tonight. John 5. Now John in his gospel gives us eight signs or eight miracles, but he calls them signs. They're signposts to instruct us about Jesus and various aspects of Christ. For instance, the first sign there, the changing of the water to wine and Cana of Galilee. And John there takes us all the way back to John chapter one, verses one through five, where Jesus was in the beginning with God and all things were created by him. that Jesus is the Creator. He changes water to wine. So that is a, there's a lot more there, but that's at least something there of the significance of the sign there in John 2. We get over here to John 5 and we have another sign, another healing, another miracle by Jesus. I often wonder how John narrowed it down to eight miracles there, eight signs in his gospel, but each one is significant, and each one, we think, corresponds to a feast. And that's one of the out of the ongoing debates about the healing here at Bethesda in John 5. This will occupy our attention tonight, verses 1 through 17. He does not mention the exact feast. However, he does say there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He just doesn't tell us what that feast was, but we will speculate a little bit about what that feast was and we'll use the context following this miracle to help reveal what that feast was. So we're in John 5 verses 1 through 17. We'll pray and get started. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. Your word is never failing. Your Word endures forever, and Lord, we need more of it. We need to stand on Your Word, and we need to cling to the promises that are in Your Word. So just instruct us tonight. We thank You for the sacred text. We believe the inerrancy of the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. We believe that we have all that you intended us to have concerning who you are and what you do in times past, in times currently, and then in the future. We believe, Lord, in the infallibility of your word. We believe in the effectiveness of your word, that it always accomplishes what you intend it to accomplish. And Lord, tonight, as we hear your word, we pray that it does a work in our hearts. And Lord, just feed us on the bread of heaven tonight. And we pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. the account here, beginning with verse one. After these things, there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticos. or colonnades. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters. For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever then first, after The stirring up of the water stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, he said to him, do you wish to get well? The sick man answered him, sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I'm coming, another steps down before me. And Jesus said to him, get up, pick up your pallet and walk. Immediately, the man became well and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, it is the Sabbath and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet. But he answered them, he who made me well was the one who said to me, pick up your pallet and walk. They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, pick up your pallet and walk? But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, behold, you have become well. Do not sin anymore so that nothing worse happens to you. The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. For this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath But he answered them, my father is working until now and I myself am working. What a wonderful sign. What a beautiful miracle. Our Lord Jesus demonstrating grace and mercy to this one man who had been lame for 38 years. In this sign, Jesus does for the man what was impossible for the man to do for himself. And this is a picture of salvation. That Jesus, here you see Jesus, and as John had introduced him in the prologue there in the first chapter, Jesus is the son of God. Jesus is almighty God. All things were created by Him, and apart from Him nothing was created that has been created." There you go. That's Jesus from eternity past, and we see that same Jesus from eternity past, here currently, right there in this portico in Jerusalem, this Bethesda, by this pool, and He is Almighty God, and He is doing what only He can do. He is imparting power to someone who is powerless. Another picture of salvation, Jesus doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We do not believe in self-salvation. In fact, you look at this pathetic picture here by this pool at Bethesda. There in verse three, in these lay a multitude of those who were sick. The sick were there. There's plenty of people who were sick. The blind were there. They were so sick they couldn't function. They were so blind that they couldn't see truth. This is a picture of sin, the effects of sin on people. The effect of sin, people become sick, sick in their thinking and in their thoughts. And the effect of sin, blindness. They can't see the truth. The effect of sin, they're lame. They couldn't, they can't do it. They can't do it on their own. They have no strength to keep God's commandments or do his will. There's no strength whatsoever. And they're withered. They have nothing, they have absolutely nothing to offer God. This is a real description of the effects of sin, and we see it in these people who, there it is, in these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered. They're not working out. They're not trying to be fit. They can't be fit. They are spiritually unfit. They are physically unfit. And there they are. You need to see them in your mind's eye. That's the way John presents this picture for us. And what are they doing? They're waiting for the moving of the waters. Rumor has it that in that day, there was the belief that at certain times, the waters of this pool of Bethesda would bubble up, just periodically. Possibly spring fed, you know how springs work, every now and then it bubbles up. Possibly it was connected to another pool. There's some indication that there were two pools and that there was some water movement between the pools, which would have caused one, at certain times, it would have caused the water to bubble up. So this pathetic group of people, a multitude, represent those sinners. There's still a multitude out there and they are severely limited. They are debilitated in their thinking and in any other aspect of life because sin affects every part of life. It affects the mind. It affects the emotions. It affects everything. and this group here represents sinners. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You read that, and these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered. That's a picture of sinners, of which you and I would have fit that category before meeting Christ and receiving Jesus. But that's, that's them. And this is a spiritual condition. We look at a physical thing here in this, um, in this story, but we have to understand this is a spiritual condition. Sin affects life. And there they are. They have nothing to look forward to there except the waiting for the moving of the waters. And if you will notice, the last part of verse 3 and all the way to the end of verse 4 is bracketed. It's bracketed in my Bible because evidently it's a late addition to the story. They think maybe some later scribe inserted it there. But it made it into the Scriptures. I accept it, I think it's, I don't have any question that this is the truth of Scripture. I appreciate the bracket letting us know that the early manuscripts do not contain the last part of verse 3 or verse 4. But nevertheless, enough manuscripts contained it that it is in our translation. And so we use this as information. They're waiting for the moving of the waters. I mean, why else would they be there? I don't, I don't know why else they would show up, why they would all gather. This is not necessarily a hospital. It's just a place. It's a public place. And there they are. waiting for the moving of the waters. I mean, waiting for Dr. So-and-so? Waiting for their prescription to be filled? No, they're waiting for the moving of the waters. These people are down to their last hope. And then John zeroes in on this man. Verse five, amen. a man among the multitude." Now, I think it's significant that you have a multitude who are in the clutches of the ravages of sin, yet you have John highlighting this one man who was there. And so he knows some of his backstory. He doesn't tell us a lot, but he says there was a man who'd been ill for 38 years. So a couple things, this man, whoever this man was that he's talking about, he had been there, or he had been ill at least, longer than Jesus had been alive on planet Earth. We think Jesus began his ministry around the age of 30. We think it was a three-year ministry, so 33. This guy's been sick for 38 years. And John mentions this man and tells us a little bit of his story here. The other thing that is a little more, well, something to think about is some have wondered if the 38 years that this man had been sick or had been ill, if that corresponds to the length of time that the children of Israel wandered out in the wilderness. There they are in the wilderness, they're looking for the promised land, but they have to wander. And they wander, and they wander. For what reason? Well, because of their disobedience, because of their affliction, their problems. And some have wondered if that's corresponding. I'm not sure it is, and I don't think it really makes a difference to the outcome of healing for this man. Well, fortunately for this man, Jesus saw him. There's something of great comfort in that, that Jesus sees us in our pain, in our sin, I mean, we have nothing to offer. None of those people there in that multitude would have been able to offer anything. I mean, this is a pathetic crowd there. And this man, he's not better than anyone else in that multitude. It's just that Jesus saw him. Jesus saw him lying there. That man could do nothing for Jesus. And in fact, when John gives us the account of the conversation, I mean, this man doesn't even give the right answers. He doesn't, he's not, as we would say, he's not helping things at all. He is absolutely clueless. But Jesus saw him lying there. And he knew that he had already been a long time in that condition. And Jesus not only saw him, but Jesus spoke to him. And this is a beautiful picture of salvation because the Lord sees us in our sinful condition, yet he speaks to us. He speaks to us through his word. He tells us that we're in a sinful condition, like we need reminded of that, but he confirms that and we understand that and we accept it. Yeah, there's nothing I have. I have nothing to bring in my sinful state to the Lord except my sinful condition, myself in my sinful condition. But Jesus saw him and then Jesus spoke to him. And he already knew about him. The Bible says that the knowledge of Jesus in this instance, it says he knew that he had already been a long time in that condition. And Jesus knows all about us. And he said to him, do you wish to get well? Simple, seems like a simple question yet profound. Sometimes folks that are a long time in a, sinful condition or any condition, may not want to be well. They might not want a change. And let's face it, that's what Jesus offers. Jesus, the power of Jesus, the power of almighty God, Jesus, is transformative. He changes things. I mean, if we could pick up a little bit on where we were this morning in Luke, the King of glory has come from heaven to earth and everything changes. Everything. Because he changes hearts. He changes lives. He brings his power into the world. And His power is undeniable. His power is released. And apart from His power, there's no salvation. But at last, He's all-powerful. And He brings salvation to those who receive Him. Well, I wonder what the man said. Do you wish to get well? What is that? Is that a yes and no? It is a yes or no question, right? Do you wish to get well? It's either yes, I do, or no, I don't. He's a sinner because he's given a yes or no question and he can't give a yes or no answer. The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me." Start the violin music. Wow, okay. He obviously doesn't know who Jesus is. I mean, his answer would not indicate that he has an idea of who Jesus is. He doesn't really answer, does that answer the question? Do you wish to get well? And he gives him a circumstance. Have you ever, have you ever, have you ever asked somebody something? You were trying to engage them in conversation and you ask them a simple question and they go over there and you cannot, I mean, you're just wanting to get to the bottom of it. Well, This answer is an answer that comes from one who is trapped in a sinful condition, a sinful state of mind. And this man has zero hope. I mean, go back to the rumors about what happens when the water bubbles up. after the stirring of the water. Someone goes to someone who's afflicted and helps them in or it's the kind of the first one in is the one who gets the healing and the last one is the rotten egg and will be forever and ever. That's the way it goes. I mean, you got a whole multitude of sick, blind, lame and withered and you're competing with them. Weird. I mean, it seems like such a spurious thing to hope in. This man, he at least says, basically in so many words, I have no hope. So basically, does it really matter if I wanna get well? I can't get well. But while I'm coming, another steps down before me. Happens all the time. Goodness. Jesus though, Almighty Son of God, does what? He gets to the bottom of it. He's not gonna ask another question. He doesn't have a follow-up question. He's just gonna give the man a command. I love that, I love Jesus. He's just right there. He's not gonna get in the proverbial weeds with this man and try to hash it out. He's just gonna give the man a command. Jesus said to him, get up, pick up your pallet and walk. Get up, that's something that The man hadn't done. Pick up your pallet and walk. There's the command. It reminds me of the decree of God in the beginning with the creation. Be light, there was light. And God creates the whole created order. John tells us that Jesus was the agent of that creation. And here we have a decree. A decree by Jesus, get up, pick up your pallet and walk. Only God's decree can break the power of sin over one's life. If God doesn't decree it, it won't happen. But he decreed it and look what happened here. Immediately there in verse nine, immediately the man became well. Immediately, he became well. I wonder, I'm sure he could feel becoming well. He could feel it in his bones that he is well. And he picked up his pallet and began to walk. So he is, the decree was made in verse eight and it's fulfilled in verse nine. And then we have this, It's not really an aside. It's really important. John lets us know this was on the Sabbath. This was the Sabbath day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, you always, listen, with these religious leaders around, you always know there's going to be pushback on anything Jesus does. You know, Jesus did a lot, but a lot of what he did was directed against the religious establishment of the day. And I'll add this, on purpose. It wasn't accidental. Jesus marched to the beat of a different drummer. He says it at the end of this section, but he answered them, my father is working until now and I myself am working. He did what his father was doing. He did what his father wanted him to do. He followed the will of his father. He was not on earth to jump through religious hoops that had been established apart from God's will. So it was the Sabbath, and these Jews were saying to the man who was cured, so can you imagine, this man, he is well. And here's what they say, it is the Sabbath, and it's not permissible for you to carry your pallet, put that pallet down. This is serious. What? What? What? Go back to Genesis chapter one and chapter two, and this runs throughout scripture, the Sabbath. The Sabbath, what's the Sabbath for? Well, the Sabbath is for rest and worship of God. And Jesus had just opened the door for this man to have rest and to worship his God. And who's coming against that? These religious leaders. These rule keepers. These box checkers. These hoop jumpers. And they not only did that and expected that of themselves, what was worse is they expected this of others. And they said, I'll read this again. It is the Sabbath. You know that, don't you? Hey, Mr. Sick Man, you've been sick for 38 years. We're wondering if your mind's affected or if you're able to read a calendar. It is the Sabbath. And it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet. Hmm. Very interesting. But they're pushing back, these religious leaders. But he answered them, I love his honesty. He who made me well was the one who said to me, pick up your pallet and walk. So you might wanna talk to, you might wanna leave me alone and talk to him. He made me well, and he is the one who said, pick up your pallet and walk. So that's what the man is doing. And they asked him, who is the man who said to you, pick up your pallet and walk? How do you like this man's theology? But the man who was healed did not know who it was. He still didn't know. For Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, behold, you have become well, do not sin anymore so that nothing worse happens to you. You know, something we kind of glide over and I think it's worth mentioning here is where Jesus found this man. He didn't find him at a bar. I mean, I've been sick 38 years. I hadn't been able to celebrate or party or anything. I've missed out on a lot of that stuff. I got to go to the bar. You know where he was? He was in the temple. He was there in the temple to worship God. Something miraculous had happened to this man. The grace of God had been poured out on this man through Jesus Christ. And out of a multitude at that, one man out of a multitude, Jesus saw and spoke to, Jesus commanded. And this man received the mercy of God. By the way, Bethesda means house of mercy. And this man had received the mercy of God. So he's not gonna go, not going home first, wherever home was for him, not going shopping first, not going to the bars, not going to the clubs. He is going to the temple. And I say, anyone who has tasted the goodness of God and received the grace of God and the mercy of God, So much so that their sins are now forgiven by the blood of Jesus and faith has been born in their hearts and they're born again to a living hope should frequently and oftentimes find themselves in the house of the Lord, worshiping God with the people of God, hearing the word of God. I mean, you get the feeling there, this man had felt like he had not been able to do that. for a long period of time, 38 years at least, and now he's gonna be a mainstay in the temple. He's gonna be one, you walk in the temple, you're gonna see that man. Why? Because God did for him what no one else could do. And certainly what he could not do for himself. The power of God was expressed in that man. that brought and brought healing to his broken life. And this is a picture of what God does in us and for us when we're born again. So he was found in the temple. Jesus found him in the temple, which might lead you to believe Jesus was looking for him. And said to him, behold, you become well. Do not sin anymore. Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you. Jesus is telling him, you're on the highway of holiness now, you're on a different road. You're not on that broadway leading to disaster and hell. You've been bought with a price. You've been called out of that multitude of sinners and you are now mine. Don't sin anymore. And he says, do not sin anymore so that nothing worse happens to you. And the man went his way and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. He found out who had made him well. And he starts telling those Jews before, remember, he's ignorant of it. I don't know who made me well, but I know that the one who made me well told me to carry my pallet, so I'm carrying my pallet. Now he knows who made him well because Jesus had found him in the temple and gave him a follow-up. Behold, see this, mister, don't miss this. You've become well, right? Yep. Do not sin anymore. Jesus and his power is transformative for that man and his physical body, but more so even spiritually. Do not sin anymore so that nothing worse happens to you. The man goes his way and he tells the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well for this reason and for this reason. For what reason? Well, that Jesus, Jesus was turning the tables on the religious establishment. No amount of legalism can stop the power of God to save. Aren't you glad? And so for this reason, the Jews were persecuting. Jesus, you'd think everybody had been happy about this. You would have thought that everyone would have rejoiced in this miracle. But no, not the religious establishment, not the Jews. These are the Pharisees. These are the scribes. These are the Sadducees. These are the elite, the well-educated Jews, the Jewish establishment. And they were persecuting Jesus for this reason, for this reason that he had healed this man and this man had carried his pallet on the Sabbath. Because, here it is, they're persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But he answered them, my father is working until now and I myself am working. Now, we want to, I want to visit in conclusion, the feast. What feast was this? It's important. I think John links the signs of Jesus to certain feasts. For instance, John 6 verse 4 is linked to the Passover. John 7 verse 2 to tabernacles. We're not going to turn there and read those because we've got other scriptures for the feasts that we're on right here. Chapter 10, verse 22, the Feast of Dedication. John 11, 55, the Feast of Passover. John 5, what feast? Because John does not tell us. He says in verse 1, after these things there was a feast of the Jews. And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. So the question would be, what feast is it? So in the study and the attempt to try to ascertain what feast, you look at the context of chapter five. And I like to, you know, you can peruse down through verse 18 and following talks about Jesus being equal with God. And then you go to I think key verses here would be verses 25 through 32. And we're attempting to figure out what feast. So it says, truly, truly, I say to you, beginning in verse 25, I say to you, this is the words of Jesus, an hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, Even so, He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself, and He gave Him authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of Man. So this is this whole judgment theme. The judgment theme is applicable to these Jewish leaders in the immediate context. They're rejecting Christ, they're rejecting His miracles, they're persecuting Him. And Jesus says in verse 27, and he gave him authority to execute judgment because he is the son of man. Do not marvel at this. Now listen to this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come forth. Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment, I can do nothing on my own initiative. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of Him who sent me. If I alone testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of me, and I know that the testimony which he gives about me is true. And then he goes furthermore down into verses 33 and following, the witness of John, the witness of works, the witness of the father, the witness of the scriptures. And so based on the end times theme there in verses 25 and following, we think it's possibly the feast of trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets, also known as the Hidden Day. The Jews would celebrate this feast and the Feast of Trumpets is a fall feast. It's a last feast. It's the feast that celebrated the greatness of God and the goodness of God and the coming of our Lord, the day of the Lord. And it was called the Hidden Day as well because it was supposed to be celebrated when they spotted the sliver of the new moon. Only one problem, not always easy to see that sliver of the new moon. And they didn't always know when that new moon was going to show up. It was just at the end, but they didn't know exactly the day. So they had to be what they had to be ready. And that's the whole idea of the feast of trumpets is to be ready for the coming of the Lord. Jesus said in Matthew 24, that only the father knows when he will come. We don't know. We don't know the what? The day. We don't know the hour. And if we don't know the day or the hour, why would we try to predict the month and the year? Beyond me. But we are told to do what? Be ready. We're told to be watchful. We're told to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, strength, all our being, to love him and to be ready for him. So I wanted to close with a couple scriptures here. There are a couple here that mentions the trumpets. There's a bunch in the Old Testament, Joel chapter two, we could go there, but we're gonna go with New Testament scriptures just in closing. 1 Corinthians 15, beginning with verse 50. And as we read these verses, just look and listen for the word trumpet. And that was associated with this feast. So when they're celebrating this feast of trumpets, they're hearing trumpets. They would blow the shofar. And boy, that makes such a piercing sound. And it would call to mind this theme of the trumpets. He says, now I say this, brethren, the flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery. Boy, that just makes you want to lean into what he's saying, right? He's about to tell us a mystery. Well, tell us. He says, we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed. I'd say that's quite a change, right? For the dead to be raised imperishable. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, here's the taunt song. O death, where is your victory? And you can ask that with a smile on your face, Christian, believer, brother, sister. O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, therefore, my beloved brethren. So he just he just explains to us the certainty, the certain victory that we have in the Lord at the last trump. Therefore, so what do we what do we do in the meantime? Therefore, that's what he's getting at. My beloved brethren. Be steadfast. Immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. And then you go over to 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4. Beginning with verse 13 and following, he says, but we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren. So he's talking to church people, believers, those born again, Jesus people, I like to call them, about those who are asleep. So they were confused about those who had passed on We think they were expectant for the return of the Lord and there's been delay and they're confused. There are those who have died in the Lord and they don't know what to do with that. So that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. So this is written to comfort saints who have lost believing loved ones. That's the point. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that's not a hypothetical, that is, we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. So let's just say the Lord's to come. Let's say he would come now. He's just saying, we have no advantage, we who are alive, we have no advantage over those who have died in the Lord. In fact, he's gonna go on and explain it this way. He says, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout. Now that is a shout of certain victory. That is a war cry shout. That shout is blood curdling to the enemies of God. He says, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, there it is, the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. So the ones alive, believers who are alive at the coming of the Lord have no advantage over those who have died in the Lord. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we shall always be. with the Lord. And there's this last admonition, therefore, comfort one another with these words. That's why we're here tonight, for comfort. You think of those loved ones who've gone on who believed in the Lord. Take comfort. They're not forgotten. The Lord doesn't forget them. We certainly haven't forgotten them. And we who are alive right now, we'd have no advantage over them should the Lord come. They will rise first and then we'll follow. And then for extra reading, I'm not gonna read it tonight, but go to Revelation 18, the trumpets, and that's the judgments of God. that will happen on the day of the Lord. So we give him praise tonight. And I just, uh, commit the, commend the scriptures to you there in John five, father in heaven. Thank you for the time together. Uh, we thank you for, uh, your work of grace in our hearts. We thank you for the encouragement that comes from your word and Lord, we know we look forward to that day at the trumpet sounds. We look forward to that day. that Jesus returns. We look forward to that day that the dead, those believing in you who've already passed, would rise and be caught up with you in the air. And we look forward to that day, Lord, that if we're alive at that time, that we would be caught up as well. We thank you for the promise of your scriptures. We thank you for the encouragement they give. Now, Lord, help us to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in your work. And we'll give you the praise in Jesus name. Amen and amen.