If only I could... A sermon based on John 5:1-9

After reading today’s Gospel earlier in the week I realized that was yet another hole in my seminary education- I know absolutely nothing about the sheep gate or the pool Beth-zatha that John mentions in his Gospel this more.  I wonder how we missed that. 

Anyway I decided to “google” the Sheep gate and I learned that in ancient Jerusalem there were many gates around the wall of the city through which people could and go through---- most of the gates had names like the East gate or the Zion gate- most of the names  had something to do with local geography- the Zion Gate was on the side of the city where Mt. Zion was.  Perhaps, though the most interesting gate that I found out about was the dung gate.  You can imagine what went out through that gate.

The Sheep gate was on the north side of the city and I am guessing that it was named the sheep gate because it was a gate that sheep came through into Jerusalem.  Given its close proximity to the temple, I imagine many of those sheep were brought  to the temple to be sold as sacrifices. 

I also learned that near the sheep gate was a pool called Beth-zatha.  During Jesus time the pool was widely known for being a pool where people would come to be healed.   So as you can imagine the pool attracted every sort of person were looking to be healed - people lying in the dust and dirt on  wooden mats and pallets- like the man we meet today folks  limping about with wooden crutches under their arms-- the blind, the deaf all gathering at the water’s edge in the hopes that they would be healed by this mystical pool of water. 

Now from what I understand,  what people believed was  that every once in awhile an angel would come and stir the waters of the pool  and the first person to make it into pool  after the waters had been stirred would be healed.  Not a bad deal.  Now,  I am not sure what was meant by stir the water, but I am wondering if the pool was fed by some sort of underground spring that would bubble up every once and awhile.

When Jesus arrives at the pool he finds a man who has been sick for a long time- John says 38 years this man laid paralyzed in the dust.   Jesus immediately confronts the man – and says-- do you want to be healed.  A simple yes or no question- do you want to be healed.   Now rather than answering yes or no- the man begins to whine- You see I have no one to put me into the pool and as I am making my way down to the pool-someone inevitably knocks me out of the way and gets in, in front of me. 

I can almost imagine this man thinking to himself, if only I could get into that pool-  If only someone would scoop me  up into their arms and carry me into the pool --if only I could just dip my little toe into the water before anyone else --then I could be healed.  I could be free--- If I only I could, If only I could…

How often does that thought  run through our own  minds ---- If only I could do this or that --if only I had x then life would be alright, then life would be grand---   How would you fill in the blank this morning-- if only I could do… if only I had …   (pause)

if only I had  a little  bit more money,  then everything would be alright.  If only I had a little bit more time,… if only I could get that promotion, if only I had my health, If only I was a little bit thinner---   the list of possibilities is endless.   

Several years ago, I remember watching one of those news programs, like 20/20, the story that evening was about people who had won the lottery and its effect on their happiness.  What the news show found was that very often people who had won the lottery weren't any happier a year or so later.   Money had not brought happiness, fulfillment. 

Of course throughout the program- I kept thinking I wouldn't mind having the opportunity to find out if this was the case.

For the man in this morning’s story the answer isn't in the pool down below that he can never quite get to – it’s not down in the pool that he can never quite reach.  The answer is standing over him as he gazes up into the sky from his mat—The answer is right in front of his eyes and he can't even see it.  The source of healing, the source of wholeness, the source of his transformation is standing right in front of him.

There is a wonderful prayer that has been attributed to a woman by the name of Julian of Norwich- who lived in the 1300’s.

God of your goodness, give me yourself,

For you are enough to me.
And I can ask for nothing less that is to your glory. 
And if I ask for anything less, I shall still be in want, for only in you have I all.

 The source of our wholeness, the source of peace and rest and transformation is not in our checkbooks or in our health or in our circumstances, the source of wholeness, transformation, healing is standing right in front of us.  May our prayer this day be the prayer of Julien God of your goodness- give me yourself- for you are enough to me. Everything else just leaves us hungry, just leaves us our lives parched and thirsty, everything else just leaves us and wanting more… Everything else just invites fear scared and afraid—Everything else just keeps us holding on tight to the thing that are passing away.

Christ is offering us an opportunity to get up off our mats- an opportunity to be free from those thing which paralyze us that hold us down.  Will we get up off our mat? Christ is holding his hand out to us saying get up and walk.

AMEN