“DIVINE LIFE AND DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE TO 
 SIN AND DEATH.”  

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-18 

We have pointed out that ‘the key’ to these ‘Signs’ is to be found in ‘the reaction’ which took place toward them, and that is true in this case.  

Let us look at a few of ‘the features’. 
 
‘First of all’, we must note ‘the Jewish setting’ of this ‘Sign’.

It was ‘the feast of the Jews’, and most likely that was ‘the feast of the Passover’.  

In that case it would be the greatest of all ‘the Jewish feasts’ and would account for ‘the multitude’ being in ‘Jerusalem’ at that time, for while it was not necessary for the people to go up there for the other ‘feasts’, it was imperative that they went up there for ‘the Passover’.  

And so there was a great ‘multitude’ in ‘Jerusalem’ at this time, and this ‘Sign’ was performed there, that is, at ‘the very center of Israel’. 

And then it was performed on ‘the Sabbath Day’.   
 
You will have noticed that ‘the Sabbath Day’ is mentioned ‘four times’ in these ‘few verses’. 

It was that which governed ‘the whole Life of Israel’, and all ‘the Laws of Israel’ were gathered into it. 
 
It represented everything in ‘the Life of Israel’.  

I hope you are collecting all these ‘features’, because we are going to find our key to this ‘Sign’ in them. 

One more ‘feature’. -
 
The man upon whom this ‘Sign’ was performed had been in his ‘place of helplessness’ for ‘thirty-eight years’.   

That prepares our way toward ‘the meaning’ of things, and so we turn to have a look at this ‘man’.  

He is an ‘earth-bound’ man. 
 
‘His bed’ was only a very ‘thin mat’ and there was not an ‘inch’ between him and the earth.   

He was well down on ‘the earth’, and was a ‘fixture’. 

But he had not accepted that position; he had been struggling with ‘the earth’ and against this ‘situation’ for ‘thirty-eight years’. 

It does not need much ‘imagination’ to visualize him: every so often he made an effort to get up, struggled to get up from ‘his bed’.   

And then he had to fall back again - and he always came back to ‘the place’ from which he started out.  

Every effort to leave that ‘bed’ only resulted in his having to fall back on it again.   

He was a prisoner of ‘his bed’.  

It was ‘his master’ and he was completely helpless there.  

‘The thing’ that was supposed to give him ‘rest’ gave him no ‘rest’ at all.  

And he was in that position for ‘thirty-eight years’. 

Of course, that is long enough to show that ‘the situation’  was hopeless! 

Now we will look at ‘the background’.  

What is it that lies behind this? 

You will see why I spoke about ‘the Jewish setting’, for this is a ‘picture of Israel’ under ‘the Law’, and ‘Israel in the Wilderness’ for ‘thirty-eight years’. 

‘The first generation’ that came out of ‘Egypt’ reached ‘the border of the land’ and then, because of ‘unbelief’, were turned back into ‘the Wilderness’ for ‘thirty-eight years’, and there they struggled under ‘the burden of the Law’!

They wanted to get away from their position but they never could.  

They wanted to get into ‘the land’, but never arrived there.  

Listen, If their own effort could have gotten them there, they would have been there, but the fact of the matter was that they were going round in a circle and were always coming back to ‘the place’ from which they started.  

The ‘bed of the Law’ was only making them know ‘the weakness of the flesh’.  

It gave them no ‘rest’ - it only showed them how ‘helpless’ they were.  

Of course, those of you who know your ‘New Testament’ are already thinking of ‘the Letter to the Romans’, and especially ‘Romans 7’.  

Do you remember that ‘Chapter’? 

Here is ‘the poor man’ struggling under ‘the Law’.  

He says: “The good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I practice...O wretched man that I am!” (Rom.7:19,24)

That is ‘the man at the pool of Bethesda’: ‘what I want to do I never can do.- What I do not want to do (that is, stay here), I am having to do all the time. - Oh, wretched man that I am! - Who shall deliver me from this dead body’?

Let us go back to ‘Israel’.  

You remember that ‘the Letter to the Hebrews’ always speaks of ‘the Land of Promise’ as ’God’s Rest’. 

It says of that ‘first generation’ that they never entered into ‘His Rest’, and that “there remains therefore a Sabbath Rest for the people of God”. (Heb.4:9)

Now ‘the Land of Promise’ is shown to be a type of ‘Christ in Heaven’: ‘Christ risen from the dead’.   

You see, ‘Israel’ had to go through ‘the Jordan’ when it overflowed all its banks. 

The swellings of ‘Jordan’ were a type of ‘Death’, and they had to go through ‘Death’ on to ‘Resurrection ground’. 

Then the word to ‘Joshua’ was that he should go up and ‘possess the land’.  

It is ‘Resurrection’ and ‘Ascension’.  

It is ‘Christ in Heaven’, victorious over ‘Death’ and ‘His
people’ with ‘Him’ there.  

As ‘Paul’ says: “And raised us up with Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.”  (Eph.2:6) 

Well, now where are we in our ‘New Testament’? 

It is quite ‘true’ - we are in ‘the Letter to the Hebrews’, but with this ‘Man at the Pool of Bethesda’ we are somewhere else, very distinctly: we are in ‘the Letter to the Galatians’, and we have to put the whole of that ‘Letter’ right into these ‘18 verses’ of ‘John 5’.   

Let me ask, what is ‘the Letter to the Galatians’ all about? 

‘First of all’, it is about ‘the bondage of the Law’ and ‘the Law’ making nothing ‘perfect’ but bringing everybody into ‘bondage’.  

‘The people’ who are under ‘the Law’ are in this ‘Letter’ spoken of as being in ‘bondage’.  

‘The Apostle’ says that ‘the Jerusalem’ which is below, or beneath, “is in bondage with her children”. (Gal. 4:25) 

That is where ‘the poor man’ was, in Jerusalem, but in ‘bondage’ in ‘the Jerusalem which is beneath’.  

And so, ‘Galatians’ first of all, speaks about ‘bondage under the law’.  

Then, ‘the second thing’ that ‘the Letter to the Galatians’ speaks about is ‘the Spirit of Sonship in Christ’.  

You will recall that ‘the great words’ of this ‘Letter’ are ‘Sons’ and ‘the Spirit’.  

We are all ‘Sons of God’ by ‘Faith in Jesus Christ’.  

It is ‘Sonship in Christ’, and ‘the Spirit of Sonship’ is ‘the Holy Spirit’.  

Now we come back to ‘John’ and hear ‘the Lord Jesus’ saying: “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36); - “You shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free”. (John 8:32) 

What is ‘the Truth’ that makes us free from ‘the bondage of  the Law’? 

It is ‘the great and glorious Truth’ of ‘our Sonship in Jesus Christ’.  

Do we need to turn to ‘the Letter to the Galatians’? 

The idea of ‘Liberty’, ‘Liberty in Christ’, is mentioned ‘eleven times’ in that ‘Letter’ and that is more often than in all ‘the other Letters’ put together. 

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”. (Gal.5:1)

And again: “For, brethren, you have been called unto   Liberty”. (Gal.5:13)

It is ‘the Liberty of the Sons of God’ through ‘Faith in Jesus Christ’.  

And note again: ‘the Name Christ’ is mentioned ‘forty-three times’ in this ‘little Letter’.  

However, we shall stop here for tonight and take this up when we continue ‘next Sunday’, Lord willing!

When we concluded ‘last Sunday’, I stated that ‘the Name Christ’ is mentioned ‘forty-three times’ in ‘the Letter to the Galatians’. 

Now that is tremendously ‘impressive’! 

If it has a lot to say about ‘the Law’ and about ‘Liberty’, it has far more to say about ‘Christ’. 

‘The Law’ is broken ‘in Christ’, and all its ‘bondage’ is destroyed for ‘the Sons of God’.  

They are free by ‘Grace’, and ‘Christ’ has made them free.  

I do not know whether this was in ‘John’s mind’, but I do see that he had a ‘great deal’ in ‘his mind’ which we do not always notice.  

What I mean is this: Why was it that when ‘John’ spoke about ‘the pool of Bethesda’ he said that there are ‘five porches’ there, - anyone? 

‘The answer’ is that ‘the Holy Spirit’ was writing this thing through ‘John’, and ‘five’ is ‘the number for Grace’.  

Wherever you look in ‘the Bible’ five is ‘the number for ‘Grace’.  

You and I carry that very number on both hands and both feet, if we are ‘normal people’; and more than that, we have ‘five physical senses’.  

Actually, we are made up of ‘fives’! 

You see, ‘God’ meant us to be ‘People of Grace’.  

This ‘poor man’ was in ‘bondage to the Law’, but “The law was given by Moses; Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ”. (John 1:17)

And right there, in the presence of this ‘bondage of the Law’ was this ‘testimony’ to ‘the Grace of God in Jesus Christ’.  

And so what is this ‘Sign’? 

It is a wonderful ‘Sign’! 

This ‘man’ is a ‘true picture’ and ‘representation’ of what it means to be under ‘the Law’.  

‘The Lord Jesus’ stood and cried: “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden”. (Matt.11:28) 

What did ‘He’ mean? -   (please, stay with me!) 

‘The burden of the Law’ was upon ‘the people’, in fact, it was a ‘heavy burden’ for them. 

‘The Pharisees’ gave more than ‘two thousand interpretations’ to ‘the Law of Moses’, and said: ‘the Law of Moses’ does not mean that you have only to keep ‘ten Commandments’; it means that you have to keep ‘two thousand’.  

But there was not a point in all their ‘human life’ where this ‘Law’ was not applied and made their lives difficult. 

And all this was gathered up into ‘the Sabbath’: ‘You must not make your bed on ‘the Sabbath’! - ‘You must not carry your bed on ‘the Sabbath’! - ‘You must not poke your fire on ‘the Sabbath’! - ‘You must do nothing on ‘the Sabbath’! - ‘You may not even walk more than ‘three miles’!  

Imagine, ‘two thousand regulations’ for their ‘lives’! 

‘The one thing’ they were meeting every day, and especially on ‘the Sabbath’, was “You may not!” 

And now hear those Words of ‘the Lord Jesus’: “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. (Matt.11:28) 

What has happened?

‘The Lord Jesus’ has appropriated ‘the Sabbath’ to ‘Himself’.  

It is no longer a ‘day of the week’ - it is a ‘Divine Person’.  

‘The Lord Jesus’ is ’God’s Sabbath’!  

‘He’ is ‘the end of God’s Works’, and ‘in Him’ ‘God’ has entered into ‘His Rest’.  

And this is ‘the Rest’ which remains for ‘the Children of God’ (Heb.4:9-11) - not a ‘day of the week’ or ‘the calendar’, but a ‘Divine Person’, ‘the Son of God’.  

‘In Him’ we come to ‘Rest’, and that which was ‘our bondage’ is now ‘our servant’.  

‘In Him’, that against which we were always struggling is now ‘our Victory’.  

Oh yes, ‘the Lord Jesus’ is ‘the Sabbath’, and if we live ‘in Him’ we shall not spoil ‘the Sabbath’.  

‘Every day’ should be a ‘day of rest’ to ‘our Souls’.  

Listen, this is a ‘mighty thing’ that ‘the Lord Jesus’ has done! 

Now notice: ‘the Lord Jesus’ looked upon that which ‘He’ did for this ‘man’ as a ‘very great and serious thing’.  

When ‘He’ found him in ‘the Temple’ ‘He’ said to him: “You are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall you”. (John 5:14) 

Now back to ‘the Letter to the Galatians’: “You were running well,” said ‘the Apostle’ “who did hinder you?” (Gal.5:7)

You are returning, or are in danger of returning, to ‘the old bondage’.  

You are listening to those ‘Judaizers’ who want to bring you back under ‘the bondage of the Law’, and if you go back there the last state will be worse than the first. 

It is a ‘worse thing’ to fall away from ‘Grace’ than never to have been ‘in Grace’.  

That is what ‘the Word’ says - a ‘worse thing’.  

Notice: We have been liberated from this ‘whole Law’ through ‘Faith in Jesus Christ’. 

Let us walk, and continue to walk in ‘our Liberty’.    

“You were running well” - that is better than ‘walking’.  

Let us not stop ‘running’! 

To return to ‘the Letter to the Hebrews’.  

There are ‘two phrases’ in that ‘Letter’ which run right through.  

One is: ‘Let us’...“Let us press on to full growth”. (Heb.6:1)  

‘Let us’, says the writer, ‘go right on ‘in Christ’ in ‘the new position’ that ‘Grace’ has brought us to.  

Then there is ‘the other word’ that is constantly recurring in this ‘Letter’: ‘Lest’...“Lest there be any man that falls short of the Grace of God”. (Heb.12:15): - “Lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief”. (Heb. 4:11) 

It is a word of ‘warning’ and ‘precaution’ - ‘the alternatives’ to going on is going back.  

Now, you see, all this is an explanation of ‘the Life’ which we have ‘in Christ’.  

It is a ‘Life’ which makes us free, delivers us from ‘bondage’, brings us into ‘Rest’ and opens up a grand and glorious ‘Prospect’ before us.

Let us hear ‘the Warning’: “Sin no more!” 

Notice: it is a ‘Sin’ to turn away from ‘Grace’ and to turn back to ‘Law’.  

It is ‘the Sin’ of turning from ‘Liberty’ back into ‘bondage’.  

It says of this ‘first generation of Israel’ in ‘the Wilderness’: “And turned back in their hearts unto Egypt”. (Acts 7:39) 

And ‘the Lord’ says of such ‘people’: “My Soul has no pleasure in him”. (Heb.10:38) 

Oh listen, it is a terrible thing to lose ‘the Pleasure of the Lord’! 

That is ‘Sin’ indeed!  

Well, that is ‘the dark side’ of ‘the Sign’.  

But what a lot there is in this ‘incident’ of ‘the man at the pool’! 

And what I have said about it is not just ‘my imagination’, for all ‘the New Testament’ afterwards proves this to be ‘true’.  

See those ‘disciples’ again.  

How defeated they were before ‘the Holy Spirit’ came on ‘the day of Pentecost’. 

They were always trying to do ‘the right thing’ and were always ‘failing’.  

They were always trying not to do ‘the wrong thing’ and say ‘the wrong thing’, but they were always doing it.  

You hear ‘Peter’ saying: “I will go with You, even unto death”. 

Of course, that is a ‘good resolve’, a ‘good intention’.  

He meant well, but when it came to ‘the test’, did he do it? 

No, he was ‘in bondage’ to ‘his own weakness’.  

But look at him on ‘the day of Pentecost’! 

He, with the other ‘eleven’, are men who are set free.  

Oh yes, they are men at ‘Liberty’.  

And ‘the New Testament’ goes on to show this ‘wonderful Truth’ of ‘Deliverance in Jesus Christ’ from all ‘bondage’.  

‘John’ was right in choosing this ‘Sign’, and ‘the Holy Spirit’ was right in choosing it.  

‘He’ knew all ‘the wonderful Doctrine and Reality of Grace’ that was in it.  

“Would you be made whole?” 

This is what it means to be ‘made whole’ - to be taken out of ‘the kingdom of the bondage of the Law’ and to be put into ‘the Kingdom of Grace of the Lord Jesus’.  

I hope this appeals to ‘your heart’ and it is not just some ‘interesting teaching’! 

May ‘the Lord’ bring us everyone into ‘the Blessing’ of ‘the Liberty’ which is ‘in Christ’! 

Please, read Chapter 6 in ‘the Gospel of John’ for ‘the next time’.