WINDSOR FULL GOSPEL MISSION CHURCH GROUP BIBLE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS       
John 5:1-9 (A)

JESUS HEALED A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN ILL FOR 38 YEARS.

1.     Do you know how to start training (taming) an elephant?

2. 1) Why did Jesus visit Bethesda pool during the religious festival?

    2) What is the meaning of Bethesda ?

    3) Did this sick person expect Jesus’ visit?

    4) What is the uniqueness of Christianity from all other religions? (John 3:16, Revelation 3:20, Mark 10:45)

    5) What do you call this uniqueness?

3.1) What are common characteristics of people at Bethesda ?

    2) Why were they there?

    3) How often do you think the pool water would be stirred?

    4) In your opinion, how many sick people had been healed in the Bethesda ?

    5) Who were the ones who jumped into the water first when the water was stirred?

4. 1) Why did Jesus ask this sick man who had only been able to lye around  for 38 years, “Do you want to get well?” Is it not a common sense?

    2) How many times do you think the sick man who had been lying around for 38 years had tried to jump into water?

    3) What do you think had developed in his mind after repeated failure for a long time?

    4) In fact, what did Bethesda pool become for him in the process of failure after failure?

5.1) Why did this person answer, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred”, instead of answering simply, “Yes, I want to be healed”?

    2) What did His answer reflect? (Matthew 12:34)      

    3) What was the condition of his mind according to his answer?

6.1) Based on his answer, “While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. " Where do you think his faith was focusing at?

   2) What kind of thoughts did he have to make him blame other people?

   3) What kind of thoughts do the poor have to make them blame the rich?

   4) What kind of atmosphere can you imagine at the Bethesda when he said, “someone else goes down ahead of me."

   5) What is the rule in the kingdom of God ? (Matthew 20:16)

7. 1) When Jesus said to him “Get up!” what happened to him? (Romans 10:17, Luke 24:32)

    2) Do you expect a sick person lying in bed for 38 years to get up so quickly and walk?

    3) What are the two conditions for a person to experience a miracle? (1)                      (2)

8. 1) Why did Jesus command him to “Pick up your mat and walk (away)”? 

    2) What is the meaning of his mat for him?

    3) What can the mat do for him and can’t do for him?

    4) What is the meaning to pick up his mat?

    5) What is the meaning to walk away?

Life application:
1. Have Jesus ever visited you personally?
2. What has been the Bethesda pool for you just as it had been for this man?
3. Is there any God’s command in the Bible that you do not agree? If you believe and obey, what do you expect?
4. Did you have any incidence that you can think of that God is not fair to you?
5. What is a mat for you? Can you pick it up and walk?

Prayer:
Thank you heavenly Father for sending Jesus to me and save me while I was a helpless and hopeless sinner.  In this world, we are in the midst of many different stressful competitions. Whenever we fail, we feel hurt and discouraged. Help us not to blame someone else for our own failure, but turn our eyes to Jesus who has given us faith and hope through His words. Jesus will exercise His authority by speaking His words. Help us to hear His voice commanding us “Get up from the position of discouragement and pick up any mat of excuse for my inaction. Walk towards a new life.”   I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!