(John 5:1-15)
In the Bible, we are familiar with the description of Abraham as the “friend of God”. For instance, in Isaiah 41:8, God says, “But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend. But what exactly do we mean by the term “friend”?
The Chambers 20th Century Dictionary defines “friend” as “one loving or attached to another; an intimate acquaintance; a favourer; a well-wisher or supporter.” If we go by these definitions, we find that calling a human being the friend of God or saying that God, the Creator, is the Friend of man that He created is mind-boggling and very astonishing. The idea that God is man’s Friend is a very crucial one in His relationship with man. Many people today see God as someone who is against them; one who is all the time plotting their fall; and who, in His commands, desires to trip man up. Certain religions do not have the concept of a God that can be described as man’s friend. They only see God as one to be feared and who cannot have an intimate relationship with man.
Jesus came into the world to correct the wrong views that people had about God, and the healing of the invalid man at the side of the Pool of Bethesda was perhaps the best occasion for doing this. The story is found in John 5:1-15.
Jesus came upon a great number of disabled people by the Pool of Bethesda. Among these were the blind, the lame, and those suffering other physical deformities. While we do not have a record of the names of these people (their names were unimportant as they were no VIPs), we see in Jesus’ reaction to one of them who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years, God’s reaction to those who have no one to help them-He befriends them. Jesus came to show us that God is man’s friend.
What do we know about this man? He was friendless and lonely; he had no one to help him. John 5:7a may very well be one of the saddest verses in the Bible and one of the saddest words that any man could utter. The man said, “I have no one to help me.” His plight was as sad of the Psalmist that said, “Look to my right and see, no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life” (Psalm 142:4). Ecclesiastes 4:9, 19 also describes the importance of friends and the tragedy of being friendless as follows: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up!”
But why was the man in such a sorry condition? The Bible does not say explicitly the reason for his predicament. But we can draw some inferences from the passage itself. First, the fact that Jesus, after healing him, said, “Stop sinning,” suggests that he had lived a life of sin and his condition was the direct result of his sinful lifestyle. There are many diseases that are caused by the sinful lifestyles of people. According to S.D. McMillen in his book, None of These Diseases, “Alcohol is one of the most important factors in making the mental disease the No. 1 health problem of America…It kills many tens of thousands on the highways; it incites people to murder, homicide and suicide; it places others behind bars as raving maniacs.” It has been discovered that not only does one out of every five alcoholics develop partial paralysis of certain muscles, but many of them complain bitterly about painful neuritis. Liver problems like liver sclerosis are the result of excessive use of alcohol. Smoking is another sinful habit that destroys life. It is often the cause of cancer of the lung, the cancer of the larynx, the cancer of the oesophagus, and gastric ulcers. Many sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhoea, syphilis, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are the price that people are paying for failure to flee from fornication and adultery. Secondly, the fact that the man said, “I have no one to help me” suggests that his condition would have been distinctly better if he had received the love and care of people around him.
What did Jesus do? Jesus healed the man, but in doing this, He did something more fundamental-He offered to be the man’s friend. He showed, by His action that God is still befriending those who have been rejected by others. No matter the reason for your predicament, Jesus will never reject you. After the man had said, “I have no one to help me”, Jesus offered to be the Helper and Friend of this friendless sinner. Here we find Jesus earning the title by which many derided Him, “The Friend of Sinners” (Matthew 11:19).
What kind of friendship did Jesus offer to man and what kind does He offer today? First, Jesus’ friendship far exceeds that of anyone with us even our family. Jesus is that friend who sticks closer than a brother. There are instances when people are abandoned by close family members, but the Psalmist said, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me” (27:10). Secondly, Jesus is a Friend who loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17). He never ceases to love us. His friendship is everlasting. In Isaiah 54:10, He said, “Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord who has compassion on you.” Our earthly friends may abandon us when things are not going well with us again. Someone has said, “False friends are like a shadow, keeping close to us while we walk in the sunshine, but leaving us when we cross into the shade.” Jesus loves us even when we fall into sin. Not that He wants us to live in sin, but He wants to bring us out of sin to live for Him again. The man at the Pool of Bethesda must have been a popular fellow with a lot of friends when the going was good. But now that he was in a sad state no one had any use for him again. Jesus alone is the one we can count on at such times. Thirdly, Jesus, as our friend, chastises us. The friendship He offers is not an indulgent one. No one can be a true friend who does not rebuke us when we do wrong or warn us about the risk we are taking when we adopt a sinful lifestyle. After He had healed this man, He said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” (John 5:14). He told the Laodicean church, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent” (Revelations 3:19). The Bible again says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:6). In the fourth place, Jesus’ friendship is a sacrificial one. He gave His life for us His friends. He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). The genuineness of someone’s friendship can be seen in the quality of sacrifice he or she is willing to make for the good of the other person. Jesus proved His friendship with us by dying for our sins on the Cross of Calvary.
How can you be a friend of Jesus today? First, you must recognize your need for Him. He never forces Himself on anyone. Second, you must recognize what He has done to prove His love for you. Third, you must repent of your sins and accept Him as the Lord and Saviour of your life. Fourth, you must live in accordance with His will and always obey Him. He said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14). If you wish to accept Jesus into your life, pray the following prayer unto God, “Dear God, I thank you for sending Jesus into the world to die for my sins. I repent of all my sins today and promise not to go back to them. I now invite Jesus into my heart to be my Lord and Saviour. Thank you for saving me and becoming my friend. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Your eternal salvation and spiritual well-being are our concerns. If you prayed to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, please write to let us know through the address below. You may also join us in our worship service in Yoruba language at 7.30 a.m. or in English language at 9.00 a.m. every Sunday.
- Rev. Kayode Ilupeju,
Good News Baptist Church,
47/49, Olufemi Road, Surulere,
Lagos. Tel.: 0803-302-1008.
