Jesus vs A picture of our society

John 5:1-15

Bethesda means pond of mercy. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had (4).

This place looks promising the healing but the condition of the healing is limited to the 'first' person into the pool when the waters are stirred by an angel of the Lord.

This Bethesda is a picture of the society where people would compete each other for the chance that gives luck to the only one and best person. People in this society compete each other and everyone becomes loser except one winner. Because of the competition, people become selfish. During the competition, people may be hurt, despaired and devastated.

A 38-year invalid man was waiting for healing opportunity in Bethesda. He would have no chance in such a competitive environment without someone's help.

But John 5 shows the most hopeless man like him can have hope in Jesus.

When everyone was enjoying the festival, Jesus visited this place full of disabled people who could not join the joy of the festival. And Jesus asked the man, “Do you want to get well?” This is the voice of God, that gives him the hope of healing.

Jesus also asks you, “Do you want to get well?”

Even if you are the most miserable person in the society, you have hope in Jesus because He can heal your problem.

The invalid man thought Jesus might help him to win the competition. But Jesus was the game-changing healer right now right there.

See v8 and v9.

When Jesus said to him “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk”, the man was cured at once; he picked up the mat and walked.

What can we learn from this?

You will be better off to live wholesome life in Jesus than competing in Bethesda and filled with complaint and despair for whole life.

If you put your hope in this world, your heart will be filled with complaint and despair regardless how long you may try (refer to v7).

You will be better off to put your hope in Jesus – In Him everyone is the winner at once.

If you don't believe this, you trust yourself too much or you put your hope or trust in this world too much.

Do you know why we are hopeless in this world? It is because this world is like environment around Bethesda. When the invalid man lost his hope there, Jesus came over to ask “do you want to get well?” to give him hope. Don't wait till the hopeless moment of the life.

Do you know Jesus knows all your needs and He has all power to take care of you? Jesus knows you need study, job, health, rest, food and more. You will be better off in Jesus than in Bethesda without Him. We have hope in Jesus but hopeless in this world. John 5 tells us that.

Study the Bible. And learn what His commands & promises are, do His will (obey them) and live on His promises. Do your study also as His will, not as your own will without Him.