Amen. Today's scripture is John 5:5-6. I will read it. “There was a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’” The passage we read today is from John 5, right? The Apostle John has a special meaning every time he writes about miracles. He doesn’t write about many miracles. Jesus performed many miracles when He came to this earth, right? However, the Apostle John does not write about many miracles because he assigns special meaning to those miracles. Each miracle has significance.
What is the first miracle we see? What is the first miracle mentioned in the early part of the Gospel of John? It is the miracle of turning water into wine, right? Yes. The meaning of that miracle is about lack. The wedding feast should be filled with joy, but there is no wine. Something is lacking. When we live our faith, that miracle is what we need to hear. If there are areas in our lives where we are lacking, whether spiritually or physically, our Lord Jesus comes to fill those gaps, even if it means performing a miracle, as stated in John 2. This is the message of the first miracle in the Gospel of John.
Now, the second miracle is being discussed. The Apostle John talks about the second miracle in relation to powerlessness. It is about powerlessness. There is something that needs to be done, but there is no strength to do it. It is impossible. Right in front of him is the pool of Bethesda. He just needs to get in, but he is powerless. He cannot even speak for himself. He is a paralyzed man. Even though it is right next to him, he cannot go. This illustrates physical powerlessness accurately. He cannot go even though it is right next to him. This also speaks of spiritual powerlessness. God tells us, “Hey, you need to do this. Isn’t this something you should do?” but we cannot do it. That is powerlessness.
Everyone, what I am experiencing right now is no different from that physical powerlessness. Yes. I cannot even go to the bathroom by myself. I cannot even go to the bathroom by myself. Even if my wife is next to me, I cannot go. My weight is too heavy, so it takes two people. Two people. Do you understand that powerlessness? The bathroom is right next to me. But that powerlessness is not just in the bathroom; I cannot even get off the bed by myself. If I am laid down on the bed, I stay in that position for 24 hours. Physical powerlessness has many similarities when viewed in light of spiritual powerlessness. There are many similarities. Yes. It is truly frustrating. Even if I want to go to the bathroom, I have to wait until my son comes. I have to hold it.
However, many people think that physical powerlessness is just something they experience in their bodies. They can understand it through experience. But spiritual powerlessness is not well understood. You see, our salvation is the same. We cannot achieve salvation by our own strength. Not even a little bit. It is only by the grace of the Lord. Yes. The same goes for the will of the Lord. We cannot fulfill the will of the Lord by our own strength. Without the cross, we cannot overcome Satan at any moment. Without the Holy Spirit being with us, we cannot do anything in our powerlessness. Our Lord tells us to realize this. You may not know it, but you are in spiritual powerlessness. This is what John 5 teaches us. You are in spiritual powerlessness; do you know that? I am asking you to live this way, but are you obeying and acting on it? Are you living without knowing that you are in spiritual powerlessness, relying on God, and procrastinating? This is what John 5 is telling us.
The church must not be in a state of powerlessness. We need the Lord. Lord, please work in us. This confession is necessary for us. Of course, you may not be in physical and spiritual powerlessness like I am, so you may not understand it well. But before that, we must realize that we are in spiritual powerlessness and seek the Lord. Only then will our church be transformed from powerlessness to a powerful church.
In some ways, I consider this week’s sermon to be my last sermon. Although I did not choose this passage, our Lord desires this for our church. Our church should be a place where God’s power is manifested from a state of powerlessness. A church that fulfills the Word. Amen. I want the congregation to realize that they are in spiritual powerlessness and to change rather than live in that state.
To do this, first, we need to be able to see people living as if they do not need miracles. What does this mean? Atheists say such things. Many books by atheists, especially Richard Dawkins, claim that people who believe in God are deluded and have lost touch with reality. In other words, they say that those who believe in God are deluded and that there is no God. Then, an individual named Alistair McGrath, who lived in the same era, refutes this in his book titled “The Dawkins Delusion.” He says, “How can we live in the same era and have completely opposite interpretations? I simply believed in God, and my life is filled with all the miracles that God provides. I live a life full of God. What is the problem? What is different?” Yes. He simply states that he believed, and that belief is like a virus; if you believe, you cannot help but experience God.
You see, being an atheist means, conversely, that one is confessing, “I need God.” Why? Because they think that God is not experienced in their lives. They want to experience God’s miracles in their lives, but because they have not experienced them, they think God does not exist. Why? Because they want to experience God vaguely without faith. The modern society is the same. Most people in modern society need God. This era is a time that thirsts for miracles. Why? Because many things happen that cannot be resolved by their own strength. In economic difficulties, they cannot do anything by their own strength. In health issues like mine, they cannot do anything by their own strength. Right? In relationships with family, they cannot do anything by their own strength. We live in an era where someone must perform miracles. That is the era we live in. But because they do not believe, they think God does not exist, and problems arise.
In today’s scripture, the pool of Bethesda appears. There are eight sheep gates around the pool of Bethesda. The fact that there are eight sheep gates means that many people come seeking God’s miracles through those gates. Inside those gates is the pool of Bethesda. Why? They bring sheep there to wash them and, after washing, they offer sacrifices to God while hoping for miracles. The eight gates signify that there are many people who desire miracles. However, among them, one person, a paralyzed man, cannot do anything when he is placed there. Why? Because when the water is stirred, he cannot move. He is in a state of spiritual powerlessness where he cannot do anything. God expects miracles from him, but he cannot experience them. What do such people confess? They confess that there is no God. Why? Because they expected God to be there, but He is not. They do not experience Him. They do not experience Him.
However, thankfully, today’s passage shows us what kind of Lord we have in a time when people are starting to think that there is no God. First, our Jesus is the Lord who comes to find those who are sick, suffering, and in pain. In verse 5 of today’s passage, it says, “There was a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’” Of course, the illness has lasted a very long time. It has been thirty-eight years. Yes. It has been thirty-eight years. He is in a place where he is about to think that God does not exist. But what does our Lord do? He comes to find him. This is different from worldly religions. In worldly religions, we have to go to God. But our Jesus comes to find us. I want to experience that Lord. That Lord.
And when He comes to find us, what does He do? In verse 6, He asks us about our desires. He asks, “Do you want to be healed?” In verse 7, the sick man answers, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred, and while I am going, another steps down before me.” He shares his situation. When he shares his situation, in verse 8, Jesus says to him, “Get up, take your bed, and walk.” In other words, our Lord is the one who heals us. Our Lord is the one who heals us. Yes. We do not have the ability to resolve our issues. But our Lord is the one who heals us.
The name Bethesda means “house of mercy.” Our God comes to us and shows us mercy and compassion. I want our Youngnak Church to be a place of Bethesda. Amen. I want this place to be where the Lord of miracles comes, asks us about our desires, heals us, and performs miracles. Why? Because this is a place for those who long for the miracles of the world. Yes. So, even though we have waited a long time, we did not conclude that there is no God; rather, by faith, we affirm that our God is alive and working. Yes. I want this to be a place where the one who can do nothing, the one who can do nothing, comes to perform miracles, and I want it to be our testimony. Amen.
Secondly, I want to talk about the hope of miracles that do not let go. I have been battling cancer for a long time now. When I was first diagnosed with cancer, God gave me a word. You all know this, right? Because I have shared it. Right? It is 1 Samuel 20:2. “Jonathan said to him, ‘Never! You shall not die.’” When I first received the cancer diagnosis, I remember the exact date; it was in March. Why? Because at that time, I was getting off a plane to do a mission. My doctor told me, “Pastor, we did an MRI, and it is cancer.” He told me it was an incurable cancer. When I heard that news, as I always do, I went before the Word. “Lord, I have received this news; what should I do?” At that moment, God’s life-giving word struck me, saying, “Never! You shall not die.” I have held onto that word until now. Yes. But it has taken a long time. So, I think, “Does this mean I will not die?” But I do not think that is the meaning. I do not think the message is that I will not die but will just drag on. Even back then and even now, as I continue to look at the Word, I read many healing passages in the Gospels. Among them, there are certain verses that resonate with me. Yes. One of them was during the last sermon of the special meeting in 2025. The speaker said, Psalm 118:17, “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.” Amen. Amen.
You have heard about my illness, but this was a message given during a church-wide meeting, and it struck me. It was in 2025. However, I felt it was strange to keep preaching about this. I did not want to appear as a pastor who is struggling while not dead, and I did not want to obscure God’s glory. But the message keeps saying, “You will live, you will live.” Yes. Of course, God is waiting for me in heaven, so honestly, I have a desire to go to heaven quickly. Why? Because the present time is not easy. It would be much better to go to heaven and live there. Much better. But God keeps saying I will live. Yes. And now, as I prepare for today’s sermon, the time has come. It is time to prepare for the sermon. But while preparing the sermon, John 5:5 came to mind. “There was a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years.” Thirty-eight. I am sensitive to this number because it often relates to my life. Thirty-eight. For the Israelites, thirty-eight represents the time of suffering in the wilderness. Thirty-eight years. This period was unbearable suffering for the Israelites. So, I began to interpret whether this number applies to me as well. What does it mean? When I first came to Youngnak School, my taxi number was YNC, Youngnak Church. And PO 88, my wife’s taxi number was PO77. It had no particular meaning, but my taxi number was YNC, Youngnak Church, and PO 88, power 88. So, my ministry was led by God without any issues. Power 88. So, when such a number comes up, I think, “Oh, does this have any connection to me?” Today is my last sermon, and I see thirty-eight. It is a significant number for the Israelites, but thirty-eight. When did I start my ministry? Yes. I started in March 2002, but it seemed unrelated. If it is 2023, it would be exactly thirty-eight months since I started my ministry in 2002. So, I thought it might not mean anything and set it aside, but my wife suddenly asked, “What does 2022 mean?” I replied, “Oh, I started my ministry in 2022.” Then she said, “No, you started your ministry in 2003 at Youngnak School.” I looked it up and found that I indeed started in 2003. And I realized that I had been in ministry for thirty-eight months at Youngnak. If I had been in ministry for thirty-eight years, I would have already died, right? But seeing that I have been in ministry for thirty-eight months at Youngnak, I felt that God was telling me that I had experienced the wilderness of suffering for thirty-eight years. So, the beginning of this passage is a story about me. It is a story. The paralyzed man’s powerlessness accurately reflects what I am experiencing, but the passage does not end there; God is telling me something else.
My second daughter asked me to come over to her house to swim. There is a swimming pool next to her house. It is like the pool of Bethesda. At first, I did not realize it, but when I went to the swimming pool, I was so heavy that if my daughter and son did not hold me properly, I would get hurt. I could not do anything and was just floundering. I had to move my 170-pound body into the water. But I did not realize it at that time; I almost fell into the water. At that moment, I thought, “Wow, this is the pool of Bethesda.” When a powerless person is placed in the pool of Bethesda, such things happen. And at the very moment I was preparing to preach about the pool of Bethesda, God allowed me to experience this. Why? “You are in the pool of Bethesda. Yes. You are in the place of miracles.” I came to believe this. I cannot help but believe it. Isn’t it too coincidental, everyone? Isn’t it too coincidental? Yes. Furthermore, there are already stories of miracles in my family. What is it? My second brother had a son, and shortly after he was born, he developed lumps all over his body. The doctors diagnosed it as an incurable cancer, just like mine. They concluded it was an incurable disease. They tried numerous treatments, but he did not get better. He did not get better. But suddenly, at some point, that cancer began to disappear. It disappeared. This is a true story from my family. No one thought he would survive. But the cancer completely disappeared, and now he is living healthily and happily married. This is a story from my family. Do I think all of this is just coincidence? Or is it a message to believe? A message not to give up? I do not think all of this is coincidence in my life. And above all, I am not someone who believes in miraculous signs in a sensational way. But the important thing is that God gives us His Word. God gives us His Word. By giving me today’s passage in my powerlessness, Jesus asks me, “Do you want to be healed?” I do not see this as a coincidence. You may think differently, but I want to see everything with an Amen and desire to go to heaven, but I expect the work of the Lord. Amen. I believe in the work of the Lord. Amen. And above all, thirdly, I want our church to be a church that experiences the healing work of God. Amen. I may not know if this is my last sermon, but I believe that my last words will not just float in the air but that when we believe in those words and say Amen, our church will become a church of miracles. Amen. Why? Because the Word has been given. Amen.
In particular, for such a work to happen, there must be conditions given, and the first is that there must be the Lord’s choosing. Amen. The Lord’s choosing means that in verse 6, Jesus saw the man lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, yet He chose to come and ask him, “Do you want to be healed?” The fact that this word has been given to us means that we have already been chosen. It means that the miracle has already begun. And we must believe that the Son of God, Jesus, has come to that place. We must believe that our Lord is the one who comes to find us. Amen. Our Lord is still coming to us and asking, “Do you want to be healed?” We want to respond to that Lord, saying, “Lord, Amen.” And we want to show our faith. Show your faith. “Lord, Amen.” This is not someone else’s story. This is our story and the story of our church. Because the Word has been given, we will not waver but will say Amen to the Lord and believe. Amen. By coming before the Lord, we will no longer be a powerless church but a powerful church, a church where the Word is fulfilled, a church where the Lord’s omnipotence is manifested, a church where the Lord’s healing work is revealed, a church that experiences everything directly, a church that testifies. I bless you in the name of the Lord to become such a church. Amen.
Let us pray. Heavenly Father, when You choose us and give us Your Word, may we not become powerless preachers but may we say Amen before that Word and experience, testify, and confess that work with faith. Amen. Though we are lacking, may we become examples. May we not obscure Your glory. Rather, may Your glory be revealed, and may You show Your glory through this lacking person according to Your will. Amen. We praise and expect the God who will fulfill His Word, and we say Amen before the question, “Do you want to be healed?” So, Lord, now revive us. Amen. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.
I would like to invite you to stand and sing a hymn. “Look upon the desolation of this land. Heavenly God, Lord of mercy, have mercy and forgive our sins. Forgive our sins. Heal this land. Now, let us all unite, and as we restore the foundations that have crumbled in this land, burn our idols and send the fire of the Holy Spirit. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit and the flames of revival blow. Let the truth of Your Word renew the land. Let Your Word renew the land and let the river of grace flow. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit blow now. Oh, grant us a new day filled with Your glory. Oh Lord, come to this land. Come to this land.
Now, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the great and wonderful love of God the Father, and the great and wonderful work of the Holy Spirit be upon all of us who believe in the Lord who has revealed to us all these dates, including the 39th, and may we experience the presence of God and desire to testify about it until the day He comes among us. I earnestly bless you. Amen. Amen.