“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” John 5:6
In the next three articles, we are going to address a deadly, dreaded disease. It is important that you listen closely because you could have this disease and not even know it. This disease can spread rapidly and render an entire church body spiritually bedridden. It is called spiritual paralysis or the loss of the ability to walk with God. Those stricken with this disease find themselves spiritually paralyzed… unable to do what God wants them to do. They are unable to make disciples – to lead others to Christ and train them to do the same. They may be unable to overcome a past hurt, habit or hang up. If that describes you, then you are invited to go with the Doctor on a swimming pool call to see how this dreaded disease can be cured. Just how can we overcome spiritual paralysis?
RESOLVE TO GET WELL (John 5:1-6). You must want to get well. The first year of Jesus’ ministry had come to an end. At the start of His second year of ministry, Jesus went to the Passover feast in Jerusalem. “After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed.” (John 5:1-3a). “Bethesda” means “house of outpouring” or “house of mercy.” This pool was near the Sheep Gate so that sheep coming to be sacrificed in the temple could be brought through this gate and washed in this pool. The Bethesda pool was surrounded by five porches to shelter the sick. Five is the number of grace. Why were all these needy people gathered here?
They were “waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.” (John 5:3b-4). Some scholars reject these verses stating that they are not found in older Greek manuscripts and are not consistent with John’s writings. But there are convincing arguments to include these verses in the original text of the gospel of John.
Zane Hodges summarizes several reasons to include these verses in the original gospel of John text:
1. All known Greek manuscripts of John’s gospel include these verses except for less than a dozen.
2. Tertullian confirms the authenticity of the passage in the third century.
3. The reading was widely distributed in both the East and West as evidenced in the versions and writings of the church Fathers.
4. The stylistic pattern of this passage is consistent with the unique content and probable connection with the traditions of Bethesda.
5. The absence of these verses in older manuscripts can be explained by a falsely perceived “pagan tinge.”
6. The statement about the multitude of sick assembled under the five porches in verse 3 and the response of the lame man in verse 7 demand the presence of verses 3b-4.
We must not forget that the Bible records many miraculous interventions of angels in the lives of ordinary people. God in His mercy granted miraculous healings at the Pool of Bethesda to heal some of the sick. “Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.” (John 5:5). The lame man lay forlornly in a place where God’s mercy seemed to always touch others but never himself. There had been no mercy at the house of mercy for this man. For thirty-eight years he had been confined by paralysis to a bed, leaving him weak and hopeless.
“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’” (John 5:6). That’s a question we may need to answer, as well. The first step to overcoming spiritual paralysis is to resolve to get well. Do you want Jesus to heal the parts of your life where you’ve been wounded or is it easier to hold on to the hurt? Do you want Christ to overcome your fears or are you more comfortable playing it safe and not taking any risks because you are ruled by the fear of what could happen? All too often we hold on tightly to the things that paralyze us spiritually.
To the one crippled by past hurts, Jesus asks, “Do you want to be healed?” To the one chained by secret sin Jesus asks, “Do you want to be set free?” To the one battling addiction Jesus asks, “Do you want to overcome?” To the one who is paralyzed by fear, Jesus asks, “Do you want to admit you are not in control and learn to trust Me?” To the one who has not yet trusted Christ to get them to heaven Jesus asks, “Do you want to be saved?” Toall of us who need His healing touch in any part of our life He asks, “Do you want to be made well?”
Christian psychiatrists Drs. Minirth and Meyer have written a book about overcoming depression entitled “Happiness Is a Choice.” They wrote, “As psychiatrists, we cringe whenever Christian patients use the words, `I can’t’ and `I’ve tried.’ Any good psychiatrist knows that `I can’t’ and `I’ve tried’ are merely lame excuses. We insist that our patients stop saying `can’t’ and say `won’t’ instead… They need to see what they are really doing, so we make them face up to it by saying, `I just won’t get along with my wife.’ `My husband and I won’t communicate.’ `I won’t discipline my kids the way I should.’ `I won’t find time to pray.’ `I won’t stop gossiping.’ When they change their ‘can’ts’ to ‘won’ts’ they stop avoiding the truth and start facing reality.”
We need to choose what we really want, and as God’s people, learn to say with the apostle Paul, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). Overcoming spiritual paralysis begins with a RESOLVE TO GET WELL.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, of all the people whom You could have healed at the pool of Bethesda, you chose a man who had been lame thirty-eight years. Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy that leads You to the people who need Your healing touch. Thank You for approaching me with Your mercy to heal the wounds in the depths of my soul that kept me from walking closely with You in my Christian life. Please make me willing to invite You into other areas of my heart that need Your healing touch. You will not force Your way into my life without my willingness to welcome You. Right now, Lord, I need You to walk with me through the painful memories of the past so I may see You there and hear Your voice of truth which helps me to see the past through Your eyes. Thank You my Lord and my God for the new perspective You are giving to me. In Your name I pray. Amen.