Locations & Times

Bawb learns to love—even when it’s hard to do. Through this four-part series, preschoolers will see that Jesus wants us to love each other no matter what.

WORSHIP

BIBLE VERSE

“Love each other,” John 15:12.

GROUP Q&A

Why was the man lying by the pool? (His legs didn’t work.)

What did Jesus tell the man to do? (“Get up and walk.”)

What does Jesus want us to do? (Love each other.)

PARENT BIBLE STUDY

Read: John 5:1-15

“Do you want to be healed?”

This was the question Jesus asked a man who had been sick for 38 years. Jesus approached him while passing by the Pool of Bethesda, which was, according to urban legend, no ordinary pool. Supposedly, an angel would periodically come down and stir the water in the pool, causing it to bubble. The first person to jump in the water would be healed. Consequently, the pool was crowded with tons of sick and hurting people. Out of the whole crowd, though, Jesus approached this man with that question.

Wasn’t the answer obvious? The man had been unable to walk for 38 years! But it’s an important question. With Jesus, God in human form, standing right in front of him, the man lamented about his inability to get in the water. He had no one to help him. He was all alone, and his answer communicated his hopelessness. Jesus wanted this man to understand that all he needed was now standing right there with him. He didn’t need magic water or angels or any human to help him; he just needed Jesus.

Whether physically, financially, emotionally, or spiritually; on some level, we can all relate to the helplessness and hopelessness of the man in this story. When our problems persist for what seems like forever, it can be so easy to lose sight of Jesus and to just give up hope. It takes energy to even want to be healed, and our weakness can become our identity.

Our desire or lack of desire for healing doesn’t limit God’s power and ability to heal us, but he loves us, so he doesn’t force anything on us. Instead, he asks us the same question he asked the man by that pool. Do you want to be healed? And in doing so he reminds us that all we need is found in him.

In one Bible translation of this story, Jesus’ healing of this man is described as making him whole. What areas of your life feel broken? Do you want to be made whole?

“The Lord is all I need. He takes care of me,” Psalm 16:5. Write this verse down and memorize it this week. In what ways is this simple truth hard (or easy) for you to believe?