When The Lame Was Challenged 1-26-25 AM
I. The place (John 5:1-4).
a. There were several sources of water in Jerusalem.
b. One was near a gate in Jerusalem known as the sheep gate.
i. The KJV has sheep market in it, with market in italics.
ii. Sheep gate is what is found in newer translations.
iii. There is a sheep gate mentioned three times in the book of Nehemiah.
iv. The first time it is mentioned there is when it was built (Neh. 3:1).
c. Near this gate, which was probably for the entrance of sheep into the temple area to be used for sacrifices, was a pool.
d. This was pool was called Bethesda, which can mean house of mercy or house of outpouring.
e. This pool has five porches near it.
i. Some believe this means the porches around each side of the pool and one running down the middle of it.
ii. Others believe it to be the four porches around each side and a porch above one side that looked down on the pool.
f. Verse three tells us the types of people that surrounded the pool.
i. Impotent folk described as either blind, halt, withered.
ii. ESV has blind, lame, and paralyzed as do other newer translations.
g. What is interesting is what comes next, depending on which translation you use.
i. The KJV has “waiting on the moving of the water” and then verse 4.
ii. Some translations have the last phrase of three and all of verse four in brackets, while some only have that in a footnote.
h. The best manuscript evidence that is now possessed indicates those were added at some point by early scribes.
i. This would have been done to show why so many people with physical problems were gathered around the pool.
ii. Based on verse 7, for which there is overwhelming evidence of accuracy, this was the belief at the time.
i. The idea is that these people with various serious ailments gathered at this pool in order to be healed of those ailments.
i. They believed they could be healed when the water was stirring.
ii. The water being stirred was more than likely a result of the bubbling of a natural spring.
iii. It is highly unlikely that an angel stirred up the waters as in stated in the KJV.
iv. We know of the healing powers of hot springs and things like this.
v. It is probably something similar that was believed about this pool.
j. This is the place that Jesus comes on a visit to Jerusalem for a feast.
II. The person (John 5:5-7).
a. We are then told of a man who had been ill for 38 years.
b. We are not told how he became ill.
c. We are not told how he got to the pool.
d. We are told he was there and that his illness kept him from any quick movement.
e. Someone always beat him into the water.
f. Notice some things about this man:
i. There is no help for him.
ii. There is no knowledge of Jesus (John 5:13).
iii. There is no faith in Jesus.
g. Here is a man with very limited mobility and has been in that condition for many years.
h. We don’t know why Jesus chose this man.
i. There were a bunch of people in need of healing.
ii. This man had no idea who Jesus was.
iii. We don’t know what was special about this man that Jesus chose him to be healed.
i. Those are all things that are very secondary in nature, though our human minds would like to know all of the answers.
j. I want us to focus on the question Jesus asked: Will you be made whole?
k. This seems like a very dumb question doesn’t it?
i. What person who is paralyzed or unable to walk for some reason would not want to be restored to health?
ii. Why would Jesus ask this?
l. Jesus knew all things about the man right?
i. He knows all things about all men as stated in John 2:24-25.
ii. He knew the man had been ill for 38 years.
iii. He also knew the way the man thought.
m. His inability to walk probably allowed him to be provided for by others.
n. The thought of now walking may have scared the man because of the unknown of it.
o. It would take away his victim status.
i. We know people play on this a lot even today.
ii. He said I don’t have anyone – it isn’t my fault I can’t get in the water and someone else always beats me into it.
p. This was a truly tremendous question by Jesus.
III. The miracle (John 5:8-13).
a. Jesus did nothing but speak to the man.
b. Rise, take up your bed and walk.
c. Notice the words of verse 9:
i. Immediately – not after months of therapy.
ii. Whole – means completely well.
d. Think of the atrophy of the muscles because of 38 years of no use.
e. The tendons and ligaments had not been stretched or used in 38 years.
f. It didn’t matter.
i. By His words, Jesus showed His power over disease and time.
ii. This man was completely healed and strengthened.
g. This is similar to the miracle recorded in Acts 3 involving Peter and the lame man.
i. The man healed there was lame from birth.
ii. He ends up walking and jumping.
h. The bed, or pallet as newer translations have, was probably a bed of straw stuffed inside a sewn together blanket.
i. It could have been easily rolled up to carry.
ii. This man rolled it up and carried it off as he was walking.
i. We are told this was the sabbath and him carrying his bed on the sabbath caused him some problems.
j. This is not the point of our sermon so we will leave it alone.
k. But we do read that when he was asked who healed him that he had no idea who Jesus was.
l. There was no faith on the part of this man in any way.
m. This was an amazing miracle that should increase our faith in Jesus as God’s Son.
IV. The command (John 5:14-15).
a. The man had no idea who Jesus was.
b. Jesus went and found the man.
c. There is discussion why Jesus did and then about why the man went and told the leaders that it was Jesus, but I want us to focus on the command Jesus gave.
d. “Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.”
e. The phrase “sin no more” literally means “no longer continue in sin.”
i. It seems that the man’s physical condition was a result of something sinful.
ii. We are not told the cause of his condition, but it seems as if some sin he had committed was the cause of it.
f. What could be worse than being paralyzed in some fashion?
i. I can’t think of something worse than being unable to move myself or take care of myself.
ii. Always having to depend on others for things has to be extremely difficult.
g. What would be worse than his illness would be to be lost for eternity.
h. The man did not need to go back to doing what caused him to be paralyzed because it would also cause him to be eternally lost.
V. The application.
a. While we are in our sins, you and I are paralyzed by sin.
b. We need to decide if we want to be healed or whole spiritually.
i. There are a lot of reasons to reject the offer of Jesus to make us whole spiritually.
ii. We have to give up a lot.
iii. We have to rely on God and not ourselves.
iv. There is such a change of life that is required it could make us scared of the unknown – can we be faithful, can we give up sin?
c. Once we are made whole, we have to “sin no more.”
i. This doesn’t mean sinless perfection.
ii. 1 John 2:1.
d. Before becoming a child of God, we are paralyzed by sin.
e. Once we obey the gospel, we are to live for the Lord and not for ourselves in some sinful lifestyle.