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This sermon was preached on Sunday 25/03/2001 Am, by Kevin Matthews.
This morning we come to a remarkable passage in the Gospel According to John. It is a passage in which a temptation exists for the preacher to open up an analogy rather than the Scriptures. The analogy is that of salvation, for you find in this passage many things that illustrate the true way of salvation. Perhaps this is something you can think about by yourself when you think over the passage.
What I seek to do today as we study this passage, is to ask you to consider your own position before God, and also what we say to others who are in sickness, or about to cross over into eternity.
How many times have you looked upon death as the means for relief from temporal ills and difficulties? If you have, do you have valid reasons for doing so? Are you sure that eternity will be a better place for you?
How many times have you said to people who have lost loved ones, that those loved ones are not feeling any more pain, and that they have been relieved from all their suffering? I would say that many if not all of you have said this at some time - but is it right to say that?
Can you be sure that the person you’re speaking about is free from pain and suffering? Can you assure the person who has lost the loved one that they have gone to a better place? Indeed, are those of whom you speak even Christians? For if they are not, you have no basis upon which to say any of these things, for death has swept these very same suffering loved ones into far more misery then they could ever have known in this life.
Friends, we address ourselves to this very issue this morning as we consider the first section of John chapter 5. We turn our attention to eternity, to the reality that for many there is worse to come. Is it so with you?
#1. A Desperate Man
In the passage before us this morning we find Jesus in Jerusalem, for ‘there was a feast of the Jews (5:1).’ We don’t know what feast it was, or even when it was, but that it was some time after the events of the first four chapters of John.
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem He made His way through the Sheep Gate, and to the pool known as ‘Bethesda.’ Now there has been much debate concerning the right name, and the right meaning of the name of the pool, but it would seem that Bethesda is correct, and that it means the ‘house of mercy.’
Over the years this pool had gained a reputation for holding miraculous healing powers or at least that an angel caused the pool to have such powers. Because of this reputation, masses were attracted to it, and it had become a gathering place for people with various sicknesses and deformities. There were blind people, lame people, paralysed people, and so on. These were people who were desperate for deliverance from their various ailments, people who had run out of options regarding a cure for their afflictions, and so they gathered in this place hoping for a miracle. It was the sort of thing that legends were made of.
And with what desperation they came, for these were people who had become so desperately sick, that they had now resorted to clutching at straws. And this is what we find here in the passage - desperate people chasing after the wind.
How were they chasing after the wind? Well, we find here in our passage this morning an addition to the original text. It is believed, and with good reason, that the latter part of verse three, and all of verse four were added to the text by way of explanation as to why all these people had gathered in this place.
All extant manuscripts from before the fourth century do not have this part of the passage in them, and so the theory is that this was added to the text in order to explain the local superstition in Jerusalem, and especially that which is implied by verse 7, ‘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 (5:7).’
This is how this part of the text should then be read, as an added footnote or explanation, much like a commentary seeking to explain the text. So you shouldn’t go getting all caught up on this seemingly amazing event that was thought to happen from time to time. It was mere legend, a rumour that desperate people were keen to believe.
It is the same sort of desperate legend that faith healers are able to generate in our own day, and thereby dupe the masses of so many desperately ill people. They fill people with stories of amazing miracles, giving these already greatly afflicted people false hope, and eventually leaving them by the pool of Bethesda for 38 years as they wait for the stirring of the waters, or as they call it today, enough faith in order to be healed.
What a tragedy! These people had been so taken in by this legend, that when the Lord Jesus Christ arrived among them, being the very one who could do something for the masses there gathered, not one showed interest in Him at all. What a tragedy!
It is important to see in this passage at this point that the man who had been in his condition for 38 years was there, desperately looking for a cure, and seemingly prepared to try anything in order to be relieved from his condition, but yet he did not cry out to Christ. He had been at the pool, hoping against hope that the rumour about it was true.
‘And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 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 (5:5,6)?’
The Lord Jesus Christ saw this man and was moved with compassion, for being God, He knew that this man had been so afflicted for many years. So being moved with sympathy for this man He asks, "Wilt thou be made whole (5:6)?"
By this question we see that this man’s condition was exceedingly desperate, for though he wanted to be made well, it was apparent that there was not a thing that he could do in order to free himself from his affliction. He was at his wits end, even to the point of trying this local superstitious legend, and so he waits for the stirring of the water as the legends tells.
‘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 (5:7).’
‘Oh yes, I want to be cured, but I can’t get into the water in order to be cured. If I can get there, I’m sure I’ll be OK. But I have no ability to do so, so I am stuck here in my afflicted condition.’
So here he is, desperate, desiring a cure for his affliction. He seeks it from a legend, and not from the One before Him. Indeed he may even hope that this One will help him into the water, but not that He could cure him. This man is not seeking Christ at all, but a cure of his own making. How desperate is this man’s condition?
And indeed how desperate is the condition of many that gather in churches, for there are many who are like this man. How many people who when they have salvation so clearly portrayed before them, and so freely offered, choose rather to pursue their own cures?
Perhaps for you it is the idea that when death comes I will call for the Pastor and make a deathbed confession, or for the priest and have the last rites read to me. Or maybe you think when death comes I will be fine, for I think Jesus loves everybody, and therefore He won’t send any to Hell.
Perhaps you feel that by coming to church you are OK, even to the place where Jesus Christ is present among His people, yet you continue to long for your own self-made method of church attending instead of looking to Christ.
How desperate is your condition sinner! For those who seek anything apart from the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation are like this man by the pool of Bethesda, just chasing the wind, a pipe dream. So many people pursue false cures or legends of religion in order to be saved, even when the true gospel and manner of salvation is right within their grasp. You are in a desperate condition, and you need a Divine cure.
#2. A Divine Cure
Isn’t it interesting here at this point? What does Jesus do? Does He give up on this man? ‘Obviously he has no faith in Me, therefore I had better move on to someone else who does, for this man cannot be cured until he has enough faith. I cannot cure this man because He has not sought Me out of his own free will, therefore I should wait for another to come.’ No.
Jesus does not even try to help the man into the pool, and He certainly gives no credence to the pool legend at all. But what does He do?
Out of all the masses of people present in this place, of all those who seek after a cure based on the legend of the pool, He chooses one man. He elects one whom He will heal from his affliction. The rest He passes by, and He settles His attention on this one man.
Why this man? We have no reason to know. He certainly displayed no active interest in Christ, and there was certainly nothing special about the man - indeed, he was even a sinner as verse 14 makes very clear.
Yet moved with compassion, looking upon this man who had been so long afflicted, He simply speaks and the man is cured.
'Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk (5:8).'
‘You have confessed that you have no ability to get yourself to the pool, but I tell you to get up and walk, and not only that but to carry your bed also.’
Here a command is issued which the man has just described himself as incapable of performing, yet it is issued. Why is it issued to a person who cannot do it? It is issued because the command was not given in a vacuum, for both the direction is issued and also the ability to perform it. In the command from the Lord’s lips are both the will and the do of the thing required, for divine power accompanied the command. And what was the result?
‘And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath (5:9).’
There was no emphasis on the man’s faith in order for him to be healed, as so many charlatan's do today, for he didn’t even know Jesus was going to heal him - there was simply a command issued and a healing effected.
There was no slow progress in getting better, no partial healing, and no returning illness. What we see here is a sudden and complete healing. There was no fake illness or affliction, but one that had afflicted this man for 38 years, and in the blink of an eye it is gone forever. There was no teaming up between the Lord and the man to create some scam, for this man had been afflicted from even before Jesus was born.
What we so see here is the man walking with the bed, carrying his only companion for these many years, completely healed, and with abundant evidence that a great miracle had been performed.
Let it suffice to say at the moment, that the man had sought a self-made cure, and instead, though he sought it not, he had found a divine cure for his affliction.
This is the exact position that you may very well be in this morning if you are not saved. Here you are in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, not seeking the salvation which He so freely offers to all men without exception in the gospel, and oblivious to it all. Here you are, secure in your own way of thinking, satisfied with your own self-help method of salvation, not seeking salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ at all.
But my friend, when the general gospel call to all men is given, and if the Lord bids you personally to come to Him by faith in this gospel, all your self-help methods will be pushed aside and forgotten. When the Word is spoken with Holy Spirit power your lack of ability and desire to be saved according to the Bible’s method will not prevent it from being so. Though you will not come to Jesus on His terms, and though you can do nothing to truly save yourself being ‘dead in trespasses and sins,’ when He bids you come, you will come.
That gospel message will then go to you with all the power of God, and He will make you willing in the day of His power. You will be unable to flee Him, yet you will come ably, willingly, and immediately to a full and free salvation. And you will go on your way rejoicing that God has healed your spiritual illness, in spite of your inability, and with your full consent and willingness.
A complete cure will finally be found for your affliction, and it will be so in an instant, and will be evidenced by your walking in the ways of the Lord. It will be a Divine cure, sure and free and to the uttermost.
But if you will not come to Jesus for life, though all earthly afflictions may disappear, a worse end awaits you.
#3. A Worse End
With all the excitement raised by this miracle, Jesus slips away, and the man heads off with his bed, only to be questioned by the religious leaders concerning the fact that he carried a small mattress around on the Sabbath. These men had no interest in the miracle performed, and no interest in the one who was able to perform the miracle, just in the breaking of one of their commands regarding the Sabbath - but more of that subject next week.
Some time after the healing, Jesus located the man in the temple - and the passage here gives the idea that Jesus was actually searching for the man.
‘Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee (5:14).’
You see Jesus was not satisfied with just mere social concerns, He was concerned for more important things. The healing was not an end in itself; it was to get the man’s attention. So Jesus searched for him in order to warn Him of a worse end. ‘You have been afflicted for 38 years, and now you are relieved - but if you continue in your sin you will face a worse end. Therefore you must repent, lest you suffer this worse end.’
This warning doesn’t mean that the man’s affliction was a consequence of any specific sin, though it may have been. Rather, the warning addresses the man’s current condition of being an unsaved sinner. He must turn from his sin in order to be cured from an affliction that has much worse consequences then a physical affliction, for this man stands in danger of hell fire.
For 38 years this man had suffered at the hands of this dreadful affliction, but if he did not repent and turn from his sinful ways, then he would go along with all others ‘And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (5:29),’ ‘And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched (Mk 9:45,46).’
This my friends is the end for all those who will not believe the gospel - for there will be no better place, no relief from current worldly sufferings, only a worse end to come. If this man did not repent from his evil ways and believe the gospel, and we do not know that he ever did, then this is the something worse to come for him.
We must give none false hopes of tomorrow, for we must warn all of the wrath that is to come. Give none false comforts concerning departed loved ones who were not saved, lest they believe these lies and follow them into the pit, and there blood be upon your head.
And my friends, you who are sitting near the pool of Bethesda waiting for the stirring of the waters, letting Christ pass you by, this is also your worse end to come. No matter what you may find in that pool which you pursue and seek to enter, your end will be everlasting punishment, for ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (Jn 3:18).’
But look upon Him who was ‘He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Is 53:3,4,5).’
Sinner, if you would be healed of your sinful affliction, then it is to Jesus that you must look, for there is life for a look at the crucified one - Look, look and live! Your heavy affliction will roll from your back when you take the death of Jesus for yourself by faith. He is the only One that can heal you.
I, and all my brethren would plead with you that you might believe the gospel while it is yet today, for today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow is a day that may be too late, ‘And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb 9:27).’
What will you do - will you continue on with your life of sin and wait for that which is worse to come, or will you flee to the Saviour and enter into life now? Oh sinner, there is worse to come!
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