Hi! My Name Is Jesus! Pool Party!

Hi! My Name Is Jesus! Pool Party!        

John 5:1-15    11-29-20

Bottom Line: If we don’t know how much Jesus cares about us, we don’t know Jesus.

Introduction:

 A. Webster says that “idiot” is a foolish or stupid person!

   1. Dated & now offensive: a person affected with extreme intellectual disability

   2. Long list of synonyms not as offensive?

 B. Root word of idiopathic – “arising spontaneously or from an obscure or unknown cause” = I just don’t know!

C. We don’t like to say “I just don’t know” about things…

   1. Informed should mean good decisions…usually

   2. Unfortunately, for Mental Health we often say, “I just don’t know” so it’s hard to make good decisions.

 D. Discussion of myths with Lizette Hill

 E. Mental Health and physical health are deeply connected

   1. Mental health can cause physical health problems

   2. Physical health can cause mental health problems

 F. John tells us about a man who had been an invalid for 38 years – don’t know if it was his whole life or not

   1. Years of being ostracized, ignored, and dependent

   2. In a culture that saw it as a curse! People to avoid!

 G. John 5:1-15 read: Not about the man but about Jesus!

1. Hi! My name is Jesus, and I care about your struggles!

 A. Why did Jesus even go there? Packed w/ outcasts!

 B. He is looking for us! Where will he see you? At your struggles!

 C. He had compassion for his condition & his 38 yr struggle!

2. Hi! My name is Jesus! Please hear what I am saying!

 A. “Do you want to get well?” Duh! Purpose for being there.

 B. He saw Jesus as a spectator who didn’t understand his struggle!

 C. It wasn’t a question about information but a question about his faith!

   1. He wanted a helper. Jesus was a healer!

   2. We know he is watching but do we know he is waiting?

3. Hi! My name is Jesus, and compassion always overrules ceremony!

 A. “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” Simple & clear!

   1. What owned him was now easily carried by him!

   2. “At once” = don’t put of getting up!

 B. A case of religion vs. Transformation! The eyes of man vs. the eyes of God! Notice later in vs.14-15, call for change!

 C. Nothing is more important than an act of love!

   1. We will be judged by our compassion! Matt.25

   2. We are more like Jesus when we are guided by compassion!

Conclusion:  Let’s party!

A. It is hard to party when you don’t feel like it!

B. This man had some party options – like we do!

   1. A Pity Party – feeling sorry for myself!

   2. A Pool Party – hanging around others who might help!

   3. A Prayer Party – talking and celebrating with God!

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Bible Study for Sunday, November 29, 2020

Hi! My Name Is Jesus! John 5:1-15

1.  When does it bother you the most to have to say, “I just don’t know”?

2.  What do you think is the biggest myth about mental health?

3.  How does our mental health affect our physical health? How does our physical health affect our mental health?

4.  Why do you think Jesus was visiting the pool of Bethesda?

5.  What kind of mental health issues do you think this man might have had after being an invalid for 38 years? Why?

6.  When Jesus learned that he had been struggling for 38 years to get into the pool at just the right time, he decided to heal him. What does this tell us about Jesus?

7.  When Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well, what was he really asking about?

8.  What did the man have to do in order to be healed?

9.  Since this healing took place on the Sabbath, what is Jesus telling us about the importance of compassion?

10. How does the response of the Jews show us the difference between religion and transformation?

11. How did Jesus challenge the man to change? Read Jn.5:14-15