John 5:1-47; 1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. As recently as the 1960 s, this site was excavated and found, just as John says, to have 5 porches 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie-- the blind, the lame, the paralyzed (waiting for the moving of the water; NKJ). 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. (NKJ) Focus of the people! They are going to miss God in their presence Not this guy 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. The cripple no hope. Misery quotient high, very 1
high! He was alone, no one to help him, his friends were all victims of life, there just wasn t anything in this man s life to give him any hope at all that things might ever change. Until Jesus enters the scene 6 When Jesus saw him (he didn t see Jesus; Jesus saw him! Jesus, not the man, was the one looking. This begins a conflict that will end in His death all for healing on the Sabbath) lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me (precisely why Jesus sought him out!) into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." The Bible verse God helps those who help themselves 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." Not a cruel trick as it must have seemed to this man. Jesus is asking him to do what is impossible. Faith wins the day Obvious applications: marriages get up and walk with Jesus; finances, sin in your life; anger, unforgiveness. Get up and walk today because 2
9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." This was NOT a violation of God s law; it was merely a violation of man s incorrect interpretation of the law The true character of the Jewish leaders is now made clear. They should have marveled that this man was well. After all, they could see it for themselves. They didn t ask how it was possible for him to be walking; instead, they only were concerned for the law They are now without excuse. They could have asked to see the man who did this wonderful thing. But they didn t. They simply only cared for the appearance of being spiritual Contrast their reaction to this man s response 11 But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" 3
12 So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?" 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you." This is important for us. Jesus made this man well (whole) and it seems clear that sin was responsible for his sickness. Sin is not responsible for all (even most) sickness (as we learn from Job s unfriendly friends ). But, in this case and many others, it is... 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. We don t know if he stopped sinning or not. Same with all of you. But it is clear that Jesus healed him to stop sinning and follow Him! It is the same for us We can t pretend we can go on living as though we hadn t met Jesus. We have to change 4
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." Jesus is simply declaring that He is following the example of His Father who never stops working! They didn t care 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. Even Jesus enemies clearly understood that Jesus was claiming to be God! I don t get it when people today claim that Jesus never said He was God they just don t want to get it That is why JW s and Mormons (among others) are not Christians even though they claim to be. If you deny the absolute Divinity of Jesus Christ, no matter what name you use, a Jesus who is NOT God cannot save 19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do 5
nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. Jesus makes some remarkable statements about Himself and His relationship to the Father in this sequence of statements The first is that He never acts independently of His Father. He can do nothing by Himself not that He can t, but that He refuses to He exercises moral self-restraint. In other words, discipline That is a key for all of us. We all make choices every day. Choices to honor God or to indulge our flesh. If we can learn from the Lord to exercise discipline moral self-restraint if we train our bodies, we will find ourselves living glorious, fulfilled lives. The NT says a lot about the discipline of training: 1 Cor 9:25; Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Tim 4:8; For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the 6
present life and the life to come. These are but two examples of the need for training ourselves in Godliness You see, Jesus voluntarily submitted to His Father s will. You know what that means? It means that He understood the example we need of His total obedience. It means that Jesus took on limitations He never before experienced because God loves us so much. What is our appropriate response? To submit to our Father s will just as He did because 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. The 2 nd statement shows us how Jesus perceived the relationship between Father and Son. Jesus understood that submission did not mean the relationship was between slave and master. He knew it was a loving relationship between Father and Son It means that Jesus submitted because He knew His Father loved Him! That is the key to living a joy-filled life. You see, we submit to God because He loves us! Because we get to, not because we have to! Freedom is found in surrendering our will to His; not the other way around 7
Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. Next, Jesus says that God has great things in store for those who will submit! Imagine, Jesus has already done marvelous miracles yet even greater things lie ahead for the one who fully submits to the will of God! (feeding 5000 is coming up raising people from the dead!) 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. For Jesus, the result of submitting totally was that He had exactly the same power and authority that His Father did! Clearly, we can see that Jesus is no juniorpartner in the Trinity Notice here that the purpose of this power is to give life! Not to ruin our fun. Not to send people to hell. But to give life! Jesus only purpose was to come to earth to offer eternal life to those He is pleased to give it to! Who is Jesus pleased to give it to? To everyone who will believe! Everyone 8
There is an important phrase in this verse one that we will study in depth next time: Jesus raises the dead! Why is that so important? Because, if you are here this morning without Jesus, you are dead! You may still be breathing, walking around, but you re dead! On your way to hell forever aren t you glad Jesus has the answer? Clearly, if you want to get well, submitting to authority is necessary. Joyfully submitting because you trust Jesus. No short-cuts here 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, This is an important concept for us to understand. You see, when we think of a judge, we think of a mean man/woman making a decision about someone s life. That is NOT the case here Father God is not handing down the dirtywork to Jesus. The reason all judgment has been entrusted to the Son is because He is both the means of judgment and the means of avoiding judgment! In other words, Jesus judges because we are all judged already. And the only way to escape judgment is to accept this testimony about Him 9
Let s talk about facts as they relate to judgment for a minute. The fact is that we are all born in the image of God. What that means is that all humans are eternal. We never die. But the Bible says we have to choose where we will spend eternity with God or away from Him. The choice, according to this verse, is determined by what we do with the Son to whom all judgment is given. What s your choice? This is Jesus choice 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. We have all heard people who claim to have their own relationship with God they believe (often sincerely) that they need not believe in Jesus. Tragically, even many professing Christian denominations say that people can get to heaven via other religions (politically correct thing to say) But this is a line drawn in the sand. By Jesus Himself! You have to decide whether or not you believe Jesus. I didn t say believe IN Jesus, I said believe Him! If you truly grasp the import of this statement, you finally understand that most human beings are going to hell and it breaks God s heart 10
People who resent having to go through Jesus to get to God just don t get it. Why do I have to? they will ask. The answer is that Jesus is God! There is no other way. To honor the Father you MUST honor the Son! To dishonor the Son (and claiming He is not God is to dishonor Him) is to be condemned forever! Is this an important issue? Listen to Jesus 24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. This is what I meant earlier when I said we would see why it is so important that Jesus raises the dead. You see, we are all dead and the only way to crossover from death to life (interesting, isn t it, that psychics claim to cross-over the other way around, from life to death? Hmmm ) is by believing in Jesus This is the most wonderful of Bible promises if you believe you will never be condemned! People are always asking about the security of the believer can I lose my salvation?, they ask. If you really want to get well, you must learn you are secure in Him and He is the One responsible, not you, for getting 11
to the finish line! All who really believe will follow Jesus (or return to following Him) and finish their race (He who began a good work ) This verse promises that those who truly believe not just a mere profession of faith nor intellectual agreement with who Jesus is but truly believes, has (past-tense) eternal life and will not be condemned! How much more security do you need than that? 25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. Clearly here, Jesus elevates Himself above the position of a good man or a good moral teacher. He is claiming yet again to be God who grants life to the dead! How could Jesus be a good man or good teacher if this claim was a lie? Either Jesus is a pathological liar, or He is crazy, or He is God. No middleground This is not a reference to the rapture as some suppose. This is simply a statement of fact that all are dead apart from Jesus Christ even while our physical bodies are alive 12
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. This is a mystery of the Trinity but it is a clear mystery. Let me explain Jesus declares His Deity and His Person to the Jewish leaders in this passage. In so doing, He is asserting equality with God yet a separateness, a distinct difference between the Person of the Father and the Person of the Son. They are equal absolutely. But they are also absolutely not the same as some wrongly suggest 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out-- those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. This does not mean that we can obtain eternal life by doing good deeds. Lots of people have read this verse and thought that, because they were pretty nice 13
people, they could get to heaven by being/doing good No; we have to be completely good! How can we who are sinners ever be good? Only be receiving the goodness of God, the righteousness offered by Jesus Christ! The reward? New bodies which will carry us into the millennium and on to heaven But this says something staggering about the lost as well. It says that even those who reject Jesus Christ will rise in new bodies to judgment. Why? Because even the lost will need new bodies to endure the torment of hell forever! These two resurrections (life & death) will be separated by 1007 years 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. This is a very important verse because there are many who say that a loving God would send anyone to hell. That to do so would be unjust, unfair. But Jesus declares here that His judgment is, indeed, just (faultless, equitable, absolutely pure). Here s where we 14
have to rely completely on God s nature when determining what is or is not fair (at least from our perspective) People ask, what about those who never hear Jesus name? Or, what about babies and kids killed before their time or those who die unexpectedly (such as in NY on 9-11)? God will judge justly in every single situation! None of us will be able to stand before Him and complain that He is wrong or that He is being unfair 15
Now, Jesus explains the lengths He goes to make sure the Jews are accountable for what they hear Him say 31 "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. Jewish law required that 2 witnesses were necessary to establish truth. Jesus is making sure they are accountable. You see, anyone could say he/she is God. In fact, a lot of people have. But with two or more witnesses (Dt.19:15) a matter must be established John the Baptist to the rescue 33 "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. These men are trying to kill Jesus yet He is still only interested in saving them! Human testimony is, for God, unnecessary. But so that the Jews might be saved, Jesus firmly establishes the credentials of John 16
35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light. This is an important connection for us to make. For a time We all know people who have enjoyed Jesus for a time only to turn away. Parable of the sower Matt 13:18-23 18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 17
23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. It s a dangerous place to be when you enjoy someone s message until the message hits too close to home 2 witnesses are required Jesus goes one step farther 36 "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. Not only should they accept John s testimony, they should also acknowledge the witness of the great miracles Jesus has been doing! Right before their eyes this man who had been crippled for 38 years stood! How could they possibly deny that Jesus did things only God could do? The answer is that they didn t want to But there is yet another witness let s call Him the Star Witness 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You 18
have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me (more than 300 specific prophecies about Jesus), 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life. You see, the Scriptures, according to Jesus, were all about Him! The Jewish leaders accepted the law as the very Word of God. Yet, Jesus says, those are the same scriptures (law and prophets) which speak solely of Him! Still, they do not believe I have a lot of people who ask about the OT Scriptures and why we have to read them. Because they can be difficult, too many of us avoid them we act like reading it s worse than going to the dentist! But look for Jesus and they will thrill you! I promise It is amazing that the Bible is available to everyone, that the Bible is all about Jesus, yet so many people refuse to believe! How, we might wonder, could it be? Here s the answer 19
(and if you are here this morning refusing to believe, watch out!): the problem is our human will! We don t want to believe Oh, we want to go to heaven. We want to be forgiven. But our will determines what we will believe, not what we want to believe! All of us want to believe we are OK with God. Yet your own will leads you into lifestyles of sin. Your own will leads you to do things you know are not good for you. Your own will leads you into making terrible choices in life time and time again What s the problem? The truth is that we want to sin more than we want Jesus! And this discourse of Jesus, if you are one of those people, means you have chosen of your own free will, to go to hell for eternity! That is heavy In spite of all these witnesses, they still don t believe. Jesus tells us why 41 "I do not accept praise from men, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. This is what it always boils down to heart issues! These men simply do not have 20
the love of/for God in their hearts! If they did, they would welcome Jesus But they do not. Why? Because the human heart is very, very dark! The human condition is a tragic one people simply don t want to believe. Things haven t changed much from the day Jesus gave this very message, have they? By the way, when you do not have love in your hearts, it is obvious to everyone. And it doesn t matter how much knowledge you possess without love, we are nothing more than noise-makers. How is your love doing? Jesus knows 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. Prophetic of the man they will accept in the future antichrist But there s another, important application for us to understand. When someone rejects Jesus, they will accept anything else! We believe in mother-nature; spells, curses; We believe in horoscopes; We believe in UFO s and aliens; We believe in conspiracy-theories; 21
We even believe we came from monkeys You see what I mean? Reject Jesus and deception reigns 44 How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? 45 "But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. In this verse, we come full-circle. You see, we are still talking about the false-hope that we spoke about in the beginning of this chapter The crowd at the pool was staring at the waters of false hopes. These Jewish leaders had their own pool the Law! Jesus is telling them that the very thing they are putting their hopes in is that which will condemn them The Law if you acknowledge it, you have to obey it. Break it and you are guilty! I laugh (with sadness) when people tell me they don t need Jesus because they live by the 10 Commandments or the golden rule. They 22
prove how much we need Jesus! That s Jesus point Break the law once? Guilty and only forgiveness of your guilt can set you in rightstanding with God! Jesus stands ready 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote (Jesus affirms here what people hate to hear that the Bible in this case the law is the very Word of God!), how are you going to believe what I say?" Interesting thought to close with The Bible believe it? If you do, you will obey it. If you do not, then nothing I ve said today will convince you. You can hope I am wrong but it s just another pool of false-hopes Next week, our birthday and the signature miracle of Jesus ministry 23