The Lord of Mercy (John 5:1-9)

Series: Believe 6/2/14
As we look at the third of seven miracles recorded in John’s Gospel, the healing of the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, it tells us that it was believed that God at times sent an angel to trouble the waters, and the first person who stepped in would be healed. Verse 3 says that a great multitude of sick people were there—blind, crippled, paralyzed. Some commentators estimate that it was upwards of 3000 people who surrounded that small pool daily waiting on the slim hope that this could be the day that the angel troubled the waters, and that they would be first into the water to receive their healing. Although thousands were gathered waiting on their healing, John tells us the story of one man. That does not necessarily mean that Jesus did not heal others that day, because the gospels often tell of Jesus healing multitudes of those who were sick and oppressed. But John was led of the Spirit to record this one miracle because of what it reveals to us about Jesus.