Do you want to get well?
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?” (John 5:2-6)
What kind of question is this? This man had been suffering from a disability for 38 years. Of course, he wanted to get well! Right? Who wouldn’t?
Any time we see Jesus ask a question like this we can be sure that there is a purpose for it. And often that purpose is deeper than what it might appear at first.
Jesus proceeds to heal the man of his disability by the power of His command, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”
Sometime later, Jesus sees this same man again and makes an interesting statement, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14)
Something worse?! Something worse than being paralyzed for 38 years? What can be worse than that? That, I believe, is the crux of Jesus’ first question, “Do you want to get well?”
What is worse than any physical disability, any disease, any worldly loss? Having a spiritual disability (being blind to the gospel), having a spiritual disease caused by sin, and being doomed to hell for all eternity is worse. Far worse. Eternally worse.
More than any physical healing, we all need to be healed from the disease and death penalty of sin. This healing can only be found by trusting Jesus to pay for your sins and giving your life over to Him. The good news is … Jesus is ready to heal you today! Do you want to get well?