John 5:1-14 Hope for the Hopeless

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Hope for the Hopeless

John 5:1-14

Introduction: As we have noted before, John records only 7 miracles, more accurately, 7 signs. But of all the miracles from which John could have chosen, I marvel at some of the signs he used to portray Jesus as the Son of God and to give us hope for our lives. The healing of the infirm man is one of those signs. It seems obscure, almost unimportant in the grand scheme of things. It doesn’t seem to be in the category of turning water to wine or feeding the 5000. We tend to read it quickly and simply, and then pass on. But let’s not do that. Let’s get the message of the sign.

Let’s add another introductory observation. Chapters 5-7 mark a change in the attitude of the people toward Jesus. The previous chapters highlighted the reservations people had about Jesus. Now John transitions to more overt rejection as Jesus becomes more bold in revealing himself. We are reminded of 1:11, “He came to his own and his own did not receive him.” 

Finally, reading these chapters reminds us that John writes on two levels: (1) the presentation of Jesus and the requirements of discipleship. (2) the presentation of Jesus as the greater Moses, as the Deliverer in a new “Exodus.” This second level is intended to how God leading his people on the ultimate spiritual journey.

1. The Pictures Connecting to the Sign
   1. First, notice John again give a picture of water. Water has been a theme in the book of John. Have you noticed? There was the water turned to wine. There was rebirth by water and the Spirit. There were the baptismal waters of John and Jesus. And there was the woman drawing water at a famous well, and Jesus offering her living water. In chapter 6 Jesus will walk on the water. In chapter 7 he will offer rivers of living water flowing from a believer’s heart. And in this text, an invalid man is at the pool of Bethesda hoping to be the first in the pool when the water is stirred up.
   2. This is not coincidental. Water was significant in the history of the Jewish people. The first thing water reminds us of is the Exodus. That is fitting since most of what John presents about Jesus is fulfilling a greater Exodus. In one way or another, the signs John chooses reminds us that a greater deliverer has come.
      1. From the very beginning, Moses is named “Moses” because the name means “drawn out of water” (Exodus 2:10).  Being found in a basket floating in the river, the daughter of Pharaoh retrieved the little boy and raised him as her own.
      2. Judgment on Egypt was pictured by the turning of water to blood.
      3. When Israel left Egypt, God parted the waters of the Red Sea which pictured their freedom.
      4. Their first challenge in the wilderness was coming to the water that was bitter and Moses cast a tree in the water to make it sweet.
      5. Throughout their journey through the wilderness to Sinai, the people complained because there was no water. God repeatedly came to their rescue by having Moses strike the rock, bringing rivers in the wilderness.
      6. “Water will flow from his buckets; his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag; his kingdom will be exalted” (Numbers 24:6-7). The prophecy draws a Messianic tone due to the reference to the seed that will have abundant water. 
      7. Therefore, here is a man by the pool of Bethesda hoping to be healed by its waters. But Jesus shows this man and the whole town that he is the true source of healing, he is the true source of healing waters.
   3. Next, we notice that John mentions a “feast” of the Jews. John often connects one of Jesus’ miracles to one of the Jewish feasts. However, in this case, John does not identify the feast and there isn’t anything about the miracle that would give us a direct relationship to one of the festivals. Instead, the feast is mentioned to explain why Jesus is again in Jerusalem. In fact, in this case the subject of the miracle is not one of the festivals, but the Sabbath. Remember, Sabbath also has an Exodus connection. This is the primary discussion between Jesus and the Jews following the miracle.
   4. Now take your eyes and see past the words of the text and visualize this pool. Do you see the people around the pool? Dozens and dozens of people. Do you see them? Many are blind, others are lame, and still others are paralyzed. We didn’t pay too much attention to that, did we? We don’t like to think about it. But look at them. The suffering and the hopelessness is intense. The scene should create in us tears and compassion!
   5. But what does Jesus do? To us it seems so odd. Remember, Jesus intentionally went to that pool knowing who was there. He had to go out of his way. And yet when he came he does not do what we might have thought; he does not touch them all and heal them. Instead, he picks one man, just one, and heals him.
   6. What was different about this man over the others? As far as we can see in the text the only difference is that this man “had been an invalid for 38 years.” Thirty-eight years. Where in the Bible do you ever read of thirty-eight years? There is only one place: And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation, that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn to them. For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished. (Deut. 2:14–15). Now consider.
   7. Thirty-eight years was the time in the wilderness. But that is not the point. Thirty-eight years was the time God waited to allow 603,548 men to die. Thirty-eight represented death and hopelessness because of sin. Imagine being the people of that generation wandering in the wilderness during their final years! Even the men who repented could only see death! Jesus chose this man on purpose because healing him was a sign that the giver of life had come who can deliver every man and woman from the number “38”. Without Jesus, we are the same as the wilderness generation – just waiting to die.  
2. Messages of the Sign
   1. First, why would Jesus tell the man to carry his bed on the Sabbath? Exactly! He knew full well he would get a reaction from the Jews. Instead of teaching the stubborn Jewish leadership by verbal teaching, Jesus teaches by healing one man on the Sabbath and telling him to carry his bed.
   2. Now consider verse 11. When the man is challenged concerning carrying his bed, he said, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your bed…” Obviously, the man who had the authority to heal, has the authority to command!
   3. Now notice the reaction of the Jews. Rather than rejoicing with this man who has been disabled for 38 long years, they want to know who told him to break the Sabbath by carrying his bed! They do not see the sign that the redeemer of death has come. They only see their interpretation of the Law being broken. This is what happens when Bible study & service to God sees only the commandments without the context of the purposes of God. Their rituals were carefully and meticulously observed, but the greater purpose and meaning had been missed. In this case, they “observe” the Sabbath, but have no understanding of its meaning. 
   4. [In every church I have worked except Woodland Hills, certain ones in the church have hindered the work of saving souls because they were more concerned with traditions than about souls.]
      1. Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Service to God never happens until this is understood.
      2. Deut. 5:15 explains the purpose of the Sabbath: “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” In healing this man and telling him to carry his bed, Jesus has sent a clear message to the Jews that the Sabbath was a shadow of one who would come and finally give true rest/healing. We are reminded of Rev. 7:15-17. One day we will enjoy that ultimate healing, and there was no better day than that Jesus would heal a man who had been an invalid for 38 years.
   5. Now notice the words of 5:14, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 
      1. Physical ailments, the general deterioration of the body, and the associated pain with it, should always remind us of our sin. It is not that we necessarily suffer as a direct punishment for a sin committed. But suffering is associated with sin. That is the message we see when Adam and Eve sinned. The literal Hebrew words of God are, “In the day you eat of it, dying you shall surely die.” Thus, it is not only death that was the punishment, it is also the dying. That is our reality. It is ever before us.
      2. Jesus’ words remind us that there is something worse than the dying process or death itself. I am afraid that most of the time we are far more concerned with our physical deterioration and death than we are of that death that is far worse. There is something worse! Do we spend as much time in prayer and preparation to heal that part of us that is subject to “something worse” as we are to the lesser physical ailments?
   6. Now notice the words, “See, you are well! Sin no more…” In other words, you have been healed for a purpose; it is not just the compassion of God.
      1. We must remember, God does not just save us from hell, he saves us for a greater mission and a greater purpose that we might live in the fullness of God and attain to his purpose for them.
      2. Please think of 38 years of suffering that this man endured. Unimaginable. He has no one. He is barely surviving from one day to the next. He counts on the scraps that people might throw his way. It is hopeless. It is beyond hopeless. The mental anguish of the condition would soon outweigh the physical agony. And then one day, out of nowhere, Jesus. And with just a word, everything has changed. Hopelessness is turned to hope; agony is turned to joy; being unloved has turned to being loved. Now what do you do with that? You live differently. You live for and are immersed in the one who saved you. That is the only reasonable response. How sad that even some who have become Christians do not respond appropriately. 
   7. Now we come back to water. Notice again what Jesus has done with water. He has replaced the inadequate healing water of the pool of Bethesda, and given life and hope to all who are waiting to die from the curse of 38 years.

Berry Kercheville