John 5:6-8
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? 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. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Jesus was in Jerusalem for one of the Jewish feasts. During this trip, He passed by the pool of Bethesda, or the "Pool of Kindness." His passing by was no mere happenstance; I suspect He even knew the angel commissioned to stir the pool from time to time. Though He had gone to worship God and fulfill His religious duties, He didn’t let His current agenda hinder Him from doing what pleases God—helping those in need.
This text provides a wonderful picture of salvation and how Jesus rescues us from our helplessness, doing for us what no other person can. But today, I want to focus more so on the example Jesus set for us in helping this man.
I am afraid that many Christians are off-balance in this area of helping others. Some believe the Christian life is entirely about serving others, while others think it’s solely about serving God. But I would remind you that we are called to do both. Loving God is first, and second is loving others. In our text, Jesus demonstrates this balance. His love for God led Him to set aside what He was doing and travel to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, while His love for others led Him to take time, even during the feast, to visit the pool where those in desperate need were gathered. Now let me ask you: when was the last time you went out of your way to worship the Lord? For most, it was probably this past Sunday. But when was the last time you went out of your way to help someone? Can you even remember?
How did Jesus help this man? Notice, He didn’t put him into the waters for healing but gave him something greater. By His word, He made him whole, and the man took up his bed and walked. Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson about helping others. He didn’t give this man the help he was expecting but gave him something far greater: the Word of God, which healed him absolutely. Later, Jesus found the man in the temple, revealed Himself to him, and the man began to spread the word that Jesus had made him whole. That sounds like a changed heart to me.
When we seek to help people, we may feel tempted to give them what they’re asking for, but if we look closer and seek God’s discernment, we may find a greater need to address. A patient often wants the doctor to treat the symptoms, but the doctor should aim to treat the disease. It’s the same with our "Bethesda ministries." Men need more than just a piece of bread for the day; they need the Bread of Life, which will feed them for a lifetime. There is a well that springs up to eternal life, and His name is Jesus Christ. This is the greatest human need today. By all means, clothe them, feed them, give them water—but let those things be a means to an end, the end being that you have offered them Christ, shared His word, and extended His offer of forgiveness and new life.
A good question to ask people in need is the same question Jesus asked this man: “Wilt thou be made whole?” Sir/Ma’am, do you want to be made whole? The question implies the obvious—that they are not whole. This isn’t just the reality of this man’s life; it’s the reality of every person on earth. None of us are whole; all of us are sinners, and all have gone astray. The question gets right to the issue: we need to be made whole. Some may be aggravated by this implication, but others, like this man, may reply, “I’ve tried this and that, and I’m trying now, but it seems my disability is too great.” These are the perfect candidates for the help Jesus offers. Only the sick need a physician, and only sinners need a Savior. For the sake of those who are honest enough to admit their need, endure the ones who may resent your boldness in pointing it out.
As you go about your day, why don’t you pass by your own “Bethesda”—that place where you know the down-and-out will be? They may not be crippled by illness, but perhaps by sin, addiction, or poverty. Jesus did. Stop by, assess the situation, offer them a helping hand—but most importantly, offer them Jesus. And it may be that, a few days from now, you’ll find those same people worshiping in your church, just as Jesus found this man in the temple.
Comments