John 5

 Our speaker during Family Bible Hour was Mr Steve Modrzejewski. His message was based on John 5 --

¹After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
 ²Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.
 ³In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.
 ⁴For 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.
 ⁵And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
 ⁶When 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?
 ⁷The 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.
 ⁸Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
 ⁹And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
 ¹⁰The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
 ¹¹He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
 ¹²Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
 ¹³And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
 ¹⁴Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
 ¹⁵The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole...

Jesus was on His way to a feast, and stops at Bethesda. The great multitude may be a picture of the nation of Israel, which wandered about in the wilderness for 40 years; or a picture of the world around us, waiting to experience relief and God's favor. The man with the infirmity experiences God's instant, miraculous healing, yet does not initially know who healed him. Is this another picture of a world that wants the benefits, yet does not know or want the Savior? Mr Modrzejewski's message, in full and in context, is available on DVD. Please see Romy.