At the pool of Bethesda, Jesus heals a man who has been ill for 38 years (just with a word), on the Sabbath. The Jewish leaders question the man and then confront Jesus. Jesus responds with a profound teaching: the Father and Son work together; the Son gives life; the hour is coming when the dead will hear the Son's voice; those who believe have already passed from death to life. Jesus then calls four witnesses to his identity: John the Baptist, His works, the Father's voice, and the Scriptures themselves.
Jesus healed a man who had been sick for 38 years — with just His word. He is Lord over sickness, over the Sabbath, and over life and death itself. The Father gave everything to the Son.
John 5 contains some of the most important Christological statements in the Gospels. Jesus claims equality with God (v18), life-giving authority (v21), judgment authority (v22), and to be the source of resurrection (v28-29). The healing itself is brief — only 9 verses — but the teaching it provokes fills the rest of the chapter. For children, the healing story is accessible and exciting; the theological teaching (vv19-47) can be introduced simply: 'Jesus was explaining to the leaders who He really is — God's own Son, equal to God.' v24 is one of the clearest statements of the gospel in the NT.
We can trust what Jesus says. When He speaks, amazing things happen — even sick people get well and people who were spiritually dead come alive. His words are powerful and true.