John 5:1-9

Daily S.O.A.P. Prompts

S – What verse stands out to me today?

O – What is God revealing about Jesus?

A – How should this change my life today?

P – What is my prayer in response?

Scripture

John 5:1-9 (LEB) After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool called in Aramaic Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. 3 In these were lying a large number of those who were sick, blind, lame, paralyzed. 5 And a certain man was there who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. 6 Jesus, when he saw this one lying there and knew that he had been sick a long time already, said to him, “Do you want to become well?” 7 The one who was sick answered him, “Sir, I do not have anyone that, whenever the water is stirred up, could put me into the pool. But ⌊while⌋ I am coming, another goes down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” 9 And immediately the man became well and picked up his mat and began to walk. (Now it was the Sabbath on that day.)

Observation

• Jesus is now back in Jerusalem for another feast. 

• There was a “large number” of sick people wanting to be healed by the waters of the pool. 

• There is clearly some folklore or tradition encouraging the behavior of getting in the pool when it stirs to find healing. 

• Jesus speaks to a “certain man” who has been sick for 38 years. He asks him if he wants to be healed. 

• The man describes the barrier to healing for him. He has no one to help him get in the pool before someone else gets in before him. It appears that the first one there is the one who gets healed. 

• Jesus bypasses the folklore and tradition and the pool altogether and tells the man to “Get up! Pick up [his] mat and walk!”

• I notice the word "immediately" being used by John. This healing didn’t take time; it happened immediately. 

• Also, this healing occurred on the Sabbath. This leads to some real tension with the religious leaders in the next few verses.

Application

• Jesus is above the traditions of man. He doesn’t need pools to heal us. He speaks, and immediately healing comes to the man. 

• Not everyone got healed. Some don’t get healed. God has a plan and purpose.

• Jesus is my healer.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are my healer. You aren’t constrained by the things of this world or religious rituals. Wherever and whenever you say, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” I will obey. When you don’t, I will still believe and praise you! In Jesus’ name, amen!

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