I love reading about the miracles of Jesus and one of my favorites is the healing of the man born blind. This account is found in the 9th chapter of John but instead of reading about it, let’s take a look at a video portion from The Visual Bible.
Play Video Clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRowXe8XBU
What an awesome encounter! And, it’s way too much to cover on one Sunday so let’s just start into the story with verses 1 - 7
John 9:1-7
“As [Jesus] went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
“As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world,
I am the light of the world.”
“After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ‘Go,’ He told him, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.’
So, going back to verse 1 we see:
John 9:1-2
“As [Jesus] went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
It is apparent from this exchange that both Jesus and the disciples were familiar with this blind beggar.
It would be perfectly normal for Jesus to know the circumstances of any person.
We know from Scripture that Jesus is the Creator
We know that Jesus is God in the flesh
We know that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end
We know that every hair on our heads is numbered
God is never taken by surprise
All of this is to say that Jesus, was, is and always be God and as God He knew the very circumstances of the man born blind.
Jesus knows you intimately.
Before they even started this particular encounter Jesus was fully aware of the circumstances of the man born blind.
Jesus knows your circumstances.
What are you going through right now?
What’s the first thing that popped into your head?
Jesus knows about it.
If it was good He endorses it.
If it was evil He wants to take it from you and help you to avoid the pain that inevitably comes with sin.
Jesus knew the blind man’s situation so the disciples ask Him a question: Whose sin was it that caused this man to be born blind.
This was a common assumption at the time of Christ and really all through Jewish history.
If you have any doubt about this read the book of Job.
We often find ourselves making the same assumptions when judging other people.
When judging other people we seem to forget that the writers of the Psalms were often asking why the wicked prosper so while the righteous suffer …
So, the disciples ask: Who sinned, this man or his parents …?
Jesus knowing all responds: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned …”
Was Jesus saying that this man and his parents were sinless?
Only One was every born sinless? Only One never sinned and that was Christ Himself.
The Bible says in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
Did Jesus make a mistake? No, of course not. Jesus was just saying that it was not sin that caused this mans blindness.
So, there must have been another reason and that other reason was so that the “works of God might be displayed in him.”
How do we respond when we are confronted with such a situation?
In 2009 a quadriplegic man from Australia won the “right” to commit suicide in a court case.
On the other hand Joni Eareckson Tada has been a quadriplegic for 46 years and just recently was diagnosed with breast cancer but she is still doing all that she can do to glorify God.
What about your circumstances?
Do you find yourself in a place of difficulty due to no fault of your own?
If you are struggling with something what do you do with it?
Do you seek to play the “woe is me” card?
Gloom, despair and agony, oh me!
How long had this man in the 9th chapter of John been blind?
Was it fair for him to be born blind in order to glorify God?
What constitutes fair; for you to be glorified or for Christ to be glorified?
Explain how Fanny Crosby became blind.
“How in the world could I have lived such a helpful life as I have lived had I not been blind?”
I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for You or laid aside for You,
exalted for You or brought low for You.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You are mine, and I am Yours.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.
Can we say with the apostle Paul?
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”? - Philippians 1:21
And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:7
