Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep 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, halt, withered, 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 lie, 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 man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth 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. (John 5:2-9)
The message I want you to hear from this passage of Scripture is, ‘You have the power to be healed and to become whole. You do not have to remain lame or stuck by the pool with your infirmity.’
The Pool of Bethesda was like a hospital where all the sick people were sent. The man by the pool had an infirmity (minor illness, character flaw, or lack of strength). His illness was not life-threatening, he just had weak legs (a weak walk with God). The man told Jesus that he had no one to help him into the pool. He was covering his lack of ‘get up and go’ with his complaining. This man, who was at least thirty-eight years old, could have rectified his situation by now, but he chose to continue making excuses. Well, Jesus wasn’t hearing it. He had the remedy, but he wanted to know if the man wanted it. The remedy was to know that he had the power to get up and walk on his own. He just needed someone to tell him it was possible and to decide to respond to the truth that he heard.
We all have a will and a right to choose to be healed. A ‘will’ is an intention or desire, a purpose to be carried out, a legal declaration, or a decision made. We have the power to release our faith and stand on the Word of God. Now is the time to put our faith into action so we can rise, take up our bed, and walk.
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