DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE HEALED?

PROCLAMATION

“… Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool … called … Bethesda … In these days lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water steeped in was made whole …  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.  When Jesus saw him … He saith unto him, ‘Wilt thou be made whole?’ …  Jesus saith unto him, ‘Rise, take up thy bed and walk.’  And immediately the man was made whole …”  John 5:1-9 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to the Apostle John and were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this chapter, John records the incident with an invalid male at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem.  The man had been affected for thirty-eight years when Jesus saw him and asked him if he wanted to get well. (John 5:1-6)  Rather than answer the question, the man began to offer excuses regarding why he had not gotten well.  Jesus told the man to get up, pick up his bed and walk, and at once he was cured. (John 5:7-9)  This upset the Jewish leaders because it occurred on the Sabbath and it was not lawful to work on the Sabbath. (John 5:9-10)  They wanted to know who told him to pick up his bed and walk, but he did not know. (John 5:10-13)  Sin may have been the cause of this man’s problem because later Jesus saw him in the temple and told him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him. (John 5:14)  The remainder of the chapter deals with Jesus offering His justification and authority to do what He did.  Jesus performed His third public miracle and the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him for it. (John 5:16-47)

 

APPLICATION

All too often we beat around the bush instead answering a direct question.  Frequently we offer excuses for our behavior or our inability to get something done.  Jesus was questioning this man’s faith; Jesus knew that he was sitting by the pool because he wanted to be healed.  Our faith is tested regularly.  We cannot have a testimony without first having gone through a test.  Too many of us are focused on our problems or our situation, and we are waiting for someone to help us.  We do not realize that faith in The Lord God is all that we need.  He can heal and give life to whomever He pleases. (John 5:21)  He is omnipotent.  He has the power to heal you.  The question is, do you believe in Him and do you want to be healed?