God’s Greater Things
John 5:1-24
Jesus never simply heals a body—He restores a soul. He never merely challenges religious customs—He redefines life itself. Everywhere He walks, the Kingdom of God follows, breaking through human limitations, traditions, and expectations. And in John 5, we find Him stepping into a place of brokenness, where religion had failed, hope had run dry, and people were trapped in cycles of waiting for something that could never truly make them whole.
A Question That Changes Everything
Jesus arrives at the pool of Bethesda—“House of Mercy”—and finds a man who had been sick for 38 years. Every day, he had waited by the water, longing for healing, believing in a tradition that promised restoration if only he could reach the pool at the right moment. But he never could.
Then Jesus asks him a question: “Do you want to get well?”
It seems obvious, doesn’t it? Of course, he wanted to be well. But Jesus’ question goes beyond physical healing. He was asking the man—and He asks us today—Are you ready for the life I offer? Are you ready for everything to change?
We often long for Jesus to fix our situations, to heal our pain, to answer our prayers. But are we prepared for what comes next? Are we ready for the transformation He brings? Because when Jesus speaks healing into our lives, it’s not just about making our current situation better—it’s about making us new.
An Invitation to Walk in Newness
Jesus doesn’t carry the man to the water. He doesn’t follow the ritual that people believed in. Instead, He speaks:
“Pick up your mat and walk.”
And in an instant, everything changes. The man, who had spent nearly four decades unable to move, stands up and walks.
But Jesus didn’t just challenge the man’s physical reality—He challenged the religious system that had failed to bring life. He healed on the Sabbath, defying the legalistic traditions that had made knowing God more about rule-keeping than relationship. The religious leaders were outraged. In their minds, healing could wait; their customs and traditions mattered more.
How often do we limit God with our expectations? How often do we look for Him only within the boundaries of what we think is possible? Jesus doesn’t fit into our boxes. He doesn’t wait for human traditions to catch up with the power of God. He simply speaks, and life flows.
The Greater Things of God
The healing at Bethesda was just the beginning. Jesus reveals why He can do what He does:
“My Father is always working, and so am I.” (John 5:17)
Everything Jesus does flows from the Father. He is the new Temple, the place where God’s presence dwells. He is the Living Water, offering life that never runs dry. He is the source of healing, restoration, and eternal life.
The religious leaders couldn’t see it. They were clinging to the old ways, unable to recognize that the fulfillment of everything they longed for was standing right in front of them.
Are we doing the same? Are we holding onto traditions, expectations, or beliefs that keep us from fully embracing Jesus?
The Call to Believe
Jesus makes it clear: The life He offers is for those who hear His voice and believe.
“Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
The invitation is open. The life Jesus offers is not dependent on rituals, religious effort, or personal merit. It is an act of His grace. The only requirement? Believe.
The River of Life
The picture of what Jesus offers goes beyond Bethesda. It’s the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision of a river flowing from the Temple—bringing life to what was dead, filling the barren places with abundance, and producing trees whose leaves bring healing. (Ezekiel 47:1-12)
And in Revelation, we see this river again—flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, lined with trees of life, bearing fruit and healing the nations. (Revelation 22:1-2)
This is the life Jesus offers. A life where we are no longer waiting by the water, no longer bound by human limitations, no longer dependent on rituals that cannot save. Instead, we are invited into a river of living water, a life of abundance, healing, and restoration.
Step Into the Greater Things
Jesus is calling.
He’s asking, “Do you want to get well?”
He’s speaking, “Pick up your mat and walk.”
And He’s declaring, “Believe in Me, and you will have life.”
Are you still waiting by the pool? Still searching for hope in places that cannot satisfy? Still clinging to things that keep you from fully surrendering to Jesus?
Step into the greater things of God. Hear His voice. Believe. And live.
