Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?

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