Podcasts about Sheep Gate

Friday Bible Study (5/22/26) // Rebuilding the Wall // 3 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them[a] Zaccur the son of Imri built.3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.[b]6 Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah.[c] They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. 8 Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of[d] Jerusalem, repaired. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits[e] of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.15 And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. 17 After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. 18 After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. 19 Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress.[f] 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired[g] another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz

In this episode, we reflect on the sacred wounds of Jesus, the reality of our own woundedness, and Jesus' invitation to make us well. We talk about how our wounds, so often hidden in shame or self-protection, when transformed, can actually become places of communion and grace. We also share about our personal experiences of facing fear or disappointment and how the slow, often painful, process of healing reminds us that God's ways are not our own. Jesus tenderly meets us in every broken place within our hearts and ardently desires to make all things new.   Heather's One Thing - Worship Session with Kory Miller Sister Miriam's One Thing - Life Transitions Part One and Part Two with Chris Benzinger Michelle's One Thing - The Kentucky Derby   Other Resources Mentioned: Glory: Women's Gathering The Restore the Glory Podcast The Anatomy of a Wound Series Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5   Journal Questions: Where am I self-protecting instead of bringing my wounds before the Lord? Do I think Jesus can make me well? How have my wounds impacted my outlook on life and perspectives on painful situations in my life? When have my own expectations of what Jesus should do gotten in the way of my own healing?   Discussion Questions: Are there areas that you have grown accustomed to your own pain? How have you equated healing with fixing? What has the Holy Spirit taught you about yourself through the healing journey? How has disappointment affected your trust in Jesus and His goodness?   Quotes to Ponder: "Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not, 'How can we hide our wounds?' so we don't have to be embarrassed, but 'How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?' When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers." (Henri Nouwen)    "Our brokenness reveals not a failure but a doorway through which God's healing can enter." (Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love)   Scripture for Lectio: "Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, called in Hebrew Bethesda, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"  The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk." (John 5:2-9)   Sponsor - Seton Home Study School: Since 1982, families have entrusted their students to Seton Home Study School.  Seton is thoroughly Catholic, academically rigorous, and fully accredited with the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Seton high school graduates have been admitted, and excelled, at virtually every college and university in the United States, including Ivy League Universities and military academies. A Seton enrollment includes thoroughly Catholic books, detailed lesson plans, grading services, transcripts, and there is no extra charge for telephone counseling.  Parents love Seton's "open and go" approach – everything you need is provided and can be trusted.  You can even customize the program at no extra charge, enrolling a fourth grader in fifth grade reading, for example. For more information, visit their website. Parents of students with special needs can find help to develop a curriculum and workload suited to each individual child. Learn about Seton's special services department here.   In addition to books and lesson plans, high school students enjoy a host of other benefits and services. Click here to learn more. Enrolled teens and Seton alumni can also join Catholic Harbor, a safe, online student-moderated community.  There they can engage in debates, spiritual discussions, and discuss hobbies and other interests.  For more information visit their website here.   Seton hosts a podcast directed at homeschooling moms.  Podcasts hosts, Mary Ellen Barrett and Ginny Seuffert, both with decades of experience, offer practical tips and ideas to make home education accessible to all.     Timestamps: 00:00 Seton Home Study School 01:29 Intro 02:15 Welcome 05:32 Scripture Verse and Quote to Ponder 06:50 "Do You Want to Be Made Well?" 10:22 Jesus is Drawn to Our Wounds 12:30 Exposed Wounds are Places of Grace 15:21 Awareness is Half the Battle 19:09 The Lord Knows what Our Healing Journey Should Look Like 24:09 All We Can Do is Take the Next Small Step 26:20 Suffering in Communion 29:12 Transforming Our Relationship with Our Wounds 32:37 The Parts of Us that don't Trust God 34:46 One Things

What if the people God needs to build something remarkable are already in the room? In this message from Nehemiah 3, we explore one of the most overlooked chapters in Scripture — and discover that the list of names buried inside it is actually a portrait of how healthy culture gets made. Priests, merchants, goldsmiths, daughters, and everyday families all working side by side, each building the section of wall closest to their own home. We unpack what it means to be a Home-Grown church, why culture always outlives the people who created it, and what's at stake when ordinary people choose to show up — or don't. If you've ever wondered whether your contribution matters, this one's for you. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Relaunching at Queen Creek Jr High 05:08 - Culture Outlives Us 09:57 - Priorities Shape Us 22:29 - Serving Where Needed 28:17 - Harder and Heavier Work 32:42 - Hotel v Home 36:42 - The Sheep Gate

What if the people God needs to build something remarkable are already in the room? In this message from Nehemiah 3, we explore one of the most overlooked chapters in Scripture — and discover that the list of names buried inside it is actually a portrait of how healthy culture gets made. Priests, merchants, goldsmiths, daughters, and everyday families all working side by side, each building the section of wall closest to their own home. We unpack what it means to be a Home-Grown church, why culture always outlives the people who created it, and what's at stake when ordinary people choose to show up — or don't. If you've ever wondered whether your contribution matters, this one's for you.TIMESTAMPS0:00 - Relaunching at Queen Creek Jr High05:08 - Culture Outlives Us09:57 - Priorities Shape Us22:29 - Serving Where Needed28:17 - Harder and Heavier Work32:42 - Hotel v Home36:42 - The Sheep Gate

The Confined, the Blind, and the Divine Please turn in your Bibles to John 5:1-18. We'll find in these verses that Jesus was back in Jerusalem. He and his disciples were there for one of the annual feasts. While there, Jesus met a man who had been significantly disabled for 38 years. Jesus then healed him. You'll hear that the Jewish leaders didn't like that at all. As I read, listen for the reasons why they wanted to kill Jesus. Reading of John 5:1-18 Prayer Several years ago, I was in Tel Aviv for a conference. Tel Aviv is a modern city in Israel (you know, the nation state). Well, my trip spanned a weekend, so I was there on a Saturday. Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath - their day of rest. And I remember walking out of my hotel room on Saturday morning. And when I got to the elevators, there was a strange thing. One of the elevators was in "Sabbath mode." What I came to find out was that the elevator would go up or down one floor at a time and open on each floor. Its purpose was so that orthodox Jews wouldn't need to press any elevator buttons. Turns out, pressing an elevator button was a Sabbath violation. But, they could get on the Sabbath elevator and just ride it up or down until they reached their destination floor. I didn't remember anything in the Old Testament about elevator buttons, so I looked it up and it turns out that they have all these additional rules on what can or can't be done on a Sabbath. You are not supposed to handle money or get a haircut or turn on lights or add water to a vase. But you can hire a "sabbath guy" to do some of those forbidden things for you. None of these legalistic laws are new. No, it's been going on for thousands of years. And that is what we come across in our text this morning. The guy who was healed broke the Sabbath by carrying his mat. Jesus himself broke the Sabbath by healing him. And those things caused the Jews to be enraged. They were so angry at Jesus that they wanted to kill him. All of it revealed a few things. It revealed the hypocrisy of the Jewish establishment, and it revealed who Jesus truly is. Not only that, in the bigger trajectory of John's Gospel, this text introduces the tension between Jesus and the Jews. That tension will ultimately culminate in the cross. So, in other words, there are a lot of layers in these verses - healing, matters of the Sabbath, Jesus' identity, Jewish motivations, and broader redemptive historical things. In order to peel the layers back, we'll work through the different people involved and see how they interact. That will reveal a lot. So, we'll consider these verses by looking at the three main characters. #1 the confined, #2 the blind, and #3 the divine. The confined meaning this disabled man. The blind meaning the Jews. And, of course, the divine, meaning Jesus. 1. The Confined So, #1 - the confined. We learn up front that this man had endured some kind of serious debilitating condition. I'm hesitant to call him paralyzed because it could have been some other condition that prevented him from walking or really even moving much at all. And this guy had endured this condition for 38 years. That's a long time. We learn that he and others with life-long disabilities would spend time at one of the city pools. This particular pool was north of the temple mount near the Sheep Gate. By the way, the Sheep Gate was likely named that because livestock could enter the city and the temple area without dealing with a long set of stairs. Well, nearby the Sheep Gate was a public pool called Bethesda. It was a large pool. It had 5 colonnades, which were covered porches or porticos and which allowed people to take cover under the shade. Interestingly, archeologists believe they found this exact pool. It was unearthed in the late 19th century adjacent to this northern gate - at the very location where this narrative occurred. And it turns out it had exactly 5 porticos. It had two levels of pools, one upper and one lower with 5 total colonnades. It's likely that one or both of the pools was fed by an underground spring that would bubble up at times. The water in the pool was thought to have some kind of healing power. Some have even suggested that the healing was associated with a pagan god. That's undetermined, but because of the supposed healing, the pool attracted a crowd of people with different conditions. Moreover, the healing was thought to be the greatest when the water was stirring. At certain times the spring or springs or perhaps another water source would bubble up. That would cause the water to be stirred up and that was the precise time when you wanted to be in the pool if you wanted to be healed. That helps to explain verses 6 and 7. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. We expected this man to say yes. But he didn't have in mind that Jesus could actually heal him. What he had in mind was getting into the water when it was stirred up… when its healing power was supposedly the greatest. That's why when he answered Jesus, he said, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up." In other words, yes, I want to be healed, but I can't get into the water. And if I try to work my way down, someone gets in front of me. He was confined by his condition. Although he wanted to experience the so-called healing power of the water, he just couldn't get in. He was stuck on his bed mat. But then something tremendous happened. Jesus said to him, "get up, take up your bed and walk." And immediately, as verse 9 tells us, he was healed. He took up his bed and walked. It's hard to even imagine all that this man felt when that happened. We learn a few verses later that Jesus had withdrawn from the crowd. So, this man couldn't even identify at the time who healed him! But he was healed. And then he carried his mat around. Maybe carrying his mat was a reminder to himself and others that he had been unable to walk, but now he could. Ok, I want to note something important here. This miracle is not associated with this man's faith. Did you notice that? Furthermore, the events immediately before or after the miracle did not involve Jesus conveying some kind of spiritual message. No, in the leadup to the healing, Jesus did not identify himself nor was he teaching. He was just there; he asked a question, then healed the man, then retreated into the crowd. Look down at verse 14. At some point later, Jesus found the man in the temple court. And look what Jesus said to him. It's very interesting. "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” That may seem out of place but it's simply there to emphasize that this man's greater need was to be reconciled to God. He'd been healed, yes, but what he really needed was to be saved from hell. Hell would be worse than the 38 years of his disability. Jesus was not saying that some former sin caused his paralysis. Nor was Jesus saying that if the man continued to sin that he would have some other worse disability. No, Jesus was just warning the man of the coming judgment. What I am saying is that the purpose of this miracle was not a spiritual object lesson …like the healing of the official's son. Rather, the purpose of this miracle was to expose the Jewish establishment's hypocrisy and unbelief… and to reveal the one who is Lord of the Sabbath. 2. The Blind Which bring us to #2 The Blind. You probably noticed, there's nobody physically blind in this story. No, but the Jewish elite here were spiritually blind. That is very clear. I think it will become even more clear as we go through this. As I mentioned earlier, it was the Sabbath. And back in Jesus' day, the Sanhedrin had come up with a list of 39 forbidden tasks on the Sabbath. Just like today's additional Sabbath laws, this list was the invention of these ruling Rabbis. They thought that by adding rules, over and above the Scripture, that they were helping the people. But in reality, it was merely turning people's hearts to external things and away from the very purpose of the Sabbath - worship and rest. Even worse, if you broke one of these extraneous laws, there were severe punishments. You could be publicly shamed, or excommunicated, or even put to death. Rule 39 stated that it was forbidden to carry your load between your domains - like between your home and your work. That rule is actually derived from Jeremiah 17:21, but it expanded on it. Instead of just avoiding bringing your work burden home, this extra law prevented you from carrying anything. I bring this up because when this man picked up his sleeping mat, he violated command 39. He pushed the elevator button. And for the Jews, that was a big problem. That's why they told him in verse 10 that it was unlawful for him to carry his bed. And look at his response in verse 11. "The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.'” Well, that stirred the pot even more. Who is this guy? Who is the one who told you to break the Sabbath laws? We want to know! Did you notice… they did not care that he was healed. The man made a point to say that the guy who healed him told him to pick up his mat. But the Jews ignored that point. Look at verse 12. They asked, who is the man who told you to do this… to break the Sabbath. They didn't say, "who was the man who healed you." This man had been an invalid for 38 years. He had been around. People knew he was disabled. But there he was walking around. He even had enough energy to carry his mat! It was amazing! But they showed no excitement for him. They weren't even curious about how it happened. Rather, all they cared about was that he broke the rules. You see, they were blind. They were spiritually blind. They cared not about the miracle nor this man. In fact, when the man later learned that it was Jesus who healed him, he pointed Jesus out to them. And again, he emphasized that Jesus was the one who healed him. But again, they ignored that part. Instead, they were furious. Why were they angry? Because Jesus had been doing these things on the Sabbath. Again, it doesn't even mention the healing. Rather, Jesus and this man …had broken their laws. This spiritual blindness was not just about being blind to the healing. No, they were blind to the purposes of the Sabbath, they were blind to God and the Scriptures… and they were blind to Jesus himself. It didn't even cross their minds that perhaps Jesus was the Messiah. They were so blind to Jesus, they wanted to kill him. We're going to get to Jesus in a minute. But before we do, I want to ask you two things. First, are there areas in your life where you are spiritually blind? I suppose that if you are blind to them, you don't even know what they are. The question is really, what are you blind to? Are there patterns of sin that you are unwilling to confess or address? Are you unwilling to let the Lord lead you in certain areas of your life? And let me point out, it was not just the Jews that are blind here. We're not given any sense that this healed man responded to Jesus with faith. After Jesus warned him, the first thing he did was point out to the Jews who Jesus was. We don't know for sure, but perhaps he never heeded Jesus' warning about forsaking his sin and about judgment. Again, we don't know for sure, but we should heed Jesus words to him as a warning for us. The second thing I want to ask is about how you treat the Sabbath. The Jews had suppressed the whole purpose of the Sabbath. It is supposed to be about worship and rest. It is supposed to be about our hearts and minds turning to God to give him glory. Their added laws undermined that purpose. I am not saying that God's laws are the problem. No, disobeying God's law reveals hearts that are turned away from him. But obedience needs to come from hearts of faith. We set aside this day for worship because we desire to worship God. Telling someone they can't carry a bed or telling someone that they can't push an elevator button distracts from the Sabbath's very purpose. So I ask, where is your heart in regard to the Sabbath? Is this day a going-through-the-motions day? Or are you striving to look to and honor the Lord with a heart of faith? Just to be sure, neither your spiritual blindness nor your understanding of the Sabbath is the focus of these verses. But as you read the Word, like these verses, are you striving to search your own heart? Are you looking to see whether the examples or warnings or the call to believe apply to you? I know that's a little off topic, but those are important questions to ask. 3. The Divine Ok, returning to the text, let's move on to point #3. The Divine. One clear emphasis in these verses is Jesus' divinity. These verses testify to Jesus' nature as God in the flesh. Certainly, Jesus' divinity is displayed through the healing of this man. For 38 years he had been unable to walk, but Jesus healed him immediately. But an even greater emphasis of Jesus' divinity is found in how he responded to the Jews. And they knew it. We read in verse 16 that after the Jews found out who healed the man, they were angry. Jesus was violating the Sabbath. We don't know how, but it says that in some way, they were persecuting Jesus. It's most likely that they were verbally attacking him about violating the Sabbath. And how did Jesus respond to their accusations? Verse 16 “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” Now, you may be wondering, is that true? Is God the Father working? After all, on the seventh day of creation, which they were in and we are in, Genesis 1 says that God rested. When it says that God rested does that mean he no longer works? In other words, on days 1-6, God certainly had been working… He established the universe; he hung the stars and planets in their places; he formed the earth and populated it with plants and birds and fish. He created man in all his glory as an image bearer. He did all those things, but that does not mean that God is not still at work, even on the Sabbath! His work, rather, has moved from establishing the order of creation to providentially maintaining his creation. God is still upholding his creation even on the Sabbath, which for us is on Sunday, the resurrection day. Every day, including the Sabbath, God is turning hearts to him. Babies are born. God is receiving his own into heaven when they pass from this life. He is hearing our prayers and guiding his people and enacting his providential care… and judging the unjust. Those works continue every day of the week, including the Sabbath. When Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath, he was furthering the work of God. He was fulfilling his calling as God the Son in whom is found dominion and power… and through whom and for whom are all things created. Though the Jews were blind to him, yet before them stood the one in whom is all life. He is the preeminent one in all the universe… He is the very one who upholds the universe by the Word of his power. The act of healing this disabled man was only a glimpse of his glory and power. And in him, all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell. As God the Son, Jesus could say to them that he was working just as his Father was working. In saying that, not only was Jesus giving the reason he could heal on the Sabbath, but he was also testifying that he was indeed God in the flesh. And do you know what? The Jewish establishment knew exactly what he was saying. And for that very reason they wanted to kill him even more. As we learn in verse 18, to them not only was Jesus breaking the Sabbath, but as it says, he was making himself equal with God. It was blasphemy. It was claiming to be God or equal to God. And the punishment was death. All the more they wanted to kill him. They were blind to him and to his healing ministry and divinity. Their hearts were so hard, that they couldn't even consider that Jesus was God. But he clearly claimed to be and displayed his divine power. Now, if you were a first-century Jew reading this Gospel, you would be very unsettled by this passage. Yes, the chapters before were reframing your understanding of Jewish intuitions and the Messiah. But this chapter in particular would put you in a difficult place. You wouldn't be able to read these verses without realizing you were in a predicament. Do you believe that this man Jesus is who he claimed to be? Or do you believe the Jewish establishment that he was a blasphemer, who justly deserved to be hung on a cross? There's really no middle ground. What do you believe? In fact, the rest of this chapter seeks to establish the case that Jesus is indeed God. Next week and the week after, we'll see that he has divine authority and he has witnesses which testify to him. Conclusion So, the confined, the blind, and the divine. A man trapped in 38 years of helplessness, now healed. A religious establishment so blinded by their rules and darkened hearts that they couldn't see the miracle right in front of them. And the Son of God, who continues the work of his and our Father. May we see Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath, the healer of our souls, and truly equal with the Father. And may we bow to him and worship him with hearts and minds desiring to honor him… every day of the week and especially the Sabbath.

Sunday 3rd May 2026 - West SiteSpeaker - Alice MeadsAlice starts a new series, explaining that we all get to play a part in building the Church.________________Nehemiah 3 v 1-141) Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2)  The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them.3)  The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4)  Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5)  The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.6)  The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7)  Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah – Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth – places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8)  Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9)  Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10)  Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11)  Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12)  Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.13)  The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits[c] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.14)  The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place._______________Recorded at West Site - 03May2026

Pastor John Ryan Cantu brings this week's message, “Two Questions: For Healing.”Key Verses:Genesis 3:7-11 ESV: “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?””John 5:1-6ESV: “After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?””If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org.Connect with Us:Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurchYouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurchFacebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurchTime Stamps:00:00 - Introduction00:30 - Welcome03:32 - Genesis 3:7-11 ESV04:30 - John 5:1–6 ESV05:22 - Two Questions: For Healing

Nehemiah 3:1-32 ESV Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord. Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Gate of Yeshanah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River. Next to them Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, repaired. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, repaired, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired. Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph repaired opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah repaired. Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters. Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate. Malchijah the son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king's garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men. After him the Levites repaired: Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, repaired for his district. After him their brothers repaired: Bavvai the son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah. Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai repaired another section from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib. After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, repaired. After them Benjamin and Hasshub repaired opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah repaired beside his own house. After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and to the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired opposite the buttress and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh and the temple servants living on Ophel repaired to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower. After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel. Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house. After them Zadok the son of Immer repaired opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, repaired. After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah repaired opposite his chamber. After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate, and to the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants repaired.

Simple and Clear Bible Study: Connecting People to Discover and Accomplish God's Will for Their Life.  email us: barry@anchorbible.org Look for us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/barry_and_sharon_black2021/ See my interview on YouTube with my friends at Dirt Road Disciples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSs9e7tFkYw Anchor Bible Church is a fellowship of believers committed to the authority of Scripture, the clarity of the Gospel, & the leadership of Jesus Christ to serve Him & others!  www.anchorbible.org

The entrance into a sheepfold, the place of safety and protection for weary sheep, was "the door of the sheep." Today, R.C. Sproul considers why Jesus applied this image to Himself. Get R.C. Sproul's video teaching series Knowing Christ with your donation. You'll receive the DVD, digital access to all 8 messages, and the digital study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request the digital teaching series and study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global    Meet Today's Teacher:   R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, first minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew's Chapel, first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Click here to WATCH LIVE STREAM Worship Service on our Youtube Channel. That You May Believe, Part 11 John 5:1-18 John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 15:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. John 5:2-3 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. John 5:5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” John 5:7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” John 5:8-9a Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. John 5:9b-10 Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” John 5:11-13 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.'” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk'?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. John 5:14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” John 5:15-16 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. John 5:17-18 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. · Our need for healing. Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death… Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. · Jesus' power to heal. Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. · The freedom Jesus' healing brings. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Hebrews 4:9-11 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Respond | Connect | Next Steps The post John: That You May Believe appeared first on Charleston Baptist Church.

22/03/2026 Gospel Sermon on: John 5 : 1 - 18 1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" 7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me." 8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." 11 He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, "Take up your bed and walk."' 12 Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, "Take up your bed and walk'?" 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Glory be to God forever.

Today’s Topics: 1) Gospel – John 5:1-16 – There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”  He answered them, “The Man Who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.'” They asked him, “Who is the Man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know Who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the One Who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because He did this on a sabbath. Memorial of Saint Patrick, Bishop Saint Patrick, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3, 4) Jesse Romero joins Terry to discuss the Spiritual Warfare Conference this coming Friday and Saturday, 20 and 21 March 2026 and positive steps you can take to not get annoyed or angry

The reflections today are on the Gospel of John, specifically the narrative of Jesus healing a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda. A historical and geographical context regarding Jerusalem's landmarks, such as the Sheep Gate and the Church of St. Anne are given, while explaining the significance of the miracle occurring on the Sabbath. Beyond the biblical analysis, the emphasis is about the danger of spiritual blindness and the importance of avoiding judgmental attitudes toward others. By weaving in personal anecdotes about gratitude and hidden human suffering, I encourage listeners to look past external rules to recognize divine blessings and maintain compassion for their neighbors.

  Message from Sunday, March 8 The Promise & Peril of Systems   John 5:5, Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.6, When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. A system is a structure of interacting parts that produces outcomes, good and bad. Navigating systems requires:  Knowledge,  patience, perseverance, willingness to adapt, and courage to challenge when necessary. In this text, we see the convergence and collision of different systems: 1. The system of the man and the people at Bethesda. 2. The system of false hope 3. The system of how disabled people were treated 4. Religious systems 5. The system of Jesus & the Kingdom of God  

John 5:1-9 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals.  2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.     John 5 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" 7 "Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me." 8 Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat." 11 But he replied, "The man who made me well said to me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.' " 12 So they asked him, "Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?" 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."  15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.  17 In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."  18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

"Do You Want to Be Made Well?" Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness Podcast Lent Series: Cultivating Healing and Wholeness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind   In this Lent episode, host Scott Stoner reflects on one of the most striking healing stories in the Gospels — Jesus's encounter with a man who had been ill for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1–9). At the heart of the story is a deceptively simple question Jesus asks the man: Do you want to be made well? Scripture John 5:1–9 — Jesus encounters a man among many who are blind, lame, and paralyzed near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, and asks him a single, penetrating question rather than inquiring about the nature of his illness or how long he has suffered. Key Themes The Power of the Question — Of all the things Jesus could have asked, he asked only this. It is not a question meant to shame or judge. It is an invitation to examine our deepest desire and longing. Getting Comfortable in Our Dysfunction — Sometimes we hold on to our dis-ease because it is familiar. Scott shares a personal story from his time as a parish pastor, when a church council member lovingly turned the question back on him after he repeatedly reported struggling with overwork and neglecting self-care. The community's gentle, loving accountability became a real turning point. "I Have No One to Put Me in the Pool" — The man in the story believes healing can only come one specific way. Jesus gently shows him otherwise. How often do we say, "I'll be whole, I'll be at peace, I'll be able to let go — but only when this happens"? Healing often involves releasing our need to control the how and when. Letting Go — Much of the invitation in this story is about loosening our grip — on ego, on control, on habit energy that keeps us stuck. The Divine source of healing may be closer than we think, and arriving by a path we didn't expect. Resources Mentioned Living Compass daily Lent readings — available by email or as a free PDF download at livingcompass.org Living Compass app — available on all major app stores and at app.livingcompass.org (includes guided meditations) Connect with Scott Scott welcomes your reflections on this episode. How does this story land for you? Where are you sitting with the question Do you want to be made well? Reach him at scott@livingcompass.org. May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be at peace, and may you live with ease.

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Have you ever grown comfortable with spiritual decline, accepting dysfunction as normal? It is easy for God's people to forget who they are and settle for less than His design. In Nehemiah 3:1–32, Pastor Dorrell examines how Nehemiah called a defeated people to rebuild their broken walls by first rebuilding their hearts. Each family labored “next unto them” another, illustrating that meaningful change begins personally, advances collectively, and finds its purpose at the “Sheep Gate” in worship. The central truth is clear: great works of God are accomplished when unified people labor with Him at the center. The listener is urged to rebuild faithfully at home and serve shoulder to shoulder for God's glory.Eastland is a Place to BelongEastland Baptist Church is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We are a welcoming and close-knit family community that loves to care for each other through the Church. We strongly believe in loving and supporting each other and our neighbors. Our members don't just attend our Church; they feel a strong sense of belonging.Join UsFind service times and our location at https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/join.Connect with UsWebsite: https://www.eastlandbaptist.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastlandbaptisttulsaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastlandbaptistTo support the ministry of Eastland Baptist Church, tap here: https://www.eastlandbaptist.org/give

Sermons Archive RSS John 5: 1-16 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.' ”12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk'?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.Nehemiah 13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Sermon Discussion Questions:What is profound about Jesus' question; Do you want to be made well?How does the man respond?What was wrong with the Pharisee's reaction to the healing?What can we learn from their mistake?

Every gate tells a story — and together, they tell your story. In this message, we walk counterclockwise through the 10 gates of Jerusalem and discover a powerful picture of the Christian life from beginning to end. From the Sheep Gate where sacrifice was made, to the Fountain Gate of cleansing, to the Horse Gate of spiritual warfare, each gate mirrors a season we all face. Then in Nehemiah 4, the walls go up — and so does the opposition. When the enemy can't stop the work, he tries to mock it. Sound familiar? You'll be challenged to ask yourself: Does the world think you're crazy for following Jesus? And do you have a mind to work?

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the story of the paralyzed man in John chapter 5 within the context of the Jewish feast mentioned. Fr. Matthias explains the significance of the Pool of Bethesda, its location by the Sheep Gate, and its symbolic meaning relating to the Jewish people and the Law of Moses. He examines the dialogue between Jesus and the paralyzed man, highlighting the man's long suffering, Jesus' healing authority beyond the pool, and the man's response of faith and gratitude. Fr. Matthias also discusses the controversy surrounding Jesus healing on the Sabbath and clarifies the true purpose of the Sabbath as a day of doing good in alignment with the Father's ongoing work. A theological discourse follows on the unity between the Father and the Son, focusing on Jesus' divine authority, the role of faith in Him for eternal life, and the final resurrection and judgment. The study concludes with reflections on rejecting true prophets and the importance of embracing the Messiah promised in the Scriptures. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Todays message is a conversation about Nehemiah and the story in the Bible about him rebuilding the wall and why this series was chosen to start the year. “Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They d

Today’s message is a conversation about Nehemiah and the story in the Bible about him rebuilding the wall and why this series was chosen to start the year. “Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as […]

Join Pastor Derek Walker of the Oxford Bible Church as he explores the miraculous healing at the Pool of Bethesda from John 5. He shows how the sign miracle of the healing of this cripple is a picture of our salvation. Jesus comes to us in our hopelessness, and if we're willing, raises us up by His power to live a new life. This insightful sermon delves into the significance of this miracle, its symbolism in the Gospel of John, and its message of salvation and redemption. Uncover how this ancient event reflects our own need for spiritual healing and the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ.

Join Pastor Derek Walker of the Oxford Bible Church as he explores the miraculous healing at the Pool of Bethesda from John 5. He shows how the sign miracle of the healing of this cripple is a picture of our salvation. Jesus comes to us in our hopelessness, and if we're willing, raises us up by His power to live a new life. This insightful sermon delves into the significance of this miracle, its symbolism in the Gospel of John, and its message of salvation and redemption. Uncover how this ancient event reflects our own need for spiritual healing and the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ.

John 5:1-14New Living Translation5 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”7 “I can't, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.'”12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.13 The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.”Music: "Rest in the Shadow" by Julian & Melissa Wiggins,Used with permission.

Listen to a message from Emmanuel Baptist Church of Longview, TX.Support the show

Why would God dedicate an entire book of the Bible to building a wall? The answer reveals something profound about protection, redemption, and the very heart of our relationship with God.In this episode of Nehemiah 3, we explore why rebuilding Jerusalem's wall wasn't just about physical safety. It's about protecting the Temple, God's dwelling place, and the eternal salvation of His people. You'll discover the spiritual significance of each gate, from the Sheep Gate where sacrificial lambs entered to the mysterious East Gate where Jesus fulfills Ezekiel's prophecy about the return of divine glory.In this episode discover: How Nehemiah's wall protected both earthly life and eternal life for God's people.The prophetic connection between the East Gate, Ezekiel's vision, and Jesus reversing humanity's eastward exile from God.Why guarding the hearts of those you love, the modern temples where God dwells, requires you to be both a strong wall and a wise gatekeeperToday, God no longer dwells in a temple made of stone. He dwells in our hearts. Who is God calling you to protect?Show Notes:BlogWe love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info! Contact Bible Book ClubDonate or pick up merch here Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan's Facebook or InstagramLeave us an Apple reviewContact us through our website formThanks for listening and happy podcasting!

The DILEMMA with legalism Legalism is a slow torture, a suffocation of the spirit. It is just enough religion to keep you, but not enough to nourish you. So you starve. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.- Galatians 5:1 The DANGER with mysticism Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.-Colossians 2:18-19Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world -Hebrews 1:1-2 The DIFFICULTY with asceticism If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.-Colossians 2:20-23“There is only one thing that will put the collar on the neck of the animal that lives within us…and that is the indwelling of Christ. Ascetic religion is godless for those that practice it essentially worship themselves.” -Alexander Mclaren The DELIVERANCE with ChristAnd you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.-Colossians 2:13-15 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.-John 5:2-9 --------DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH RON MOOREGet Ron's Daily Devotional to your inbox each morning; visit biblechapel.org/devo.CAREGIVINGDo you have a need we can pray for? Do you need someone to walk alongside you? Do you know of another person who needs care? Let us know at caregiving@biblechapel.org.GROWTH TRACKWe all have a next step - what's yours? To learn more about our Growth Track and to take your next step, biblechapel.org/connect.

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com    People Problems… today we are talking about the person who is your biggest problem.    If you could kick the person in the pants as hard as you could responsible for all your problems, you wouldn't be able to sit for a week.       Jesus was never nice, but he was always kind. We have been domesticated in our Xn walk.   Ex. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to be NICE to the world.       NO NO NO NO to die for the world.      John 5  Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 7 “I can't, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!” 11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.'” 12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded. 13 The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse (GK same word: the evil spirit will return with 7 more and you will be worse) may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.  **Many times when Jesus healed the sick he would say and your sins have been forgiven- acknowledging that they believed he was the Messiah and had received their healing because of it- but not his guy. He did not want to be healed, nor did he believe Jesus was the messiah.    **I might add the Pharisees did not hassle this man they went after Jesus - which was typically not the case. HOWEVER I believe that because the man did not receive Christ as the messiah the demons didn't care about his healing and left him alone… the pharisees were obviously motivated by the demonic! 

The call to “rise up and build” is immediately answered as chapter 3 provides a roll call of Jerusalem's rebuilders. From the high priest at the Sheep Gate to perfumers, rulers, goldsmiths, and even daughters, a diverse community finds their specific place on the wall. This long list, which sounds like a church project sign-up sheet, actually serves as a blueprint for the Church, showing how every member has a vital, God-given role and that in God's economy, there are no small jobs, only faithful servants working together.  The Rev. Ryan Kleimola, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, OH, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Nehemiah 3.  To learn more about Trinity Lutheran, visit trinitylutheran.org. From rubble to renewal, Nehemiah shows how the Lord rebuilds not just walls but hearts. Brick by brick and prayer by prayer, we follow God's people through repentance, courageous leadership, fierce opposition, covenant renewal, and joyful dedication. This verse-by-verse series keeps Law and Gospel front and center, tracing the story from burned gates to the greater Builder — Christ Jesus — who secures a city that cannot fall. Expect honest history, practical application, and the steady comfort of God's promises when the work is heavy and critics are loud. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

John 5:1-9 NIV  1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,Ezekiel 47:1-9 NIV  1 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side. 3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?” Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Thursday, August 21, 2025 was written by Dan Peeler and is narrated by Larry Carter. Today's Words of Inspiration come from John 5.3-9In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate at the pool, a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. Support the show

07/13/2025 Paul Bang Nehemiah 3:1-5 Rebuilding the Wall 3 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 And next to him the men of Jericho built. And next to them[a] Zaccur the son of Imri built. 3 The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz repaired. And next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel repaired. And next to them Zadok the son of Baana repaired. 5 And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.[b]

The Healing at the Pool on the Sabbath 5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic[a] called Bethesda,[b] which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.[c] 5 One man was there who had been an invalid […]

Nehemiah 3 NIV 3 Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them. 3 The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 5 The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.[a]6 The Jeshanah[b] Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. 10 Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.13 The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits[c] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place.15 The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,[d] by the King's Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. 16 Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs[e] of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.17 Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. 18 Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui[f] son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19 Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. 20 Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib's house to the end of it.22 The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. 23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah's house to the angle and the corner, 25 and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. 27 Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.28 Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. 31 Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; 32 and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs. 

John 5:1-2 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. John 5:3-5 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who […]

John 5:1-9   After Jesus healed the son of the official in Capernaum, there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids-- blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be made well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me." Jesus said to him, "Stand up, take your mat and walk." At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath.

JOHN 5:1-18 - TAKE UP YOUR MATT - BRIAN SUMNER - 2025JOHN 5:1-18 "After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.' ”12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk'?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God."To support this channel and partner with Brian in Ministryhttps://www.briansumner.net/support/For more on Brianhttp://www.briansumner.nethttps://www.instagram.com/BRIANSUMNER/https://www.facebook.com/BRIANSUMNEROFFICIALTo listen to Brians Podcast, click below.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Purchase Brians Marriage book at https://www.amazon.com/Never-Fails-Da...Brian is a full time "Urban Missionary" both locally and internationally with a focus on MISSIONS - MARRIAGES - MINISTRY. Since coming to faith in 2004 doors continued opening locally and internationally to do more and more ministry with a focus on Evangelism, Outreach Missions, Marriage, Counsel, Schools, Festivals, Conferences and the like.  Everything about this ministry is made possible because of people personally partnering through the non profit. God Bless and thank you. †Support the showSUPPORT THE SHOW

Gospel Reading: John 5:1-15At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Jenn Schmidt from Intimate Covenant joins us to overcoming sexual abuse and building a healthy, intimate sex life with your husband. NOTE: J totally got the episode number wrong! Not the first time she's been wrong. ~wink~ Sponsor Visit Better Help to get matched with a therapist who shares your values and can address your issues. Use code 4CW to get 10% off your first month. From the Bible Praise the Lord, my soul,     and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins     and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit     and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things     so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.The Lord works righteousness     and justice for all the oppressed. Psalm 103:2-6 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:2-9a For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Resources Intimate Covenant Podcast Intimate Covenant Retreat Trapped by Trauma | The Forgiven Wife Mending the Remnants of Brokenness | The Forgiven Wife For My Sister Sexual Assault Survivors | The Forgiven Wife Your Wife Has Been Sexually Harassed - Hot, Holy & Humorous Episode 64: Healing from Sexual Abuse, with Mary DeMuth - Sex Chat for Christian Wives My Larry Nassar Testimony Went Viral. But There's More to the Gospel Than Forgiveness. - Christianity Today Triggers: What They Are, How They Form, and What to Do Box Breathing for Stress - CHI Health About EMDR Therapy - EMDR International Association The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. Is Your Wife a Survivor? - Knowing Her Sexually Thanks for joining us at the virtual kitchen table for another great chat! If you could, we'd appreciate you leaving a rating and/or review so that others can find the show. Please be sure to check out our website and webinars at forchristianwives.com. And visit our individual ministry pages for more resources as well: Strong Wives - Bonny Burns Honeycomb & Spice - Chris Taylor Hot, Holy & Humorous - J. Parker

John 5:1-18,After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. 3 In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. 5 One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” 9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.Now that day was the Sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” 11 But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.'” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk'?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 16 And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. One of the realities of our humanity is that we can be wrong sometimes.Being wrong, a lot of times, isn't a terrible thing, we know we don't always get it right — but there are some big things in life that we can't afford to get wrong because the stakes are too high. And Jesus targets one of those things in our passage today, John Chapter 5. It's all about the way that God works in this world. That's the focus in this passage — it's the activity of God, the power of God, the working of God in this world. We must get that right. And we find here two things it is not, and one thing it is. And that's the outline of this sermon. We're going to consider two misconceptions about God's work and then thirdly, we're gonna see how Jesus answers both.Father, the unfolding of your word gives light. This morning, we ask, that by the power of your Spirit, shine on our hearts, and speak to us, in Jesus's name, amen. 1. God's work is not impersonal to us. John starts in verse 1 with the setting of this story: Jesus is back in Jerusalem, and he's in a particular part of the city John describes for us. By the Sheep Gate (in the northeast part of the city) there was a pool called Bethesda.This pool would have been a pretty big rectangle — think the size of a football field — and then surrounding the pool is what verse 2 calls “five roofed colonnades.” This is a shelter held up by columns. There would have been a shelter surrounding the four sides of the pool, and then a shelter through the middle section, and verse 3 says that under this shelter, or in these colonnades, lay a “multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.” Keyword there is “multitude” — down in verse 13 John says that there was a crowd in the place, so we should imagine here:A long pool, surrounded by a swarm of people. And many of the people in this area would have been disabled folks, many of them were likely homeless and they found shelter here.So imagine this to look like a homeless encampment. There's lots of people who hang around here, and there's shopping carts scattered around and backpacks and pallets and stuff laid out.And one person in this multitude, verse 5 says, was a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. We don't know the exact details of his condition, but most likely he was paralyzed in some way.Everybody find verse 6 for a minute. There's an important detail to the story in verse 6 I want you to see. John 5, verse 6:“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?'”Again, imagine what's going on here: It's a swarm of people. People everywhere. But Jesus saw this one man in the crowd and he knew he'd been there a long time — now how'd Jesus know that? We're not sure. Maybe he knew because he knows things, or maybe he asked around, either way, Jesus was interested in this man. He knew he'd been there a while, and he wanted to know what the man was looking for. So Jesus asked him, verse 6, “Do you want to be healed?”And this is when the action starts. Kind of like in Chapter 4 with the Samaritan woman, Jesus asks the questions and that's when things start to unravel … The Unraveling BeginsThe man responded to Jesus with an implied “Yes” but he jumped straight to the problem. Look at verse 7. The man said:“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”What in the world is he talking about? Again, there's some unraveling here …This is the situation that was going on: during this time in Jerusalem there was a superstition that God would occasionally send an angel to infuse these pools with healing power — the waters would apparently be stirred up — and whoever would get in the water first, would be healed. (So it was like part healing, part contest.)The reason the man had been there by the pool for a long time was because he was waiting for his moment — and apparently a lot of other people were doing the same. Remember it's a multitude of people. They're all looking for their chance. But each time the ‘magic' came, this man was too disabled to get himself in the water first. So he was constantly just missing out. So I think the man's reply to Jesus in verse 7 is an indirect request. Try to track with this: in verse 7 the man is telling Jesus his problem to see if Jesus would solve this problem by helping him get to the pool. Because this man thinks that's where the power of God is. He thinks God's work is in the pool, and he thinks his problem is that he doesn't have anyone to help him get access to where God works — and he's telling this to Jesus! Which is super ironic, isn't it? We're supposed to read this and be like Oh my goodness! We should think: This guy has it all wrong.He is complaining to Jesus about not having access to where he thinks God works.All he needs is for Jesus to say the word, like Jesus did in Chapter 4. He just spoke the word and 25 miles away the fever broke!The Vaguely SpiritualWhat this man gets wrong is that he thinks the work of God in the world is impersonal to us.According to how this man viewed the world: he believed that God was the one behind miraculous things — God was the one who made the water magic — but that's the thing: it was the water that became magic at random, arbitrary times, which means the power of God is disconnected from the person of God. This thinking disconnects the work of God from the will of God.And this kind of thinking, this misconception, still exists today in those who we could call the vaguely spiritual. That's the title I'm putting on this thinking. These are people who don't deny the existence of a higher power — they're not atheists — but they're also not committed to the God of the Bible. And you find this everywhere. I remember one Sunday I was talking with someone after the service and they were going on and on about Sedona, Arizona and this rock formation that has divine healing power. It's making the work of God impersonal to us. That's what the vaguely spiritual do. A lot of these people might even consider themselves to be Christians, but they really only appreciate the ‘inspirational' side of things. They only want the self-help stuff — which is an attempt to have blessing without relationship.And this is where we start to see that the belief that God's work is impersonal is not just something people get wrong, it's also a preference. People are very interested in the good God can do for them, but they're not interested in daily trusting him. A lot of people love the idea of ‘getting from God what we want without having to deal with God on his terms.' See, that prefers to keep things non-committal and vague.The vaguely spiritual are ‘spiritual' enough not to be atheist, but ‘vague' enough not to be subject to God's moral demands. But look: that's wrong … Wrong.That's not how God works. God's work is not impersonal to us. Here's the second thing we see about God's work in the world.2. God's work is not dictated by us. Jesus says the word, heals this man, and then John tells us, verse 9,“Now that day was the Sabbath.” Verse 9 is like a hard right turn that takes us into what seems like a whole different topic. We go from pool superstition to Sabbath controversy like this. Verse 10 says right away that the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed:“It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” And it's interesting here how the man deflects the blame. He said he took up his bed because the man who healed him told him to. Baked into that statement is a recognition of authority. It's like the man is saying, I've been paralyzed for 38 years, and a man just showed up from this crowd and told me to get up, and I did. So yeah, I'm just gonna do whatever he says.Look how they respond, verse 12. Again, they just want to know who healed him and where he went — not so they can meet Jesus and be in awe of him, but because they want to correct him.And again, the irony here is thick. The only person who does not need to be corrected in this story is Jesus. That's how misguided these people are!And in case you were wondering, there's no law in the Old Testament that says you can't take up your bed on the Sabbath. The statement in verse 10 that it's not lawful is according to the Mishnah — that's Jewish oral tradition. A bunch of rabbis had analyzed the Sabbath command and came up with 39 categories of prohibited work, one of which included that on the Sabbath you can't carry anything from one place to another. That was their rule. So the Jewish leaders here are not trying to defend God's word, but this is their own word.Again, there's irony: they think they're defending God's law, but they're actually defending their misapplication of God's law in opposition to God himself!I wanna make sure you see what's going on here: These Jewish leaders meet this guy who has been paralyzed for 38 years and now he's not! He's up! He's walking! They don't give him a high-five! They're not amazed by the fact that this man has been healed! But instead they interrogate him because according to them the timing of his healing didn't make sense!For them, this healing, which was God's work, happened when it wasn't supposed to, and that became their concern. The Legalistic HenchmenWhat these Jewish leaders get wrong is that they think the work of God in the world is dictated by us. According to how these people viewed the world, they believed that God did miraculous things, but only so long as it fits with their expectations and their standards. The issue here is that they've disconnected the work of God from the word of God by making it subject to their own word. They've separated the power of God from the freedom of God by putting themselves in the place of God. And this kind of thinking, this misconception, still exists today in those who we could call the legalistic henchmen. That's the title I'm putting on this one. These are people who believe that God is at work in the world, but they've drawn very clear lines of where that work can happen and where it can't, and anything outside their lines is rejected. If it doesn't fit in their construct and conform to their rules then it's dismissed. And this is where we can see that this belief also — the belief that God's work is dictated by us — is not just something people get wrong, it too is a preference. Because it means that we as humans are the ones in control. The ‘legalistic henchmen', see, never get corrected, but they're always the ones doing the correcting, because “they're always right and they're the only ones who really do God's work.”Now there are very few people who would admit that they think this way, but it's out there. It's the inability to appreciate God's work in things you had nothing to do with. The legalistic henchmen are so blinded by their own man-made ideals that they miss the work of God when it's right in front of them. That's what's going on here. And it's wrong … Wrong.That's not how God works. God's work is not dictated by us. So let's just track what we've seen so far in the pool superstition and the Sabbath controversy. Two misconceptions:So far we know that God's work is neither impersonal to us nor dictated by us. We don't wanna be vaguely spiritual or legalistic henchmen — so how should we be?How should we understand God's work in the world?3. God's work in the world is what Jesus is doing, who is both personal and active. I want you to see how Jesus engages both of these misconceptions. First, let's go back to what Jesus said to the paralyzed man. This is for the vaguely spiritual. Jesus says to the man in verse 8,“Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”Verse 9: And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.I want you to see here that there is a beautiful contrast between where this man was looking for healing and what he actually experienced.He is looking to somehow find his way into that pool because he thinks the work of God is impersonally connected to the water, meanwhile, the true work of God is in the person of Jesus Christ who finds his way to this man. In this crowd, Jesus saw him and learned about him and healed him.And look at verse 14. After the healing there was some commotion and Jesus withdrew from the crowd. But verse 14. Look at verse 14: “Afterward Jesus found him in the temple …”Not only did Jesus see him that once, and learn about him, but Jesus was looking for him again. How much more personal can this get?! Jesus found him again! Look, some of you in this room should know that the reason you're here today is because Jesus has been looking for you. Jesus has found you. Look what Jesus says in verse 9. He says, “See, you are well! [Yes, you're walking! I just hear the joy of Jesus in these words! … Then he says:] Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”Jesus here is calling this man to a new way of life. He's calling this man to true faith and repentance. What is worse than being paralyzed for 38 years is to be able to walk but still die in your sin. You know one thing about the Gospels and these stories is that they show us real-life people who encounter Jesus, which makes me think of other real-life people who have encountered Jesus. People at our church. This story makes me think of Jean Swenson, our dear sister. This man had been paralyzed for 38 years, and Jean has been there for 45 years (and she has an amazing testimony — if you've not heard it, Jean wrote something for our church I'm gonna share this week).Jesus has not healed Jean's body yet, but Jean has experienced the work of God in her life in the most important way. She has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. She has been forgiven. And Jean has a perspective on life that we all need. She says, “My value lies in something that can never be taken away…and that's the fact that God loves me.” Do you hear that? “God loves me.” Jean knows: Jesus sees her, knows her, he found her.There's nothing impersonal about that. Jesus Is WorkingLastly, here, I want you to see what Jesus says to these Jewish leaders in verse 17. This is for the legalistic henchmen. Now John gives us a summary statement in verse 18 — the reason these Jewish leaders despised Jesus is not just because he was breaking their man-made rules about the Sabbath, but, end of verse 18, “he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”Jesus was doing that in verse 17, when he said, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”See, implied here is that God the Father is always working. God doesn't take breaks. He neither sleeps nor slumbers, Psalm 121. God is exempt from having to stop work on the Sabbath because we need him constantly to uphold the universe. We need God to always keep things in orbit and sustain life, and the Jewish worldview understood that. Jesus says, The Father is working until now — and they all would have been like, Yes, of course — but then Jesus says, and I am working. And they knew what he meant. Jesus was saying that his working, what he's doing, is what God is doing. What God is doing is what Jesus is doing. Jesus is not one of several different ways God works, but Jesus is the only way. God's work in the world is never apart from Jesus, but it's always through Jesus, centered on Jesus, lifting high Jesus. We will see more of this in the Gospel of John. Jesus will say in Chapter 14, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”That is the final answer to our question …God's work in the world is what Jesus Christ is doing, and he is both personal and active. Jesus finds us where we are, he calls us to himself, and he is doing this all the time. He's active every single day.Which means, as for God's work in the world, we should be neither vaguely spiritual nor legalistic henchmen, but we should be attentive to Jesus Christ. Focusing on Jesus Christ. Remembering Jesus Christ.And that's what brings us to the Table.The TableI'm convinced that the greatest need in the Christian life is to keep Jesus clear in our hearts. We need to remember his realness in all of life. And that's something we do on purpose together at this table each week. We remember that the definite work of God in the world was when Jesus died for us on the cross. Jesus was working then, and Jesus is working now by his Spirit every time the message of his cross is heard and shared and embraced. And that's what we're doing at the table. If you're not a Christian yet — if you've not put your faith in Jesus — this moment is an invitation for you. Trust in Jesus. That could look like a prayer of the heart that says:Jesus, I can't save myself and I'm done trying. You died on the cross to save me, and I trust you. Save me.And for those of us who have done that, who have trusted in Jesus, we receive this table with thankfulness, and we remember Jesus and his work in our lives, in our church, in this world. Rejoice in Jesus Christ.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - John 5:1-16 - There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be well?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat, and walk." Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat." He answered them, "The Man Who made me well told me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who told you, 'Take it up and walk'?" The man who was healed did not know Who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, "Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you." The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one Who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because He did this on a sabbath. Bishop Sheen quote of the day On April 1st, the Church celebrates the feast day of Saint Mary of Egypt, a woman who lived a life of prostitution before becoming a hermit and a powerful symbol of redemption and forgiveness https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-mary-of-egypt-422#:~:text=Mary%20of%20EgyptFeast%20day,the%20life%20of%20a%20hermit 2, 3, 4) The Industrial Hymnal complex https://www.lepantoin.org/wp/the-hymnal-industrial-complex/

‭‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬-‭3‬, ‭5‬-‭8‬ “Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When JESUS saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, HE asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can't, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” JESUS told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

In his sermon, Pastor Dave emphasizes that everyone experiences moments of paralysis in their lives, whether spiritually, physically, or emotionally. He reminds the congregation that true healing comes from Jesus, who asks each of us if we truly want to be made well. Pastor Dave encourages listeners to stand up, pick up their "mats"—their pasts and burdens—and move forward, sharing their testimonies rather than hiding from them. Ultimately, he assures the congregation that their identity is not defined by past mistakes but by the transformative power of God's grace.John 5:1-9 - Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”7 “I can't, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,Psalms 62:5 My soul is quiet and waits for God alone. My hope comes from Him.Only God gives inward peace, and I depend on him.Acts 2:14 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.Ezekiel 2:1-2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

In his sermon, Pastor Dave emphasizes that everyone experiences moments of paralysis in their lives, whether spiritually, physically, or emotionally. He reminds the congregation that true healing comes from Jesus, who asks each of us if we truly want to be made well. Pastor Dave encourages listeners to stand up, pick up their "mats"—their pasts and burdens—and move forward, sharing their testimonies rather than hiding from them. Ultimately, he assures the congregation that their identity is not defined by past mistakes but by the transformative power of God's grace.John 5:1-9 - Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”7 “I can't, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,Psalms 62:5 My soul is quiet and waits for God alone. My hope comes from Him.Only God gives inward peace, and I depend on him.Acts 2:14 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.Ezekiel 2:1-2 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

In this powerful message, we're invited to explore the profound symbolism of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem as depicted in the book of Nehemiah. This isn't just a historical account; it's a blueprint for how we can strengthen and build up our church community today. We're challenged to consider the various 'gates' of our spiritual lives - from the Sheep Gate representing our foundational understanding of Christ's sacrifice, to the Inspection Gate reminding us of our accountability before God. Each gate serves a unique purpose in our spiritual journey, calling us to deepen our relationship with God's Word, with fellow believers, and with the Holy Spirit. As we reflect on these gates, we're encouraged to ask ourselves: Are we truly equipping new believers? Are we helping each other through life's valleys? Are we experiencing the living waters of the Spirit? This message compels us to move beyond surface-level Christianity and actively participate in building God's kingdom, both in our personal lives and as a church body.

Pastor John Ryan Cantu brings this week's message, “Stuck in the Suffering." Key Verse: Romans 5.1-5 ESV: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” John 5:2-9 ESV: “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.” If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org.  Sermon Topics: Faith, Hope Connect with Us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurch YouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurch Facebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurch Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcome 05:43 - Romans 5:1-5 ESV 07:05 - Stuck in the Suffering

Welcome to Day 2536 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Who Took Verse 4 Out of my Bible – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible. Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2536 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2536 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the thirty-seventh lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God's redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it's also a book that seems strange to us. While God's Word was written for us, it wasn't written to us. Today's lesson is: “Who Took Verse 4 Out of My Bible?” Most of us have read John 5:1-9, the story of the blind, paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, many times, but I'll bet there's something that escaped your attention. Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked (John 5:1-9 niv). If you read closely you'll notice that verse 4 is missing! Start at verse one and count out loud: 1, 2, 3 ... 5? In case your Bible version doesn't have the verse, the omitted words read: “for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted” (nasb). The verse is not just missing in the niv; the situation is the same in the esv, nrsv, cev, NLT, and the net Bible. If you use the nasb or ncv you will see the verse, but it's been placed inside brackets, whereas the kjv and the nkjv contain verse 4 without any notation or demarcation. So what's going on here? Who took John 5:4 out of the Bible? If you're using a study Bible that doesn't have verse 4, you will likely see a note at the end of verse 3, or the beginning of verse 5, explaining why it isn't there. This is a textbook case of a disagreement between manuscripts of the Greek New Testament. What would be John 5:4 (the missing material that begins in verse 3) is not found in any of the earliest and most accurate manuscripts of the Gospel of John. Scholars who make a career of comparing manuscripts (“textual critics” and “paleographers”) have...