In John 9, Jesus provokes the religious establishment by breaking their man-made traditions. He heals on the Sabbath, the weekly day of rest, and mixes water and dirt to make mud, a forbidden Sabbath activity. Jesus confronted the Pharisees for their petty, made-up rules, their self-righteousness, their entitled attitude and their lack of compassion. The man born blind knew he couldn’t see; the Pharisees only thought they could see. After one encounter with Jesus, the man born blind was no longer the same. Jesus said, You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light. Jesus then said, I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind. Some Pharisees overheard him and said, Does that mean you’re calling us blind? Jesus said, If you were really blind, you would be blameless, but since you claim to see everything so well, you’re accountable for every fault and failure. (John 9:3-5, 39-41 MSG) Through the blind man’s story, we see the miracle of our salvation and the slippery slope of religion. Too often, we forget who we were and what we were doing when Jesus saved us. When that happens, we can become like the Pharisees—full of knowledge and lacking in gratitude. We must never forget that we have been rescued. When we stay connected to our salvation, when we continue to live just as we did when we first received Jesus as Lord, we will be strengthened in faith and overflowing with thankfulness. That’s what it means to truly see. 1) What was life like before you met Christ? What was different after you began a relationship with Jesus? 2) Can you say that you are just as passionate now as when you first believed? If not, what is different? 3) The greatest revelation Jesus can give us is a clear picture of Himself. Take this opportunity to pray for a clearer vision of Jesus.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 10:42:12 +0000
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