Believe In Miracles But Trust In GodThe Miracle at Bethesda - John 5:1-16
We are currently studying our Lord's "Miracles With A Message" from the Gospel of John. John only records for us seven of some thirty five miracles recorded in the gospels. John says that he recorded these particular miracles of Jesus in order to illustrate God's great salvation. He says that these miracles were written to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that believing you might have life through his name. They have a deeper meaning than meeting a physical need. The miracles of Jesus are great illustrations of His desire and ability to meet our spiritual needs.
We are not told exactly what this man's problem was. John tells us about the physical needs of the multitude that lay at the pool of Bethesda. Their disabilities represent the spiritual condition of our world today.
In verse 3... we have one of the most graphic descriptions of the unsaved person that is to be found in the scriptures. Here we see the unsaved pictured as... KJV = "Impotent" To be without power or strength. The Bible teaches us that every person who does not know Jesus as their Savior is "without strength." The unsaved do not have the strength to live righteously even though they may know what is right to do.
The unsaved do not have the strength to save themselves. Romans 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
The unsaved are also pictured as.. "Blind"
The lost are spiritually blind. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV) "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. {4} The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
The unbeliever is spiritually lame. Sin has crippled him morally. The unsaved are both unwilling and unable to walk or live according to God's will.
What a picture of the unsaved person. The unsaved person does nothing for God's glory. He does nothing to advance the kingdom of God. His hands and his feet are useless to the Lord. He is spiritually paralyzed.
The multitude is looking for a solution to their need. Unfortunately they look to the wrong things for an answer to their problem. Some look to alcohol, some to drugs. Others look to illicit relationships or bury themselves in recreational pleasures. What the sinner needs to realize is that, Jesus is the answer for the world today
THE SINNER'S CHOICE [John 5:6]
Note the question that Jesus asked this man. "Wilt thou be made whole?" In essence Jesus was asking... "Do you want to be made whole?" I don't believe Jesus was just asking this man if wanted to walk again. Jesus was offering this man much more than just a stronger pair of legs. Jesus was offering him the opportunity to experience the forgiveness of his sins.
This man had a decision to make. His decision represents every sinner's choice. Jesus wasn't going to force him to be whole. This man had to personally decide to respond to Jesus. Most of us have been at the same point of decision as this man. Jesus come to us and invites us to be made whole.
Sadly, many reject the Lord's offer of forgiveness and salvation. They want the results but they don't truly want to be made whole. They want healing and still cling to their sins. One of the saddest truths is that a person can die and go to hell even though Jesus reaches out to them in love.
Jesus wants to make you whole. The choice is yours. Don't turn down His offer.
THE SINNER'S CONVERSION [John 5:7-15]
Jesus' ..take up your bed, and walk." Things sound hopeless and helpless. Then he discovers that there is hope and help in Jesus. Because of Jesus this man experienced deliverance, not only from his sickness, but from his sins. Jesus was not in the healing business. There were a multitude of people there that day who had physical problems. Yet Jesus only dealt with this "certain man." After this miracle, Jesus slipped away from the crowd. If Jesus' focus had been on being a great Healer, He would have gone from person to person to heal them all.
Jesus did what He did with this man's sickness to teach us and illustrate what He can do with a man's sins. The truth is, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His purpose has not wavered. He came to seek and to save that which was lost.
The Gospel of John was not written so that the sick would be healed. It was written so that the lost might be saved. Look at this man's deliverance and notice how it pictures the sinner's conversion. This man said there was no man that would help him. But Jesus' made all the difference.
Jesus is the person of conversion. If you want to be saved then you must turn: not to the church, not to some teaching, not to some preacher, You must turn to Jesus. Jesus raised him out of his spiritual death. Jesus enabled him to walk in newness of life. Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk.
There would be no more need for him to say by the pool of Bethesda, he was whole. His past was gone. He was now walking in the of Christ. That is what conversion is for. It will transform us.
It was forbidden to carry his bed on the Sabbath. Yet, he obeyed Jesus. We don't see him arguing or denying his past sin. Here was a man who was willing to obey and submit to the authority of Jesus Christ. After he had spoken with Jesus, he did not hesitate to proclaim that it was Jesus who had made him whole. He willingly gave praise and glory to Jesus.
He had the true marks of a new convert. He was wanting to obey Jesus He was willing to proclaim Jesus
Conclusion:
When Jesus made the man whole at Bethesda, He could have entered Jerusalem through another gate. He could have avoided the pool of Bethesda and all of those with problems. However, he went to the place of need.
Today Jesus is here. He is present. He wants you to be "whole." His question is simple... Do you want to be whole? Do you want your sins forgiven? Do you want peace in your heart and soul? Do you want a new life?