John 5:1-47
1Â After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2Â Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3Â In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
4Â For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
5Â Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6Â When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7Â 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.”
8Â Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
9Â And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
10Â The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
11Â He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’ “
12Â Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”
13Â But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.
14Â Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
15Â The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16Â For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
17Â But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
18Â Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
19Â Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
20Â For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
21Â For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.
22Â For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,
23Â that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
24Â “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
25Â Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
26Â For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,
27Â and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.
28Â Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
30Â I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
31Â “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.
32Â There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.
33Â You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
34Â Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.
35Â He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
37Â And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
38Â But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
39Â You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
40Â But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41Â “I do not receive honor from men.
42Â But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
43Â I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
44Â How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust.
46Â For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.
47Â But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
How amazing it is to have the Word of life from the Father, to be able to hear His heart and know the truth. How much more essential it is, though, to live in a state of coming to the One about whom all of the Word is written. It’s in His presence, believing in Him, not just the things He said, that determines whether or not His life is received and experienced. I just heard part of an Elon Musk interview (everyone is interested in what he has to say these days) where he was asked if he believed in Jesus. His response was that he believes in many of the things Jesus said about being good, loving and treating others as you would like to be treated. He even said that if Jesus is saving people, he wouldn’t want to stand in His way. This may be some progress, but coming to Jesus is quite different than just accepting a few of the less challenging truths He proclaimed. To actually live in the light of Jesus’ presence is having all of one’s life illuminated with the reality of His very nature that is Holy, uncompromising and both challenging and liberating at once.
In the study of the Word and even the encounters of His Spirit, where evidence of His presence overwhelms, it is most necessary to remain fixed on Him, where belief is in relationship and not formula. He said to let the works, the words and the signs just be testimonies, like road signs, leading to Him. It’s in His presence, believing in Him, that the fulness of joy, peace, and overcoming power resides.