John 5:1-14
Introduction
Let us venture together in time to Jerusalem in the very beginnings of the Years of Our Lord—what we call today A.D., Anno Domini. What the the Devil has tried to designate to CE or the Common Era
Let us ignore superstitions, Jewish fables, and modern science falsely so-called.
We serve not the God of the dead, but of the living.
In Him we live and move and have our being.
He is Life, Bread, Light, a Fountain of Living Water, the Way, and so much more. But most of all, He is so much more than real, so much more than present.
He is God manifested in the flesh, and He loves me and saved me! Let me tell you about Him.
In this text before us, let us go where He was on this day in Scripture…
There’s a pool in Jerusalem—the Pool of Bethesda—where the sick, the blind, the lame, and the withered gathered, waiting desperately for the troubling of the waters. It was a place of hope and despair, a place of longing and disappointment. No child played here, no woman bathed here. It was a solemn reminder of sickness, sin, and suffering—but also of the possibility of healing.
But today, we’re not going to focus on the pool. We’re going to focus on the sovereign Christ standing in their midst, offering healing—not by the stirring of the waters, but by the power of His Word.
And the question He asked then is the question He asks now: “Wilt thou be made whole?” Do we recognize the power in His question? Or do we, like the man at the pool, miss it entirely?
Let’s uncover the layers of grace, mercy, and sovereignty in this passage, and see the deeper truth that many overlook.
I. The Attack on This Passage – A Warning from Modern Textual Critics
Before we go further, we need to address something important. If you were to open many modern Bible translations today, you might find that verse 4 is missing or placed in a footnote. The verse that tells us, “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,” is simply gone in many versions.
Why? Because modern scholars, armed with so-called “better manuscripts,” have decided that this verse doesn’t belong. They argue that early scribes may have inserted it to explain why the sick gathered at Bethesda. And so, they take their scissors to the Word of God, leaving behind a confusing passage where the waters are stirred, but with no explanation. A scene once filled with desperate hope and divine intervention is reduced to nothing more than a meaningless superstition.
But let me remind you: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). That includes John 5:4.
If we begin cutting out passages just because they don’t appear in certain manuscripts, where does it end? Do we erase the virgin birth? The resurrection? The deity of Christ? That is the slippery slope of placing man’s opinion above the authority of God’s Word.
And let’s be clear: if we remove this verse, the story no longer makes sense. Why were the sick gathered at the pool if there was no angel to stir the water? Why was the man so desperate to get in first? Without John 5:4, the entire passage loses its meaning.
Beloved, we must stand on the unchanging truth of Scripture. Let God be true, but every man a liar (Romans 3:4). The same enemy who whispered to Eve, “Yea, hath God said?” is still at work today, trying to cast doubt on the Word. But we have a sure foundation, and we must not be moved.
We are not in the Common Era we are in The Year of our Lord.
II. The Reality of the Angel at Bethesda
In John 5, we are introduced to a man who had been impotent for 38 years. He had been lying there at the Pool of Bethesda, hoping for healing. The Bible tells us that at a certain season, an angel would come down and stir the waters, and whoever stepped in first would be healed.
Some struggle to accept this. They say, “This doesn’t make sense. Why would God use an angel and a pool to heal people?” But listen to me, beloved—just because we don’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
Hebrews 1:14 tells us that angels are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” God has used angels throughout history to accomplish His will. We see them strengthening prophets, delivering messages, and even bringing judgment. So why should we doubt that He could use an angel here?
This was a real event, recorded by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We don’t get to pick and choose which parts of the Bible we believe. If God says it, it is truth.
But here’s the real question: Why did this man—after 38 years—never make it into the pool?
III. The Impotent Man – A Picture of Humanity
The man at the pool was helpless. For nearly four decades, he had been unable to reach the waters in time. When Jesus came to him and asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” the man didn’t say, “Yes, Lord!” Instead, he gave an excuse: “Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool.”
He was looking at the water. He was looking for someone to help him. But he wasn’t looking at the One standing before him who had the power to heal.
And yet, even in his ignorance, Christ healed him.
This man wasn’t healed because of his faith. He was healed by the will of Christ alone. Jesus didn’t ask him if he believed. He didn’t require anything from him. He simply spoke: “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” And in that moment, the man’s legs were strengthened, and he walked.
IV. The Sovereignty of Christ in the Healing
Here’s what we need to see: this miracle wasn’t about the pool. It wasn’t about the angel. It was about Christ’s sovereign will.
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please” (Isaiah 55:11).
When Jesus sent forth His Word, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk,” the miracle happened. No stirring waters, no waiting—just the authority of Christ.
Beloved, Christ needs nothing to accomplish His will. And like this man, we are helpless in our own strength. But when Christ speaks, things change.
V. The Invitation – Will You Be Made Whole?
Now, the question remains: Wilt thou be made whole?
Unlike this man, you know it is Jesus who stands before you. You hear the Word, and faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).
Will you rise and walk in the newness of life He offers? Will you stop making excuses and look to Jesus, the One who can make you whole?
It’s not about your ability. It’s about Christ’s power. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).
Will you receive Him today?
Conclusion – A Final Warning
As we close, let us not forget how many today have tried to remove this passage from God’s Word. The same spirit of doubt that tries to erase the angel at Bethesda is the same spirit that seeks to remove Christ’s authority.
But the truth remains: Jesus heals, Jesus saves, and Jesus is sovereign.
The invitation is open. Come to Him. Trust in Him. Be made whole.
Amen.