INTRODUCTION:
Outline:
1. The Man’s Complaint:
2. The Master’s Compassion:
3. The Master’s Commission:
Remarks: The setting of the lesson is one of joy and celebration. It was one of the feast days of the Jews. There was sing, eating and laughter throughout the city for many. However, on a porch some where in the same city, at a pool called Bethesda, there was no celebration, no feasting, and no laughter. For many lay there sick of all types of diseases. Our Lord chose not to eat at a friends house, that he may visit this pool to find a patient there to express compassion, concern and healing. For this patient, like all others impotent folk, blind, halt, withered; all lay there waiting for the troubling of the water. "For an angel of the Lord went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had." Verse 4
BODY OF LESSON
I. THE MAN’S COMPLAINT:
A. A certain man (in a pitiful state) was there, which had an infirmity. Verse 5. He was a man who lacked friends, he was helpless, but not hopeless. "He laid there with a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, withered, waiting for the moving of the water." Bethesda, meant - the house of mercy. Some how God’s mercy had seemed to overlooked this man for thirty eight years. It seems he was forgotten by all, family, friends, and even those who once laid there with him, but were healed and forgot those who were yet at the pool. There are many today who haven’t had one day of peace; one day without pain; one day without feeling helpless; as they lay hopelessly without family and friend, seeing their bodies wasting away. And we complain about our aches, and pains, and the discomfort of sitting to long on hard chairs. We are blessed; and don’t even know it. Illustrate: Our afflictions; our infirmities. They are light weight.
B. A man of patience. But he was a man of patience; he had this infirmity for thirty 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?" Verse 6. He layed there at this pool, eight years before Jesus was born. He was a man who knew what patience was all about. And Jesus knew of his patience and persistency! We should all pray to have they patience of this man. He was not forgotten!
C. Persistency. Notice the man’s persistency; as he makes his complaint to the Lord. "The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put men into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me." There were no complaints of suffering, no desires for piety, or cries of foul play, merely "I have no one to put me in the water." Some would have given up by now. As they watch others step down in the water before them. But not this man, he tried again and again. Never giving out of hope; always trying, though he never made it in first. This is what Paul meant in 2 Cor 4:16-18 "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day..." Keep trying, keep praying.
D. The angels preparation for healing, the pool. The angel troubled the water. He like others waited for the angel to trouble the water. This reply lets me know he understood the place where healing was to occur, in the pool. Illustrate: Healing in the church.
Zech 13:1 "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness."
Eph 5:25-27 "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it: that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,m or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
E. Provisions for healing and cleansing. "Whosoever steppeth down first was made whole of whatsoever disease he had." Each time as he made his way to the pool, someone steppeth down before him. He knew healing was in the water! God’s provision for cleansing and healing was in the water then, and in the water now!
The angel trouble the water a certain season; Jesus troubled the water 1900 years ago and it hasn’t settled down yet!
Notice: Naaman the Leper and Elisha the man of God. 2 Kings 5:13-14
1 Jn 5:8 "There are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one." Illustrate: Blood for remission of sins. Mt 26:28; Jn 19:34; Heb 9:22; Acts 2:38, 22:16.
II. THE MASTER’S COMPASSION:
A. Jesus visit the Pool of Bethesda. He went to the place where the sick were; the helpless, the deserted. He found his place among the outcast always. Our Lord had a ministry full of compassion.
Lk 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering the sight of the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord"
Notice also:
Mt 20:34 Two blind men - "Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes; and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him."
Mk 1:40 A Leper - "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and knelling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, and Jesus moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will, be thou clean."
Mt 14:14 A Multitude - "And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick."
B. The Patient. Jesus found this man, who laid there for 38 years. Verse 5-6 And asked: "Wilt thou be made whole?" Jesus heard his response; and was moved with compassion. God had shown compassion every season when he dispatched his angel to trouble the water. Somehow he had not gotten into the water in time. Yet he continued his attempt year after year. He never quit trying!
C. A miracle Performed. Jesus seen his faith and determination and had compassion on him. Jesus looked beyond what he was, to what he could be, after his healing. Jesus did not inquire of his faith. He merely replied: "Arise take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked; and on the same day was the sabbath." Verses 8 & 9 Illustrate: Fake healers; always requiring faith.
D. Person of Jesus. "And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place." Verse 13. The certainty of the healing was apparent. But the person performing the miracle was unknown to the man.
E. Persecution of Jesus. Verses 16 This miracle began the Pharisees persecution of Jesus for doing good on the Sabbath day.
III. THE MASTER’S COMMISSION:
A. Praise in the temple. "Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple." Verse 14 This was a time for praise and thanks giving. Rather than joining the feast - he went to the temple to give God thanks.
Psm 106:1 "Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord. For he is good, for his mercy endureth forever."
Psm 100:4 "Enter into his gates with thanks giving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name."
B. A time of Prayer. This was truly a time of prayer. Lk 18:1 "And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint." Also: 1 Thes 5:17
C. Purity of Life. "Jesus saith unto him, Behold, thou are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." See also Jn 8:11 To the woman caught in adultery he says: "Go, and sin no more." We have been saved to live a life of purity. A life apart from sin and unrighteousness.
D. Perilous times. "Lest a worse thing come unto thee." Verse 14 Also notice:
Lk 9:62 "Whosoever putteth his hand to the plow..."
2 Pet 2:20-22 "For if after they have escape the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ’ they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandments delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
E. Proclaimed his healing. After talking to Jesus, the man left his presence and found the Jews and proclaimed it was Jesus that Healed him. "The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole." Verse 15 Jesus would make you whole today. if you would come unto him in simple faith and trust.
Mt 11:28-30 "Come unto me all ye that labour...."
Rev 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely."
