"Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day" (John 5:1-14, selected verses).

For some readers there may be an immediate question concerning this passage because some of the newer versions omit part of it, claiming that the original text does not include some of these verses. We will not engage in the version debate here other than to say that we trust and use the KJV and the Textus Reciptus Greek New Testament.

I haven’t heard a message, or even preached a message, from this passage in a long time. It seems that the modern trend is to either deal with deep doctrine, so that the casual reader wonders what difference it makes to them, or to deal with social issues and subjects that attract a crowd. Even prophecy falls into this latter category, often being neglected as important doctrine and affecting individual or church life and activity and being more a subject of curiosity.

As this account progresses there are at least 8 important points that should be observed.

FIRST, the man was impotent. Whatever source of help or healing he looked to, he was still unable to take advantage of it because of his infirmity. (vv. 3 & 7) Likewise, natural man’s spiritual condition is impotency. Natural man is “dead in trespasses and sins.” Dead men can do nothing for themselves and spiritually dead men can do nothing to facilitate their own salvation. It is important to note that Jesus didn’t stand at the edge of the crowd and call the blind, lame, impotent people to come to Him. They couldn’t! He came to them.

SECOND, the man was looking to the wrong source for his desired healing. Our Lord’s question, “Wilt thou be made whole?” was a rhetorical question. The man’s desire to be healed was obvious.

Natural man desires salvation. No one desires to go the hell! Even the atheist, and even those who adamantly refused the gospel message desire a heaven – even though they verbalize unbelief. Listen to the funerals of the unsaved! Man pleasing preachers preach the deceased into heaven anyway, and give assurance of heaven to both the mourners and the deceased.

At least the man in this incident knew he was in need of deliverance and helpless to do anything about it himself. He was looking to a wrong source that couldn’t help him and even then he needed outside helpers.

THIRD, there was the need of outside helpers. As the man needed help to get to the pool for the desired healing, but had no help, lost man needs outside help to lead him to the knowledge of the Savior. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14) If you are a truly ‘born again Christian’, this is your part. “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Cor. 5:20)

FOURTH, not only was the impotent man looking to the wrong place for help, but he wasn’t looking for or expecting Jesus. An important but vital point, too often neglected in evangelism, is that natural man is not seeking Jesus Christ for salvation, or for as far as that part goes, even seeking salvation. They assume salvation. on the basis of human good – even some who are claiming to be gospel believers. “there is none that seeketh after God.” (Rom. 3:11)

Every time I hear someone talk about the ‘hungry, seeking multitudes I wonder if they have read, or believe Romans 3.

FIFTH, even when our Lord approached him, he wouldn’t acknowledge his need per-se, but bitterly protested that he had no man to help him. I am reminded of Psa. 142:4. “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.” Friend, if you are reading this, you can’t say that, because the very fact that this has been sent to you shows that someone cares for your soul.

SIXTH, the man didn’t know who it was that made him whole, Yet he had faith to get up, take his bed, and walk, as Jesus told him to do. Our Lord does not send a big, fanfare type announcement ahead of his coming to you, but he quietly comes and touches the heart, granting faith to believe. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:9)

SEVENTH, and nearly always avoided when this passage is taught, there was, at least in this case, some connection between his sin and his impotency – beyond the normal sin factor of depraved man. To the best of my knowledge this is the only incident where the Lord’s healing carried with it the threat of greater infirmities if the recipient continued in sin. But in any case, we who have experienced the mercy of God are expected to “sin no more”.

Many have tasted of the matchless grace of God. They, like Judas, have not only seen the mercy and power of God, but they have received the blessings of the grace and power of God. They, like those our Lord speaks of in John 6:26, have received provision, healing, and countless other blessings from the hand of God, but refuse to acknowledge Him as God and submit to Him as God. These are the class that the writer of Hebrews speaks of in 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame”, and again in 10:29, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.”

Dear reader, are you in this sad category? How long will you receive the mercies of God and yet not submit to His authority as Lord and Savior? Do you so presume on His grace? Do you, like the Pharisees, fail to understand “what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Matt. 9:13)

EIGHTH, those who trusted in legalism, in their own good works, according to their idea of righteousness, were quick to persecute our Lord. Not because He had done a good thing, or even because they had done something they couldn’t; but because he violated their traditional and man made standards of legalist restrictions. On so many today are bound up in traditional doctrines, made to make men feel righteous, but are actually the ‘good sounding’, ‘man glorifying’ doctrines that are in reality the ‘leaven’ of Matt. 13:33. See also 2 Cor. 11:13, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

This preacher stands ready to pray with and counsel any who honestly seek to know the truth of these devotions. May my God be pleased to open your eyes, minds, and hearts to these important truths. Eternity, for you, depends on it.

In His Matchless grace,

Ray

"Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Is your name written there?