The Man at Bethesda

Author: Rev. Daniel Johnson
May 13, 2026

A man sits beside the pool of Bethesda — “The House of Mercy” — after suffering for thirty-eight years. Thirty-eight years of disappointment, waiting, hoping, and watching life move while he remained stuck. What struck me again this week is that the man was not looking for Jesus. His eyes were fixed on the water. His hope was in the pool. But Jesus moved toward him anyway. That is the story of grace. Before we ever sought Christ, He moved toward us. Before we prayed, He already knew our need.

This Sunday at Gracepoint, we walked through one of the great turning points in the Gospel of John — the healing at Bethesda in John 5. At first glance, it looks like a miracle story about a crippled man beside a pool. But John is doing something much deeper. The real question in this chapter is not simply, “Can Jesus heal?” The real question is: “Who is Jesus?” 

Maybe that is where some of you are right now. Still crawling toward “pools” you hope will finally heal what feels broken inside. Success. Relationships. Achievement. Religion. Self-improvement. Always thinking, “Maybe this will finally satisfy me.” But the message of Bethesda is clear: our hope is not in the pool. Our hope is in Christ!

The religious leaders completely missed this. A man who had not walked in thirty-eight years was suddenly carrying the mat that used to carry him — and all they could focus on was the fact that it happened on the Sabbath. That is what legalism does. It can become so consumed with rules and systems that it completely misses the work of God standing right in front of it.

But the true climax of the chapter comes when Jesus says, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Suddenly the hostility rises because Jesus is no longer being viewed merely as a teacher or miracle worker. He is claiming equality with the Father. And that changes everything. Because if Jesus is truly the Son of God, then He is not merely someone to admire — He is someone to surrender to. 

Remember, the greatest miracle in John 5 is not that a man walked… the greatest miracle is that God walked into Bethesda. And the same Savior who walked into Bethesda still moves toward broken and helpless people today — still giving grace, still speaking life, still healing what sin has broken, and still saving those who cannot save themselves. That is our hope. Christ alone!

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Dan

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