One of my favorite stories in the Bible is at the beginning of John chapter five, where Jesus has an encounter with a paralytic man by the pool in Bethesda. The reason I love this particular passage of Scripture is because it beautifully illustrates what the gift of grace truly is.
Although he doesn’t provide details on the period of years that the man had laid by this mysterious pool hoping to someday be healed, John does tell us that he had been in this condition for 38 years. Considering that Jesus was in his early 30’s when this encounter occurred, we realize that this poor fella had been dealing with paralysis in his leg for a number of years before Jesus had ever been born. In other words, we get a picture of this man devoting a considerable period of his life lying in wait by the pool.
I don’t think we should quickly gloss over the beginning of verse 6, for it is here that we learn something important about Jesus: “When Jesus saw him lying there…”
How many times have we found ourselves dealing with pain, or heartache, or suffering, or a major storm in life and wondered to ourselves whether God even knew what was going on with us? Perhaps some of us feel that way at the moment, that God is punishing us, or doesn’t seem too interested in our lives. But we would do well to remember that Jesus went to the pool that day for a reason. He didn’t just show up and decide to go take a swim. He went there looking for this man. Jesus saw him, and Jesus sees us also, regardless of where we are and how we’re feeling.
And I think it’s reasonable to assume that Jesus had a conversation with the man. He greeted and talked with him. How else would he learn that the man had been in this condition for so long? Otherwise, how awkward might it have been for him to just walk up to the man and ask him if he wanted to be made well? Jesus was genuinely interested in him.
So doesn’t it almost seem a cruel question, especially after knowing this man had been in this condition for much of his life, to ask him, “Do you want to get well?” The man had no idea who Jesus was, so obviously he wasn’t a believer. I’m guessing the question seemed at least thoughtless to the man. So, why do you think Jesus asked him that question?
I’ve pondered the answer to that for years. And every time I come away with the same thought: Jesus was simply wanting the man to consider the hopeless state he was in – both physically and spiritually – and that there was reason to finally have real hope, the kind of hope that goes beyond just wishful thinking, but is born out of faith and a changed heart.
And while I often make light of the man’s excuses instead of answering Jesus’ question – “I have no one to help me get in the pool; when I try, someone else goes down ahead of me” – I’d probably reply the same way. This man was completely helpless, after all.
That old saying, “God helps those who help themselves”…. I would imagine that this man would have something to say about the validity of that.
But even after the healing takes place, John talks of another encounter this man had with Jesus in verse 14: “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”
Jesus found him. Again.
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? – Luke 15:4
As surely as Jesus went looking for this man by the pool that day, he comes looking for us. He is the Good Shepherd. And when he finds us, he throws us over his shoulder and brings us back home.
His love won’t allow him leave us alone.
Former Blackout Artist 