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Proverbs 20:11-20
11 Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether
what he does is pure and right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD
has made them both.
13 Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be
satisfied with bread.
14 "It
is good for nothing," cries the buyer; But when he has gone his
way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But
the lips of knowledge are a
precious jewel.
16 Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, And hold it as a
pledge when it is for a
seductress.
17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his
mouth will be filled with gravel.
18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise
counsel wage war.
19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with
one who flatters with his lips.
20 Whoever curses his father or his mother, His
lamp will be put out in deep darkness.
Father God, reveal to us the miracles your Son Jesus
performs in our lives, so that we can give Him all the glory He deserves. In
Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Gospel of John 9:1-12 NKJV
In Chapter 8 Jesus introduces Himself as the Light of the
world, while John Chapter 9 proclaims eyes that have not seen light to be miraculously
opened by Christ. The light the blind eyes could not see, now sees light of two
types, the world and the pure light of Jesus.
We see four different reactions to Jesus. The neighbors
revealed surprise and skepticism; the Pharisees showed disbelief and prejudice;
the parents believed but kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed
man showed consistent, growing faith. Each reaction to Jesus allowed the man to
reach a clearer understanding of the one who had healed him.
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was
blind from birth.
The
timeframe of this event is disputed, some say this took place as Jesus exited
the temple at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles, while others say it took
place a few months later at the Feast of Dedications. The Feast of Tabernacles
is in the Fall and the Feast of Dedications is in the winter. John 10:22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem,
and it was winter. With the discussion that takes place in this
Chapter one would think it took place as Jesus exited the Temple, but we really
don’t know.
Just
as the woman caught in adultery in the previous chapter and this blind man,
they both symbolize Israel, as an adulterous church and as a blind nation.
The
world without Christ, is morally and spiritually blind and does not even
realize it. All brought about by the Fall of mankind, and affects every sphere of
society and in every capacity.
It
is impossible to “show” a blind man anything, simply because he is helpless to
see. Therefore, this symbolism tells us that it is impossible for us to reach
the sinner through our brain power, only Jesus can lead a sinner to repentance,
all we can do is plant the seed of salvation.
2 And His
disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?"
It
was a belief in Jesus time that sin caused events to happen in a person’s life
or a person was born with a disability. Many times I have stated that trials,
disease, hard times, and sickness could be a result of the life we live.
I do believe the things that happen in our lives, there is a lesson to be learned,
therefore we should ask God to give us strength for the trial and a clearer
perspective on what is happening. Although the majority of times we can’t see
or understand why certain things happen to us, all we can do is trust in God
knowing that He is in control and has a plan for us. As we see in the next
verse sin has nothing to do with this man’s blindness Luke
13:1-4.
The book of Job also teaches us that events in our lives is not the result of
sin, therefore studying life events we can learned things that will make us
better children of God. If Jesus disciples were knowledgeable of Job and the
trial he endured, they wouldn’t have had to ask the question.
3 Jesus
answered, "Neither this man nor his parents
sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
Jesus
answers His disciples question with this verse and confirms that sin doesn’t always
cause disabilities, sickness, disease, hardships, financial burdens,
relationship situations, etc. In this situation God orchestrated this man’s
blindness in order to display His power of healing no matter what the
circumstance is. Why, so people will see there is a living God; that people
will come to Him; that old myths can be silenced; that faith can result in
healing; or most probable that through this miracle of curing this man that
Jesus is truly God, the Son of God, the Messiah. This would fit because of all
the discussion involved with Jesus attempting to tell the Jewish leaders who He
was. Jesus is the light of the world and came to show love and mercy, not
condemnation.
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can
work.
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; What Jesus is
saying in this phrase is that “day” equals our “physical life”. We are to be
diligent in doing the Fathers works while here on earth. Our time here is only
a speck when placed on the timeline of eternity and we need to make the most of
it for God.
The night is coming
when no one can work; Jesus is referring to His and our physical
death. When we die we can no longer do God’s work. Jesus knew His time was
coming to a close on earth.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the
world."
There
is no doubt with this statement that Jesus is fully aware of who He is; His
divinity; and purpose for coming to earth as a human. What the sun does for the
physical world Jesus is doing for the moral world. Without light in the
physical world death takes over. Jesus is light for the spirit and soul,
eternal life, without Him it is darkness now and forever.
6 When He
had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
When He had said these things, He spat
on the ground and made clay with the saliva; God made Adam from the dust of the earth,
He used natural earthly material and breathed life into the form He shaped out
of clay, life that comes from a divine nature. The ground/dust/clay mixed with
divine spittle results in something being created, life granted to eyes to see,
just like God creating man from dust and breathe.
And He anointed the eyes of the blind
man with the clay; With this mixture of natural and divine anointing, the
eyes of this blind man were opened; life was given to his eyes.
How
does this miracle and all that has been said leading up to this verse relate to
redemption? The next verse has some clues for us.
7 And He
said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam"
(which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
And
He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of
Siloam"; Washing
in the pool of Siloam symbolizes being washed in the shed blood of Jesus which cleanses
and heals all.
(which
is translated, Sent); Some
believe “sent” refers to Jesus being sent to earth for the redemption of
mankind, others don’t. Jesus gave a command here to this man, go wash in the
pool of Siloam”. He sent him, was it to see if the man had enough faith and
would be obedient to what Jesus told him to do? Maybe, but let’s refer back to
verse three, Jesus stated this, “that the works of God
should be revealed in him”. This miracle was to show the power and glory
of God; what God can do in our lives; that nothing is too big for God to do;
that we are to trust in God for all things; that we are to put our faith in God
and not in man made things. So was this a test of faith through obedience?
So
he went and washed, and came back seeing; This case shows us that we shall obey
the commands of God, however unmeaning or mysterious they may appear. God
always has a reason for everything He directs us to do, and our faith and
willingness to obey Him are often tried when we can’t see the reason of His
requirements.
This
man obeyed what Jesus told him to do, even though he probably didn’t understand
why. The point being is he had enough faith to be obedient to Jesus and go
perform the task he was commanded to do. He didn’t question the command; Jesus
didn’t tell him he would see if he went and washed his eyes, he just went and
did it on faith and trust.
This
is a very important lesson for us here, to trust fully in Jesus; to be obedient
to the spiritual voice inside us; to believe in what the Bible says and try to
fully live by what it says. The majority of people today are of the opinion
that the Bible is diluted after 2,000 years (New Testament). They say it is
like the phone game where you have 7 people and a person on the end whispers to
the person next to them something and when it gets to the 7th person
it isn’t close to what was said by person one. This is a belief that allows
people to make up their own rules to live by, which is contrary to the Bible; verses
taken out of context; or they don’t know what the Bible says because they have
never read it. Bear this in mind the Bibles we have KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, NIV,
NLT, Catholic Bible, etc. the New Testament was translated from Greek and
Hebrew by different groups of people and they all state the same thing, but
maybe in a little different language style to be better understood, but the
same. So those that don’t heed the red text of the Bible, being the voice of
Jesus; the inspired words of the Apostles from the Holy Spirit; the
Commandments of God in the Old Testament, are they being obedient to God; do
they know God with their mind or heart; are they believing in man’s ways or
Gods ways? John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Isn’t the red letter text in the New
Testament Jesus words as He walked this earth? Yet people don’t heed His words,
they abide by a religious denominations words or their own thoughts and words.
Obedience removed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, which was designed to
be for eternity!
8 Therefore
the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said,
"Is not this he who sat and begged?"
This blind man was not a
stranger to the community. He didn’t come from outside the community but was
known to sit in a particular place and beg. He was a native of Jerusalem, and
known to the people. You can imagine the commotion that was taking place and
the faith being confirmed of many that were undecided as to whom Jesus was?
9 Some
said, "This is he." Others said,
"He is like him." He said, "I am he."
This
verse tells us that great discussions where transpiring as to this being the
blind beggar. This humble man that was once blind and sat at the lowest rank in
society is now bold to claim, “I am he”. This man can be compared to a new born
child of God. When a person accepts Jesus as their Saviour many question the
new life the person is living. Let’s call this person Joe. They ask what has
happened to Joe; it looks like Joe, but Joe never acted like that; Joe has a
demon inside of him; poor Joe, he has lost his soul; etc. This skepticism is
what was going on with the people that knew this former blind person, but this
blind man was excited and exuberant about being healed and capable of seeing.
He was going around telling all who healed him; he had great joy in his heart.
Joe has the same excitement and exuberance as the healed blind man. Joe is
going around and telling all that he sees about how he is Born Again and the
events leading up to his birth of becoming a child of God and that now he feels
complete inside and has great joy in his heart because he has the Holy Spirit
living within his heart. He wants everyone to know in hopes of them accepting
Jesus and having the same joy in their heart that he has. It is a feeling he
never had before, but the skepticism around the blind man and around Joe is
disbelief. The blind man and Joe have both experience an encounter with Jesus
that has changed their life and they want everyone to know about them and how
Jesus touched them and changed their life forever.
10 Therefore
they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"
11 He
answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and
said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'
So I went and washed, and I received sight."
Here
the man tells all who anointed his eyes, at what point the blind man learns of
Jesus name we do not know. Someone told him or maybe he overheard Jesus name
mentioned while his eyes were being anointed.
12 Then they said to him, "Where is He?"
He said, "I do not know."
Does
this question being asked sounds like cynicism? Jesus had withdrawn Himself and
was gone, whether on account of the Jews, knowing they would be irritated by
this miracle, or whether to avoid all popular applause and glory, which He
sought no glory for anything that He did. It may be on both accounts, this
question, not out of good will to Christ but that they might apprehend Him, and
bring Him before the Sanhedrim for doing work on the Sabbath. Such enmity there
is in carnal men, at the conversion of sinners, instead of rejoicing.
This
man did not know where Jesus was and so it is sometimes with a converted
sinner, or so it seems. The life of Gods child will at times experience
quietness. This man may have returned to where he was when Jesus anointed his
eyes, but could not find Jesus.
We conclude this week’s lesson knowing that the Pharisees
are all up in arms because Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath. Does
Jesus get into another discussion with the Jewish leaders about the laws they
instituted?
Colossians
1:16
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans
3:23 for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans
6:23
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most
assuredly, I say to you,
unless
one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you
believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord Jesus I know I am a
sinner. I confess my sins to you; I am
sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a sinful
lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John
3:16,17; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8;
10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10;
1 John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom. 1:22-32; Gal.
5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
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