Dear Rehoboth,

This week I think I am going to focus on John 5 and move away from the farewell discourse of John 14. Mainly because I really like the story of the pool of Bethesda. When I traveled to Israel last summer, one thing we did was read the passage of scripture that was connected with each place that we visited.  Whoever read then gave a mini-sermon on the passage. The way the trip went is sometimes we went to 3 or 4 sites each day and as we were traveling from site to site our trip leader would inform someone that they would be reading the scripture at the next place. So sometimes you would have 10 minutes to prepare and other times even less. When we visited the Bethesda pool, our leader forgot to pick someone, but thankfully, someone volunteered. His name was Raul. Raul is an older Methodist minister from Dallas. Raul had no time to prepare, but after reading the passage, he gave one of the most powerful sermons I have heard in a long time. He expressed to us that people believed that when the waters of the pool are disturbed the first one to enter would be healed. So, people would sit and wait, hoping they noticed the water move first so they could jump in. Raul reminded us that God is still disturbing the water of life and providing healing. That Jesus is searching out the places in which the sick are gathered, and he is coming to bring healing to all. He encouraged us that there will be moments when we are going to need to see the disturbed waters and jump in. But, there will also be times when we will see the disturbed waters and need to help others into the water. It made me wonder where God is stirring up the waters of redemption in our world. Are we too slow on our own to react? This man had no ones help to get him into the waters. How often do we leave people on their own, hoping they can get into the disturbed waters? I wonder who in our world is waiting by the well for someone to help them? Are we too busy on the Sabbath to notice those who can’t get into the waters? 

Jesus comes into this story, and he widens the disturbance. Jesus is the disturbance in the water. That’s all Jesus does is disturb the waters. He makes it so not just one person at a time can be healed, but everyone can be healed. Are there areas of your life that you wish for the waters of healing to be disturbed? And are we searching for that healing in something other than Jesus? Rehoboth, I would love to hear what you think about this story. What strikes you about the healing of this man? Where have you seen Jesus disturbing the water? When have you missed the waters being disturbed? Let me know what you are thinking about this week’s scripture.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Lee