The results of this session (session plan below)

The Healing at the Pool

Watch on YouTube/ read online

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koM9A6IJUh0

Context

Water seems to be important in this part of John’s gospel: in the previous chapter, Jesus chats with a woman he met at a well. Jesus told her he had ‘living water’ to offer, which would become ‘a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’ Then Jesus goes back to Cana, where he had famously turned water into wine.

Modern archaeologists have found an old pool with five porticoes (bits of roof supported by columns). The legend was that when the water moved the first person to get in would be healed. Maybe the pool was fed from a spring of water which only sometimes flowed well. “Living water” was a way of talking about flowing water.

The man had been waiting for 38 years — the same length of time that the people of Israel were in the dry wilderness. Jesus doesn’t assume anything, and asks him if he really wants to be healed.

It was the sabbath, the day of rest. Some people got annoyed with Jesus for healing on the sabbath, and people probably weren’t really supposed to be carrying stuff around, so the man with his mat stood out.

The pool is near the Sheep Gate. Five chapters later, Jesus will say that he is the gate, so the sheep can come in and out and find pasture.

Plan

20250525 Jesus heals on the Sabbath Bethesda pool Download

Create Refreshments are served!	/minecraft You have 20 minutes or so to build something in response to the story, either on your own, or team up with others. A shady porch (or five!) where the ill people are resting A pool – will it be a swimming pool, natural lake, or a fish pond? A city wall with a “sheep gate” A way to access the pool easily from the shelters – walkway, waterslide or a portal! Jesus’ offer of living water, of hope, is accessible to everyone, anywhere and at any time!
Wonder	While you are creating, think about these questions with the adults on your table. I Wonder: which part of this story you like the best? what part is the most important? where you are in this story or what part of the story is about you? if there is any part of this story we can leave out and still have all the story we need? There are many other things that can make us WONDER – what are you thinking about?
Final Prayer	We’ll finish with a prayer
Play	We’ll put some music on and let your Minecraft characters dance about using jumping or emotes