June 20, 2021 Brandon Haan

John 5:1-13

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, I remember going “downtown” was a special treat. My family would make a day of it, packing a lunch, heading into the city, and visiting all the “hot spots” to see the sights. But Jesus doesn’t do that. When he goes to the “big city”–Jerusalem–he doesn’t head for all the tourist traps, must-sees, and special venues. Instead, he visits the first-century equivalents of homeless shelters and first-aid clinics–Places like the Pool of Bethesda in this text. There he encounters the sick, the needy, the hurting, and the ignored. He engages with the people no one else will. And, along the way, he has the opportunity to perform another one of these signs, revealing who he truly is.