Introduction:
I. One thing I know, when it comes to doing something good for others, there is no shortfall of opportunities.
A. All around us are people in need of something.
1. People sick in the hospital, can be an opportunity to visit, and share God’s love.
2. People in nursing homes, often basically abandoned by so-called loved ones, who have their own life to live, are an opportunity to share God’s love.
3. Children that are abused and ignored by parents.
4. The alcoholic, the drug addicted, the food addicted, the homeless,
5. In some cases, just the person that has given up on life.
B. If we were to take the time to make a list of people in need, and therefore opportunities to serve, there would probably not be enough time to complete the list.
C. And at least sometimes we or should I say “I” feel guilty because we aren’t doing enough to help;
1. After all, we are supposed to be like Jesus and help everyone, aren’t we.
2. We are supposed to have some positive response for every opportunity that presents itself, aren’t we?
II. BUT, and here is a question to ponder; while Jesus physically walked this earth, did He in fact HELP everyone?
III. And here is another question; This very day, is Jesus helping everyone?
A. I suppose if we want to get philosophical we would answer, “Of course He is.”
B. Or we might say, “Well Romans 8:28 says, ‘And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.’”
C. But that really doesn’t answer the question, “Does God help everyone?”
IV. Now certainly, through his birth, life, death, and most especially his resurrection, Jesus Christ offers the ultimate help to everyone that will believe.
V. But I believe if we get real honest, we would be forced to admit that while Jesus walked on this earth, He in fact did not “help” everyone that he came into contact with, or everyone that He had the opportunity to help.
A. The gospel’s are full of stories of Jesus dealing with the multitudes, and healing many, even multitudes.
B. But the gospel’s also tell of Jesus, getting away from the crowds for times of prayer and reflection, even while multitudes were still in need of help.
VI. In the story we will look at this morning, Jesus passes over an entire crowd of people, and heals only one person, and the fact is that one person,
A. May not have even wanted to be helped,
B. Certainly didn’t seem to respond in a positive way to his healing,
C. He was in no hurry to offer any defense for the person who had healed him,
D. And in fact, probably did not receive healing based on his faith, nor exercise faith in Christ after the healing, unless we count the fact that he did get up and walk.
VII. And yet, the picture I get is of Christ, stepping over many that could be healed, in order to heal one that only offered excuses for why he wasn’t already healed.
VIII. Go figure.
IX. Let’s look at John chapter 5, beginning with verse 1.
Look Past The Multitude (Vs. 1-6)
5:1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. 3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] 5 And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”
I. Best estimates believe that this is probably the second year of Jesus public ministry.
A. The last time John shows Jesus in Jerusalem was in chapter 2.
1. That incident was related as the time of the “Passover” feast.
2. One reason Jesus may have been going to Jerusalem for the feast was that all males within walking distance to Jerusalem were required by law and custom to come to Jerusalem.
B. Some commentators state that Jesus must have enjoyed the feast times, which were a celebration of God’s provision.
C. I believe another reason Jesus may have enjoyed feast, and the Passover feast in particular was due to the fact that larger numbers of people would be present.
II. It seems only logical to me that when large crowds gather, particularly around events concerning or coupled with faith, some might well be interested in the things of God.
III. John states that upon arrival, Jesus went to the “Sheep Gate” also called the pool at Betheseda.
A. It is believed that this pool was at the location that is now St. Anne’s Catholic Church, which was built in the 12 century.
1. I found a current picture of the church.
2. The pool is believed to have been fed by underground springs that would “bubble” from time to time.
B. Interesting that verse four states that an angel would come occasionally, and “stir the water.”
1. Was it really an angel, or just superstition; I am not going to venture a guess.
2. I do know that Paul would say to the Corinthians that man has a tendency to worship the things of God, rather than God, but never the less,
C. People gathered at the pool, with the belief that it held healing powers, and that doesn’t surprise me at all.
IV. But get this picture.
A. Jesus arrives to celebrate a feast; goes to this pool where people gather, and sure enough, a large crowd has come to the pool to be first for a miracle.
B. But picture the crowd.
1. Many were blind,
2. Many were lame,
3. Many were withering away,
4. All were sick, AND
5. All had needs that they believed this miracle water could cure,
C. And then in comes God himself.
D. It seems incredible to me.
1. This is God coming in.
a. Jesus wouldn’t really need to touch each one,
b. He wouldn’t even need to touch anyone.
2. This is God, all He has to do is speak the word, or even think the word, and immediately everyone could have been healed,
E. But He doesn’t do that.
V. It seems to have been like that everywhere that Jesus went.
A. Multitudes would gather, and yes, sometimes multitudes would receive healing,
B. But the gospel writers often, even most often seem to depict Jesus as healing someone, but not everyone.
1. A women, who reaches out to touch his garment.
2. A leper, in the midst of a crowd.
3. A demon possessed man, and on and on.
C. Even Jesus didn’t heal everyone; His focus often seems much narrower than that.
VI. Why did Jesus choose to pass over all the others, and touch this one individual?
A. Verses 5 and 6 seem to indicate it was due to the duration of his illness.
1. Was it because he had been suffering the longest.
2. Was it because this man would seem to be the most desperate.
3. In the long run, maybe because it would bring the most glory to God, because it would move him that much closer to the cross.
B. We don’t really know, but we know this,
1. Jesus looked past the many that were present, and focused in on this one individual.
2. And when He found the one, His question was “Do you want to be healed?”
VII. Where can I begin to minister to people?
A. Well the fact is we can’t help everyone that needs help.
B. But we can narrow our focus, zero in on one someone, or one group of someone’s and offer the best help that we can possibly offer.
Remove the Excuses? (vs. 5-9)
5 And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” 7 The sick man answered 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.”
8 Jesus *said to him, “Arise, take up your pallet, and walk.” 9 And immediately the man became well, and took up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.
I. Now to me, this seems like the silliest question that one could possibly ask.
A. “Do you wish to get well?”
B. And actually, the man’s answer seems equally foolish, because it was in fact not an answer to the question, but rather an excuse for why he isn’t already well.
1. “I would get well, but there is no one to help me.
2. In my house, when one of my children says something along those lines, I respond with, “What am I; chopped liver.”
II. I mean
A. Wouldn’t you assume that if someone says, “Can I help you” that they might be in a position to offer help?
B. Or wouldn’t you assume that if someone says, “Can I help you” they might be willing to help.
III. This man evidently didn’t recognize Jesus, but he also evidently didn’t recognize a valid offer of help when it appeared before him.
IV. But then perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us so much after all.
A. Don’t we often hear and make such excuses?
1. Don’t you want to lose weight?
a. Well, I’ve tried every diet on the market and they didn’t work for me.
b. Well, I go walking, but that doesn’t seem to help.
2. Do you realize that you have a habit of gossiping?
a. Well, it’s not really gossip, I’m just soliciting prayer support.
b. No, that’s not gossip, I have to vent my frustration sometimes, don’t I?
3. You really should treat your spouse better.
a. I would, but have you met my spouse.
b. I will, when they start treating me better.
B. Sometimes people are so full of excuses, they don’t even realize they are in need of help.
C. Sometimes we are so full of “I can’t do that” that we forget to appreciate what we can do.
V. In this passage, it’s almost as if Jesus didn’t even hear the man’s excuse.
A. Do you want to get well?
B. Then get up and walk.
VI. Here again, I find this rather incredible.
A. The man got up and walked.
1. No more excuses.
2. No give me a hand,
3. He just got up, picked up his pallet and walked,
B. The man got up and walked and it seems that he just walked away.
1. It’s not what you would expect,
2. Where is his gratitude?
3. Maybe this guy really didn’t want to be helped.
VII. Do we really want be like Jesus, when it comes to helping people,
A. Then we must realize that we can’t help everyone, but we can help.
1. As an individual, maybe we need to begin by focusing on one person, “Won by One” for example,
2. As a church, we must realize that we will not be a church for everyone, but we can be a church for someone, some group within the group of people in our neighborhood that need to hear about Christ.
VIII. When it comes to helping ourselves, we must realize that all to often we are making excuses to justify our not moving closer to Christ.
Follow Up Is Imperative (vs. 10-15)
10 Therefore the Jews were saying to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” 11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Take up your pallet and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” 13 But he who was healed did not know who it was; for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you.” 15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
I. I would like to draw our attention to verse 14.
A. After we have narrowed our focus, and reached out to someone in need.
B. After we have removed any excuses, and presented the truth, whether it is accepted or not,
C. What is next.
II. In my NASB, verse 14 say’s Jesus “found him in the temple”
A. The idea of this found is not that Jesus just stumbled across the man and said,
1. “How have you been?” or
2. “I see you can still walk.”
B. This text indicates that Jesus had made a search for the man.
III. The man had been helped physically.
A. But physical help is not what is ultimately important.
B. Ultimately Christ concern was for his spiritual well being.
IV. This is the only time in scripture that I can think of where Jesus healed someone, apart from faith.
A. No one approached Jesus on the man’s behalf
B. The only possible place that “faith” seems to come in play is that the man obeyed, got up and walked; but he never asked for anything, nor offered Christ praise; even a simple thank you.
V. Christ looked for this man, to offer him some good advice
A. Stop sinning, and that is the construction of the phrase here,
B. Stop sinning, NOW.
VI. I am not quite sure what all that means.
A. This is the only time that I can see that Jesus healed apart from faith,
B. This also appears to me to be the only time that Jesus ever associated a physical illness with sin.
VII. But here is the point that I would like us to understand from this passage this morning.
A. We cannot help everyone.
1. We can’t have every program, or every ministry that is out there.
2. But we can have some.
B. If we want to help anyone, we have to have a narrow focus on what gifts, talents and abilities God has given us.
1. God, how do you want to make Yourself known to this community, at this time, through this church body?
2. That is a valid prayer that we need to pray more often.
C. We must not make excuses.
1. We don’t need to concern ourselves with what we cannot do.
2. There are enough things that we can do.
3. Let’s just do those, and do those to the best of our ability.
VIII. God is and will work, if we just stay obedient to Him.
