Seizing a Kairos Moment | By Rev Dr John Kwasi Fosu
Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Hamburg Bible Study Material on John 5:1–15
Introduction
As one year ends and another begins, many people pause to reflect on time – how quickly it passes, what was achieved, what was lost, and what still lies ahead. Scripture, however, teaches us that not all time is the same. There is ordinary time, which simply passes, and there is God‑appointed time—moments charged with divine purpose. John 5 presents such a moment: a kairos encounter between Jesus and a man who had been stuck for thirty‑eight years. This passage invites us to examine our own lives as we step into a new year. Will we merely move from one calendar year to another, or will we discern and seize the kairos moments God places before us?
Many Years Can Pass Without Change (John 5:1–5)
John describes a large crowd of sick individuals the Pool of Bethesda – blind, lame, and paralyzed. Among them was a man who had endured suffering for thirty‑eight years. His condition seemed chronic, familiar, and seemingly irreversible. This man symbolises many believers who have remained in the same spiritual, emotional, or situational state for years. While time has passed, true transformation has not. Simply turning the calendar does not bring change. Chronos time – days, months, and years—can continue while someone remains stagnant. As the year ends, it prompts us to ask: How long have we stayed in the same place, believing that just passing time will bring change?
A Kairos Moment Begins When Jesus Steps In (John 5:6)
The passage takes a decisive turn with one simple statement: “When Jesus saw him lying there…” The man did not call Jesus. The crowd did not notice him. But Jesus saw him. A kairos moment is not created human effort; it is initiated divine intervention. God often steps into our ordinary routines and long‑standing situations with a moment of opportunity. The end of a year is often such a moment—a divine pause where God invites reflection, repentance, and renewed faith. Jesus then asked a searching question: “Do you want to be made well?” This was not a question about ability, but about desire and readiness. God’s opportunities require an honest response. Not everyone truly wants change, even when they complain about their condition. As we approach a new year, God asks us the same question – not just about healing, but about growth, obedience, service, and transformation: Do you truly want things to change?
Excuses Can Cause Us to Miss Divine Opportunities (John 5:7)
The man responded, not with faith, but with explanation. He spoke of his limitations, his lack of help, and how others always got ahead of him. His answer revealed years of disappointment and learned helplessness. Kairos moments are often missed not because God is absent, but because we are focused on systems, people, and past failures. Excuses may be understandable, but they are rarely faith‑producing. When God opens a door, prolonged explanation can become disobedience. As the year ends, this passage challenges us to examine our excuses: excuses for spiritual stagnation, delayed obedience, unused gifts, and postponed commitments. What we keep explaining may be the very thing God is calling us to move beyond.
God’s Command Creates the Opportunity (John 5:8)
Jesus did not help the man into the pool. Instead, He gave a command that seemed impossible: “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” The man was asked to act differently before his condition visibly changed. Kairos moments demand faith‑filled obedience. God’s instructions often precede our breakthrough experience. The command to rise required the man to trust Jesus more than his past experience. As a new year approaches, God’s word may be calling you to rise – to step into responsibility, forgiveness, ministry, discipline, or faith. The command itself carries the grace to obey, but only if we respond.
Immediate Obedience Unlocks Transformation (John 5:9)
John records the result simply and powerfully: “And immediately the man was made well.” Healing followed obedience. Movement followed faith. The man’s breakthrough did not come from waiting longer, but from responding at the right moment. Many opportunities are lost not because they were small, but because they were delayed. As this year closes, Scripture urges us not to postpone obedience into the future. God’s kairos moments are often time‑sensitive. What we delay today, we may regret tomorrow.
Conclusion: Stepping Into the New Year with Discernment and Faith
John 5 teaches us that while many people may wait, only those who respond experience transformation. Jesus still walks among ordinary places, asking probing questions, and offering commands that lead to new life. The end of the year is more than a conclusion; it is an invitation. God may be presenting opportunities for salvation, restoration, service, growth, or obedience. The question is not whether God is working, but whether we are willing to respond. As we enter the coming year, may we not merely carry our beds forward, but rise, walk, and step into the kairos moments God has prepared for us.
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Closing Reflection and Prayer
Lord, as we stand at the threshold of a new year, open our eyes to Your divine moments. Remove fear, excuses, and delay from our hearts. Grant us the grace to respond in faith when You speak, and to walk boldly into the opportunities You have prepared for us. Amen
Questions
1. What happened when Jesus met the man who had been sick for 38 years?
- Why did Jesus ask, “Do you want to be made well?”
- How can long waiting affect a person’s faith?
- What opportunity might God be placing before you now?
- What action will you take in the coming year?
