Bulletin 8-16-2020


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Bulletin 8-9-2020


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Bulletin 8-2-2020


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Bulletin 7-26-2020


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The Baptist Record Ceases Printing, Moves to Free Digital Service


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Bulletin 7-19-2020


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Bulletin 7-12-2020


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Sunday school lesson – July 5, 2020

Will Thou be Made Whole?
John 5:1-16

In John 5:1-16, we find a beautiful account of God’s grace. A little boy was asked the following question: “My son, have you found Jesus?” Looking up this is what he said, “Sir, I didn’t know He was lost, but I was, and He found me.” Read Verse 1.

Note the background of today’s text:

  • Jesus had turned water into wine showing that salvation is through the Word.
  • Jesus had healed the nobleman’s son showing that salvation is by faith.
  • Jesus had healed a man who had been sick for 38 years showing that salvation is by grace.

After this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. One might say, “What feast?”. The Bible does not say. Some speculate it to be the feast of the Passover, and Jesus in accordance with the law, went down to be a part of the feast. Read Verse 2. As Jesus walked into Jerusalem, He came by the pool of Bethesda. The word “bethesdia” means mercy or grace. The words “sheep market”— where the lambs were slain— was close to this pool of mercy. Jesus the greater lamb, the Lamb of God walks by this pool. One day, He will be slain upon a cross and right there we find mercy and grace.

Thought: We do not find forgiveness in baptismal waters, or church membership, or in a good life; but we do find forgiveness as we come to the Lamb of Calvary. Have you considered the words of the old hymn, “Mercy there was great and grace was free, pardon there was multiplied for me, there my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.”

Read Verses 2-3. We are told five things about these sick people that were typical of Israel in that day and typical of the sinner today.

A) They were impotent (without power). Israel had the law, but not the power to keep it. The sinner knows what is right, but he has no power to live rightly.

B) They were blind— so blind that they did not recognize the Messiah. Sinners are blind to their own sin and their need of a Savior.

C) They were at a halt. They could not walk. Israel was lame, and unwilling to walk in God’s way. The sinner today is a moral cripple.

D) They were withered. Their hands were paralyzed, and they were incapacitated to work for God. The sinner today does nothing for God.

E) They were waiting. They were waiting for the promised Messiah, yet He was right in their midst. The sinner is watching today and instead of trusting Christ as the Holy Spirit beckons— he is waiting for death to slip up on him and carry him into a Christ-less eternity.

Read Verses 3-6. We are not told what disease this man had. We are told that He had been sick for 38 years. He could not walk and was paralyzed. How long had he been at the pool? We do not know. He was a typical picture of a poor, helpless sinner.

Note Verse 6. The question is asked, “Wit thou be made whole?”

Read Verse 7. The impotent man answered, “Sir, I have no man when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.”

Thought: The law had help for the one who needed it the least. The strong could always get into the water first, but the more helpless, the more sinful, and the more wretched were less likely to avail themselves of the privileges the law could offer him.

Note: Verse 7 again. Here is Jesus— the creator of the world, the one who made man, the one who could do everything for this man, yet this sick man is looking to the pool for help instead of Christ. This sounds like today— some look to what Christ has done for their salvation and others look to themselves and their works. Some say, He has done it all, and others say I must do something. Some say Jesus paid it all, and others say, I must pay my way to Heaven.

Read Verse 8. Jesus did not say, “I will put you in the pool.” He did say, “Rise, take up thy bed and walk.” Jesus would do the rest.

Thought: Does man have to respond to the call of Jesus to be saved? Always.

Read Verse 9. What did the man do? Read Verses 10-16. The Jews asked the man that had been cured this question, “What was the name of the man who did this?” The man answered, “I did not know his name, but I do know this. For 38 years I was crippled and He healed me.”

Thought: A new convert today may not know all there is to know about Jesus, but he can say, “Once I was lost, but now I am found. Once I was blind, but now I can see.”

Read Verse 14. This cripple was healed. Note where he went. He went to the House of God. There are those today who say they love Jesus— but never go to God’s house. A true believer will say, “He built the church for me— I will serve and worship Him through the church.”

Read Verse 14. “Thou are made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon thee.”

Read Verse 15. The man departed and told the Jews it was Jesus who had made him whole.

Conclusion: Jesus asked a man who been sick for 38 years, “Will thou be made whole?”. He is asking the sinner today the same question. Yes, salvation is by grace. Have you asked the question, “Wilt thou be made whole?”


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Bulletin – 6-28-2020


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Bulletin – June 21, 2020


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