I was blind, now I see - Study 5/15/13
I was blind, now I see
This is our story if you believe in Jesus. Who can argue with a blind man who now sees for the first time and previously had been blind from birth for 38 years? It seems obvious that there will be no question or doubt about whether the man was blind and can now see. Well some people doubted then and still doubt even today. Was he really blind in the first place and does he really see now and who made the blind see again?
Unbelief in God is spiritual blindness and it will make you not see anything that is from God and of God. I was amazed to notice that Apostle John used the word “believe” 98 times in the gospel of John. There is only one outcome from studying the Gospel of John and in fact the entire Bible - to believe and put our trust in God. There is no other way to relate to God except to believe in Him. John 20: 31 and John 1:7
In this chapter 9 of John, we encounter Jesus’ love for us typified in the healing of the blind man. This is a very sweet story (though long but please read on). God has been the one initiating our relationship with Him. It says, “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth vs.1. Jesus heals the blind man who never argued with Jesus whether he was blind. The man acknowledged his blindness and was willing to see again after 38 years from birth.
You and I cannot work our way to God not even by attending Church and the million church activities we now have. It is all by his grace. See Jesus again looking for the man healed from blindness. “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him (vs. 35-38). Without faith it is impossible to please God – Hebrew 11: 6. We must believe in Jesus as only Son of God who takes away sin of the whole world.
I am humbled by God’s love and pursuit of me, the sinner. It is all God’s move from beginning to finish. He grants me even the grace to believe. Like the man healed from blindness, let us worship Him, God our father. This is why it is called the Gospel, the good news. This is our story, let’s tell it to the world. “I was blind, now I see”. I was a sinner, now I am saved. I was in hell, now I am in heaven with God.
If any refuses to acknowledge his/her sin, Jesus had this to say, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. Did you hear Jesus? If you claim you are not blind meaning you do not have sin, meaning you do not need Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to cleanse your sin, then you remain permanently in sin separated from God. This is called being in hell meaning life on earth may be the closet you be in heaven. Please accept you are a sinner and let Jesus take away your sin forever from now forth.
John 9
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
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. 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.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind[b] said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” 9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”[c] He said, “I am he.” 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[d] Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” 12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.” 13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”[e]
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Notice the progression of our relationship with Jesus. The healed blind man first saw Jesus as a “prophet”, then as “from God” and last as “Lord” and then he worshiped Jesus. Keep knowing more about Jesus in His Word for the purpose of worshipping Him.
The method of the eye opening is different from any other healing of the blind by Jesus. Will you be offended by Jesus’ method or insist on a particular method? Let’s let God convict the sinner in His own way and bring them to salvation. Just tell them who Jesus is and pray for them.
Healing the blind man who was blind from birth means that there was a new creation of sight tissues and cells by Jesus. Did you see the “mud”, same material used in Genesis? This also means that for us to see spiritually, we must be created anew. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation and old things have passed away – 2 Corinthians 5:17.
What are we going to do with Jesus? Let’s believe in Jesus. Let’s stand our ground under persecution and know that God will help us defend our faith. Above all, let’s worship Him in Spirit and Truth like the blind man made whole. I was blind, now I see. Thank you Jesus for removing my sin forever. Amen.
This is our story if you believe in Jesus. Who can argue with a blind man who now sees for the first time and previously had been blind from birth for 38 years? It seems obvious that there will be no question or doubt about whether the man was blind and can now see. Well some people doubted then and still doubt even today. Was he really blind in the first place and does he really see now and who made the blind see again?
Unbelief in God is spiritual blindness and it will make you not see anything that is from God and of God. I was amazed to notice that Apostle John used the word “believe” 98 times in the gospel of John. There is only one outcome from studying the Gospel of John and in fact the entire Bible - to believe and put our trust in God. There is no other way to relate to God except to believe in Him. John 20: 31 and John 1:7
In this chapter 9 of John, we encounter Jesus’ love for us typified in the healing of the blind man. This is a very sweet story (though long but please read on). God has been the one initiating our relationship with Him. It says, “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth vs.1. Jesus heals the blind man who never argued with Jesus whether he was blind. The man acknowledged his blindness and was willing to see again after 38 years from birth.
You and I cannot work our way to God not even by attending Church and the million church activities we now have. It is all by his grace. See Jesus again looking for the man healed from blindness. “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him (vs. 35-38). Without faith it is impossible to please God – Hebrew 11: 6. We must believe in Jesus as only Son of God who takes away sin of the whole world.
I am humbled by God’s love and pursuit of me, the sinner. It is all God’s move from beginning to finish. He grants me even the grace to believe. Like the man healed from blindness, let us worship Him, God our father. This is why it is called the Gospel, the good news. This is our story, let’s tell it to the world. “I was blind, now I see”. I was a sinner, now I am saved. I was in hell, now I am in heaven with God.
If any refuses to acknowledge his/her sin, Jesus had this to say, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. Did you hear Jesus? If you claim you are not blind meaning you do not have sin, meaning you do not need Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to cleanse your sin, then you remain permanently in sin separated from God. This is called being in hell meaning life on earth may be the closet you be in heaven. Please accept you are a sinner and let Jesus take away your sin forever from now forth.
John 9
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
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. 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.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind[b] said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” 9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”[c] He said, “I am he.” 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[d] Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” 12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.” 13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”[e]
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” 38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Notice the progression of our relationship with Jesus. The healed blind man first saw Jesus as a “prophet”, then as “from God” and last as “Lord” and then he worshiped Jesus. Keep knowing more about Jesus in His Word for the purpose of worshipping Him.
The method of the eye opening is different from any other healing of the blind by Jesus. Will you be offended by Jesus’ method or insist on a particular method? Let’s let God convict the sinner in His own way and bring them to salvation. Just tell them who Jesus is and pray for them.
Healing the blind man who was blind from birth means that there was a new creation of sight tissues and cells by Jesus. Did you see the “mud”, same material used in Genesis? This also means that for us to see spiritually, we must be created anew. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation and old things have passed away – 2 Corinthians 5:17.
What are we going to do with Jesus? Let’s believe in Jesus. Let’s stand our ground under persecution and know that God will help us defend our faith. Above all, let’s worship Him in Spirit and Truth like the blind man made whole. I was blind, now I see. Thank you Jesus for removing my sin forever. Amen.
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