Daily Bread 2010 - John 9
Daily Bread 2010 - John 9
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12"Where is this man?" they asked him.
"I don't know," he said.
Sometimes people will go to all kinds of lengths to disprove something that makes them feel uncomfortable. In John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind from birth. To compound this congenital defect, this man had to deal with the guilt and shame that somehow his sin or his parents’ sin had caused this disease.
Jesus corrects this horrible accusation and says that it is for the opportunity for God to display His glory that this man was born with this problem. Then he promptly heals the man by putting mud on his eyes and tells him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. When the man testifies to the fact Jesus had healed them, it caused all kinds of problems for the Pharisees, who were looking for a way to discredit Jesus’ ministry.
So instead of dealing with the miracle before, them they ridiculously try to bring in the parents to prove that Jesus couldn’t have healed him. In an almost humorous line the parents say, “We know he was born, and we know he was blind, but now he can see, ask him.” Then, they interrogate the blind man and try to get him to say Jesus is a sinner. To which he replies, “Whether he is a sinner or not one thing I know, I was blind but now I see.”
When God does miraculous things, the world will want to discredit them, for in believing in the miracle, they become accountable to the fact God and Jesus are real. The miracles or signs (in John) point to who Jesus was and is, the Son of God and full of God’s power.
I believe God is still doing miracles today, where there is an openness to believe in His power. Not only are we called to heal the physically blind, but also the spiritually blind as well. When God changes a human life, the one testimony no one can argue with is, “I was blind but now I see”. May that be all of our testimonies!
God we thank you for healing the blind, both physically and spiritually. Give us faith to trust in you for that we might continue in faith to give you an opportunity to do signs and wonders today in a world that would also want to discount the miraculous power that comes to those who believe in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12"Where is this man?" they asked him.
"I don't know," he said.
Sometimes people will go to all kinds of lengths to disprove something that makes them feel uncomfortable. In John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind from birth. To compound this congenital defect, this man had to deal with the guilt and shame that somehow his sin or his parents’ sin had caused this disease.
Jesus corrects this horrible accusation and says that it is for the opportunity for God to display His glory that this man was born with this problem. Then he promptly heals the man by putting mud on his eyes and tells him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. When the man testifies to the fact Jesus had healed them, it caused all kinds of problems for the Pharisees, who were looking for a way to discredit Jesus’ ministry.
So instead of dealing with the miracle before, them they ridiculously try to bring in the parents to prove that Jesus couldn’t have healed him. In an almost humorous line the parents say, “We know he was born, and we know he was blind, but now he can see, ask him.” Then, they interrogate the blind man and try to get him to say Jesus is a sinner. To which he replies, “Whether he is a sinner or not one thing I know, I was blind but now I see.”
When God does miraculous things, the world will want to discredit them, for in believing in the miracle, they become accountable to the fact God and Jesus are real. The miracles or signs (in John) point to who Jesus was and is, the Son of God and full of God’s power.
I believe God is still doing miracles today, where there is an openness to believe in His power. Not only are we called to heal the physically blind, but also the spiritually blind as well. When God changes a human life, the one testimony no one can argue with is, “I was blind but now I see”. May that be all of our testimonies!
God we thank you for healing the blind, both physically and spiritually. Give us faith to trust in you for that we might continue in faith to give you an opportunity to do signs and wonders today in a world that would also want to discount the miraculous power that comes to those who believe in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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