"Waiting for the moving of the water."

John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

John 5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:4 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.

John 5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:6 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?

John 5:7 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.

John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.





"It was supposed to be a joyous celebration!"



This feast of the Jews, or it could be called today: "Our high-energy worship service." Jesus is about to show up to someone who just wasn't able to join in with their celebration.



"While so many others were celebrating during this feast time. While so many others were celebrating in other places in Jerusalem with such exuberant joy. Jesus enters  through the sheep gate where the pool called Bethesda was."



Bethesda which means" house of kindness." A place where probably those that were really having church, so to speak, didn't feel a need to visit. After all, they have the best worship leaders, the best support groups, the best activities for everyone, and their pastor can relate to them using his new today's -language version of the Bible!



While the feast was once called the feast of the Lord, the people had changed it to "a feast of the Jews."



"It's like today, so many have taken the emphasis off of Christ and placed it upon themselves."



In all the hype and celebration, we've reduced Christ down to an event rather than the Person that He is!



So, we have people talking about their awesome praise and worship service but with no power to be willing to go through the sheep gate to the pool of Bethesda!



But Jesus will go there! And if He is truly in you, you will go there too!



Once Jesus came to the pool, what did He see?



He sees every person in their most desperate need!



Laying all about are the most miserable of the miserable. Those that probably had been in the meetings of those that were to busy with their praise services. They have heard all the "religious chiches'" that they could stand. None of it has brought them any victory!



They are looking for an angel now. Just trying to make it through another day.



A great multitude, the Bible says of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.



There are many today that don't know how or when their help is going to come, but they are waiting for the moving of the water!



Jesus comes to the pool of all those waiting for the moving of the water. I don't know if anyone had ever been healed there or not. It may have been that was the formula that the churches in their city were using to be relevant to them, I don't know!



But I do know what the Bible says about what Jesus did.

He came through the sheep gate!

He came to the pool where the need was!

He had His eyes open to all of the people!



" I believe He looked upon the most miserable and the most helpless of that crowd that day."



Thirty eight years is a long time to be like you are if you had what this man had.



He's had heard it all and seen it all by religious folk. He's resigned to just lay at the pool with no faith in any man to help him.



"When we get to the point where we know that man doesn't have our answer, we are to the point where most likely, Jesus will come through the sheep gate to the pool where we are lying."



Jesus knows where you are and He knows what kind of case you are in.


John 5:6 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?



Jesus asked the impotent man, "Will you be made whole?"



The man said to Jesus: "I've done everything that they told me to do!"

Someway I've made it to their meetings!

I waiting for something to happen!

They said: "Just hang in there!"

Just claim it, your answer is on the way!

Just keep sending your seeds to us!



"And man says, after all of the hype and the celebration, I have no man to put me into the pool!"



That's what wrong with so much of so-called church today, after all the celebration, nobody can put those that really have a need into the pool of kindness!



But thank God, JESUS CAN!



The man says: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.



Look what Jesus says.



John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.



The man heard Jesus say:



RISE Which means to get up!

TAKE UP Which means to carry!

WALK It means to tread all over the place!



"All it took for this man and all it will take for you today is that you hear Jesus say: Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."



"And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked!"



If we truly hear Jesus say anything to us, regardless of the impossibility of it. His words are Spirit and they are Life!



We can believe it and do it through Christ which strengthens us!



Are you waiting waiting for the moving of the water?



Jesus is faithful to come to you.