False Assumptions-The Truth Of Gods Word.

False Assumptions-The Truth Of Gods Word.

John 5:1-9NIV

Imagine a major league baseball player refusing to get into the batters box because he doesn't get a hit every time up. Yet that's how many of us approach prayer. We let a few strikeouts keep us from swinging for the fences!

The great Ty Cobb, Roston, Ga. There, 'one' can visit his tomb. He was one of the all time great hitters, had a lifetime batting average of .367. When he was in his 70s, Cobb participated in an old-timers game and a reporter ask him, “what do you think you would hit if you were playing major-league baseball today?” Cobb said, “about .310 maybe .315.” The reporter surmised, “that's because of travel, night games, artificial turf, and new pitches like the slider, right?” Cobb said, “No. I’d only hit .310 because I am 72 years old.”

One thing I know about baseball is that the good players have short memories, selective memory. Forget the strikeout.

This evening I want to look at, John 5:1-9, verse by verse:

Talking about someone that was stuck, this man by the pool of Bethesda was stuck. 38 years, a beggar, no one would listen.

John 5:1-2NIV Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.

There are 2 scenes this evening:

Jesus attended a Jewish feast in Jerusalem (v.1). .Scene 1: the diseased and the ill—a picture of the world’s desperate need (vv.2–4). Scene 2: Jesus and the man—a picture of Jesus’ power to meet the world’s need (vv.5–9).

Modern archaeological excavations have uncovered what is believed to be the ancient pool of Bethesda. Located near the sheep gate, the two-pool complex was 20 feet deep and as large as a football field. Surrounded by five roofed colonnades that provided shade from the middle eastern sun, it was a natural gathering place in first century Israel.

Notice, Jesus had a need to go to this pool.

John 5:3-[4] Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [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.

Many Bibles leave out verse 4, stating verse 4 should say, that this was superstition in that day.

Regardless, archaeologists have found that this stirring of the pool water came from under ground natural springs. However, word grew that this stirring was angels. (The first one in was healed)!

False assumptions/ superstitions, can hurt many people.

News got out, “First one into the water after the water was stirred was the winner, winner, chicken dinner!” It was false hope based on false assumption.

False assumption feeds off of works. Flesh. It breeds condemnation. It say’s, “You’re never worthy, you’re no good. You’re a loser.”

Listen, No where in the Bible do angels heal people. Angels are created by God. The assignment for angels hasn’t changed, they are to worship God, and proclaim Jesus.

Exodus 23:25NKJV “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

Believing you are children of God, Sons of God, Daughters of God. Trusting He has you and He has this. Whatever ‘this’ is. P.H

This lame man had been waiting at the pool for 4-decades! We believers might have some faults assumptions, or maybe superstitions. Like Friday the 13th, or wearing a favorite sock, lucky sock. Making an imaginary X on your windshield if a black cat crosses the street.

Superstitions, and false assumptions stop many from growing.

What are you waiting for?

Testimony: It might sound funny now, but I assure you when it occurred it was weird and scary.

I had this Pentecostal lady on my insurance route, off hwy. 61, near the Cartersville Airport.

I showed her a place on my hand, and all the sudden she had a remedy for me. More like a potion. I was to go and circle a tree 7 times...She was to speak and blow over my hand.

John 5:5NIV One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

For 38 years a handicap parking permit hung in the invalids window. He had a reserve spot at the pool Bethesda. Day in and day out, he begged for money from the bathers. Most would never make eye contact with him and rarely did he get any hand-out. P.H

This invalids greatest handicap wasn’t physical. His most debilitating handicap was mental– a faults assumption that he needed to be the first one into the pool of Bethesda when the water was stirred.