HopeUC Secunderabad

Never-Ending Mercy

• HopeUC Secunderabad

Share episode

Are you stuck waiting for change that never seems to come? In this episode, we explore the story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda—38 years paralyzed, waiting for a breakthrough. But when Jesus steps in, healing doesn’t come through the system, the water, or perfect timing—it comes through mercy and a simple command: "Get up and walk." If you’ve been a “pool watcher” in your own life, stuck in disappointment or delay, this message is your reminder: God’s mercy meets you where you are. It's time to stop waiting and start walking in faith.

PRAYER
We are here to pray for you - with you. Please share your prayer request or praise report here - https://hopeucindia.churchcenter.com/people/forms/3009, and someone from our team will pray for your need through the week.

NEXT STEPS
If you would like to give your heart to Jesus, it's the best decision you could ever make. We want to celebrate with you, provide you with resources and get you the support you need on this journey. Please fill the form - https://hopeucindia.churchcenter.com/people/forms/297739, and someone from our team will contact you soon.

ABOUT HOPEUC INDIA
Hope Unlimited Church is an independent, Spirit-filled church with multiple campuses in India, serving young professionals and families from all parts of India in a modern, dynamic metropolitan church setting.
More about us - https://hopeuc.in/

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopeucsecunderabad

Speaker 1:

we are exploring a series on what jesus makes possible. We are looking at the miracles of Jesus. So so far we have studied few miracles, you know, in live groups and on Sundays, and I'm sure that you are longing for a miracle. Nobody on this earth cannot say, you know, I don't want a miracle. All of us need one, amen. So it's time for us that we reach out to God and expect a miracle each of our lives. Quickly, I'd like to go through the series week by week. Week number one we looked at how Jesus responds to our need. All of us have a need or whatever need or needs. Jesus will definitely respond and he will perform his word in our lives. Week number two we looked at how Jesus calms our storms. All of us go through such phases in our lives. What is uncontrollable to you, he controls it. He has that power, amen. And he calms the storms and then God's people are blessed.

Speaker 1:

Then, week three we saw Jesus offers peace. That's basically with this demon possessed man who was suffering and struggling and did not know what to do. For a long time he struggled. Jesus intervenes in his life and he changes his life right. Once Jesus touches you, once you experience a miracle. Once you taste his love, you can never be the same again. Do you know what he does? He goes to 10 cities Decapolis. The Bible says he goes to 10 cities and he goes and spreads the word. Have you gone to at least one city? Everybody is looking at me now. He went to 10 cities and he preached that Jesus healed me. That is the mission, that is our calling. He gave you a job. You go to 10 cities and tell he gave you a miracle. You go to somewhere and tell that is how it should function. And we saw that Jesus offers peace. This person was living in a difficult situation. There was no peace in his life, and Jesus brought peace in his life.

Speaker 1:

Today we are looking at week number four. Jesus intervenes in the impossible. That's not the title of my message, though that's the title for the series. Okay, I'm going to introduce my title soon. So let's look at John, chapter five, verses one onwards.

Speaker 1:

Sometime later, jesus went up to Jerusalem from one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, a pool which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered porches. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie. Who are they? The blind, the lame, the paralyzed? If you're going through NIV Bible like the way I have, you will not find verse 4 there. The verse 4 will be missing. It will be put in a bracket, but under the footnote. That verse will be there, right. In other versions of KJV and all you'll find it, but in NIV there is no verse 4. So don't just be misled. It will be under the footnote and the verse 4 says like this what does it say? From time to time, an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had, right. So basically, this verse is talking about life is being paralyzed, right, life is not in motion and progress. The person is stationed in that place for whatever number of years or time, okay, and then it's.

Speaker 1:

It says that they waited for the moving of the waters. They waited for some action. They are waiting. This portion is very important for all of us to understand if we have to go through the study today. They waited for something to happen. While you're waiting, you're just sitting down. Something good might happen Someday. Something will happen. My life will change. Someday I will be healed. Someday I'll get a job breakthrough. Someday I'll get a business breakthrough. We are all waiting and this person is also in a similar situation. They waited for moving of the waters. If only the waters move, I have a chance. If only the waters are disturbed, I have a chance. When the angel of the Lord comes, I have a chance. If only the waters are disturbed, I have a chance. When the angel of the Lord comes, I have no idea. But when the waters are troubled or moved, I have a chance to get my miracle.

Speaker 1:

That was a condition, verse 5. One who was there had been invalid for 38 years. Somebody say 38 years, long time, long time. Half the life almost is gone, 38 years. And that's the person. When Jesus saw him lying there, he learned that he's been in this condition for a long time and he asked him do you want to get well? He replies, sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I'm trying to get in, someone else goes before me. Then Jesus said to him get up, pick up your mat and walk At once. Somebody said at once that man was cured. He picked up his mat and walked.

Speaker 1:

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath. Let's go to verse 14. Later Jesus found him at the temple and he said to him See, you are well again. Stop sinning. Stop sinning. Somebody say stop sinning. There is something you must stop in your life. There are some something you must stop in your life. There are some things you must address in your life. Just because God has done something, it doesn't mean heaven is open. You have to stop something. So he's telling stop sinning that something worse may happen to you. The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus what made him well.

Speaker 1:

I know all of us know this story. We have read it many times, but we're going to understand few important aspects that are important for us today, in our time Amen. So I'm titling my message this afternoon Never Ending Mercy. Somebody say Never Ending Mercy. Many people have many problems, struggles in life. Amen.

Speaker 1:

Bethesda was the most sought out place at that point of time. Miracle you better go to Bethesda because that's where miracles are happening, right? So most of the people were waiting when they can go and get their miracle at Bethesda. The pool was stirred occasionally by an angel. There's no set time and date at At this date, at this time, there is nothing. Even in our lives, we have no idea when the miracle will come, when a breakthrough will come. We have no idea. Right In a similar situation, you don't know when the angel will come and the waters will be disturbed, Right, and then they waited endlessly and patiently. Many of us find ourselves in a similar situation. We are waiting endlessly and patiently for our prayers to be answered, for our breakthroughs, for our miracles. You know, and we need to learn some things on how God functions and how we can relate to this message and take a miracle in our life.

Speaker 1:

Now I want to focus on this word Bethesda. Bethesda is, at this point of time in our time, you know, it's a major tourist attraction site attracting hundreds and hundreds of thousands of visitors to go and see. Right, we just read that in verse 2. The pool of Bethesda was not a place for social gatherings. It's not a place where you just sit and have a chat, have a cup of chai. What a beautiful place. Look at this. You know why? Because all the invalids were there, all the people with problems were there. All the people who are nagging, gossiping, were there. All the people you know who are not in their right frame of mind were there. So I want you to see these two significant places.

Speaker 1:

This is where Bethesda is, but there's also something called Sheep Gate that is very, very important for us in this story Amen. You would not like very close to the sheep gate. It's located near Jerusalem and I just showed you. There's another picture that will come up right. It served as an entrance for sacrificial lambs brought from sheep markets into the temple compound, so that means it's not a long distance. Right when you read the scripture here, you know in Jerusalem, near the sheep gate, there is a place called Bethesda, right. So there's a lot of sheep around and selling is going on, sacrifices going on, and at that very place there is a place called Bethesda going on, and that, at that very place there is a place called Bethesda. So Bethesda is not a holiday site and a place where you'd like to go and sit for 38 long years. Who would like to sit in such a place for 38 long years? But something is happening there. So these people, they go and sit there.

Speaker 1:

One man, unable to move due to his lameness, endured this affliction for 38 years waiting endlessly. How many of us seated here are waiting endlessly? Our prayers are not getting answered, right, we are not moving forward in all that we want to do and see in our lives. There are a lot of speed breakers, right, and we are not seeing that uh plan and the will of god over our lives and we are waiting and we are waiting and many, many, many areas of our lives. When will I get married? When will I get a job? When will I get a breakthrough?

Speaker 1:

And we are at some point in our lives and this is not something new, right, even in Bible you find it. Even in story we find this person is waiting for a long period of time. But what you do when you're waiting is very important. And not only that, as I just mentioned that in bible there are many stories that that people were waiting, and I'm going to take you through one of the stories in the bible that probably will just enlighten you and say, oh god, there are so many people who are waiting, but how on earth these things are happening Alright. So Every time the pool was stirred, as we read in the story, only one person would get healed, not everybody and someone else would get their first Right, leaving the other person's expectation Shattered. This is the world that we live in today and this is where we are today, and in Bible there is a story that people have been waiting, people have been longing. People were at a pool just asking God to do something.

Speaker 1:

I hope you love this song. I know probably can hum this song. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down yeah, we went. When we remembered Zion. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down yeah, we will. When we remember Zion and the rain can't carry us away In captivity, required from us a song. Now, how shall we sing the Lord's song In a strange land there the wind is carrying us. Everybody's wondering where are we? What is happening? This is a song Was quite popular when I was growing up.

Speaker 1:

If you go and watch this video, you know they are dancing. You know the guys Like crazily dancing and the ladies are like you know, in a Rhythm. They have their own steps and moves it. It will show you the song as something that is to celebrate. You know to sing and clap and have a party. You know, and be joyful about it, and we have understood that and we have understood that way, we have sung that way and we grew up listening to this kind of songs. This song was originally composed by a group called Melodians, melodians Alright. And then Bonium picked this song up Alright In, I think, 1978. And then Bonium picked this song up In, I think, 1978, they popularized this song. But where did you get this song? Where did this come from?

Speaker 1:

I want to read Psalm 137, verses 1 to 4. By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, yea, yea. We wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps on the willows in the midst thereof. For there they carried us away, captives, required us of a song. They're asking us to sing a song and they wasted us, required of us saying sing us one of the songs of Zion. But they said how shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land, land? Every word of that song that you have sung is a song of mourning, is a song of agony, is a song that is telling God we made a mess of our lives. Idolatry is part of our lives, disobedience is part of our lives. We showed our on your guard and for that very reason I'm in this condition. Oh God, the Jewish people, you know, the temple was destroyed and these people, most of the precious ones, were captured and they were taken to Babylon and they were now under the leadership of Babylon and they said oh, come on, sing your song. Oh, you talk about those praise songs. No, you talk about those glorious songs. No, you talk about those victorious. Come on, sing those songs. And you know what they said. How can we sing Lord's song in this strange land? We are suffering, my friend, we are struggling, my friend, for the things that I've done in my life, I have no face to show to my God and you want us to sing those very songs. I'm not in a position to sing those songs. And that is a song that these people have picked up and they make you dance, they make you clap, they make you celebrate, but actually it is taken from Psalm 137. It's an agony, it's a pain. They sit at the river. Which river Babylon? In a strange land. Which river Babylon? In a strange land.

Speaker 1:

That man was not the only one sitting near a pool or a river, and many people, when they are disappointed, they are discouraged, when all hope is gone, especially people in Hyderabad. They find one place called Tangban. They don't want to swim. Probably just the smell will take their life, the breath away from them. Right, when everything comes to an end and prayers are not answered and things are not going well. Right, the ultimate solution is to do that, and they were in similar situation, and sometimes we are also in similar situations.

Speaker 1:

We are pool watchers. When will the pool be disturbed? When will the pool be disturbed? When will the water be disturbed? When will the angel of the Lord come? We are all waiting, with no one to assist him. It seemed like a hopeless case. Yet, though, he was disappointed listen to me carefully he refused to give up hope. Clearly, seeing that something was happening at that pool, the feeling of hopelessness can overwhelm us while we are waiting for God to intervene. I don't know which pool you are stuck at today. I don't know which pool you are stuck at today. I don't know which pool you are sitting right now and what is the song that you are singing. Can you sing the Lord's song when everything is going against you? I don't know. And today, even as we dwell on the word of God, it is giving us courage and encouragement that there is hope for each of us, no matter which pool that you are sitting by.

Speaker 1:

That person was sitting at the pool of Bethesda. These people were sitting at the river of Babylon Helpless, hopeless situation. And they come to a place. This person comes to a place called Bethesda. I told you Bethesda is not a great place to go and sit because of the setting that was there. But do you know what Bethesda means? Bethesda means house of mercy. House of mercy, it simply means no matter what you have done and wherever you are in your life, god's mercy will be upon you. Amen.

Speaker 1:

We need to understand the character of God, one of the characteristics of God, one of the attributes of God that God is merciful. In the Old Testament you see God's mercy seen in his dealing with Israel. Even though they have rebelled, they do stuff you know. Even though they go into the difficult portion, then God will never give up. He will bring them back up. Maybe one generation passes by, but his eyes are always on them, and his because they are his children, and then he will bring them out. That's the mercy of God.

Speaker 1:

In New Testament, god's mercy is displayed through Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save us, not because of our merit, my friend, it is because of his mercy. And many times we go into church because of our merit. I have this merit. I have this credit. No, my friend, it is only by mercy and the sermon today is talking about never-ending mercy that is available to each of us. All our good works, the Bible says, are like filthy rags before God. What you and I need, my friend, is the mercy of God. The mercy of God. What was so unique about Bethesda there, when everything was not so pleasing is that word called Bethesda, that very place became a house of mercy. When you come to church, this is a place of mercy. Wherever you call on the name of the living God, that place becomes a house of mercy. Wherever you call on the name of the living God, that place becomes a house of mercy. God's mercy is one of the most defining characteristics In His mercy. That allows us to approach Him in our brokenness, knowing that he will not treat us as our sin deserves.

Speaker 1:

We are supposed to be punished for all our wrongdoings and sometimes we don't even wonder yes, I'm doing this, yes, I'm doing that, I'm in a bad mess, but still you seem to be okay. Like most of us, I do this, but nothing is happening to me. I'm not dying. In the Old Testament. That fellow did this. He died, but I'm sinning, sinning, sinning. I am sinning, sinning, sinning and not dying. Ah, now I have license.

Speaker 1:

Oh, my friend, purely, you need to understand the timing and the mercy and the grace of God that is over you. That time was different. If you were living with them at the time of Babylon, then the time was different and the mercy and the grace of God that is over you. That time was different. If you are living with them at the time of Babylon, then the time was different and the step was different. How God dealt with.

Speaker 1:

God is dealing with us with the church age. It's called the church age. Church is full of grace and mercy, but this will cease one day, my friend. This will cease one day and that's why you do what you want and say Lord, I'm sorry, yeah, he will forgive you, but still you find everything's there. Job is there, business is there, praise God for it, but it's only. You need to understand the mercy and the grace of God. His mercy invites us into a relationship with him, experience his forgiveness and extend that mercy to others. As we grow in understanding the nature or the characteristics of God, may we be transformed by His mercy and reflect the same to the world around us. Never-ending mercy that is available to each of us.

Speaker 1:

Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 22 and 23. It says it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion faileth not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. As you wake up every day morning, god makes mercy available to you. They are new every morning. That means you have not experienced that kind of mercy a day before, because something new God has brought it to you into your life and say God, yes, I made a mess of my life, yes, I'm in this condition, but I want to receive your mercy.

Speaker 1:

You know what happened to this person? He saw the mercy of God. Did Jesus put his hand and heal him? Church, hmm, what did he do? He just told him take up your mat, go home. That's all. You're sitting too long, my friend. Take up your mat, throw your mat, rise up and go home.

Speaker 1:

Your situations, your thought pattern, has limited you so badly, your circumstances put you in a fix so badly, that you're sitting there waiting and waiting. When will it come? Who will come to deliver me? Who will help me to come out of this problem. The Lord Jesus came, he died, he rose again and he said it is finished. Whoever has faith, like a mustard, seed Amen. If you say to this mountain, be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his mind and in heart. It will happen. For them who say it Amen, and your life will start to flow in the direction of your faith.

Speaker 1:

The miracle was not really performed by Jesus, but by the man himself. Jesus has already done all the miracles he's going to do. It is just waiting for us to do our part, our part, to reach out to God and say God, I just need your mercy. I just need your mercy. It's not based on what I have done, not based on my background. I need a fresh touch of your mercy.

Speaker 1:

You may feel like you're, you know, sitting near a pool today. You are probably in a helpless situation. There's lameness, weakness on every side. But right in the middle of it, god says I'm building a house of mercy, a house of mercy, a house of mercy. God wants to intervene into your life where there is impossible. He wants to do something unique and something special. What are those things you have given up? What are the things that you put aside, what are the things you have stopped praying about? What are those things that you lost hope and you're in a helpless state.

Speaker 1:

God is calling you. He's telling you that mercy is available. It is never-ending mercy. What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for? Waiting around will not solve the problem. The man waited for 38 long years. If you want to wait, you keep waiting. But Jesus has done his part. He wants you to do your part, amen. He wants to get involved in your life. He wants to touch you wherever you are. Before you leave this place, may I encourage you to reach out to God and ask God. God, I want you to do this miracle in my life. I want to take a step of faith. Family, finances, business, whatever it is, even your spiritual life, we all need the mercy of God, amen.

Speaker 1:

Proverbs, chapter 28, verse 13. The scripture says he that covereth his sin will not prosper. Hello church, are you all okay? He that covereth his sin, you will not prosper. My friend, you cover yourself portraying. Ah, everything is okay. Ah, brother, praise the Lord. Brother, start with praise the Lord, they'll end with praise the Lord, but between that there's no praise the Lord. Whoever covers their sin, they will never prosper. Now I'm talking about. I'm not talking saying that you'll not get a house, you'll not get good things, you'll not have great things. You will have everything but your soul, your spirit. They will never prosper, they will never be at rest and peace forever in your life. Hundreds of people I've seen in my life. They made it big in their life, they got the name, they got the fame, they got the money, but soul is never at rest, never at rest. Spirit is never at rest, never at rest. Spirit is never at peace in their lives. Is that how you want to live? Whoever covers their sin, they will never prosper.

Speaker 1:

The best thing is come to Jesus. This is my story, o Lord. This is where I am, o Lord, I am not able to sing the Lord's song today. How can I sing the Lord's song, lord? Because I'm in a total mess. I'm in places that I'm not supposed to be. I'm doing things I'm not supposed to do. How can I sing the Lord's song, o God? We have to change. We have to come to Jesus and ask Jesus. With your failure comes condemnation, and with condemnation comes more guilt. And when guilt comes, the feeling of giving up and letting go takes place. We let go. During this Lent time, my friend, my encouragement for all of us as we study these different miracles is to draw more close to Jesus. The more we come close to Jesus, the more we know he's always there for us, the one who shows His mercy.

Speaker 1:

The psalm that I read, psalm 137. You remember what was it by the rivers of Babylon? There we sat down. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, we remembered Zion. That is Jerusalem. That is church. We miss Jerusalem. That is church. We miss Jerusalem. We miss church so badly. All temples are around. Oh God, I can't worship you, I can't raise my song of worship.

Speaker 1:

But before that psalm is a beautiful psalm, Psalm 136. It's called the Mercy Chapter, god's never-ending mercy. Verse 1, o give thanks unto the Lord. Hello, hello, church. O give thanks to the Lord for his and his mercy endures forever. His mercy endures forever. This psalm goes about verses 1 to 4. It talks about his essential nature, who he is. Verses 5 to 9, it talks about how he's the creator. Verses 10 to 15, it talks about how he delivered his people from Egypt. From verses 16 to 22,. He shows this psalm shows how you can enter the promised land. Verses 23 to 25, it talks about how he can be your deliverance and bring deliverance and give you help. Verse 26 talks about gratitude to God for His enduring mercy. Can you raise your gratitude to God? Just because who you are today, the job you have, the background you have and all that you have? You need to come and say God, it's all about you, your mercy.