Title: Grace of Bethesda
Contents
Bethesda's Grace
John 5:1-9
The place where the main event took place today is a pond called ‘Bethesda’. This pond is located near the Sheep Gate on the north side of the city of Jerusalem. The size of the pond is about 100 meters long and about 60 meters wide.
So it's about the size of a football field. There is a pavilion-like pavilion at the four corners and in the center of the pond, providing convenient facilities for people to rest.
And the characteristic of this pond is that it is a geyser. It is a pond where water occasionally spurts out irregularly.
At the time of Jesus, a quake was taking place in the pond. Numerous and various sick people are lying in the tents. Waiting for the pond to fill with water. Then, when the pond fills with water, they jump into the pond as if fighting for each other. The first thing to do is to immerse yourself in the water.
The name of this pond is Bethesda, which means “house of grace” or “house of mercy.” There is a saying, “There is no crucian carp in bungeoppang” among the jokes. There are also other similar words.
“There is no knife in Kalguksu”, “There are no bedbugs in Bindae-tteok”, “There is no phlegm in Garae-tteok.” Likewise, there was no mercy in Bethesda, the house of grace, and there was no mercy in the house of mercy.
But Jesus came to the pool of Bethesda, which is called the house of grace, but is actually the house of despair.
There the light of grace began to shine.
It is no longer a house of despair, but a house of grace and a true Bethesda.
Today's text introduces the amazing work of grace that took place when Jesus came to Bethesda.
This event is a classic example of Jesus coming and turning the land of despair into the land of grace.
Let's go into the history of grace.
1. Grace to come
In verses 1-2 of the main text, it is recorded as follows. “After that, there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and there is a pool called Bethesda in Hebrew by the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem.”
And among them, this 38-year-old sick man came to visit.
You did not come at the request of anyone. You didn't get any advice from anyone.
It's not like you've been pushed by anyone. He came entirely according to the will of Jesus.
Jesus Himself decided the time and place. Jesus chose someone to meet with Himself.
If you look at the Bible, God comes to you according to God's will.
God came to Abraham, and Abraham received unexpected grace in Ur of the Chaldeans.
God came to Moses, and Moses received unexpected grace while tending sheep on Mount Horeb.
Jesus came to Paul. When Paul went to arrest those who believed in Jesus, he received unexpected grace.
That's right. He comes to those whom God has chosen. They will receive unexpected blessings.
So you will be surprised and thrilled.
Dr. Kim Chun-geun lived a successful life to the extent that he came to the United States to study in the United States in 1967, received his Ph.D.
However, at the young age of 37, he was sentenced to death from cirrhosis and hepatitis.
He overcame extreme poverty and left for the United States in search of a place to live. After many hardships, he received his degree and became a professor, and he managed to settle in a stable position.
In deep despair, I rebelled against God. “God, can you do this? After all, why do you fold it?” After that, he devoted himself to liver treatment by mobilizing all possible methods. But nothing worked. So he finally went up to the Big Bear Mountain Prayer House.
I grabbed my swollen stomach and started praying.
However, while praying, he meets the Lord who came to him. The eyes of the world turned to the Lord.
Then I realized how much the Lord loves me.
I also learned that you have a big vision for yourself.
Now the content of prayer has changed. God why do you love someone like me so much? Why did you come to see me like that?" Of course, I was cured of my illness, and since then, amazing ministries have been carried out for the Lord.
That's right. When we receive the grace of the Lord's coming, we will be moved. Why do you love someone who is poor, weak, and incompetent like me?” “Why did you choose something like me?”
In Psalm 8:4, David sang a song of joy like this.
“What is man, that you think of him, and that the Son of Man is that you care for him?” Those who have received the grace of the Lord come to him and sing like David.
Dear all! Welcome the Lord who is visiting you.
And I hope that you will enjoy the grace that comes to you.
2. Grace that gives hope
To briefly introduce the sick man, who can be called the main character, in verse 5, “there was a man who was thirty-eight years old.” It does not reveal what kind of disease it is.
He said that he tried to fix it for 38 years, but it was in vain and the disease had gotten worse. Now, this patient was in a state where there was no hope for the medicine of the time.
Furthermore, in verse 7, the sick man says: “No one puts me in the pool when the water is moving,” he said. It means that there is no one beside this sick man to lift his arms and legs.
After battling the disease for 38 years, not only friends and relatives, but also family members would not be able to protect him.
Despair only deepens when there is no one to depend on.
Reluctantly, I put my last hope and found Bethesda Pond. When water moves in a pond, I put my last hope in the superstition that if I enter the water first, I will get better.
However, when the water moves in the pond by himself, he struggles to enter the pond, but he is always behind the scenes. Because others quickly jump in with someone's help. Now this sick man's hope has changed.
Whether or not he is sick, he wants to go into the pond first.
The problem with this sick man is that he has lost hope.
He could no longer even hope for a cure. This is the essence of this sick man.
Jesus knew that. So you asked. “Do you want to get better?” After all, the patient’s answer is “Yes! I want to get better.” Instead of saying that, I'm asking you to help me get into the water first. Jesus restored the hope of healing to this sick man.
You have brought back true hope.
Hope is important. Because that hope determines our future. Even if the reality given today is difficult and difficult, we must not lose hope. Unfortunately, the given reality keeps shaking our hopes.
So many people lose hope.
But Jesus gives us hope. He says, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” And he says, “If it is possible, what do you mean? Nothing is impossible for those who believe.” So Jesus is our hope. We cannot do it, but we can do it with the Lord.
Poets who realized this fact earlier sang: “My soul, wait quietly in God alone, for all my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:5) “Now, Lord, what do I hope? My hope is in You” (Psalm 39:7) Beloved! The Lord comes to us and gives us true hope.
May you enjoy abundantly the true hope you find in the Lord.
3. Healing Grace
In verses 8-9 of the main text, it reads like this. “Jesus said to him, Get up, pick up your bed and walk.” Immediately the man got well, picked up his bed, and walked.
He told me to take a seat and walk. Even if you fix it, it's very clean.
It's interesting to look into the situation of this sick man. Seats carried this patient for 38 years.
The patient was always lying on the bed, and if he was lying on the bed when moving, people would carry it with him.
But Jesus said to the sick man.
“Take up your seat and walk!” Now it has been turned upside down and the sick person is carrying the bed.
That is what Jesus healed. Jesus changed it.
It was restored by Jesus.
When Jesus comes to us, our souls become healthy. All sins are washed away from our hearts and we have a pure and pure soul. Then our hearts will be at peace.
You can get rid of any stress. That's not all. Our bodies can be healthy too.
It also strengthens immunity to diseases. People who are already sick heal much better.
In fact, when Jesus comes to us, the grace of healing comes. Healing begins in our souls, our minds, and our bodies. Healing begins in our homes too. The relationship is restored and the love that has been left is returned.
Healing begins in our society as well. Conflicts are resolved and a healthy society becomes a reality
Dear all! The Lord comes to us and begins healing.
May you enjoy this wonderful healing grace.
Three bodies were found in a hospital mortuary. Interestingly, however, all of these bodies had smiling faces. The hospital director thought it strange and found out why.
The first body won the lottery, and it is said that he died of a heart attack while laughing so much.
In the second body, his son did not study well, but he was so surprised that he passed Seoul National University, he laughed so much that he died of shock.
However, the third and last body was said to have been struck by lightning, but when I found out why he was smiling, it was found that he laughed thinking he was taking pictures.
It's been so hard these days, so our faces are so hard.
I can't afford to laugh because the situation is hopeless. It's like the faces of the sick in Bethesda.
But when Jesus comes, it will be different. Bringing smiles back to our faces.
Because the grace of Bethesda is coming. Because hope is restored and healing begins.
I pray that the grace of Bethesda will come to you.