Apprentice in the Kingdom
John 5:1-24
What's our picture of JC Ben
Harper & the blind boys of Alabama sing a song called pictures of Jesus. In
the second verse they describe Martin Luther King as offering a contemporary
picture of their saviiour. It captures something at heart of this story: apprenticeship. Jesus describes
himself as apprenticed to his Father. We model our ministry on his – so people
see him in us.
1) people
The pool in the story was located
in the North West corner of city; in the shadow of the Antonia Fortress, the
seat of Roman power. It was a pagan shrine as well as a place for sick Judeans
to gather. John creates a drama with three players:
i) the invalid: 38yrs he'd been there; was he bitter? He was
certainly isolated (7); fearful? (shops Jesus to the Pharisees in v15!). He was
anonymous – just a nameless sick man in a sea of down and outs. And Jesus blessed him – note that
healing is not the same as saving.
There's an irony here as Jesus
seems just as anonymous as the invalid (13); he's not drawing attention to
himself – but to what he's doing (which is a good model for us?)
ii) Pharisees: 'Judeans' is a better translation than 'Jews' for
this word in John's gospel. These were religious folk who knew what mattered.
John tells a wonderful comic tale in v9-12 where rules are more important than
the well-being of this man
iii) Jesus: alone (John doesn't mention his disciples) and in
wrong place – up for the feast (1), he's down in the gutter where pagan Romans
and invalid, unclean Judeans barred from temple mixed (2). He offers grace in
the 'house of grace' (what the Hebrew word Bethesda means). He blesses and seeks nothing in return: that's grace: it's
what we receive from God; do we offer it to others as unconditionally?
2) plots
There are two big stories
unfolding here; there's a clash between
two worlds, and two time zones:
i) Judeans: in their story, the messiah will uphold Law, lead
his people against Rome, restore David's line (this was the hope focussed on
Jesus in chapter 6). What feast is Jesus up for? John doesn't tell us. It could
be passover? – if so, that was rich in the imagery of liberation and
nationhood.
ii) Jesus: confounds everyone's expectations: he's with sick
and unclean – why? Because as he explains in v19, it's where he sees God at
work. Now God is everywhere, of course, but he's especially with the poor and
Jesus is his apprentice, so he's where God is – watching, learning, taking cue
from God.
3) point
So, what's happening here? How
will this story end? Will the denouement be as Jesus or enemies expect? (16c,
18). There is real tension building here. The work that Jesus is apprenticed to is the work of new creation.
It is the dawn of a new day, the day on which God will set everything right and
having acted, Jesus explains what he's up to (this is a good model for all of
us). He explains that because he is working for his Father, he has his Father's
authority:
i) to heal (8) whatever properties the pool had, it had done
nothing for man in 38 years. Neither Jewish faith nor pagan magic seemed to
work.
JC spoke and healing happened –
that's authority (it recalls God speaking creation into being in Genesis 1; see
John 1:1-5)
ii) to direct lifestyle (14) Jesus was not avoiding temple and when he got
he was not afraid to bring a home truth or two to a sinner. But we must
carefully note the order Jesus did things in. He blesses the invalid because he
can and he wants to; only later does he talk about change – this is a good
model for us – act first, explain afterwards when people have questions!
Jesus calls shots in our lives –
that's God's task.
iii) to give life (21, 24): in the pool there was no life, just a
half-life of barely getting by, living on hand-outs and sympathy. At the temple
there was a lot of noise, but no life (judging by the Pharisees behaviour!)
Jesus brings life: he raised
invalid (8, the Greek word, egeire, means raise as in resurrection and is the
word used in v21). Jesus' act is the
start of new creation (1:3-4) – that's God's work.
iv) to judge (22) to whom are we – invalid, Pharisees, us –
accountable? Jesus – this is God's work
and God' has handed it over to his Son – what an amazing apprenticeshipI This
is why he can direct people's lifestyles and command faith (24) because one day
all people will account t him for how they have lived.
In short this story tells us that
Jesus is the bridge to a new creation; this story is the outworking of John
1:12. And as in all stories, we have to decide where we are in the action –
with Jesus or the Pharisees? Where invalid was trusting in superstition or in
the temple going through the religious motions?
✔ Have we heard Jesus voice, put our trust in him and
been raised to new life?
✔ Are we ready to be apprenticed to Jesus, learning a
way of living and acting in the world that seeks to bless and do good to those
around us because we know new creation's coming, because we've experienced it
ourselves?
Areas for discussion
Where are the pools of Bethesda in Bromley?
How does Jesus want us to be working with the people who live there?
Where do we see evidence of new creation in our lives and community?
Do we think Jesus' way of working would work for us – doing things that
bless people and leaving the explanations of our actions for later?
Where do we see God working (v19)?
Do we believe Jesus will hold everyone accountable for the way they've
lived their lives? If so, what are we doing now to tell them?
How are we bringing new life to our friends and neighbours?
What is there in this story that would form the basis for a mission
strategy for our home group or church?