All authority in heaven and earth is given to Jesus Christ.

This lesson is about who Jesus claimed to be, and from whom he derived His authority to conduct His ministry of preaching and teaching the gospel, and healing and saving people from sin. Central to Jesus is authority was his relationship with His Father as God’s eternally begotten son. While this doctrine is well known and excepted by Christians who know and believe the Gospel, it was an immensely challenging doctrine for the devout Jews who were the first people to hear Jesus. To know what it may have been like for them, consider C.S. Lewis’ argument that, on hearing Jesus’ teaching, we must acknowledge he was a liar, lunatic, or our Lord God.

HEALING PROMPTS A SABBATH SHOWDOWN

A. A Sabbath Miracle

Joh 5:1  After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Joh 5:2  Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

Joh 5:3  In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

Joh 5:4  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

…….People, this is the importance of stepping in immediately when the Spirit is moving. When you are hungry and anticipating a meal, you don’t let it sit on the table until it gets cold, you feast now! We may at times respectfully wait for others to arrive to the table, but the Spirit doesn’t respond that way. Don’t wait on others to get what you’ve been needing! Step in!

Joh 5:5  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

Joh 5:6  When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

…….Jesus asks a question here to reveal the mindset of the man who had been infirm for so long. Do you desire to be healed is the question.

Joh 5:7  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.

…….From the response of the man, it is easy to see that he had by now and with logical reason lost hope in ever reaching the water first. In my mind, he not only had no help into the water, but also had no help or home to be placed back in. His state was one of hopelessness. In the next verse we find that Jesus did not rebuke him, but simply showed how powerful his God given authority was for such a great healing.

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

…….Jesus never even had to touch him. He commanded him to get up and before he even moved (immediately) the man was healed!

…….(the same day was the sabbath, vs. 9) I believe that John’s focus in writing this wasn’t only to show the power of Christ, but to show the damage that carnal religious bound people have on others around them. If God has dealt with you to live a certain way, don’t expect others to have to follow suite. If He has convicted you or compelled you to do or to not do certain things that cannot be absolutely quoted by scripture, don’t expect others to live accordingly, it may only be for your walk and relationship.

B. Sabbath Confrontation

Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Joh 5:10  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

…….These certain Jews were so out of context with their beliefs. This is the danger of people who push their personal doctrine on others around them.

Joh 5:11  He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

Joh 5:12  Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

Joh 5:13  And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

Joh 5:14  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

……. Jesus warns the man that He healed and made whole directly to be careful of falling back. Not only did Jesus heal the man of his disease, He also made him whole. He was restored to the strength of his natural abilities. The danger of serving sin after experiencing salvation is great! Listen to these words of Christ: Luke 11:24  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

11:25  And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

11:26  Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Back to the lesson…

Joh 5:15  The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

…….This May show the how powerful the influence was that the religious leaders had on the people at this time. This man who’s life had been completely changed from his 38 year infirmity, was so easily willing to give up the name of the man who had graciously broke the law for his betterment.

Joh 5:16  And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

…….The Jewish leaders minds were so warped that they desired from here on out to kill Jesus. John writes that they even repeated the man in saying that Jesus simply spoke the healing over the man. The law for the Sabbath in practical explanation was for no one to labor for monetary gain, and to not do anything that would cause you to take your mind off the Lord. The 4th commandment: remember the sabbath day and keep it Holy.

THE SON WORKS WITH THE FATHER

A. Equality With God

Joh 5:17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

…….Jesus in all of His healings was completely humble. He never took the credit but gave it to God and the Jews still sought to kill him. More so now because He claimed to be the direct son of God. This would eventually become the reason why they sought to kill him.

B. Submissive Authority

Joh 5:19  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

……Just like Jesus, we need to have a heavenly like vision. When Jesus seen a need, He also seen the potential of a fix! He didn’t walk on by and expect someone else to pick up the slack. I don’t want my eyes to be blind, my ears to be deaf nor my heart to be hardened to what God desires to fix. Let us once again be burdened by the need for change!

Joh 5:20  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

…….Not only do we need the vision for the lost, we need to have the vision for our ministry personally! What is it that your heart desires for in ministry?! Do you still see yourself as that new convert seeking for anything and everything you can do for the Kingdom of Heaven?! Take us back to the place where nothing else matters!!!

Joh 5:21  For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

…….Jesus healed, delivered and appointed those who were in His path! Blind Bartimaeus stood on the side of the street and screamed his name! Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector, climbed a tree and made himself look like a fool to get his attention! The woman with the issue of blood shoved her way through the crowd to grab hold of His clothes! Don’t turn your back on the appointed anointing, get right in the path of Jesus!

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

…….If judgement belongs to Christ, I would hate to know that He’s called me to something greater and I fell short because a lack of desire! Lord don’t ever let me lose the desire to grip the plow!

…….Judgement and conviction are two different actions. The Holy Spirit convicts us as we determine what we should do and shouldn’t do. Because of Gods Grace, the Spirit works in dealing with our hearts to live in righteousness. The difference in the Judge: A judge doesn’t appoint himself to our side correcting our every action. Because of His honor and authority, He waits until we have made decisions in our life’s and decides the reward. But thankfully, the Spirit that works in dealing with our hearts is connected to both the Father and the Son!

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

…….Here in verse 23 Christ shows the respect for authority that we must have for Him.

THE SOURCE OF JESUS’ AUTHORITY

A. Authority to Give Life

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Joh 5:25  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

…….Belief in the Lord is not just believing in His existence. Believing in Him is believing in everything He has called us to do! It’s believing that He will bring you through every trial, and believing that He will give you the power to fulfill His will!

B. Authority to Execute Judgement

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Joh 5:30  I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

…….At the end of age, Jesus will resurrect all of the dead, those who have done good to life, and those who have done evil to damnation. However, this should not be taken to mean that people can be saved by good works. Rather, doing good is the result of believing in Christ and God for salvation, while evil works are the result of not believing in Christ and God. All that Jesus Christ does, he does in perfect accord with the will of God the father.