No Man to Help! John 5:1-13

Text:  “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 5:7.

          “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me; refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.”

Psalm 142:4.

Good morning, caring Christian!  In the midst of life’s troubled waters, you are ever ready to lend a hand to those in greatest need; you are ever there to uphold the afflicted in prayer; you are always most willing to share vital resources as your Lord leads and directs you so to do.  Praise God for such genuinely caring Christians!  Christ Jesus is glorified in you, daily.

“Ye are the salt of the earth…ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:13-16)

Bethesda:  “Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market (gate) a pool, which is called Bethesda, having five porches.”  (John 5:2)

“Bethesda was a spring-fed pool, surrounded by five porches, where Jesus healed the man who had been sick for thirty-eight years.  The only record indicating its location places it near the Sheep Gate.  Apparently this carries the inference that it was in the northeast part of the city, for according to Josephus and various ancient authorities, the principal sheep market in Jerusalem was located north of the temple area just as, at the present time, the Arab sheep market is located outside Herod’s Gate.  Also, the Medaba map (fifth century) located the pool in this section which is known as Bezetha.

“In 1888 repairs were being made on St Anne’s Church, in this northeast section of Jerusalem, when what seemed to be a large reservoir was located.  Professor Conrad Schick, who was consulted, organized an expedition and uncovered the entire area down to the Roman level, revealing two large pools with five porches and numerous fragments of columns and capitals - all in Roman style, but evidently somewhat later than the time of Christ.  There were steep, winding steps leading down to the pools, and on a prominent wall of one of the porches was a faded fresco of an angel in the act of troubling the waters.  Here was Bethesda, according to the tradition of the early church.”  (Thompson Chain Reference Bible, Archaeological Supplement 4343, page 1730)

The Bible - Reliable History:  “The Bible is the only record we have of the life and teachings of Jesus.  And if we are to take Jesus seriously then the Bible must be proved accurate.  The New Testament is not a myth - myths happen once upon a time in a faraway place.  The New Testament is written in a space-time dimension.  The context gives specific times, persons, events, and places which offer themselves for verification.  Contemporary documents with the New Testament verify the accuracy in regard to such statements as culture, politics, morals, and religion of that particular period of time.  Also archaeology has added its findings to corroborate the accuracy of the New Testament.  The books of the New Testament were written and circulated during the very time the people lived, while they were able to deny what was written.

“Examples: Bible Reference:

The Birth of Christ (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:1-7);

Specific Names and Times:  (Luke 3:1-3)

Luke wrote down the facts in order:  (Luke 1:1-4).

“If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt.”  F.F. Bruce compares the manuscript evidence of the New Testament with the evidence for the writings of the same period.

“Caesar’s Gallic Wars (58-50BC)                           - 10 manuscripts;

Roman History of Livy (59BC-17AD)                   - 20 manuscripts;

History of Herodotus (480-425BC)                        -  8 manuscripts;

History of Tacitus and Annals of Tacitus (100AD)  -  2 manuscripts;

New Testament                                             -  4000 manuscripts.

“The New Testament has 100 times more manuscript support than all the others combined.  Who are parking their brains - the believers or the unbelievers?

“About Jesus we have to write not theology but history.”  H.G. Wells.

Will Durant - one of America’s foremost historians - “His source material for the entire chapters on Jesus and the apostles was the New Testament.”

Sir William Ramsey of Great Britain started out as an unbeliever and changed his mind because of his archaeological research.”

“Think About It:  Why would the Bible writers give so much specific details, if what they said was not true?

“Archaeology supports the New Testament.  Ancient writers support the New Testament.  People have been trying to disprove the New Testament for centuries without success.  If the New Testament is reliable history - what are the implications?”  (Art Matthew, Londonderry, The Bible - Reliable History)

The angel troubled the waters of the pool at Bethesda, but God’s truth troubles the waters of human unbelief, and brings Eternal healing to those who allow themselves to be helped into knowledge of the Saviour of sinners‘ souls, the Living Lord Jesus Christ.  (Acts 4:12) (Luke 19:10)

Thought:  Who will YOU and I help into this healing knowledge today?