Appalachian Wesley Foundation Worship

Tonight’s gathering was a sacred pause—a moment to rest in God’s presence, to bring our whole selves, both the healed and the hurting, before the One who knows us completely. As we approach the Advent season, we are reminded that God’s embrace is not reserved for a select few, but is open to all who seek comfort, healing, and hope. The story of the man at the pool of Bethsaida, afflicted for thirty-eight years and unable to reach the healing waters, speaks to the deep longing within each of us for restoration. Jesus’ question, “Do you want to be made well?” is not just for him, but for all who feel stuck, overlooked, or burdened by life’s weight.

Jesus’ response to the man’s predicament was not to offer pity, but to invite him into wholeness—“Stand up, take your mat, and walk.” This act of healing, performed on the Sabbath, challenged the rigid boundaries of religious tradition. It revealed that God’s mercy is not constrained by human rules or expectations. The Sabbath, intended as a day of rest and renewal, is not a barrier to God’s work of compassion; rather, it is a space where God’s healing and grace are most powerfully revealed. We are invited to bring our burdens, our pain, and our longing for healing to God, trusting that it is not “work” to seek wholeness, but an act of faith and surrender.

The call is not only to receive healing, but to become agents of healing in the world. Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim the kingdom, to cure the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse, and to cast out all that binds. We are reminded that the work of God—mercy, compassion, and love—continues even on the Sabbath, and we are called to participate in that ongoing movement. In the simple meal of communion and the anointing with oil, we experience tangible signs of God’s invisible grace, a reminder that we are not alone, but held in community and in the Spirit’s embrace. As we go forth, may we carry the assurance that God’s healing is for all, and that we are both recipients and bearers of that grace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Healing Is Not Limited by Human Boundaries The healing at the pool of Bethsaida demonstrates that God’s compassion transcends the boundaries we often set—whether they are religious, social, or personal. Jesus heals on the Sabbath, defying the expectations of the religious leaders, and in doing so, reveals that God’s mercy is always at work, even when tradition says otherwise. We are invited to trust that God’s grace is not confined to our schedules or rules, but is available in every moment of need. [47:48]
• 2. The Invitation to Wholeness Requires Our Response When Jesus asks, “Do you want to be made well?” he is inviting us to participate in our own healing. The man at the pool had to stand, take up his mat, and walk—an act of faith in response to Jesus’ command. Our healing often begins with a willingness to move, to risk hope, and to trust that God can do what seems impossible. [46:19]
• 3. Sabbath Is a Gift, Not a Restriction The Sabbath was given as a day of rest and renewal, not as a burden or a legalistic trap. True Sabbath honors God by making space for healing, worship, and the restoration of our souls. Bringing our burdens, prayers, and needs to God is not a violation of Sabbath, but its fulfillment—an act of trust that God desires our wholeness. [61:44]
• 4. Community Is Essential for Healing The man’s isolation at the pool highlights the pain of trying to seek healing alone. Jesus’ ministry was always about drawing people into community, breaking down barriers, and ensuring that no one is left behind. Our healing is often found not just in private prayer, but in the embrace, prayers, and presence of others who walk with us. [42:57]
• 5. Tangible Signs of Grace Anchor Us in God’s Presence The practices of communion and anointing with oil are not magical rituals, but visible signs of God’s invisible grace. They remind us that God’s Spirit is present, working in and through ordinary elements to bring about extraordinary healing. These acts ground us in the reality that God’s love is both personal and communal, sustaining us for the journey ahead. [70:01]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [08:49] - Call to Worship: Embracing God’s Presence
• [10:16] - Announcements and Upcoming Events
• [16:50] - Advent Series Introduction: A Grand Miracle
• [17:41] - C.S. Lewis and The Screwtape Letters Group
• [21:10] - Operation Christmas Child and Missions
• [24:16] - Women’s Retreat and Fundraising
• [40:20] - Worship Through Song and Creed
• [41:24] - Entering a Season of Rest and Healing
• [43:13] - Jesus’ Mission: Healing and Community
• [44:05] - Scripture Readings: Healing in the Gospels
• [45:24] - The Pool of Bethsaida: A Story of Longing
• [46:19] - Jesus Heals the Man at the Pool
• [55:01] - The Meaning of Sabbath: Law and Mercy
• [61:44] - Bringing Our Burdens to God
• [64:57] - Communion: A Meal of Grace
• [69:01] - Anointing with Oil: A Sign of God’s Presence
• [83:09] - Final Blessing and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

John 5:2-18 (ESV) — > Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

Matthew 10:7-8 (ESV) — > And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

Jeremiah 17:19-22 (ESV) — > Thus said the Lord to me: “Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, and say: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. Thus says the Lord: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.’”

Observation Questions

1. In the story of the man at the pool, what reasons does the man give for not being able to reach the healing waters? ([46:19])
2. What specific command does Jesus give to the man at the pool, and what is the man’s response? ([46:19])
3. How do the religious leaders react to the man’s healing, and what reason do they give for their reaction? ([46:52])
4. According to Jeremiah 17, what were the people instructed not to do on the Sabbath? ([56:10])

Interpretation Questions

1. When Jesus asks, “Do you want to be made well?” what deeper issues might he be addressing beyond just physical healing? ([46:19])
2. Why do you think Jesus chose to heal the man on the Sabbath, knowing it would cause controversy with the religious leaders? ([47:48])
3. The man at the pool says, “I have no one to put me into the pool.” What does this reveal about his experience of community or isolation? How might this relate to people’s experiences today? ([46:19])
4. The Sabbath was meant to be a day of rest and renewal. How does Jesus’ action challenge or fulfill the true purpose of Sabbath? ([01:01:44])

Application Questions

1. Jesus’ question, “Do you want to be made well?” invites a personal response. Is there an area in your life where you feel “stuck” or in need of healing? What would it look like to honestly bring that to Jesus this week? ([46:19])
2. The man’s healing required him to “stand up, take your mat, and walk.” Is there a step of faith or action you sense God inviting you to take, even if it feels risky or uncomfortable? ([46:19])
3. The religious leaders were more concerned with rules than with the man’s restoration. Are there ways you’ve seen tradition or expectations get in the way of compassion—in your life or in the church? How can you respond differently? ([47:48])
4. The sermon emphasized that seeking healing and bringing our burdens to God is not “work” but an act of faith. Are there burdens you’ve been carrying alone that you need to bring to God or share with others in community? ([01:01:44])
5. Jesus’ ministry was about drawing people into community and breaking down barriers. Is there someone in your life who feels isolated or overlooked? What is one tangible way you can reach out to them this week? ([42:57])
6. Communion and anointing with oil were described as “tangible signs of God’s invisible grace.” Are there practices or rituals that help you experience God’s presence in a real way? How can you make space for those this week? ([01:10:01])
7. The call is not just to receive healing, but to become agents of healing. What is one way you can participate in God’s work of mercy, compassion, or love in your community this month? ([44:05])