Last time we learned Jesus offers grace to broken sinners who repent and that true freedom comes from knowing Christ through genuine faith and abiding in His Word. We also learned that Jesus is the Messiah, the Light of the world.
John 9:1-34 – Physically Blind
Jesus passed a man who was blind from birth. His disciples wanted to know if he was blind because of something he or his parents did. Perhaps they were thinking of the Old Testament Ex. 34:5-7 where it says God does not leave the guilty unpunished, but punishes their children and their children’s children to the 3rd and 4th generations.
Jesus redirected their wrong thinking and answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But this happened so God’s work might be displayed in his life.” – John 9:3. Jesus used the man’s blindness as an opportunity to tell them that He must continue to do the work of God, because the time will come He will not be here on earth. Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” – John 9:5. Then He spit on the ground, made mud, and put it on the man’s eyes. The man was healed; now he could see.
God’s work is showing His glory, His goodness, His love, His wisdom, His beauty, and His power in awesome ways - in the middle of sickness, in the middle of special needs, in the middle of disabilities. He won’t stop until His work is done. Jesus always brings glory to God by completing the work God gave Him to do and is still at work today.
The blind man is a picture of the condition of everyone since man’s fall. Unbelievers lack the ability to see Jesus spiritually, just like the man lacked the ability to see physically. Everyone is born spiritually blind. The punishment for sin is death not suffering. God made a way to take that punishment. He sent Jesus. He took on our punishment on the cross so we wouldn’t have to.
Some suffering is a natural part
of life. Sometimes we think people are
responsible for their own suffering, which is sometimes true. The choices we make can cause us or those we
love to suffer. But God doesn’t punish them. Is a child’s suffering because of a parent’s
sin? Sometimes they do, because of the
choices the parents make. If parents are
alcoholics or are doing drugs, their children suffer.
Jesus’ healing of the blind man was an astounding miracle. He was blind from birth. He didn’t ask Jesus to heal him, but Jesus had compassion and was focused on doing God’s work. He was always teaching and showing His power. Jesus said suffering happens so the gospel can display the glory of God.
There is nothing impossible with God. There is always hope. We just need to keep trusting and praying even when it seems hopeless.
The man’s neighbors questioned his healing. They didn’t think he was the one who was blind since birth. The man insisted he was that man. His parents were even questioned, but were afraid of being put out of the synagogue. They told the Pharisees to go and ask him themselves. The Pharisees question the man and asked who healed him, but didn’t like his answers. The Pharisees were so angry with the man that they threw him out of the temple because he defended Jesus.
John 9:35-41 – Spiritually Blind
Jesus heard what they had done and went to find the man. We see the progression of the man’s faith. First he said the One who healed him was a man, then a prophet and finally he said that it was Jesus. He said if Jesus wasn’t from God, He could do nothing. Jesus asked the man if he believed in the Son of Man and told the man who He was. The man believed and worshiped Him.
Jesus first gave him physical sight and then spiritual sight. Jesus said “For judgment I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” – John 9:39 This means that those who are blind admit their need, and trust in God, are those who will be granted sight. Those who do not believe are arrogant and presume they already know everything like the Pharisees, will be hardened by the Jesus and incapable of understanding what they don’t want to understand anyway.
The Pharisees were spiritually blind. They knew better. They knew the Scriptures and the prophecies, but refused to believe. We were blind to sin before we believed, but once we believed our sins were revealed.
Believers were persecuted then and are persecuted now. Christians are being killed and persecuted all over the world. We don’t see as much in America, but we see rejection from family, friends and society because of our faith. It hurts our hearts, but we can lean on God’s strength. Then our faith will grow. Do not give up, but cling to Him.
Principles:
How have you stood up for Jesus?
Key verse: “I am the light of the world.” – John 9:5
Next week we will study John 10. Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site. – I encourage you to trust in Jesus
__________________________________________
If you have enjoyed my post and have found if helpful, please leave a comment or share this post with the buttons below.
Resources:
Bsfinternational.org
Bibleref.org
Enduringword.com
No comments:
Post a Comment