In His Image - 8: A Message for All Times

"What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.” --Matthew 10:16

Opening Thought
Difficult Circumstances

Have you ever been in difficult circumstances? I can imagine your response being, “Where do you want me to start?” We’ve all been there. Tough times, bad choices, a combination of circumstances that have put you in a corner, bad news rolling over you in waves. The guy at the Pool of Bethesda was the definition of “difficult circumstances”. He had been sick for 38 years! Unable to move, or seemingly take care of himself in any way. While the older texts call him ”impotent”, it is likely more appropriate to say “infirmed” – we really don’t have a lot of information on what he actually was sick with.

In the midst of all those sick people, there he sat, in his difficult circumstances. And then Jesus entered the scene, knowing he was there, knowing he desperately needed healing, and most importantly, knowing already what his answer would be to His question.
In the midst of our difficult circumstances, ask these questions: Are our eyes fixed on Christ? Are we convinced that He can carry me through the tough times?


Study Notes
A Message for All Times

1. The Pool of Bethesda - John 5:1-16

• At the Sheep Gate - So called because it was adjacent to the Sheep Market. Even in Jesus' time, it had been there a while - rebuilt by Nehemiah (ch.3), so there when the Jews were taken into captivity in 597BC. This pool is located just north of the Temple 100 yards or so.


• The name could be Bethsaida or Bethesda, depending on manuscripts and interpretation. "Beth" refers to "house" and the Hebrew "chesda" is likely in the root referring to "mercy".


• The Pool with 5 porches -- It was probably actually two pools, on two levels, with porches or porticos on all 4 sides and one also going across the middle. Archaelogists actually found the remains in the 1960's.

2. Healing at the Pool

• Do you want to be well?? Who doesn't?! -- This is a marvelous example of how universal Christ's message is. All around us each day are people struggling with maladies, and they desperately want to be well. It's just that no one is around to help them get to the Living Water Christ offers.


• This man was a "poster child" for difficult circumstances. But he was surrounded by others with just as much need. These people huddled in the areas around the pool, common in there misery, likely insensitive to each other's needs. Today people are far from God in their sin, unable to see His hand in their lives.


• This man is honest, maybe even old & "crotchety" (Dan Wallace), frustrated and even annoyed by those around him, not able to get to the water for a chance to be healed. Stuck in his inability to seize opportunity, it seems by his response that he almost even missed the offer from Jesus.


• The reason for Jesus' probing question was to demand focus on the Savior, and to stimulate the man's will and faith. Once his mind was alive to the reality of Christ, he could determine to respond positively to the offer of healing. This is an important doctrinal distinction: God alone heals/redeems; yet this divine work is accomplished in response to a person's genuine faith to the offer.


• Isaiah 35:1-7 -- the lame will leap! Isaiah is anticipating God's literal fulfillment of promises to Israel of the millennial kingdom. The Messiah had indeed come, and this miracle is an enjoyable extension of that anticipation. In the millennium, all of Israel will be healed of the lame condition, and will indeed leap for joy.
  

3. What was Christ's message? From this miracle at the pool, and from other accounts about Jesus' ministry, we learn of these distinctives in His Life Message --

• Sin and separation from God -- Matthew 23:25-28, we need to see sin defined in absolute terms; we really are sick and desperately needy of someone to heal


• Provision for redemption -- John 3:16-21, the Savior is here; Jesus is the Lamb to be slain; being able to see your desperate need and readiness to turn away from sin to the Savior is at the core


• God's fulfilled promises - Mark 1:14-15; 4:17, Jesus spoke in the tradition of the OT prophet; He announced the Kingdom


• Righteous living -- Matthew 22:37-39, Love God, and your neighbor as yourself


• Preach the message -- Matthew 9:35, "euangelizo", proclaiming the good news; Jesus had a passion for the lost & needy around Him, He was predominantly an evangelist

For further study:

1. Continue to use the Harmony to read through the next events in Jesus’ life. Focus on the Sabbath Controversies in Mark 2 & 3, the Sermon on the Mount in Mt. 5-7, and Calming the stormy sea, in Mt. 8.Meditate on Galatians 5:22-23, the Fruit of the Spirit, and think about the picture of Christ that is given here.

2. Meditate on Galatians 5:22-23, the Fruit of the Spirit, and think about the picture of Christ that is given here.

3. What is our life message? What distinctives do those around us take away from interacting with us?