John 5:1

 

 John 5:1 says, After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. We are told that Jesus went back to Jerusalem for Passover and of a lame man He met there. Verse two adds, Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. This was in the sheep market, near the pool called Bethsaida.  Jesus was out where ordinary people were, and that is where we need to be, witnessing and ministering.  Verse three continues, In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.  Verse four concludes, 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.  The pool was crowded, because it was noted for having healing powers, because at times an angel stirred the waters, and whoever got in first after that was healed.  We do not know when this pool started to have healing power or when it ceased to.  We don't know why God chose to heal this way.  We do know that people had to have faith in the healing power of the water and act quickly.  There was a multitude there waiting to be healed. Today, we may wonder why one person is healed and so many are not, but physical healing is not the main concern.  There are multitudes of people needing spiritual healing today, and God's healing power is not limited.  Verse five states, And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.  At the pool, the man Jesus met had been lame, unable to move fast on his own for thirty-eight years.  Verse six adds, 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?  Jesus asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?"  He did not ask the man if he wanted to walk, but if he wanted to be completely well.  When we encounter Christ, He does not offer partial spiritual healing, but He makes us whole spiritually.  Verse seven continues, 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. The man said he had been trying, but he had no one to help him and he could never get to the water first.  People today spend years, some even a lifetime, looking for spiritual healing on their own and never find it, because they may believe in manmade ways to spiritual restoration, but they refuse to believe in Christ.  When they encounter Christ and are asked if they would be made whole, the answer is no.  Verse eight says, Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  Jesus told the man to rise and take up his bed and walk.  Verse nine concludes,

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The man immediately was made whole and got up and walked.  When we accept salvation through Christ, we don't have to go through certain steps to be restored to God.  We are immediately made whole and need to rise and walk in and for Him.  We see that the man immediately did as Jesus instructed him to do.