"Greetings in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 29 November 2011"
Today's Blog Title: "The Obvious Is True"
Today's Scripture Reading: "John 9:1-41
Today's Key Verse: John 9:33 "If this man were not from God, He could go nothing."
Chapter 9 deals with a man who was born blind is healed by Jesus and the opposition to Jesus continues to intensify when this healing is done. Popular theology held that sickness was a punishment for sin. In the case of a person born blind, this posed a theological riddle. Was the man punished for sins he would commit? Or were sins of the parents being punished in the son?
Jesus' answer to this question is important. "Neither sinned." God had allowed the man to be born so that Jesus could heal him and thus reveal the works of God and His healing power. Mixing clay with saliva was a common practice used for eye infection. Jesus may have used the clay on his eyes instead of simply speaking the words for the man to exercise his faith in washing it off. Christ's healing of this blind man reminds us that, in often unexpected ways, our suffering can be used by God for His Glory.
When the Pharisee's find out about the healing they begin to badger the man. After repeatedly answering the same question over and over the blind man finally cuts through to the heart of the issue: "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." The blind mans remark" Do you want to become His disciples too?", drips with sarcasm and reflects the blind man's frustration with the constant nagging of the Pharisees. The blind man is thrown out by the religious leaders, but is found by Jesus, and believes in Him.
We will note that the blind man is bolder than his parents, who refused to take any position on their sons healing because of the known hostility of the religious leaders to Jesus. The once blind man openly expresses the obvious fact that the leaders were intent on trying to hide. The blessing of sight restored was so great that nothing the leaders could do would intimidate him.
In verse 36 the blind man finds Jesus and asks Jesus "Who is He?" We see here that faith must have proper object. Jesus, not faith saves. Faith is only a channel to the worthy object, the Lord Jesus Christ. We see the progression throughout this chapter of the healed man's understanding of the person of Christ. First, he called Jesus "a Man" (verse 11), then "a prophet" (verse 17), and finally he realized that Jesus is the Son of God (verses 35-38).
Jesus did come into this world to execute judgment. Nevertheless, the inevitable result of His coming judgment, because some refuse to believe. As the light of the world, Jesus came that the blind might see and those who think they can see will be made blind. There was no way that the Pharisees could claim ignorance. Their rejection of Jesus was deliberate, so they were guilty of the most terrible of all sins, the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
Today's Hymn: "Come Let us Worship"
Come, let us worship and bow down, Before the Lord Most Holy,Before the King of Glory
Come and lay your burdens down, Before the Friend who's faithful, Before the One's who's able
For he is our God, And we are His people, Yes He is our God, And we shall never be forsaken
Come let us lift our voice in praise, Unto the rock of Ages, Unto the God who saves us
Come and Glorify His Name, All the earth together, All the saints forever
You are our God, And we are your people, You are our God, And we will be with You Forever
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, may our faith be that of the blind man who was healed by Jesus. May we when led by the Holy Spirit step out in faith and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. May our eyes be opened that we may freely share our own faith in Christ. May we as Christians remember that in serving and standing up for Christ, there is nothing we could possibly lose that compares with what we have gained.
Amen
"Today's Biblical Truth: "As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin and gives sight."
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go in Peace and Serve the Lord our God with Gladness. Love God More Today. Pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are being persecuted for their Faith and Trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pray also God's Blessings be on the Nation of Israel. Always remember that when you have a spiritual dilemma n your life and you yell out, "I CAN'T", GOD Whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." Psalm 23:6
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
Today's Blog Title: "The Obvious Is True"
Today's Scripture Reading: "John 9:1-41
Today's Key Verse: John 9:33 "If this man were not from God, He could go nothing."
Chapter 9 deals with a man who was born blind is healed by Jesus and the opposition to Jesus continues to intensify when this healing is done. Popular theology held that sickness was a punishment for sin. In the case of a person born blind, this posed a theological riddle. Was the man punished for sins he would commit? Or were sins of the parents being punished in the son?
Jesus' answer to this question is important. "Neither sinned." God had allowed the man to be born so that Jesus could heal him and thus reveal the works of God and His healing power. Mixing clay with saliva was a common practice used for eye infection. Jesus may have used the clay on his eyes instead of simply speaking the words for the man to exercise his faith in washing it off. Christ's healing of this blind man reminds us that, in often unexpected ways, our suffering can be used by God for His Glory.
When the Pharisee's find out about the healing they begin to badger the man. After repeatedly answering the same question over and over the blind man finally cuts through to the heart of the issue: "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." The blind mans remark" Do you want to become His disciples too?", drips with sarcasm and reflects the blind man's frustration with the constant nagging of the Pharisees. The blind man is thrown out by the religious leaders, but is found by Jesus, and believes in Him.
We will note that the blind man is bolder than his parents, who refused to take any position on their sons healing because of the known hostility of the religious leaders to Jesus. The once blind man openly expresses the obvious fact that the leaders were intent on trying to hide. The blessing of sight restored was so great that nothing the leaders could do would intimidate him.
In verse 36 the blind man finds Jesus and asks Jesus "Who is He?" We see here that faith must have proper object. Jesus, not faith saves. Faith is only a channel to the worthy object, the Lord Jesus Christ. We see the progression throughout this chapter of the healed man's understanding of the person of Christ. First, he called Jesus "a Man" (verse 11), then "a prophet" (verse 17), and finally he realized that Jesus is the Son of God (verses 35-38).
Jesus did come into this world to execute judgment. Nevertheless, the inevitable result of His coming judgment, because some refuse to believe. As the light of the world, Jesus came that the blind might see and those who think they can see will be made blind. There was no way that the Pharisees could claim ignorance. Their rejection of Jesus was deliberate, so they were guilty of the most terrible of all sins, the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
Today's Hymn: "Come Let us Worship"
Come, let us worship and bow down, Before the Lord Most Holy,Before the King of Glory
Come and lay your burdens down, Before the Friend who's faithful, Before the One's who's able
For he is our God, And we are His people, Yes He is our God, And we shall never be forsaken
Come let us lift our voice in praise, Unto the rock of Ages, Unto the God who saves us
Come and Glorify His Name, All the earth together, All the saints forever
You are our God, And we are your people, You are our God, And we will be with You Forever
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, may our faith be that of the blind man who was healed by Jesus. May we when led by the Holy Spirit step out in faith and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. May our eyes be opened that we may freely share our own faith in Christ. May we as Christians remember that in serving and standing up for Christ, there is nothing we could possibly lose that compares with what we have gained.
Amen
"Today's Biblical Truth: "As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin and gives sight."
Have a God Filled and Spirit Led Day. Go in Peace and Serve the Lord our God with Gladness. Love God More Today. Pray for our Brothers and Sisters in Christ who are being persecuted for their Faith and Trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pray also God's Blessings be on the Nation of Israel. Always remember that when you have a spiritual dilemma n your life and you yell out, "I CAN'T", GOD Whispers to you, "BUT I CAN".
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." Psalm 23:6
Your Sister in Christ,
Cindi
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