A Date at the Pool
Introduction: John 5:1-15
A. Jesus was going about his business one day
1. I want you to close your eyes for a minute and imagine the scene.
2. Jesus is headed to a feast and along the way he stops at a pool of sick people.
3. Now this is no ordinary pool, but a special place. The “House of Mercy”.
4. Instead of the temple, the invalids, cripples and unwanted go here.
5. Use your senses for a minute. The sights, smells and sounds of hurting people.
6. This is a special pool in which the angel of the Lord “troubles the waters”
7. When to pool of water stirs, the first one in is cured of his ailment.
8. All it required was one to believe, faith in action, and be quick!
9. Patience was required for the wait. A lot of patience as you might not be quick!
B. The date between the Lord and a man is about to happen
1. Close your eyes again for just a minute again please.
2. Looking at the crowd, Jesus sees the one man out of the many there.
3. Can you see him as well?
4. This man had been invalid for 38 years.
5. Had no friend to help him to the water.
6. I imagine this is no random appointment, but divine.
7. Jesus speaks to the man and says, “Do you want to get well?”
8. The man mistakes Jesus question and responses with physical reasons.
C. Jesus heals the man
1. Jesus answers the man response with “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!”
2. Close you eyes again and see the response of the man looking into Jesus eyes.
3. See the man believing the young rabbi and doing what he said to do!
4. He stands up and picks up his mat as a response to his healing.
5. THAT MAN KNEW HE WAS HEALED!!!!!
6. The others around him did not know it happened, no excitement, no clamor.
7. The man himself did not know just who healed him.
8. It happened as well on the Sabbath day. Carrying a mat is breaking the law.
9. Jesus and the man walked out and nothing else is heard about the pool again.
D. Healing is a divine appointment of your faith beyond the pool of troubled water.
1. In this exercise we closed our eyes and imagined the healing.
2. The man sought with patience the angel when the healer was standing there.
3. Why are we waiting in lie for healing when the Bible says ask him?
4. Imagine now, He is standing by your side asking you do you want to be healed.
5. Our response should not be the reason you are not, but standing in the truth.
6. Others may not even notice, they may still be looking to the troubled waters.
7. What also is different from the story is you have friends that want to help.
8. You have to choose. Do you want to get healed? Watch out for familiar spirits!
E. Before we go to the Healer, there is a warning from the Lord in the story.
1. Look again at verse 14. Jesus at the temple sees the man again.
2. Close your eyes and see the Lord looking at the man and speaking.
3. You are healed, stop sinning or something worse will happen to you.
4. What was the man doing to get a response like this from the Lord?
5. The rebuke was a warning to stop his direction, and turn to God.
6. He knew who it was that healed him and said it to others.
7. The KJV said it best in verse 6, do you want to made whole?
8. Jesus wants to heal you, but He does not want you to continue in sin.
9. You will not be clean unless he makes you clean. The troubled water cannot.
Conclusion:
Now close your eyes and see the Healer ready to heal you!
