John 9 - The Blind Man

The Gospel according to John is an amazing book. The writer was someone who was "Beloved" of Jesus and had a relationship with the Son of God.

Take a moment to think what it means to be "Beloved" by the Savior...
Take a moment to think what it means to be in a relationship with THE SON of GOD...

In John chapter 9, we read how Jesus was on His way somewhere and someone caught His attention. He sees a blind man. This blind man never met Jesus, but Jesus knew everything about him. He knew that he was born blind. He knew the blind man.

So much taboo surrounded the "not so perfect." There were no charities or schools to help develop this man into a successful contributor to society.

As Jesus is intently thinking and observing this blind man, his thoughts are interrupted by the questions asked by His disciples, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

As a reader, immediately you can hear the condemnation in these words. There is no way out, the world hates imperfection. According to tradition, someone had to sin to incur this dreadful circumstance. The culture saw this man as a loser. No hope, no successful future, only a dead-end life. But Jesus saw that the works of God are to be revealed in him. In other words, something spectacular was going to occur that no one ever expected.

Jesus the giver of hope WAS on His way somewhere - to RESCUE a lost blind man. NO coincidences, there is a purpose why Jesus calls us to Him.

Jesus responds to His disciples with an explanation that was against the traditional thought of the time! "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."

As we read on, Jesus calls Himself the Light. Sometimes we are in our darkness and we can hear and feel everyone passing us by, but... not Him. Not JESUS!

He spits and mixes the clay and places it on the eyes of the blind man. Isn't that like Jesus - He uses the circumstances around us to bring us closer to Him. Jesus meets the need to bring about something even greater.

It is amazing how the blind man allows someone he doesn't know, touch him. Blind individuals are very extraordinary. I had a friend many years ago who was blind. We were always so amazed how he could describe us by the way we spoke. When one sense isn't working, another sense turns on to compensate.

Next we read how this man had to walk blindly to the pool of Siloam. Jesus nor the disciples helped guide him to the pool to wash. What was it about Jesus that the blind man trusted? Even when we are limited, God makes Himself known.

The blind man washes off the clay and comes back differently - he comes back seeing clearly. On his way back from the pool he probably walked with independence, was overjoyed beyond words and probably was amazed at the things he saw. No words could express the emotions this man was experiencing!

He behaved so different even his neighbors weren't totally sure if this was the same man. However, in his conversations with them, he confirmed that he was the blind man.

The following verses are what I find so wonderful. You can see stages of transformation occurring within this man's heart.

This man answers those who were wondering very directly, "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."

His response is simplistic, he only knows Jesus by name and tells everyone he did what he was told to do. The result was a miracle.

If we follow what the Word says how can we be disappointed?

Human nature can be so weird at times, these people who knew who him were not rejoicing with his miracle. Some of them were so upset because the healing took place on the Sabbath! Think about it, do we get legalistic and forget the Majesty, the Ways of the Lord? Have we put God in a box?

The Pharisees asked the question a second time - "How did you receive your sight?" Again this man repeats what happened.

Upset because this was done on the Sabbath and because Jesus did not follow the "Law" they considered Him not from God. Think about it, wasn't the Sabbath created to Worship God? How can a specific day control the Creator?

Now it gets intense - they ask the man, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

The man responded with what he knew in his heart, he didn't back down and save himself from the mob. He answers with his experience with Jesus and who he thought Jesus to be.

It is a process for some to come to the realization who Jesus is, but the Lord is patient.

The Pharisees still upset, calls the man's parents. Can you imagine how afraid these parents were to confront the Pharisees? These parents didn't even rejoice with their son. They were more afraid of tradition and were more afraid about what other people thought. Not wanting to lose their place in society - they tell these religious leaders to ask their son. He was old enough to answer for himself. The Pharisees at this point had had enough and told the man to "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."

They said words that sounded religious. Did you notice, that they told the man to give God the glory? That is how the world is - they acknowledge parts of the Truth, but are so far from having a relationship with the Living God. There hearts stay hardened even with factual miracle results standing before them.

Some unfortunately, will never open their hearts. Because the Way of the Lord is too simple.

Sometimes we act the same way with situations. In our smallness, we don't realize that God has a greater plan. We don't realize how our stories will end. Sometimes we can't see beyond our present circumstances!

Read further on how this man who was once blind answers - "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

You can't disregard what the Lord has done - facts are facts. You can't dispute the facts! We have to think on what God has done in our lives when life throws us a boomerang. Count our blessings, name them one by one, as the old hymn says.

He is asked a third time - "What did He do to you? How did He open our eyes?" The man answers very directly - "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples?" (See the transformation!)

Imagine that! When a transformation happens in our lives, we can't hold back - we want to share with others what God has done in our lives and what He can do for them. At this point of the conversation this man had not even acknowledged Jesus as The Son of God. Yet he knew that this Jesus did what no other person has ever been able to do.

Jesus is able to do in our lives, what no other human being can do, what no other religion can do and what no other "whatever" can do.

Let's continue with the chapter...what happens when losers loose? They say mean things and try to intimidate. That is what the Pharisees tried to do. But instead of being intimidated, the man replies with assertive conviction! "Why this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!" "Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him." "Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind." "If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."

Well, you can imagine they didn't like what they heard and next, they pulled out the religious card. They told him,"You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they threw him out of the temple.

Has anyone thought you weren't good enough?

Where was Jesus? He was aware of what had happened and He went and found the man.

Jesus found him and asks, " Do you believe in the Son of God?" This is an invitation to be one of his followers, to believe in the true Messiah.

The man responds, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"

Did you notice how this man called Jesus - "Lord"? Earlier, the man had called Jesus a prophet.

Jesus answers the question, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."

It is sad how we are so educated and advanced and yet many don't see the answer.

Wow! I wonder what was going through the mind and heart of this man. Him in the presence of the Mighty Lord, the Messiah, the King of Kings!

It is true, the Lord gives you more than what you could ever imagine. When this man started his morning he had no idea what was going to happen to him. He was a person without hope, without a career and without a family.

But guess what - Jesus found him!

It wasn't the healing that changed this man's life, it was the surrendering that revolutionized him. "Lord, I believe! And he worshiped Him."

Healing isn't what causes complete change, it is the transformation of the heart. This man no longer thought like a "blind man."

Worship is such a deep action. Worship takes you to a place where it is only you and Jesus. A place where you humble yourself and realize who God is when you surrender. This is when transformation affects the heart, mind and soul.

Remember the earlier words of the disciples? "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Jesus responded - "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."

Did you notice that at the beginning of the conversation, Jesus didn't tell the blind man that he was going to receive sight. The man simply did what he was told to do.

This gives me great comfort. Because sometimes I don't know the outcomes of things - but if I do what it says in the Word, transformation happens in my life. I see clearly because I am trusting Him for the outcomes. He has never failed me yet and has gone beyond my expectations!