But Now I See, John 9

 

“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12.

Jesus said those words and the religious leaders attacked to the point of picking up rocks to stone Him.

The Rock of Ages, passed right by them, only to pause when He passed by a man born blind. And then, He repeats what He said before the heated debate, and the attempted stoning. I am the light of the world. John 9:5.

His disciples hurled stones of their own, “Who sinned? This man or his parents, to cause Him to be born blind?”

The law of retribution was a school of thought back then. If something bad happens to you, it’s a direct result of sin. Even prenatal sin. Some thought, that the soul could sin in the womb. How? I don’t know? Kick mommy too hard?

You may think that’s really dumb. Don’t be too quick to judge.

Imagine standing at the hospital nursery window and eyeing the beautiful babies. The doc points to one in blue and says, “He was born blind”.  

Do you say, “Who sinned? The parents, or the baby?”

Of course not. That’s dumb. But fast forward two or three decades, and now that baby is a beggar on a street corner. Now, do you have a heart of gold, or a stone in your hand?

Jesus answered the disciples’ dumb question by telling them that neither this man nor his parents sinned.

We know this man, and his parents, sinned, for all have sinned…except One. Jesus.

Jesus meant that the baby wasn’t born blind because of their sin.

His Words are as True today as they were then. Some suffer from guilt and shame, thinking that the sickness or tragedy is punishment from God for some sin in their life.

God is not sending blindness, or cancer, or diabetes, or epilepsy, or disease, or deformity, or infirmity, to punish you for your sin.

That time will come.

Judgement day is coming, soon. Sin will be dealt with. Justice will be served. Not by a temporary infirmity, but by an eternal inferno.     

For now, today, Jesus is the Light of the world, calling all out of darkness, blindness, into His marvelous light; to be washed from sin, and avoid the eternal inferno.

Furthermore, He’d like to use you, to do it. As He was sent, He sends you, John 17:18. You are the light of the world, you are a shining city on a hill that can’t be hid, let your light so shine that others see and find their way to Him, Matthew 5:14-16.

Jesus spit. Then, with the spit in the dirt, He made mud. Imagine if your doctor, or preacher, did that.

It gets better.

He stuck the mud in the blind guy’s eyes. 

Then, He who was sent, sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam, which means sent.

The blind guy went.

He didn’t throw a fit, or get offended, even though it may have been irritating; he had to leave his money making beggars post. Perhaps it was embarrassing; he had to walk, blindly, with mud on his face. Certainly, it was challenging; depending on where they were by the temple, he had to walk, a quarter, or up to a half mile, to reach the pool of Siloam.

Jesus passes by while we’re still blind. In our beggar’s corner. He touches us. Tells us. What He says, and what He does, may be irritating; may embarrass us out of our comfort zone. Will certainly challenge us.

The blind guy simply obeyed.

Obedience brings understanding.

He went and washed and saw the Light.

He’s calling you to do the same. Not just to see, but to be.

As He was sent, He sends you. To shine. Like the moon. You and I have no light of our own. Neither does the moon; but it does a good job reflecting the light of the sun. We too, are called to do the same, but our light, is the Light of the Son.

But, I can’t you say. I’m not qualified. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know Bible stuff.

That’s okay. You can say right along with the blind guy (who is now the seeing guy):

This one thing I know…

Once I was blind but now, I see.

Once I was lost but now, I’m found.

Once I was bound but now, I’m free.

Once I was...

but now I am...

Nothing can ever take, that...

 

Let’s pray,

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for coming to us in our blindness. We want our eyes to be opened; even if it’s irritating or embarrassing or challenging, we invite You to do what’s needed. We will obey right away. And then, dear Lord, it’d be such an honor to shine Your Light, leading others, to You.

We love you, forever.

Amen.

Watch online: But Now I See, John 9

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