Kingdom Incarnate Part 5
At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Incarnate,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.
We continue in our series ‘Kingdom Incarnate,’ which endeavors to teach us to ‘see’ and ‘know’ Jesus in the gospels. This week, we will examine John Chapter 5 and discuss the healing at the Pool of Bethesda.
John 5:1-6 (NIV)
1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie–the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 4 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 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?”
In John 5:1-6, we encounter a powerful story about a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years, lying near the Pool of Bethesda, a place steeped in superstition and desperate hope. Jesus sees him, singles him out, and asks an extraordinary question: “Do you want to get well?” At first glance, the answer seems obvious, but the deeper implications are profoundly relevant for us all.
The man’s predicament mirrors a familiar human condition. Sometimes, we become so accustomed to our struggles—be they physical, emotional, or spiritual—that they start to feel normal. We settle for the familiar pain rather than pursue the uncertain path to true healing. The man at Bethesda had likely rehearsed his excuses for years: “I have no one to help me,” “It’s too hard,” or “Someone else always gets there first.” These excuses had become his narrative, trapping him in a cycle of hopelessness.
But Jesus didn’t engage with his excuses. Instead, He gave a simple yet transformative command: “Get up. Pick up your mat and walk.” The man’s healing wasn’t dependent on the pool or any human intervention; it was entirely based on his response to Jesus. He had to choose to act in faith, leaving behind the comfort of his excuses and stepping into a new reality.
This question—“Do you want to get well?”—challenges us today. Are we ready to do whatever it takes to leave behind the familiar dysfunctions in our lives? Are we willing to trust Jesus completely, obey His Word, and take steps of faith, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable?
Later, Jesus finds the man in the temple and warns him: “Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” This reveals that the battle for true healing extends beyond the physical. It’s a spiritual battle fought in the choices we make daily. Will we trust Jesus and embrace His abundant life, or will we continue to chase false solutions that leave us empty and broken?
Ultimately, this passage reminds us that Jesus isn’t just a helper; He’s the source of life, healing, and salvation. The same Jesus who asked, “Do you want to get well?” invites us to choose life through Him—the Tree of Life made accessible again at Calvary. What will your answer be?
This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.
Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.
