Just saying something!
John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
John 5:4 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 stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
I have had so much fun meditating on this passage of scripture. There are so many truths revealed in it. I wanted to share one more time about what happened here at the pool of Bethesda. Maybe just make a few bullet points for you to read and think about.
First we see that Bethesda means “house of kindness.” God wants to show the world that He is a kind God. So many people think He is a God sitting in heaven with a big stick ready to strike at us and kill us. How people can get old knowing that He could do it, but the very fact that they are still here proves that God is not like that. We have to stop believing the enemy’s lie.
Secondly, the Angel would stir the water everyday and the first one in would get healed of whatever disease they had. That proofs that God can heal any sickness. His power to heal is not limited by the sickness you have. Cancer does not limit Him. No sickness is stronger than His ability to heal. They were waiting for an Angel to stir the water. I have good news. Jesus is not a stirrer; He is a healer and a deliverer. A stirring is limited but He is not.
Thirdly, I see Jesus coming to change the agenda. He is going to do it in a new way that has not been done before. Don’t put your faith in the way He does it, but rather in His power to do it. He likes to do it differently. When God told Moses to strike the rock he did and water came out. The next time God told him to speak to the rock and Moses struck it. That cost him his inheritance and he could not enter the promise land. Don’t miss out on your promises because you believe it should be done the same way as you saw it happen last time.
Fourthly, I see that the Jesus did not ask the Angel permission if He could change the agenda. Jesus didn’t care about keeping the order at the pool. May He come and wreck our order so that we might have the order of God in our churches. God will have His way. We are to seek what He is doing and join ourselves to His work and not ask Him to bless what we are doing. I also see this man in this condition for a very long time. Have you become familiar with your circumstances and has it become a comfort zone? If it has then you started believing the lie that God does not want you to be blessed. Never stop pursuing His best for you. We don’t always get it, but please don’t settle for less.
Fifthly. I see that this man had no man to help him. Let us celebrate when we have no man that can help us. We lean on the arm of the flesh so easily for help and support. I believe Jesus knew this and helped him because all the others had someone that could help them. They would find it hard to trust Him because they trusted in someone else to get them there first. This man was abandoned and left alone, the very ones He came to save and deliver.
Sixthly, I see Jesus asking him if he wants to be made whole. Doesn’t everyone that is sick want to be made whole? No. Just like this man had an excuse why he was there that long, many have excuses. I am so glad Jesus ignores our excuses. We like to come from a place of lack when He is ministering from a place of abundance. Do you want your circumstances to change? Stop starting at why you don’t have it right now and ask Him what He wants to say about it. Jesus spoke what God wanted done in the earth. “Rise and take your bed up and walk.” Instead of excuses, speak what you believe God wants in your situation. We are not commanding God but God rewards faith.
The seventh thing I see is that it was done on the Sabbath. This day was know as the day of the Lord. We have come to the day of the Lord where He is going to do it. A few verses later in this chapter, verse 19 Jesus says that he can’t do anything by Himself but only what He sees the Father do is what He does. This is the day where we have to open our eyes and see what God is doing and then do likewise. We were commanded to rest on the Sabbath and we are to get into the place where we rest and God works. If the religious folk are upset about what God does when we are to rest, let them take it up with God. He is big enough to defend Himself.
The eight thing I see is that no other person wanted a healing. I am amazed that when Jesus showed up and one got healed that no other one wanted it, too. You would think that they would swamp Him for a touch but no one else wanted it. Maybe they didn’t like Him messing up the status quo at the pool, but one healing is not enough when all the power to heal everyone is available in one place. What do we do when we see one person healed in a meeting? Do we ask for more or do we just celebrate that one?
I hope this has blessed you as much as it did me. Keep pursuing Him and His word and His work and He will shake up the party at your pool. He will make your place a Bethesda and a house of kindness.