Sunday Evening Service
Teachers
Lesson Summary
The class began with announcements about the Linda Rose Lectureship, requesting prayer for possible travel disruptions in Guatemala and for Tim Lewis, the scheduled Friday night speaker, who had contracted COVID‑19. The leadership discussed potential schedule adjustments and encouraged the congregation to lift up the ministry in prayer. The teaching then moved to John 5, where the teacher outlined the narrative of the Bethesda pool (verses 1‑9) and highlighted the miracle of the man healed after 38 years of infirmity. The discussion focused on the Jewish leaders’ reaction, especially their Sabbath concerns (verse 10) and their accusation that Jesus was making Himself equal with God (verse 13). The teacher emphasized that Jesus’ “I am” declarations, including the claim of being the “Father’s work” (verses 19‑30), are not merely theological statements but calls for radical transformation in believers’ lives. He urged the class to let these claims reshape personal conduct and influence the wider community. Concluding, the teacher reminded the group that truly knowing Jesus leads to knowing God and experiencing the abundant life promised in Scripture, inviting everyone to apply these truths daily and to pray for the upcoming lectureship and the health of the speaker.
Key Scriptures
After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticos. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick and blind and lame and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters. For an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever then was first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in, was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. Well, a man was there who had been ill for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew that he had already been a long time in that condition. He said to him, do you wish to get well? And the sick man answered him, sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am coming, another steps down before me. Jesus said to him, get up, pick up your pallet and walk. Immediately the man became well and picked up his pallet and began to walk.
For this reason, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but was also calling God his own father, making himself equal with God.