GOD HELPS THOSE WHO CAN’T HELP THEMSELVES

INTRO.

There is a common lie that the enemy has used to deceived people of every ethnicity, every generation, and even every religion. The lie is that God helps those who help themselves.

It sounds good, it sounds logical, it makes plenty of sense, but in regard to a person’s spiritual salvation nothing could be further from the truth.

BIG IDEA: This morning, the one big idea I want to share with you is that. God so loved the word that he sent his only beloved son to help those who can’t help themselves.

Let’s Read the Story: John 5:1-15

A little historical and theological observation:

• Historical Interest: At the time, it was widely believed that this pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda (house of mercy or house of grace) was stirred once or twice a year by an angel and the person who was able to get into the pool first would be healed.

Pools were common throughout Jerusalem. Pools for cleansing, pools for cooling off, etc.…. And we know that this pool was a large pool with five porches around it with shade awnings. Large enough for many people to get into it at the same time. The fact that the blind, the lame and the paralyzed were present suggests that it was no secret among those in need that mercy could be found at the right place and time.

The Manuscript conflict: The original and earliest manuscript of this chapter in John’s gospel didn’t include v.3b-4. It wasn’t until a much later manuscript was found which dated around 400AD included this verse.

The Earliest Manuscript:

Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.  When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” NIV

Later Manuscript:

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.

I. THE MAN AT THE POOL IS A OF HUMANITY.

Surely you noticed that only this one cripple was singled out by Jesus. But why? Why was he the lucky one? Well, only sovereign grace can explain this. Nevertheless, the man was a perfect candidate for a miracle.

After all, after 38 years in this condition he is clearly out of options. He know doubt had tried over and over to help himself. Unfortunately, God is not our first option is our attempt to fix ourselves, to make ourselves happy and whole. We’ll try anything to help ourselves before we admit we need God in our lives, won’t we?

• Some commentators believe that this man’s 38-year condition is a picture of the nation of Israel who wondered in the wilderness for 38 years before entering the promised land. (Deut. 2:14)

The Million Dollar Question: “Do you want to get well?”

I think it was a sincere and appropriate question that Jesus asks the man. Why? Because, like the man, we all have a choice to make, do we want Jesus to involve himself in our lives.

• Some people believe that the man was so used to being an invalid who depended on others for everything that Jesus was asking him if he was ready to assume responsibility for himself.

This first step in our path to living a God honoring life is to admit we need help! We are not good enough in our own righteousness. In fact, we all like sheep have gone astray.

The man’s answer is interesting is it not? One would think his response would have been, “YES of course I want to be healed! Please push me into the water first!”

But his response was, excuses. I have no one to help me get into the water.

“He had been in this sad condition for so long that his will was as paralyzed as much as his body.” ^{Warren Wiersbe}

II. THE JEWISH LEADERS ARE A PICTURE OF RELIGION.

A. The religious Jews are a perfect example of people who believed that God helps those who help themselves. 

B. Rules never Produce Righteousness: Think of it, a man is healed from a life of misery and all they could recognize is that he was breaking their laws in not keeping the Sabbath.

C. Jesus deliberately heals on the Sabbath many times to underscore the limitations of religion to make people whole:

• Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath ^{(John 9:1-14).}
• Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath ^{(Matt.12:9-14).}
• Jesus cast a demon out of a man on the Sabbath ^{(Luke 4:31-37).}
• Jesus permits his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath ^{(Matt.12:1-8)}

D. The Jews had 39 categories of work prohibited by law, which included things like:

• Carrying anything across town
• Writing
• Cooking
• Plowing
• Burning
• Planting
• Harvesting
• Weaving & Sewing
• Building
• Trapping
• Skinning
• Shearing

Jesus said that God created the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27)

III. JESUS CAME TO US NOT JUST US.

This healed cripple does the right thing to go to the temple to give thanks to God for the miracle of healing, but he doesn’t seem to have changed inwardly.

This man goes to the temple, which indicates that found religion but missed Christ. For he wanted the approval of man rather than of Christ.

Jesus calls the man to repent of his sinful attitude toward God and stop sinning but the man shows no signs of doing so. In fact, he turns Jesus over to the authorities.

• I think about the Parable of the Sower in which Jesus said that some seed was sown on rocky soil that sprung up for a minute and weathered away just as fast.

Grace calls us to leave our old cripple life behind and honor Jesus from a place of gratitude.