“Do you want to be healed?”
Communion Fellowship Church Podcast
John 5:1-17 (November 10, 2024)
Again, reading for you and preaching for you out of John chapter 5 verses 1 through 17. Here now the word of the Lord. After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, a pool. An Aramaic called Beththiza, which has five Ruth colonnades. In these lay a multitude of envelopes, blind, lame and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an envelop for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed and walk." And at once the man was healed and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed." But he answered them, "The man who healed me, that man said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk?'" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was for Jesus had withdrawn as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you are well. Send no more that nothing worse may happen to you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this is why the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working into now, and I am working." Faith comes from hearing and hearing the Word of Christ. May he write this Word on our hearts. He may be seated. It may have been a while, but not too long of a while, that I often make analogies and illustrations related to going on vacation. That's one of the things that I've always enjoyed thinking about and talking about. That's funny, we just went on these two big trips in the last couple of months and I'm thinking, "What's next?" And I wonder if I've ever gone a period of time more than a couple of weeks without planning the next trip on going on some kind of vacation. And it's interesting that being able to go on vacations is a bit of an art. It's an art and a skill. It's kind of a combination of both of being able to have a successful trip because some of our worst times have been on vacations and some of our best times have been vacations. But I want to ask you, this is kind of a survey question, how many of you, when you go on vacation, say that it is the most restful time of your life? Do I see some coming close? There's one. I've got one hand. Most of the time, it's interesting that it's not really done to get rest, though we think about that we need a break, we need a rest, but it's usually not the thing. And it's interesting that I find, as I observe, when I kind of not make my expectations for myself the same way as how I've learned how to have good vacations is to change my expectations and to allow myself to be in a situation where I'm really trying to give my children and my life new experiences. Because I know for Jennifer, her most restful time of vacation is if we all leave her at the condo by herself with a stack of books. That's rest to her. That's where true rest is. If she was looking for a restful time, it's not going here or there, it's not hanging out by the pools, definitely not going to the beach. That's not restful to her being absent from the noise in the requirement of the family is rest. And so I've learned that for me to have enjoyment is to not be focused on rest. But I observe people, especially when you go to places where rest is the theme where people are supposed to be lounging and hanging out, people are just really tense in most cases. Every once in a while, I'll see somebody that is just zoned out and maybe they've done something to allow themselves to be zoned out, I'm not sure. But it's interesting that in most cases, when you go to a vacation destination, rest is not there. This particular passage opens up in a very interesting way because it's funny the things that catch my mind when I'm reading through the scriptures because I'm looking for theological and doctrinal things to be preaching about. And then when I see something that's a description and a narrative that doesn't seem to have a specific doctrinal thing, it's always very interesting to me. And here we have in this very first part, in the second verse, these five roof colonnades. And I'm like, well, I'm trying to find the symbolic meaning and I think I've read some commentaries where there's people who say that. And I think in general, it's not really meant to give us any kind of direct theological parallel or anything. It's a place by a pool with these porta casheres, these kind of porches, roofed, shady porches where there are these tons of people who are there to be refreshed and to be healed by the pools that are there. But we know from this particular scene that this is probably not a restful scene, that this is a scene of really despair. There are tons of people there, it says that there are envelopes there and if you think about what that word means, these are people who are incapable of doing things and even goes deeper, not just telling us that there are envelopes all surrounding this pool. They are blind, they are lame, they are paralyzed. And in many respects we can see that the architectural and layout of this, if there were no people there, it would look like a vacation destination, it would look like a place that is meant for refreshing and healing and nourishing, but it is full of people who are completely helpless. Kind of reminds me of my vacations. We see these beautiful places that are meant to be places of refreshment and really it is just people striving to try to get that postcard look of their vacation and it is not working out and they are just fighting and striving and stressed or spending money they don't have and they are eating food that is not good for them and it is really just kind of like a spiral of whirlpools. This is really in some respects sometimes and it is not always that way, you want them out. You want them to be a vacation, you are such a pessimist, but it is the reality in many cases that what it is designed to do is not really the reality. We see this here and there is so much really symbolism, I think John is trying to show us that there is something here that is appointing to something, there are these shadows, these even real shadows, there is a shade here. There is refreshing water, there is the sheep gate and if you recall from going through Nehemiah with us that this is the place where the sacrificial animals would come through, the sheep would come in so that they could worship the Lord with having a lamb presented before the Lord so that they may enter into his presence and receive a tome. There is so much here even the word Beth Fazda is means mercy, it means a place of mercy, it means a place of flowing fountains. Everything here in this setting with the exception of the people is to be a thing of refreshment but we have to start contrast that all of these people that are in the midst of all of these blessings are blind, lame, paralyzed. They are completely helpless and here we have one who has gone 38 years in this condition. It seems hopeless, 38 years is a long time, so long time to be an invalid. My three points today is going to be the things that Jesus, actually four points, sorry messed up. My four points today are the words that Jesus said, if you have one of those Bibles that are the red letter additions where the words that Jesus spoke in the Gospels are in red, then you will see my points laid out perfectly well, you will see five sections but one time is just repeating what he said when he told him to take up his bed. So the four points if you look through that particular section of scripture are the things that Jesus said. Now I just want to as a side note just because of a hang up that I have of course all of the words of God's word is God's word. In some way I have kind of a negative mindset toward the red letters, at least some of the posture toward the red letter additions because some people say well these are the most important words and they are truly important words that this is all of God's word but in this case it would benefit you if you happen to have a red letter addition because you can see the very specific things that Jesus spoke in this narrative and you will see my four points the first being do you want to be healed just also the title of my sermon, secondly get up take up your bed and walk, thirdly see you are well send no more than nothing worse may happen to you and then lastly my father is working into now and I am working. The great thing about a red letter addition copy of the scriptures here is that these four particular points really embody the fullness of the Christian life as I have been studying the book of John there are a lot of different things that are highlighted in the book of John that are unique in the gospels compared to the other three and one of the things that I have been learning about that coming to understand and see with the aid of other pastors who have written good commentaries is that what John is highlighting is highlighting Jesus and also the calling of the church and I didn't catch that I mean I assume that sometimes whenever I'm preaching as a pastor I am thinking about how to deliver the word of God to the people in the church but that it is a very specific thing it's you see that the audience is the disciples there's a circumstance where the impact is supposed to affect the followers of Jesus in a different way that it is written out in a masterful way by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to show the elevation and the wonder of Jesus but to create a response in his people and in this particular segment in this particular sermon today it happens to be that these four particular comments really embody the Christian law. So I do hope that you would put yourself in place as being an audience to Jesus as he asked these questions and this first question is really one of the most interesting ones because he asked a man and it seems almost ridiculous he asked this man do you want to be healed? It was funny and lighted even last week's sermon some of the things that Jesus does doesn't seem to be the most pastoral approach the things you know it's like going into a hospital and somebody is sick and Donnie is like would you like to be better it's like okay we need we've got a lunatic here of course I want to be better but what a poignant question for everyone and it's really a loaded question for us to to hear this do you want to be healed do you even know what you need to be healed up what is it that you truly want and desire and there's so many different layers of this question not trying to figure it all out but just looking at this particular passage in light of the context there in what we see in the painting in the setting this beautiful colonnade covered area full of these helpless people you can hear that Jesus is asking do you realize just helpless you really are and how much you really need rest that even in light of the circumstances for this man who is paralyzed for 38 years that you would think he would be the expert on knowing that he would want to be healed that he would want to be refreshed that he would want to have some rest that even the question is probing deeper into this man do you realize just how much you really need me in the response trying to figure out what this man is is saying when he responds with these two what comes across as excuses he says sir I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up well what is going on here is that this setting in the midst of Jerusalem in the midst of where the sheet gate is not far from the temple in this beautiful setting that God has constructed for his people to come to be in his presence where they've come to be able to find atonement where they've been able to come to find forgiveness in God what these people are doing here around this pool that was designed and built by God under the shade that has been provided by God they are actually entrapped in this superstition go figure just like God's people right that there is going to be an angel that comes down and stirs up the pool and if you get in you'll get healed and they're looking and they're longing for a healing in the midst of where they are to find true healing and true redemption and he says that I don't have anyone to put me into where I need to be now that it seems like there's an immediate contradiction and he says and while I'm going another steps down before me so when you were going you just said that no one was taking so you know who knows what he's meaning by this but he's basically saying I can't I'm helpless I don't have anyone to help me and other people have an advantage on me I can't get into where I need to be I can't get to these living waters now if you've been following along you know where the themes of John is light and life and water refreshing water the conversation that he has with the woman at the well the changing the water into wine that their Jesus is making it very clear here and we see it again that he is the water that brings true refreshment and so surely we should carry that baggage with us as we're standing there we're like oh I know the answer to this one I know the answer he's going to make himself out to be the one and that would be the right thing but before you get too far and say okay I'm not going to be called up like I was last time where I was really in the place of the woman and and I was also you know with the disciples too I know the answer he's the living water now before you go that far I encourage you keep being with the paralyzed man you you want to be because you need to hear the question do you want to be healed do you know what it is that you desire a need do you realize how helpless you really are and how much you need his rest that he need his presence that you need his mercy in a substitutionary atonement how much you need his life and the refreshment of his living waters and how much do you realize that you cannot do this on your own how much do you realize that you are totally paralyzed you're blind you're lame you're ultimately simply dead without Jesus Christ there's nothing in this man's response we look at this in the sea it seems like kind of a somewhat ridiculous question but we know Jesus is not ridiculous so we're going to assume upon some spiritual depth to it but we can say well the answer though is probably somewhat seem even seems inconsistent it seems kind of blame shifting it seems that he is just pointing out that he is helpless maybe in an earthly way maybe he doesn't maybe he does in a way we're left with seeing this sick man that his answer is not really a good theological answer if you were trying to interview someone to maybe come baptized at a member of the church you would not say this is not a really good answer that would show that he has saving faith that's the point he doesn't have a theologically constructed answer but what happens in the narrative here Jesus says to him get up and take up your bed and walk and then thankfully we have this commentary side note going on what's going on here in verse 9 it says at once the man was healed and he took up his bed and walked what do we see here can the man this is a really simple question kids you should be able to follow this did Jesus heal him because he got up did Jesus reward him with healing because he obeyed his command what does the scripture say it says that immediately he was healed and he took up his bed he couldn't we know with the context of the story it's so clear he can't do anything he has to be healed first he has to be transformed first he has to be given life it's not a reward and like I'm saying I don't even it's not it's not one of those situations where Jesus would even say that your faith has made you well or this is man's making a statement here that's one of the best displays of faith that I've ever seen no it kind of looks like a pretty helpless and lame answer and God heals him saves him from his paralysis state and commands him to do the thing that he's given him strength and life to do he doesn't have to say what's just cool trick you know I'll put the water on you for you he didn't have to do anything but one thing he spoke to this man and it healed in the man response and he takes up his bed and he walks and then we have this overlapping lesson that this happened on the Sabbath oh you know wherever in the gospel whenever the Sabbath is mentioned it's going to get interesting right before we go into that particular component I want to ask and again this is a question that you can answer and and children you please you know come into this to and answer this there's three things that are commanded by Jesus to the man he says get up take up your bed and walk all right he simply said rise get up from your situation and he tells him to go and walk and it can also even mean to live right in the middle is to take up your bed why would Jesus be worried about that when you think about it okay if I'm going to do you know a situation where like you see on TV if you're healing show okay and somebody's coming up and and they've got their wheelchair their cane or whatever and and if I'm able to actually perform a miracle and he'll somebody from their lame situation I'm like get up and walk oh get your cane get your your stuff you know you wouldn't you wouldn't do that right it would be kind of like it's a side note it's kind of like you don't need to worry about that this is pretty an amazing situation the guy has been like this for 38 years there's all of this stuff around here and nothing's helping anybody they need Jesus he just spoke to the guy he heals the guy and in the middle that he says will kick up your bed to while you're leaving like is he gonna meet freak or what why would Jesus tell him to take up his bed anybody have an answer for it I want to ponder a guess why would he do that he doesn't need to come back there again with it right he's not coming back there just lay around I think he is because I think how the Pharisees are going to respond he does something you know if it was just a spiritual thing I mean I never did to spiritual I think that's for sure he's he's and it's the whole lessons of spiritual thing here we have in the midst of this one is the first point being do you want to be healed do you realize how helpless you are do you realize how you are because of the corruption of sin because of the corruption of the sin you've inherited because of the sin of your own life you are completely helpless do you realize that and then we have really what is ultimately the call of the gospel to get up take up your bed and walk what does Jesus do when he comes onto the scene in the gospel he preaches repent and believe for the kingdom of heaven is at hand turn from your death turn from your paralyzed state turn from your blindness turn from being at a place of death do not come back turn away walk away yes the spiritual component is there don't come back to this particular state and we see him emphasize this more and the third point as well but to turn away and walk and live believe trust him there had to be faith given and a life of faith instilled into this man to be able to get up from his dead state into no longer anticipate being back in that state ever again and to walk in the newness of life we are called to leave our blind and lame paralyzed state and to live in Christ you have been healed you have been given life now follow him and if that's not enough for us to be just letting this soak in then John gives this this and it happened on the Sabbath and so the Jews said to the man in verse 10 it says it is the Sabbath it is not lawful for you to take up your bed poor guy can't get a break you know he's stuck from being in this superstitious mindset that these waters are going to heal him and now as he's doing what the master tells him to do the religious leaders come in there and they start doing man's tradition laws upon him in such a way that he's getting strapped by teaching in another direction that is going to handicap him that's one of the warnings we see in the epistles for those who are leading people to watch out for false teachers that's a constant work for those who are called to be the undershepherds of Christ to be looking out for those who are going to come in and start confusing the sheep in the very beginning but we might say what you know it is you know they've kind of got a point yeah we understand that we're not supposed to be working here and what we're beginning to see is it's building up not so that we can just see the realities of the difficult of legalism but it's getting to a nice point for us to understand who is this person that's the big question they're wanting to know who told you this he responds he says the man that told me to get up kind of like hey this guy don't mean he told me this guy whatever he tells me to do I'm going to do all right I'm in here for 38 years he's I don't even know who this guy is but I'm going to do what he told me so this guy told me to do this and they're like who told you this who is this one this man who told you to take up your bed and walk and the man who had been healed did not know who it was where Jesus had withdrawn as there was a crowd in the place he didn't have a theological construct of know how to even respond to Jesus he didn't even know who Jesus was when Jesus came to him and saved him from his death this is a very clear instruction to us this man is not only helpless he is clueless and God saved his own testimony tells him that he's at this place where he even in his salvation he still doesn't understand who this is and aren't we like that who is this man that saved you I ask you can you tell me who Jesus is now surely we have good theological answers we are studied in the word of God but do we realize who is this one because the point that John wants us to understand is he really wants you to know and believe who Jesus is he tells us that at the end of the book that's the whole point is so that we might believe that Jesus is who he says he is now afterward verse 14 Jesus found him in the temple and said to him see you are well sin no more that nothing worse can happen to you so now look at what's going on here here we have a man in a helpless state completely helpless state Jesus comes to him Jesus comes to him speaks to him heals him gives him new life he follows him he obeys him he responds to this new life and faith a child like faith and ignorant faith but a faith that has been transformed and given to him by God he even has to encounter being attacked as soon as he's trying to walk in this newness of the Lord and where does he go he goes to worship the Lord I remember he doesn't even know how he really got there he knows that he's supposed to be there but he doesn't really understand how many people actually go to church they don't even really know why they're going they just know they should be there I talk to so many people now say hey where do you go to church somewhere and they'll say no but I need to be in church and you know that they're growing in the Lord but they've been drawn to the place that God is drawing his people together drawing people into his presence and so he's there at a place where you're to worship and reflect and to meditate on the presence of God the reality of the Lord the greatness of the Lord into know the Lord and he gets to meet the Lord in that place and Jesus himself reminds him with his words to look to see again keep bringing some of the passages that came from before to look up to see you have been healed and do you think this man needs to be reminded that he's been healed yes he does need to be reminded that he's been healed do you think you need to be reminded that you have been saved and healed from life from death into life yes you need to be reminded by the words of Jesus see you have been healed explanation point celebrate this is wonderful when we come to worship the Lord but God's people gather corporately we are coming to hear all kinds of things and do all kinds of things but one is to remind each other see you have been healed as he's maybe thinking about what the Pharisees said you know he's like well the Pharisees said that I've broken the law by taking up my bed and he's maybe maybe pondering upon that and he's like I don't even know how I got here I don't even know how this happened other than this man I don't even know who he is and as he comes he's told by Jesus see you have been what you made well and then he instructs him commands him gives him more instruction send no more that nothing worse may happen to you do you think that if we've been forgiven if we have the hope of what has been given to us on the cross if we have his atonement if our place with him has been secure if we have shown forth fruit of faith through repentance and faith do we need to be commanded to stop sinning yes we need to be commanded to not sin we need that warning but it's a song of warning to each other that is so laced with grace and mercy this whole section is just full of it when you see that the sheep gate in the water and the name of the place is just a fountains of mercy but we see there in the midst of that a reminder of our condition with how God we see our condition with God and we also see a warning to continue to walk with him and in him turn to your Bibles to Psalm 34 I want to read Psalm 34 and I want you to to see that what Jesus is telling him in these three particular things he's telling him to see that you're well to remember the blessing to reflect to meditate on the blessing of your healing but to send no more but also to give a warning of what happens to those who are not going to continue to walk with the Lord Psalm 34 it says I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth my soul makes its boast in the Lord let the humble hear and be glad oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together I sought the Lord and he answered me he delivered me from all my fears those who look at him are radiant and their face shall never be ashamed the poor man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all of his troubles the angel the Lord encamps around those who fear him and delivers them oh taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man who takes refuge in him oh fear the Lord you his saints for those who fear him have no lack the lung yah lion suffer want the lung young lion suffer want and hunger but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing come oh children listen to me I will teach you the fear the Lord what is man what man is there who desires life and loves many days but he may see good keep your tongue from evil in your lips from speaking deceit turn away from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it the eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous and he hear in his ears toward their cry the face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the memory of them from the earth when the righteous cry for help the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles the Lord is near to the broken hearted and saves the crushed in spirit many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of all of them he keeps all his bones not one of them is broken affliction will slay the wicked and those who hate the righteous will be condemned the Lord redeems the life of his servants none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned there's a lot to say about that Psalm this is a wonderful song that is mixed with all of the things that Jesus tells this man who is now in the place of identified with righteousness that's one of the things we need to remember that when we are given that term righteousness is not because it's saying because those who've shown forth these righteous works of themselves but those who have been saved into righteousness should continue to walk in that righteousness they begin to have that identity because they were saved by him may know the context of this particular Psalm Psalm 34 you might if you have your Bibles you could see maybe a heading there at the top it's when he was conversing with a blooming like is anybody remember the the situation there when he was talking to the high priest the blooming like well he was in trouble all right he's been given this promise of a kingdom but who's he running from Saul and Saul is trying to kill man and he is weary and he is hungry and he is ill equipped and a blooming like this is an interesting story it's kind of like I was saying in the prayer time it's a it's not a perfect story it's got all kinds of like why did he tell him this and why is this going on and there's it's not a perfect scenario it's a broken scenario like we see in in Samuel and if I tell you where that is it's in 1st Samuel 21 by the way you don't have to turn there but just for your for your reference to go back but he's basically hungry and defenseless and he's asking a blooming like do you have something to eat and he says I don't have any regular bread I just have this holy bread that's meant for worship that's meant for the priest we see this even kind of breaking of the rules there's these five loaves here that are not meant to just nourish for the physical they're meant for the holy spiritual worship of God that's all I've got for you I just have the bread of life to feed you with and then he hears about his situation and it's still looking pretty grim on the battlefront and and he's like you know what am I going to do what am I going to fight with how am I going to defend myself do you have a weapon and he's like the only the only weapon I have is behind the Ephid here is this sword that was Goliath's sword when God showed you and gave you victory over death that he would says that will do a reminder of God's victory over the giant he feeds him the table he gives him the symbol of the sting of death being taken from the enemy and that's what we put back in the enemy's face the sword that belong to your servant Goliath Satan that's what's going to put you to end is the truth of my salvation that is what Jesus is reminding this paralytic former paralytic now one made righteous that you are well go and send no more remember the darkness of the death there's a reason why I told you to take up your bed you don't want to go back there there's no reason for you to go back there don't even pretend you see Paul in the epistles that's not us why do we go on saying this is not who we are we don't need to have nap time at the colon aid location anymore we're past that God has saved us from that the man went away now he knows now he's been refreshed by again the word of God to remind him that he has been made well to remind him that he's been made well far beyond his paralyzed state he's been told to send no more because he has been freed from the captivity the blindness the lameness of sin so the man went away and he does what we all should do he went and told the Jews I know who this is this is Jesus who healed me and this is why the Jews were persecuting Jesus because again he was doing these things on the Sabbath what does Sabbath mean rest it's like they argue right in the midst they're missing out at the very point but Jesus himself is going to have to teach them that Sabbath was made for man it's not of man it's not yours to do as you please the whole point of this is rest but then Jesus proclaims in my fourth point my father is working until now and I am working now he's said some fighting words it's one thing to have all the anxious mindset that you can heal people on the Sabbath but you just equated yourself with God and all God's people say amen because only God can do what has happened here Jesus says I am working I am working he says the Sabbath was for man not man for the Sabbath the Sabbath was made for me a not man for the Sabbath so the son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath Mark 2 27 through 28 next week we'll talk about the conflict of what is being said here but this is where we need to make sure that we land in all of our worship and all of our walk is to understand not only what we have been healed and saved from but who it is that has saved us that this Jesus is the son of man he is the son of God he is God himself he is glory and righteousness and all life he is the one that John is saying don't look at me look at him he is everything he is everything we would ever need so we need to ask ourselves these questions again and again and again to the one who does not know the Lord do you want to be healed do you know how sick you really are to the one who is not in the place of following the Lord who is there sitting at the pool looking for rest from a place that cannot give rest that is captive to their own sinful state that are captive to trying to find rest in a mat in a location in a water in a shade that is only temporary do you realize what Jesus has and who he is to be able to heal those do you know how burdened and helpless you really are to the church to the community to the nation do you realize how burdened and helpless we are we look at the political scene and we're like oh my goodness this is such a close call no that's just a not even the tip of the iceberg of just how bad of a state that we are in this is just one little blip of mercy a measure of mercy is still in the midst of great judgment that is due for this nation and for this community and brothers and sisters for the whole church because we're the ones who have failed to be a beacon of light in this community and in our nation there's so much judgment there's so much helplessness there's so much sin do we realize and do we not to be healed we have to realize how helpless we are it's almost a cartoon joke if we think we sure did miss this one thank goodness we've got Trump if you rest in that I didn't pick the song for today in our reading we don't want to trust in princes we don't want to trust in Trump I pray that Trump is a J who in the time of a Jezebel but jayhood needed Jesus really badly and we need Jesus to the one who knows the Lord that is surrounded by God's people by his church by his preaching of his word by songs that proclaim his name by the sacrament by crosses on the wall do you want to be healed do you know how burdened and helpless you are without Jesus do you see that you have been healed do you remember therefore sin no more sin no more and remember what he has nourished us with victoriously he gives us to feed us the worship and the praise of who he is and then he gives us reminders not a sword but a cross where he took the steam of the enemy away from the enemy and now uses it to remind the enemy you are powerless my people have my strength and there is nothing that you have over them let us pray our heavenly Father we thank you for