The Vine: June 2, 2025

“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

“Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish feasts. In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate is a pool. In the Aramaic language it is called Bethesda. It is surrounded by five rows of columns with a roof over them. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie down. Among them were those who were blind, those who could not walk, and those who could hardly move. One person was there who had not been able to walk for 38 years. Jesus saw him lying there. He knew that the man had been in that condition for a long time. So, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
“Sir,” the disabled man replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when an angel stirs up the water. I try to get in, but someone else always goes down ahead of me.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” The man was healed right away. He picked up his mat and walked.”

— John 5:1-9

Today we read the story of Jesus Healing the Paralytic at the Pool in Bethesda in Jerusalem.

The pool was thought to have healing properties and many sought healings by visiting. Jesus approaches a man who had suffered as a paralytic for 38 years. Jesus doesn’t identify himself and selects only the man in our story for healing.

Jesus asks “Do You want to be well? The man does not respond h yes or no but responds with his description of how he is alone and has no one to help him and therefore he can’t get to the water.

What the man was saying was he was helpless and Hopeless.

Today we go to the hospital for healing not a pool with healing powers. We too can be like the man in the story feeling there is no hope and that we are helpless.

Having served as a hospital chaplain for 10 years I saw many people who like the paralytic were discouraged, frightened and felt hopeless and helpless.

However, through my time as a chaplain I saw that people who held onto a hope for healing or clung to a reason to live be it their loved ones, or a personal purpose faired much better than those who were hopeless.

I also saw examples of healing sometimes physically and sometimes spiritually or emotionally.

Lastly I saw signs of Abundance in their situations by the love they received from others and the faith they held in the hearts that God was with them.

38 ‘I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God’s love.”

Rom 8:38

Prayer:

Lord our God help us to feel a sense of hope that you are walking beside us during the trials of this life. May you help us recognize healing which can manifest in many ways including physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Through this understanding may we feel the Abundance you provide us for a life full of everything we need to sustain us with joy and a purpose.