I Saw The Sign: Fools In Pools

Jul 20, 2025    Russ Smith

1. What are your favourite swimming pools?


2. Any thoughts on the “mystery of the missing verse”?


3. The “fool at the pool” could never get in the water first. Do you ever feel like you never come in first place for anything?


4. The Pharisees (religious leaders) were more concerned about the lame guy (the “fool at the pool”) picking up his mat and walking and breaking Sabbath rules than about the guy’s well being. Do you ever feel that you behave like that towards other people?


5. The “fool at the pool” had a “Works for me!” moment when he decided to trust Jesus instead of trusting the pool for help & healing, which helped us come up with this statement:

It’s better to trust God for help and healing, than to be fools in pools. 

And that leads to these questions:

What’s your “pool”?

What “pool” are you putting your trust in?

What “pool” are you looking to for help & healing?

What would it take for you to put your trust in Jesus instead of some “pool”?


6. The Meeting Place has a “pool” situation of our own because we need a new place to meet for Sunday services, so we’re praying for 3 P’s: place, people, pesos (the 3 P’s for TMP). How can you set aside time this week to pray?


7. In the message, this phrase was mentioned: Work as if everything depends on you. Pray as if everything depends on God, What do you think about that idea?