Focus on the Healer, Not Just the Healing
- Jeremy Faivre
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Crosswalkers Bible Lesson: 4/26 Meetup
Key Passage: John 5:1–15 (The Pool of Bethesda)
John 5:6–9 (ESV):
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.
Background & Context:
• The Pool of Bethesda:
Located near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, the Pool of Bethesda was believed to have healing powers. Tradition held that when the water was “stirred” by an angel, the first person to step in would be healed of whatever disease they had. This created a culture of desperation and competition among the sick.
• The Man:
He had been disabled for 38 years, waiting at the pool with no one to help him get in. His hope had been tied to the pool and its system, leaving him disappointed, discouraged, and unseen—until Jesus showed up.
Lesson Overview:
The man at the pool of Bethesda had been waiting 38 years for healing—watching, hoping, and relying on a system where only the first person to enter the stirred water would be healed. His focus was so locked on the process that he didn’t recognize that the Person—the true source of healing—was standing right in front of him.
When Jesus asked, “Do you want to be healed?” the man didn’t say yes—he explained why he couldn’t make it into the pool.
He missed the truth that healing was no longer in a place… it was in a person.
This moment is powerful because it reveals how easy it is for us to be so focused on the method, the miracle, or the moment of healing that we miss the Messiah Himself.
Main Point:
We often focus more on the healing than on the Healer—chasing miracles, breakthroughs, or answers more than we seek the One who holds all power in His hands. But healing isn’t about being the “first” or the “fastest”—it’s about being in relationship with the One who loves you.
Supporting Scriptures:
1.) Matthew 20:16 — “The last will be first…”
“So the last will be first, and the first last.”
At the pool, only the first in the water was believed to receive healing. But Jesus chooses the last—a man left behind for decades. This verse reminds us that God’s Kingdom doesn’t operate on earthly systems of worth, speed, or status. His grace reaches those the world would overlook.
Point: You don’t have to be first in line for God to see you. Jesus came for the forgotten, the overlooked, and the waiting.
2.) Luke 17:11–19 — The Ten Lepers
Only one of the ten healed lepers came back to worship Jesus and give thanks. The other nine received healing but missed the deeper blessing of relationship with the Healer.
Point: Many receive gifts from God but never truly draw near to God Himself.
3.) Mark 2:1–12 — The Paralytic Lowered Through the Roof
Jesus first forgives the man’s sins before He heals his body.
Point: Jesus is more concerned with the healing of our souls than just our circumstances. His power goes beyond physical needs.
4.) Matthew 6:33 — Seek First the Kingdom
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Point: When our focus is on Christ, everything else—including healing—falls into its proper place.
Discussion Questions for Group:
Why do you think the man at the pool focused so much on the water instead of recognizing Jesus?
How does the idea of “the last will be first” challenge how we see ourselves or others in God’s Kingdom?
Can you think of a time when you were so focused on a solution or breakthrough that you missed what God was doing in the moment?
In what ways do people today seek “pools” for healing instead of seeking Jesus? (e.g., self-help, substances, relationships, success)
How do we balance praying for healing while still making Jesus our primary focus—not just what He can do for us?
What do you think would have happened if the man had never looked up from the water to see Jesus standing there? What does that mean for us?
Reflection Questions (Personal Journaling or Quiet Time):
What am I seeking from God right now? Is it healing, direction, provision—or is it Him?
Have I been waiting by a “pool”—hoping for something to change—but not looking up to see Jesus standing in front of me?
Are there areas of my life where I’ve felt “last” or overlooked? How might God be trying to speak to me through that?
Am I willing to trust Jesus even if the healing doesn’t come the way I expected?
What would change in my spiritual life if I focused more on growing close to Jesus rather than just getting answers from Him?
What spiritual distractions are keeping me from recognizing Jesus in my situation?
Challenge for the Week:
Each day this week, take 5–10 minutes to be still before God—without any requests. Just thank Him, worship Him, and focus on who He is, not what He can do. Let your relationship with Jesus be your primary pursuit.
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