“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”” John 5:6, 8
By Michael Adekoya – Dear Reader, the healing of the man who had an infirmity for 38 years is the third recorded miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John. This miracle demonstrated Jesus’ power over time, Sabbath, sicknesses and diseases. We shall be learning from the three major characters in this Bible passage this morning. That is, Jesus the compassionate God. The complacent impotent man. And finally the contempt religious people.
Firstly, the Compassionate Jesus. Jesus was the One who approached the man among the multitude of people at the pool of Bethesda which means, “House of Mercy”. John 5:6. But the place wasn’t living up to its name at all. For 38 years, no one has ever shown this man any mercy. Jesus showed this man more than mercy but compassion by approaching him and asked him if he wanted to be healed or not. The question may sound silly, how can someone who has been impotent for 38 years would not want to get well? It’s possible as there are some slaves who love their chains, some who love pity party, some who love to be centre of attention for wrong reasons. So Jesus needed to find out.
Jesus gave the man three commands – John 5:8. That is, rise, take up your bed and thirdly walk! Jesus told him to do what he’s never done in 38 years. There’s power to carry out any given instruction in the word of God if we make up our minds to believe and obey His word. Jesus saw the man later and told him to sin no more so that worse thing than the suffering of 38 years should not happen to him. What can be worse than that? Eternal hell fire, simple! Note here, not all sicknesses are caused by sin (John 9:3), but the principle of sowing and reaping always applicable to sinful lifestyles – (Exo. 15:26, Deut. 7:15), therefore beware. Surely, sicknesses and diseases are not from God, if it’s so, Jesus would not have gone against His own work here. As God can not tempt anyone with sin (Jam. 1:13-15), so also God can not cause you sickness as they are part of the same redemptive and atonement package for us (Ps. 103:3, Isa. 53:5, 1Pet. 2:24).
Secondly, the Complacent impotent man. The man was in the group of sick, bind, lame and paralysed people awaiting for the angelic staring of water – John 5:3-4. Beware of the company and group you keep as good communication corrupt good morals. When you are in the group of the rat race, no godly ambitions, depressed, selfish, hopeless and disgruntled people, before you know it, you will be thinking, talking and behaving as such. He has been impotent for 38 years – John 5:5, but he never gave up, he hanged on there. At least 37 people (1 person per year) would have received their healings and left. He was seeing others healed, but far fetched for him. Hearing testimonies, clapping for others and rejoicing with others, but he never experienced it. So sad!
The man answered Jesus “….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.””
John 5:7. The answer should have been ‘yes ‘ or ‘no’. But due to his depressed state, he complained why he has not been healed for these years. On the positive note, the man believed and obeyed the three commands of Jesus (John 5:9), he rose up, picked up his bed and walked which he has not done for 38 years. Again, let’s learn to believe and obey the instructions of the Bible. As Believers, we shouldn’t feel incapacitated, we have the Holy Spirit in us, the Helper to help us. If He instructs us to do something, we can surely do it (Phil. 4:13), His commands are not burdensome – 1John 5:3.
The man initially did not know who made him well – (John 5:11-12). He was healed on the account of Jesus’ compassion, power and faith. This shows that you can heal people through God’s love and compassion in you, through the power of God in you and through your own faith in God. We see these several times in the Scriptures, Lazarus who was raised from dead never had faith, he was dead anyway. The man by the beautiful gate never had faith, but Peter’s faith in the power and faith in the name of Jesus healed the man – Act 3:16. Like all other people that Jesus healed, this man was in sin and he was a sinner – John 5:14. This shows again that people’s sin is no barrier to their healing. They can be healed by prayer of faith first, confess their sin and even be saved afterwards- Jam. 5:15-16. But make sure you are saved after been healed to avoid eternal hell fire which is worse than anything anyone can imagine.
Finally on this complacent man, despite, been healed of 38 years infirmity by Jesus, the man still went to turn Jesus over to the religious people – John 5:15. He knew that there were arguments by the religious leaders about his healing on the Sabbath, he knew they were looking for Jesus to persecute Him for ‘breaking the Sabbath law’ but still, he went to expose Him to His enemies to be persecuted. You wonder sometimes how you’ll help or do good to people and still they can return evil for your good, well, you are not alone. Sometimes that’s human nature, never give up doing good anyway, as Jesus never stopped because of the persecution that followed this healing.
The third major people in this Biblical account are the contempt religious people. The man was healed on the Sabbath – John 5:9. The religious people who have seen this man in his former condition for several years, they couldn’t help or heal him, but as soon as he was healed they showed no respect for the person who healed him, nor value, happy, rejoice or celebrate the healing of this man – John 5:12. They were only concerned about their religious observances rather than appreciating and to be grateful for the Healer and the healed. Religion is truly the opium of the people. People can go as far as doing evil due to religion. The most dangerous people on earth today are the religious people, those who do things in the name of “God”, due wrong believe, ungodly evil convictions and those who have the appearance of godliness but deny His power – 2Tim. 3:5. The Bible says, “For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.”
John 5:16. Therefore, beware of religious mindset but choose to be spiritual, walk, live and act in the Spirit. “….for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2Cor. 3:6.
In conclusion, learn and follow ALL what Jesus did in this Bible passage, learn SOME spiritual principles from this man and follow NONE of the attitude of these religious people. Jesus showed compassion, He singled the man out for favour and miracle despite his complacency, He was not deterred by the accusation and persecution that will follow His miracle on the Sabbath and He warned the man of the impending worse situation, hell fire, if he continues his life as a sinner. The impotent man on the good note, displayed perseverance and refused to quit for 38 years, he simply believed and obeyed the commands of Jesus without hesitation, questioning or doubtful. But don’t follow his act of betrayal and bitting the finger that fed him. Finally, completely avoid been religious, rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, never be contemptuous of others’ miracle, blessings and progress just because they do not fit into your mould. But rather walk, act and live according to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in you or simply live out the correct interpretation of the Bible by renewing your mind. Remain blessed!
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