jesus had healed the royal official’s son and thereby delivered a potent lesson of faith to all that witnessed it. The scripture states that he and his entire household believed. (John 4:53) Households in those days, for somebody of this man’s status, could be quite large. We know he had slaves, because that is referred to in John 4:51. It is quite possible that we are talking in the neighborhood of 30 to 40 people. And we know that God quite often comes to those who would be looked at as downtrodden, servants and slaves. We saw in John 2 verse 9, the servants who had drawn the water knew that Jesus made it into wine. Now these slaves in the royal official’s household knew that this Rabbi had healed the master’s son with a word from afar. We find in Luke 5:31 “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.” You would not necessarily think of a slave being sick, unhappy but not sick.
This is where metaphors and a casual perusal of the scripture can cause us to miss the point. The sick Jesus was talking about were those whose hearts were sick with sin. In this, all of us would qualify and yet none of us are slaves. Or are we? We seem to have many masters these days, just listen to what you hear from various governors on the news to verify what I am saying. Slaves in those days lived in their master’s house and did what they were told. From what I hear from our political class, they wish to have that same power. My point is, this servant class knew what hopelessness was and there were many more of them than the owner class. These people saw what Christ had done, and that lesson went right to their heart and they shared it. Who wants to keep good news bottled up inside themselves? Slaves talked to slaves and the good news got spread around. It was slaves that handled the kids and next thing you know, the whole household has the good news. This is how God works. If you truly believe that Christ is Lord and our Saviour, and because of His sacrifice, we who believe will live forever in His Glory, why are you keeping that to yourselves?
Jesus went up to Jerusalem, for the feast of the Jews. (John 5:1) The North entrance of old Jerusalem was known as the Sheep Gate. The map gives you a good look at all the gates in the Old town of Jerusalem which is kind of a small area. There was a pool near that gate named “Bethesda,” in Aramaic. It means “House of Mercy.” This pool had five porticoes or entrances. In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed. (John 5:3 )The covered colonnades would have provided shade for the disabled who gathered there, but there was another reason for the popularity of the Pool of Bethesda. Legend had it that an angel would come down into the pool and “stir up the water.” The first person into the pool after the stirring of the water “was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted” (John 5:4) You can see the pool of Bethesda is close to the Temple, so if you come to Jerusalem from the North, which Jesus had done, coming in from 
Cana of Galilee, He would have probably walked right by the pool. And we know that He did because the scripture tells us He saw a man that had been ill for 38 years, laying there. (John 5:5) Our God is a loving God. He has compassion and mercy on a people that don’t deserve it. In fact He sent His only begotten Son to die on a cross so that we who believe will live. Jesus, fully Man and fully God, (Titus 2:13-14) sees this guy and knows he has been in this condition a very long time. Our Savior has compassion on this man and asks him if he wants to get well?
Imagine you are this individual laying at the water’s edge. You’ve been sick for a very long time, and you know if you can get to the pool first after the stirring, your life will be so much better. Some man walks up to you and asks you if you want to get well. You’ve been concentrating on the pool, watching it intently and now some random stranger strides up and asks the obvious. Because He who is questioning you is healthy and standing upright on his own 2 very mobile legs, you are polite in your response to 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.” (John 5:7)
This would be a good time to remember what Grace and Mercy are. Grace is receiving what you don’t deserve and Mercy is not receiving what you do deserve. Jesus gives Grace to this man and tells him to “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” (John 5:8) The scripture does not say if this man was a believer before his healing, hence the Grace of our Lord having compassion on this poor man who was ill for so long. The man immediately became well, picked up his palette and began to walk. Are you still imagining that you were this man? How would you feel now?
You know what’s coming next, don’t you? What day do you suppose it is? Jesus made a habit of healing people on the sabbath. For the very reason of showing the Pharisees that the sabbath was made for Man, not Man made for the sabbath. (Mark 2:27) The Pharisees had gotten that turned around badly. In their mind, it was against the law to do many things on the sabbath. (John 5:10) The scripture says that the Jews stopped this guy and indignantly asked him what he was doing. “It is a Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” The healed man had a ready answer for them. “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” (John 5:11) I guess he figured that anybody that could heal with a word was worth listening to more than these busybody Jews with all their rules. These Jews became more indignant and demanded to know who this law breaker was. The healed man didn’t know, for Jesus has slipped into the crowd while the man was enjoying being able to walk again. (John 5:13)
Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”(John 5:14) Interesting that this man was in the temple after his healing. I would expect it of most Jews of that time period, but what of us? Where would you be found if your cancer was suddenly cured? In church praising God or at home thinking how lucky you are? Something to think about. I consider ALS a blessing given to me, for it saved my life. My eternal life. And being given this blessing, I took the warning of not slipping back into my old ways, so that nothing worse happens to me. Things could truly be worse.
The healed man now goes off and tells the Jews that it was Jesus who healed him. And it was for this reason that the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he broke their sabbath rules. (John 5:17) But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” (John 5:18)
God the Father is working, Jesus our Lord and Savior is working, what are we doing? Are you working for the Lord? That good news that you have, are you sharing it or keeping to yourself? The last bit of Matthew 28, verses 18 to 20, Jesus, just before He ascended into heaven, He gave us our marching orders. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This is our Lord, who died on a cross and was resurrected again, at the request of the Father. All this for you who believe. In the above scripture verses, did you see an exemption for old age, infirmity or whatever? I didn’t, because there is none. You are not exempt, none of us are, so let’s get busy. This may come as a shock to you, that you’ve suddenly been told that you have a job to do, as defined by Christ, instead of sitting on our tails thinking it was somebody else’s job. Where ever did you get that notion, that all this God business was somebody else’s job or there is a job at all? We all want to go to heaven, but now you are telling me we have to do something to get there? Yes, believe. Once you believe, truly believe, your life is changed and the Spirit will start working through you. This is why it is called the fruits of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) You on your own would not do a thing. Our natural inclination would be to run from this idea. (1 Corinthians 2:14) Do you still feel like running?
Before this virus panic, you may have gone to a church that preached light stuff, Love and inclusiveness, that sort of thing. God loves you just the way you are. Yes He does, but here’s the thing. We are sinners and all prone to sin. He wants us to be Holy, like He is Holy. (1 Peter 1:16) How we do that is to obey Him and turn from sin. (Deuteronomy 6:24)The Spirit helps with this, (John 14:26) if you let Him. However, if you choose to be lazy about your salvation, maybe you’re old and lame or just too busy for God, God is going to let you just skate by in life and many people are. (2 Pet. 3:9) It is up to you to believe and be discerning (Proverbs 3:5–6) about what you do and where you go. This includes church. If all you are getting from your church is milk, you will never mature in your Faith or hear the idea that Christ wants us to share the Good News.
Find a church that preaches from the Bible, the whole Bible. Not many do anymore. If you can’ get to Church, turn on the radio. There are good preachers out there on the air waves. Stay away from TV preachers, as most of them are preaching a false gospel of prosperity. Be discerning! Read the Bible, all of it. If you’ve done those 2 things and are still mystified at all this, examine your salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12) Mostly have Faith and Trust in the Lord for all things, for no good thing comes to you that does not come from above. (James 1:17)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)