The man had been sick for thirty-eight years, yet still he lay hopefully beside the Pool of Bethesda. Others had plunged into the water and were healed, but he had no friend to put him into the water and lay helpless while others rushed by him to be “first” into the healing water.
Can you imagine his despair as he saw others come from the pool cured, while he must continue to lie there alone, friendless and disabled.
Then Jesus came. He said, “Wilt thou be made whole?”
The poor, helpless man answered, “Sir, I have no man...to put me into the pool.”
Jesus replied, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.”
“And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked.” (You can read the whole story in the Bible in John 5:2-152Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. (John 5:2‑15).)
The Lord Jesus is no longer on earth going about healing as He did then, but He is always waiting to take care of a need that is greater than curing a sick or crippled body. In fact, it is the greatest need of all.
We, sinners, cannot go to heaven unless our sins are forgiven. We are just as helpless as the poor man by the pool.
Have you felt your load of sins and your need of a Savior? Jesus is able, He is willing and He is ready to save you. He is the Savior for those who cannot save themselves-and that disability includes everyone on earth.