Take your Bible this morning and turn with me to the book of John. The book of John in chapter 5. In this fifth chapter of the book of John, keeping in mind that the writers who were moved upon by the Holy Spirit of God to write wrote in a letter form. There's one letter, one manuscript. There were no verse divisions, and there were no chapter divisions. It was written in paragraph style and form. So, Chapter 5 just continues on from Chapter 4. But in this chapter, the predominant theme is the authority of Jesus Christ, Jesus' authority. In this passage, he starts off by manifesting his authority by his signs and wonders. Then following that, he goes and begins to teach the Jews concerning his authority. So, this morning we begin with the first section. which is found in verses 1 through 16. And the first point is Jesus heals at Bethesda on the Sabbath. Jesus heals at Bethesda on the Sabbath. Let's begin reading with verse 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sea market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, haught, and bewildered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no hand when the water is troubled to put me into the pool, but while I am coming, and another stepeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured. It is Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, he that made me whole, the same said unto me, take up thy bed and walk. Then asked they him, what man is that which said unto thee, take up thy bed and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was, for Jesus had conveyed himself away, and a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more. lest a worse thing come upon thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath. Jesus healing this impotent man, who had been impotent for 38 years, on the Sabbath manifested His authority to not only heal, but His authority over the Sabbath. manifesting who he was. Who he was. Do you know who he was? He manifests who he was by healing This impotent man, not who had just been this way for a couple of years, but he'd been this way for 38 years, probably the majority of his life. He'd been impotent. He'd been helpless. He'd been without strength, unable to do anything. for himself jesus manifest who he was because he did it on the sabbath turn with me to the first chapter of the book of john the first chapter of the book of john and we'll read verses one through three In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, and all things were made by Him, by the Word. And without Him was not anything made that was made. The Word was God, and the Word was the Creator, the One who made all things. There was not anything made that was made that was not made by Him. Verse 14, Tells us who this word was and the word was flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth This is the only begotten of them. Who's the only begotten of the father? the son the lord jesus christ Verse one tells us that he was god And he was Creator God. Come with me back to the book of Matthew. The book of Matthew in chapter 12. And we want to read another similar incident. Not the same incident, but a similar one. which Jesus used to teach and to instruct, to manifest His authority. Chapter 12, when we read verses 11 through 13, I know it's a lengthy reading, but I think it's necessary for us to read it and see the manifestation here, see what happens here in His manifestation as being Lord of the Sabbath. At that time, Jesus went on the Sabbath day to the corn, excuse me, and His disciples were and hungered and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat on the Sabbath day. Pluck the ears of corn? The eating was all right on the Sabbath, but to work to get the food was wrong. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do on upon the Sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did when he was and hungered? And they that were with him, how he entered into the house of God, did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priest. Or have you not read in the law how that on the Sabbath day, the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? On the Sabbath day, the priests still had work to do within the temple, and they were blameless for doing it. But I say unto you that in this place is one greater than the temple. There's one greater than the temple. But if he had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, he would not have condemned the guiltless. If a man be hungry on the Sabbath day, is it wrong for him to go out into the field and get him some food to eat? It's an act of mercy. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. Wow. And when he was departed, thence he went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man which had his hand withered, and they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the second day, that they might accuse him? Did I not just talk to you about mercy? That would have been my reply. And he said unto them, what man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep? And if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? Act of mercy. Now that that sheep was money But he'd go out there he would work on the Sabbath day To be merciful to that sheep and talk about How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore, it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day. It is lawful to do acts of mercy, works of mercy on the Sabbath day. A man needs to eat. Men need to eat. Men are sick. They need tended to, cared for. Then saith he to the man, stretched forth on hand, and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other. Back to our text in the book of John, chapter 5, looking at verses 9 and 10, Remember keep in mind we're Seeing who Jesus is we're seeing his authority. We're seeing who he is We've already read in the first chapter that he is God is the creator He made all things He's we seen in Matthew chapter 12, he's Lord of the Sabbath he may have a day This afternoon quite possibly be looking at the fact that He made the Sabbath day. But verses 9 and 10 And immediately the man was made whole and took up his bed and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured. It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. Luke 16 now. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Sabbath day. Verse 18 says, therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because he not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. He was God. So Jesus is Lord of all. He's Master. He's Creator. He's God. He had a right. Furthermore, should have looked it up, in another place it said, he said, the Sabbath was not created for him, the Sabbath was not created for the Lord, but it was created for man. The Lord still does His working, still does His acts of work on the Sabbath. He's always sees, He's always doing, He's upholding, He's sustaining, He's providing for His creation. However, not only will we do we see his who he is and his authority here we See that he is also compassionate We not only see his compassion in these verses we see that he has a problem a problem arises And guess who the problem was with? Of all people, the problem is with the religious folks. Isn't that where most of our problems come from? Those who at least profess to be religious people? And then also we notice in these verses to the one who is converted, to the one who has received healing. He gives a command. He gives a charge. Now, the feast in Jerusalem in verse 1, it says, after this, After what? It's just a term that joins it with the rest of the content, the rest of the book of John. The rest of the gospel of John's writing. After the events of that had transpired in Galilee, the events that had transpired in Samaria, the events that transpired in discourse with Nicodemus, the events that transpired while he was in Jerusalem for the Passover. He had just been up there a couple of months ago for the Passover. And those events that transpired then, he came into the temple, they had made the temple a place of merchandising, and he cleansed the temple. And all of that. After the events that transpired before he went to the Passover, while he was still in Galilee, when he was at Cana, at the Mary feast and he turned turn the water Into wine The events that Transpired before that When he called a few Of his disciples few of his apostles The event that occurred before that, when John the Baptist saw him coming and said, Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. All these events are in view. So after this, after this, there was a feast. of the Jews. Jesus attended a Jewish feast. Now, those feasts were a time of worship in God. A time when they were to worship God in a specified manner, specified by God. And Jesus set the example by attending those feasts, especially the obligatory feasts. And in so doing, he's teaching us. That we ought to worship. We ought to worship God. We ought to bow down before God. We ought to do that which God has commanded us to do. He commanded us in the book of Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 25 not to forsake the assembling together of ourselves as the manner of some. There were some that were forsaking the assembly. He said, don't do that. Don't do as they do. You got to attend and worship God. And one of the ways in which you worship God is by coming alongside of one another and encouraging one another and provoking them unto love and to good works. And how can you do that when you're not there? He said, We might be wondering, what feast? It says after this there was a feast of the Jews. It doesn't tell us what feast, but I think we can do the math. It was probably one of the obligatory feasts, as we already mentioned, which would have been the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Pentecost. Those three feasts was mandatory in Israel that every man 30 years of age and over attend, be at those feasts. But if we follow after this and join the rest of the context where Jesus had been up to Jerusalem, at the Feast of the Passover. He'd left Jerusalem then after the Feast of the Passover and after teaching and preaching and doing many signs and wonders. And he's back to Galilee, but he needed to go through Samaria first. And while they're in Samaria, multitudes of people were saved. They came to him and believed. his word and the testimony of the woman of Samaria. And he leaves there and he goes back into Galilee. And the people of Galilee, having been at the Passover with him and witnessed his teaching and preaching and the signs and wonders that he did, they received him joyfully, gladly. They were glad that he had come back home. his countryside. And while they're at Cana again, the nobleman, whose son is dying, is about to die, and the nobleman goes and begs Jesus to heal him. And he's healed. But now after this, there's a feast. at Jerusalem, what feast would it have been? Well, the next feast in sequence would have been the Feast of Pentecost, which, if I'm not mistaken, was 50 days after Passover. Thus, it's called Feast of Pentecost. And so Jesus went up to Jerusalem, probably was for the Feast of Pentecost. We see his attendance. Think about his attendance to the Feast of Pentecost, not only to the Feast of the Passover, but like at the Feast of the Pentecost, because every man 30 years of age and over was supposed to be there. Think of the multitudes of people, the great multitudes of people that would be there. Think about what opportunity that Jesus Christ would have to teach and to preach and to do many more signs and wonders while there to give him great opportunity. This was the manner and the course of Jesus' life. He loved the multitudes. He dwelt not always, but quite often with the multitudes, teaching, preaching. and doing many signs and wonders. If you turn with me to the book of Matthew, in chapter 5, just a couple examples that we see, but the book of Matthew, chapter 5, and looking with me at verses 1 and 2 here, in this fifth chapter of Matthew, where we read, And seeing the multitudes, not just a multitude, but seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, he not only taught his disciples, his disciples Seated closest to him along the mountainside, but but then beyond the disciples were the Multitudes of people and Jesus is up in the mountains so that his voice portrays out over the cloud Of people while he's teaching another example we have in the 13th chapter of the book of Matthew the 13th chapter of And, well, look with me at first of all, verse one. The same day went Jesus out of the house and sat by the seaside. And great multitudes, not just multitudes, not just multitudes, but great multitudes were gathered together unto him. so that he went into a ship and sat and the whole multitude stood on the shore. He went up into the ship so that he might speak to them as we do up on the pulpit area so that our voice portrays us. Now we got the aid of a microphone with speakers. to aid in it. They didn't have that then. But notice the great multitudes. He says down in verse 9, to those great multitudes, he that hath an ear, hear. Let him hear. I ask you this morning, do you have an ear to hear? Well, I'll show you what Jesus meant by that. He tells his apostles what he meant by that. Look, I think it's verse 16. Yes, he's speaking to his apostles, his disciples, who had asked him why he was speaking in parables. He was speaking in parables, not all things in parables, but some things, many things in parables, the text here in Matthew 13, many things in parables. And they were asking him why he taught in parables. He had said, while he was speaking in parables, he that hath an ear to hear, In other words, you have a hearing ear. Let him hear these words. And he tells his disciples, he says, But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and blessed are your ears, for they hear. In other words, he's talking about spiritual ears, spiritual eyes, spiritual ears to hear. the Word, the Word of God. But the point is, the great multitudes, and Jesus loved teaching them. Go with me down to verse 54 here in this 13th chapter, and we'll see another multitude when he arrives back in his hometown. In verse 54, and when he was come into his own country, Nazareth, He taught them in their synagogue. Why in the synagogue? Because there was much people gathered in the synagogue. It was an opportunity to teach and to preach and to do signs and wonders among the people. And so much that they were astonished and said, whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works? They were amazed because they thought he had no education. They thought he had no, the word in the text is letter. He had no learning. But Jesus, knew all things. Jesus is wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification. Yes. Turn with me to the 7th chapter of the book of John. The 7th chapter of the book of John and verse 14. Now, about the midst of the feast, Jesus went into the temple and taught. Why did it mention a feast here? Because Jerusalem at the time of a feast, in the temple, there would have been multitudes of people. Multitudes of people. Multitudes of people in the temple. Not the temple proper, but the courtyard. The gathering places where the Jews gathered. And then you had the outer courtyard was the Gentile courtyard. Even Gentiles in the outer would have been Gentiles who had proselytized to the Jewish faith, Jewish system, religious system. Jesus goes into the temple, into that courtyard where there's a multitude of people. and begins to teach those people. Chapter 8, in verse 2, And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him, and he sat down and taught them. So Jesus loved the multitudes. Jesus loved the people. Love the opportunity to be able to teach to them Well Our text in the fifth chapter of the book of John and now looking at verses 2 through 4 We have a view And we've divided this up in three or four views. We can just visualize it as a view that begins to take form here and shape. And the first view is that of the diseased and sick. What was their need? Their need is, We're is pictured here of all those in the It's a picture of all those in the world and and all those in the world being in in great need Every every man without Christ is in great need We'll deal with more on that in just a little bit There were the blind. There were the lame. Those who could not walk. Which appears to be the case with this impotent man. There were the withered. That is, some part of their limbs were deformed and the blood flow and the blood fluids and so forth had dried up in it and it was withered and deformed. Many who were poor and needy Beggarly Look what with me at what Jesus said on another occasion concerning Concerning the sick and disease turn with me the book of Mark and chapter 2 Book of Mark chapter 2 and verse 17. I When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. You see, every man in the world, as we said, every man in the world is in need. They're sick. They don't realize they're dead in trespasses and in sins. They're dead. They're dead to the things of God. They don't realize they have a need. But when God works upon them, and they see that they're in need, He heals. their need. It's one of spiritual need. They're spiritually impotent. These folks, these folks here at Bethesda, at the pool, were helpless. They were impotent. They were helpless. They were without strength. Many in the world are blind, lame, and withered spiritually. They're helpless. Turn with me to the book of 2 Corinthians. The book of 2 Corinthians in chapter 4. Verses 3 and 4. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. They're blind. And Satan keeps them in that blindness. When the Word of God is preached to them, he keeps them in blindness if he can. But we have this Word. There's one greater than Satan. 1 John 4, 4. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. God is greater. So God can overrule Satan. But man is naturally blind of his own accord. Turn with me to the book of John in chapter 3, and look with me here at verses 19 and 20. John chapter 3, verses 19 and 20. And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world. Jesus Christ came into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil, because their works are evil. It doesn't matter whether they're giving millions to some charity to help Folks, their works without God, without Christ are evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light. They hate Jesus Christ. They hate the light. Neither come to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. He doesn't want his deeds. He doesn't want his evil works to be manifest. And Jesus Christ, in the gospel, manifest it. Where are they this morning? Where are they this morning? I think it may be on the conservative side. I handed out probably around 200 tracks yesterday. Where are they? Where are the people? It's all 200 would have came. We wouldn't have enough room to hold him. They'd be hanging in the windows. To hear the preaching, would they not? But man. Doesn't want to hear the truth. He doesn't want to hear. That he's full of sin. He doesn't want to hear. That he's dead. And trespasses and sins. Another description. Man without Christ without God is found in the Book of Romans and in Chapter 5. Book of Romans Chapter 5 and verse 6. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly." Notice that. The ungodly. Those without God. Those without Christ. They're without strength. They're impotent. They have no ability on their own to come to Christ. This this impotent man in our text he had no ability on his own to get to the water first That he might be healed He needed one Who was merciful to him the book of Ephesians Book of Ephesians in chapter 2 We're told in verse one that we're dead in trespasses and sins. Every man without God is dead in their trespasses and sins. They're dead to God. They're dead to the things of God. Go with me down to verse 12. See the condition of those who are dead. They're without strength, Romans 5, 6 said. Without ability to do anything. They're impotent. Verse 12 tells us that they have no hope. They're in a hopeless condition. That at that time, ye were without Christ. See, when you're without Christ, being alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, Having no hope if you're without Christ you have no hope you have no expectation of ever seeing Christ I meet many people out here all the time that the If they know where they're going when they die, well, I hope so Well, that's a maybe I'll get there. I That's not the kind of hope being talked about. You see, the Christian, the one who's in Christ, he has a hope, he has an expectation that is sure. It's a foundation that is steadfast. One day he's going to look his Lord and Savior in the eyes and see Him as He is. And we shall be like Him. Praise God. But to be dead, sins and trespasses. To be without Christ is to be dead in sins and trespasses, and it's to be without strength, having no hope. These great martyrs of impotent folks gathered Around the pool of Bethesda At the sheep gate Texas sheep all indications are it was the sheep gate. There was no sheep market. It was a sheep gate Where they brought the sheep that were to be sacrificed in that gate and It is said that this this pool this pond of water Was probably placed that they watched those sheep before Sacrificing them on the altar There was a great multitude there Because Bethesda means house of mercy It was called that because they recognized this was a place where God came and troubled the water, and God came at a certain season, a time, and was merciful when people were sick. And He would trouble the water. He would agitate the water. The water would be energized. And the first one in, No one else, not the second or third, just the first one in would be healed, would be merciful. In this we notice their desperate hope and faith. Their hope was to get into the agitated water first. That was their hope. Maybe I can get there, maybe I can be first. Well, they believed that if they could be first, they believed they would be healed. They had witnessed, whether they could see it or whether they heard about it or what, they witnessed that others had been healed of whatever infirmity. They had, so they believed it. They believed that if they could be first, they would be healed. We think about this idea and this thought that here men are always grasping. Grasping for something. Something to help them in their daily lives. powering some kind of mystical body of water. I mean, I come from a couple springs up north in Ohio, and people would go there and fill up their water jugs, and thinking there's some special benefit to that ever-flowing spring of water coming out. A television show just recently that stirred my memory to the thoughts of people who used to think about hot springs. There was some kind of special benefits in hot springs. I mean, it's warm water flowing. Benefit to it. Magicians. Faith healers. Oh, in this grasp for help, they're running to and fro. They're seeking every kind of thing imaginable to help them. But they're not seeking Christ. They're not seeking the benefits that He has. for them. They hope they put their faith in everything. You all this morning are exhibiting exhibiting your faith and man made materials. You're setting on a pew that was made by men. Now that they're old, They could come falling down. But you have faith in them that they're going to hold you up. They put their faith in everything but Christ. Turn with me to the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs in chapter 14. And look with me at verse 12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, and thereof are the ways of death. I've made people say, well, we're all working to go to the same place. We're on different paths, but it all leads to the same place. to heaven, they say. This verse tells us, but there are ways. If it's not the way, the truth, and the life, it's a way of death, eternal separation from God. And eternal separation from God is to spend eternity in the lake of fire. The book of john chapter 14 and verse 6 jesus said i am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father But by me one way Not many ways there's one way And that's through jesus christ And so the apostles Preaching there before the magistrates who were condemning them for for healing this man and and preaching in Jesus name They said concerning Jesus Christ whom you've crucified But there's no other name given among men whereby We must be saved At the name of Jesus at the name of Jesus is the only way for salvation. True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings about repentance, repentance of our sins. Shall we stand together