Wanting What God Wants Series

SERIES: Miracles with a Message #3

TITLE: Wanting What God Wants?

TEXT: John 5:1-9 (1-18)

INTRO: A wealthy man threw a party at his mansion...new saltwater pool...ocean fish. At the party...released sharks into the pool. Offered a Million dollars...anyone brave enough to swim across. There was a splash...someone started swimming across at...record speed. Then the swimmer jumped out of the pool...completely out of breath. Everyone...congratulating him on his courage. The man said, "I only have one question…WHO PUSHED ME?" Our story today, is not about a man being pushed into a pool but about a man who was trying to get into a pool.

I. THE BACKGROUND OF THE MIRACLE (v.1-5)

A. The House of Mercy

1. Bethesda means "house of mercy" ...a double pool'

surrounded by colonnades on 4 sides and a fifth

colonnade that separated the northern & southern pools.

2. The pool was stirred occasionally by a tremor or the

gurgling of a spring.

3. There was a traditon that an angel caused the stirring of

the water and "whoever entered the water first... would

be healed"

4. So in the 5 porches there lay a multitude of those who

were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the

moving of the waters

B. Looking for Mercy

1. One man with an infirmity had been there 38 years

2. How many times had he come close, but lacked the

strength...

3. Some problems are beyond our ability to solve

4. Help has to come from beyond us

II. THE ELEMENTS OF THE MIRACLE (vs. 6-8)

A. When Jesus Came By

1. He saw the man and was aware of his condition

2. We may think He doesn't notice our troubles, but

He does

3. Jesus asked the man a question:

"Wilt thou be made whole?" (v.6b)

4. In (Mar.10:51) Jesus asked a blind man

"...What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?"

5. He did not always demand faith, but He did demand

agreement

B. Not Everyone Wants a Real Solution

1. People do strange things to avoid change

# A young man in the 1960’s who did not want to be drafted. So he had all of his teeth pulled to make himself unfit for military duty. But when he took his physical, he was declared unfit because of his flat feet.

2. Some don't really want..improve - addicted to..infirmity

3. Would rather be a victim than be responsible....life

# Professor began his class by writing 4 2 on the blackboard. Then he would ask, "What's the solution?" One student would call out, "Six." Another would say "Two." Then several would shout out "Eight!" But the teacher would shake his head and say, "All of you failed to ask the key question: What is the problem? Unless you know what the problem is, you cannot possibly find the answer."

4. The man at the pool had given up hope [v.7]

C. Then Jesus Performed The Third Sign Miracle [v.8]

III. THE EFFECT OF THE MIRACLE [vs.9-18]

A. The Immediate Healing of the Man

1. The healing was Instantaneous

2. It was Complete

3. It was Undeniable

B. A Sabbath Controversy [v.9b]

1. The rulers of the Jews didn't rejoice that a man had

been healed

2. They had added to the law their own interpretation of

what constituted "work" on the sabbath

3. When the Pharisees criticized the Disciples for

picking grain to eat on the Sabbath, Jesus said,

"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the

sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the

sabbath." (Mar 2:27-28)

CONCL: Do You Want What God Wants for You?

Or do you just what you want without regard to God’s will?

Are you willing to risk everything to serve Him?

When Jesus comes into our life, He changes everything!

Amen