John 9:24-34 – So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “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? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him. 32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they put him out.
“So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” The man who had been healed from blindness had told a simple, not hard to understand story. He said that he was blind from birth until Jesus healed him. He said I was blind but now I see. It is a simple statement of fact, with witnesses. Now the Pharisees who were troubled by these facts wanted to hear him say the story again not because the facts are hard to understand but because of the pre-conceived notions they did not believe the facts could be true. They were trying to make out the truth to be a lie. They did that for their own selfish reasons. They wanted to change the facts to fit their doctrine. This tactic of questioning over and over again, even though the story remained unchanged, is still being used. If someone is questioning you about the same thing over and over again you can be sure that they don’t believe you because they find your story unbelievable because of their preconceived notions.
We know that the most seductive lies are mixed with truth. They told this healed man to glorify God and not a man whom they claim is a sinner. All the facts point to the truth of the story of the healing as had been reported. They was no contrary evidence. They attempted to bully the man from the truth to something they would accept as truth. They said stop giving Jesus glory that He did not deserve and give the glory to God who healed you. They were telling him that he should come clean and glorify God. They could not see that glorifying God was exactly what the man had been asserting.
“He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” The Pharisees would have liked to cloud the issue for the man and argue the law, written and oral tradition, instead of simply the man telling what he knew had happened. He did not take the bait and simply held to his story. The Jews were experts in the law and did not want to argue with them about that. The man was an expert of his own testimony. Sometimes we are unnecessarily called into arguments about faith. Although it’s certainly wise to study and prepare to give an answer to those who question the Word, we are safest when we, like the healed man did, merely stick to what we know. What we know is that before Jesus we were blind, but after Jesus we could see. Praise the Lord!
“So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” Who can explain how God does His miracles. The Pharisees asked the man how did Jesus heal him? The man had already explained what Jesus did but the man could not explain how what He did caused the healing. The man knew what Jesus had done but He could not explain the intricacies of the miracle. Moses knew that God would part the Red Sea for the Israelites to walk though on dry land, but He didn’t know how what God did would work. Moses simply knew God would do it. God is not under obligation to fully explain to anyone how He does it, it the job of His people merely to believe. We walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) That has always been the obligation of those who believe in and follow the Lord God. None of the prophets explained how God did the miracles, they just trusted that He would.
“He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” The healed man had already repeated himself. He was not going to lie for the Pharisees benefit. So he asked why the Pharisees wanted to hear the story. These arrogant authorities had obvious insincere motives. The man answered sarcastically asking them if they intended to become disciples of Jesus. It is interesting that the man asked if they wanted to become disciples “too.” It seems to imply that the man had his mind set to follow Jesus.
“They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” Obviously the proud Pharisees got their tail feathers ruffled and responded saying that this man seemed to be disciple of Jesus but they took what they thought the superior position that they were disciples of Moses. They reminded that God had spoken to Moses (Exodus 33:11). They, not recognizing Jesus as coming from and representing the Father, didn’t know where Jesus came from. Yet if they were the strict disciples of Moses they claimed then they should have recognized what Moses had told of Jesus.
“The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him. 32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” Here the healed layman asked them a question about their qualifications. He brought up to the Pharisees what they had taught which they were now contradicting themselves. The Pharisees had erroneously taught that God does not listen to sinners. If God will not listen to sinners then how can he hear a sinner repent and then forgive him as He is apt to do? (Ezekiel 18:21-23, Proverbs 28:13) So this brought a dilemma to the Pharisees, if Jesus was sinner then God would not have listened to Jesus and then performed the miracle (according to their own teaching.) But since the miracle was done through Jesus, and if what they taught was true, then that proved Jesus was not a sinner.
“They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they put him out.” How do people who cannot support their argument respond? Since they cannot support their argument they personally smear their opponent, which is what the Pharisees did. Then their pride rose up and they asked who he was to question them, to suppose to teach them. So, this man’s parents did not want to argue with the Pharisees because they would kick him out of the Jewish community, and that is what they did to their son.
Joshua stood up to the majority and told them “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) Peter and John stood up to the religious authorities and declared “But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20) Joshua, Peter and John stood for God and have received their eternal prizes. Let us stand strongly for God and we too shall be given the same prize. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withPhilippians 1:9-11 – And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
“And this I pray” The Apostle Paul cries out to God on the behalf not only of the saints in his day, but also for us, just as Jesus prayed for the His disciples, but also for us. The Apostle Paul loved us because He had the love of God in Him. So he prayed for us as Jesus did. (John 17:20)
“that your love may overflow still more and more.” Jesus taught us that love is the most important commandment of all. He taught that we are to firstly know who the Triune God is and that we are to love Him with everything that we are. (Mark 12:29-30) Then the second greatest commandment, greater than all but the first greatest, is to love one another as we love ourselves. (Mark 12:31) We can’t truly love God until we learn of Him, until we know Him, until we learn how He has loved us. And though the depth of these are too deep for us to know fully, we can begin, we can learn and grow. We will learn and grow, as we truly are thankful and as we know Him, as we know His Word, then we grow in His love. (1 John 2:5) As we grow in His love, we grow in wisdom and knowledge and increasingly become more like Him. It all starts by receiving His love, letting it change us to our very soul, and letting His love fill us and overflow from us to others. (2 Corinthians 5:17) In this way, the will of God is fulfilled and the love of God can change every soul in which it is received in gratitude.
“more and more in real knowledge.” Love overflows into us and creates real knowledge. Not a pseudo love that comes from the world, but true love that flows from God to us and from us unto the world. As the love floods into us and changes us we can have “real” knowledge. The same love of God that flows from the throne of God to give us grace is the love of God that gives us “real” knowledge. Real knowledge that draws us to God and to His love. As His love changes us it gives us real knowledge that changes how we think. No longer receiving insight of from the world but of Godly insight that comes from His love. His love changes us and teaches us.
“and all discernment.” The knowledge, based in His love and to us and His Word given to all of us, we see what is right and what is wrong.” And we discern ungodly from Godly. We receive the Truth and truth divides right from wrong. Not only by the Word, but also by urgings from the Holy Spirit who is our teacher. (John 14:26) We can discern right and wrong as the Spirit guides us. We gain knowledge from the Holy Spirit who lives within. He reveals the Word to us and gives us insight into the dividing of the heart and soul and of spirits humbled to God and proud spirits. With this insight given through by the Holy Spirit right and wrong are discerned so the Truth becomes clear and clouding lies are swept away. Cling to the truth that those who do not love the Lord cannot have. (1 Corinthians 2:14-16)
“so that you may discover the things that are excellent.” A child gets a crush and thinks that all the qualities of love are something they now know. They don’t know that they only have inklings of love. When the child matures and finds true love, committed love, it begins to know love in increasing measure. Love is walked out over a lifetime and is thereby understood and treasured all the more. An innocent crush is sweet, but the more excellent beauty is a lifetime committed love. As we grow in the love of the Lord we understand what God has given us and appreciate the grander love that He gives.
“that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ.” How is the heart judged to be sincere and blameless? It is by loving the Son of God and how is the the love of God shown to be true but by obeying Him. The one who loves the Son loves the Father because the gift of the Son comes to us from the Father, and the Son Himself. We must love Jesus and our obedience to Him is proof of our love of Him and living in His love gives us wisdom and knowledge for this world and for eternity.
“having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ.” Galatians 5:22-23 states “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” No-one has the fruit of the Spirit but he who submits to and obeys Jesus. As one grows in the love of the Father through Jesus then the fruits of the old man fall from the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit replaces the fruit of the world. How to produce fruit of the Spirit is simply to love and submit to Jesus.
“for the glory and praise of God.” The wisest man who ever lived, not named Jesus, was King Solomon. (1 Kings 3:12) He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes and at the end of this book he states in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “The conclusion, when everything has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” At the end of everything we must respect and honor God. We do that by acknowledging that He alone is God and that He is good and that He loves us. We acknowledge that Jesus, the Son of God who came to save us at the Father’s direction, is our only way to eternal peace with God. So we respect our God. Ultimately we all know that one day we will stand before Jesus to be judged to receive the rewards or punishments for all we have done. And only one question will determine all. Have we loved and obeyed Jesus. If we have, then we receive eternal peace with God and for those who have not, then an eternity in the Lake of Fire is our eternal residence. The glory and praise of God is not the punishment that some choose for their own lives. The glory and praise of God is all those whom received eternal life through Jesus. Peace with us is what God wants. Live in the love of God through Jesus. That is the glory and praise of God who has redeemed us. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withRoman’s 8:37-39 “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Better days ahead. Not necessarily because of changed circumstances but because we have grown closer to Him and have a greater knowledge and confidence of Him. We know Him more and we trust Him more so the future looks safer.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withRoman’s 8:37-39 “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Better days ahead. Not necessarily because of changed circumstances but because we have grown closer to Him and have a greater knowledge of and confidence in Him. We know Him more and we trust Him more so the future looks safer.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 9:18-23 – The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 It was for this reason that his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
“The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight.” The Jews chose, of their own free will, to not believe that this man was a man that had been born blind and was miraculously healed. Even more so they refused to allow that Jesus was someone from God who did the miracle. The implications of believing that meant too much. Of course we see the same kind of self-imposed blindness, through obstinacy, even today. We see the supposed great minds of “scientists” and/or atheists who declare there is no God. God declares that the person who says in his heart that there is no God is a fool. (Psalm 14:1) The Lord declares this not because someone is mentally deficient but because they are, of their own free will, self-deceived. Such a person is like a person who convinces himself that he can launch himself off a thousand foot cliff, without aid of any equipment and survive a freefall onto rocks below. The man who jumps off the cliff knows he will die, but only the insane man believes he will live. The man who says there is no God does not, in the depth of his heart and mind, believe that, but for any of a variety of reasons, forces that belief unto his own heart and mind. All people, at the core of their being, even if a lot of trash in thrown on top, believe in the existence God. They convince themselves otherwise, but don’t you let them deceive you also. They know that God exists but refuse to let that knowledge see a sliver of daylight. These Jews had seen this man themselves. They had a lot of witnesses that it was the same man blind man and they had the man himself who told him that he was him. They simply, not because the facts lead them to believe so, just refused to believe.
Under an overload of evidence they still dragged the parents out to testify that the man was their son and that yes indeed he had been born blind. They did not only want to know if the man had been blind but if he had been born blind. After all, even the man himself may not be able to testify to that but only that for all his life, as he remembers, he was blind. But his parents however could testify as to whether or not he had been born blind and they did indeed give that testimony. So the Jews had not believed that this was a man who was born blind “until” the man’s parents testified that he had been. To the Jews this was of great importance. They believed that a man who had been born seeing but had lost his sight could regain his sight. However for a man born blind to suddenly see had to be a miracle of God. Jesus had testified that He was from God, and even God Himself. but they had rejected Him. (Matthew 26:63-64, John 8:58, 5:18) So whether or not he was blind from birth was important to them. They hoped for something to hold out as some kind of evidence against the miracle. They found none.
“19 and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 It was for this reason that his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” His parents were smart. They gave brief and direct answers. Yes, he is our son. Yes he was born blind. They could say that they heard Jesus was the one who healed their son, but they were not there and could not be a direct witness of that. So they heard that Jesus healed him but they could not testify that they saw the healing. They certainly could not explain how Jesus did that. Just the facts.
Why didn’t the parents elaborate more or praise the Lord. These people could not be a witness at a trial in modern day courts. Imagine sitting on a jury and then hear that the witnesses were testifying under duress to not speak the whole truth because the prosecution had threatened them. Well, the judge and jury would then be suspect of the prosecution and the testimony of the witness would instantly be thrown out. The Jewish authorities had already threatened to excommunicate anyone who said Jesus was a prophet, a man from God. Now this was a serious threat in that day. There weren’t multiple temples in their city. All their close friends and their relatives went to the same temple and would be under orders to not talk to and associate with them anymore. Even more, these priests would order the people to not do business with the excommunicated. So these people were under a powerful threat that all the people were under. They didn’t want to throw their son “under the bus” but they also were afraid of their priests. They had no answers. Yes there were afraid. They told the Jewish authorities to talk to their son. The parents hoped their son would answer wisely. The son surely was not offended. It was a natural thing to expect them to do. They parents did not advocate for Jesus, but they did not defame Him either. Sometimes that is what we are expected to do as we see in Ephesians 6:10-18. That under heavy attack from the enemy, don’t give ground but stand firm in the Lord. There are times to advance and sometimes, while in the battle, the wise thing to do is stand firm and wait for relief from the Lord. So it is easy to question how faithful the parents were to their child, but we weren’t there. True they didn’t attack on their son’s behalf, but they didn’t back down from the truth they knew. Can we say that every time that Christ has been defamed or assailed we rose to defend Him? In all work situations and social occasions? These parents did their best they thought they could do. Praise the Lord for giving us His Spirit to strengthen us and give us the right words at the right time. Yes, praise the Lord. I think most of us have a time or two when we wished we had been bolder for the Lord. Yes, praise the Lord for His patience with us. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 9:13-17 – They *brought the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was dissension among them. 17 So they *said again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”
“They brought the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.” It is easy to become frustrated that Pharisees and those who put their loyalty firmly with them should not see the obvious truth that was on display. That the interpretation of the Law of God by men to govern the actions of men must always be remembered to be man’s interpretation. We must never put God in a box by what men say. That is not only wrong, but also impossible. Will God’s creation dictate to Him what He meant when He gave them a law? Is it not the author who reveals what is meant? When the Higher gives a command to the lower is it not the lower who must obey what the Higher meant. So here the creator of all that was created, including mankind, was being told by His creation that what they thought of the Law that He had given, their interpretation was more important that His understanding of what He had commanded. These Jews could not see the foolishness of their presumptions and actions because they, in their arrogance and with their hard hearts could not see the Truth that God had manifested on their behalf. They were like their ancestors who could see the radiance of God upon Moses when he was returning from the mountain (Exodus 34:29-30) and still turn against him. (Leviticus 10:1-3) Yet, we can allow that these interpretations of man had been initiated with good intent, but perhaps should have not been related as also written on stone with divine hands, but written on parchment with human fallible hands. That God, being omniscient, writes laws that stand in every circumstance while men write to the best of the ability without full foresight of all that is to come. Therefore just, moral and righteous judges are needed to consider the circumstances in seeming breakings of law. God’s Law is absolute but men’s interpretations of it are not the laws but merely interpretations. That division should be kept in mind.
“Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” The Pharisees asked the healed man again how his healing came about. The man repeated to Him exactly what had happened. Those asking again helps to establish to us what the truth was. Were they trying to find the truth of trying to find something to accuse Jesus of? If they only sought the truth it was before them to see who Jesus was and so what He could do. But hardened hearts can keep out Living Water.
“Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was dissension among them.” Mark 2:27-28 “Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was made for the benefit of man. A holy commandment for the benefit of man. The Sabbath serves man and man does not serve man. The Sabbath was given by God to lovingly guide Him. It is not a burden but a blessing for man. But should a necessity arise, so as to hook up a horse and wagon and travel to save a hurt man, what or who shall a man serve. Does not God unceasingly do good? If we are to please God, should we not do as He does? Does one really think that God thinks that not working is better than loving and doing good for each other? The Pharisees enforced laws that did not consider doing good and love above doing no work. There is an ignorance, or rejection of the intent of God to bless men and to protect them.
Another consideration is that Jesus did not need to make the mud into clay to heal the man. He simply could have spoken the healing, or thought to heal, and it would have been so. So would the Pharisees have thought that okay? Either way it was God healing. Is God dictated as to how He may be God? Jesus did not sin, He did what is done from heaven continuously, God lives outside the calendar of men. Jesus as the Son of God does the work of the Father, which is His work and it never ceases.
“And there was dissension among them. 17 So they *said again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”
These Pharisees only gave an appearance of looking for Truth, but all they really sought to do was to justify what they already wanted to do. Truth was not their goal, but self-justification. Yet can we not also be guilty of the same thing. Instead of really seeking the path of God in love, do we in our day not sometimes look to Scripture to justify what we have done or what we thing rather than to find what God really means. We take scriptures out of contest to prove ourselves right. Scripture is sought for pride’s sake. That is not loving God or each other, but pride. We must be humble and seek the Lord in truth and right spirit, by the Spirit. In the end of it all, let us live as Jesus called us to, to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. These laws of love will guide us into all truth. We say one plus one equals two and so we put together thought to make what we think is truth. But not all facts plus facts come out to what we conclude. Facts can be misused. But if we love God and each other sometimes we will work on a Sabbath and God will be pleased. Let us lead with the love of God and God will be pleased. We can be assured of that. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 9:1-12 – As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and washed, and came back seeing. 8 So the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”
“As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Yes, Jesus saw the man, but He was not surprised by seeing the man. He knew the man all of the man’s life. (John 1:45-49) He had heard his prayers. He knew where the man was led to beg. He knew the man, at times, wondered if God truly existed and if He did, was He really good as the man had been told. The man must have wondered why He was born blind and perhaps most horrid, why hadn’t God had mercy on him and healed him?
Tearing pieces from the man’s heart was how people, his fellows who shared his faith and his citizenship, were too often unkind. He heard the remarks they made about him. He heard them talk about other people that were crippled since birth. If they said it about other people they probably accused his loving mother, his faithful father, and even he himself as guilty of being a sinner. People who said such uncaring things to him, were insensitive and accusing him even if they did not point the accusation at him. Yet he only knew his parents as faithful and godly people. The accusers’ rational for people being born with such things as blindness was poisonous to his faith. Every accusation was as if on the tips of spears jabbed repeatedly into him. Oh those remarks, sometimes even from family members, added to his hurt.
“Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. But Jesus, likely within earshot of the man, said that sin was not the reason for the man’s blindness, but rather that this man was born blind because he was to be used to show the glory of the Son of God and to magnify Him to the masses that they may know God’s grace in their lives. Jesus did a work of mercy not only on this man, but also for everyone who witnessed the miraculous healing. Some glorify God by preaching, or by using a gifted singing voice, or talent with an instrument. People acknowledge their talent and clap for them. Yet most preachers, teachers, singers and musicians never know the depth of this man’s suffering. They never had their faith attacked so deeply as this man. This man went through great pain to present God’s glory in a way that shook his city and nation. In fact, for well over two thousand years people have seen the love and beauty of God included in the Gospel. How many untold millions have been blessed and encouraged by his testimony. This blind man glorified Jesus powerfully because He was a man born from birth and healed by the Jesus. Adding to that, this man did not, after being healed, berate Jesus and accuse God of unjustly using and abusing Him. Instead this man believed and defended Him. This man did not consider himself ill-treated by God, but blessed by God. Jesus not only healed him of his blindness, but also healed his heart and spirit. This man was not misused by God, but blessed by God to be so mightily used by Him. Oh to be used as Abraham, as Moses, as Paul and John were used. Also how blessed to be used by God as this blind man was.
“We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.’ It was the Father who sent Jesus to heal this man, to give witness to who Jesus was. The Father sent Jesus to heal the man and Jesus was committed to doing all the works the Father had for Him to do. Jesus was sent by the Father and Jesus obeyed His Father.
“While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” Jesus knew the time for Him to be in the world was limited. Limited not by any human, but by the predetermined plan of His Father. Jesus was to let His light shine, to expose darkness and reveal Truth. And Jesus was about to further fulfill that divine mission. To bring vision to the blind, both physically and spiritually.
“When He had said this, He spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes.” Remembering that this man was blind, he didn’t see Jesus spit on the ground and mix it with His spit to make mud. All of a sudden a man was applying something to his eyes. It was an act of faith to not push Jesus away. Did he then know it was Jesus? Did he know who Jesus was? Maybe, but somehow he must have realized that God called him to do as this man was telling him to do. He obeyed. Understanding how what the person was applying to his eyes would work was not something he needed to know. He probably didn’t know he would be healed. The blind man did not need to know how. He needed to trust and obey the who, the how didn’t matter. And Family and Friends, that is our job. God has no obligation to explain to us and we have no right to demand an explanation. (Luke 17-7-19) We must do as the blind man did, trust and obey.
“And said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and washed, and came back seeing.” Jesus, without pomp and circumstance, simply sent him to wash off the mud. The man simply obeyed. Interesting that the pool was Siloam which meant “sent.” The Father sent the Son. The Son sent the man and as the Son obeyed the Father, the man obeyed the Son. Simple, but folks that is how it works. No explanations need, just trusting and obeying.
“So the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to sit and beg?” So people who knew this man were divided if it was he whom they had known. You know how you may have seen at work almost every day but sometimes can meet them on the street and not recognize them because you now see them in a different context. I suppose it was like that. They had seen this man as a poor beggar who was blind. Now they saw him as a fully functioning and capable man who was joyous and confident. Jesus changes people. He changes us, we are not what we once were and will not be what we now are. I hope people who haven’t seen me in a while, who last saw me before becoming a Christian, now see me and declare ‘Something is different about you! What is it?” I love to tell them about Jesus!
“The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.” The man must have delighted every time the people wondered if it was he and he kept saying to them that it was indeed him. He told them what Jesus had done for Him so they asked Him where Jesus was, but the man did not know. What He knew is that He was once blind but then He could see. He could tell say what Jesus did, but he didn’t know how it worked. He only knew who did the work and that was sufficient. You, know like our testimony. Praise our good and loving God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
I am the Lord your God who loves you, who adores you. To hear you calling to Me thrills Me. Don’t you know that before the creation of all of creation you were in My mind and even then delighted Me? I knew you would call to Me and My inexhaustible love for you rushed toward you in that day which was not yet but surely would be. Child of Mine, whom I have known and loved from eternity past and will love to eternity forward, My eyes are upon you. In any depth of sorrow I am with you and I will lift you to the heights of rhapsody and of deep and steadfast joy. It is My love that will lift you. Receive joy that cannot be broken because it is between you and Me. Child call Me, as little children constantly inquire of their parents, come to Me and ask Me. Call to Me in the day or night, I am with you. Call from your terror or your dreams, I am with you. Before there was you I was with you. And like a child sitting on its parent’s lap, I will sit you and hold you with My mighty, but tender arms and give you knowledge and wisdom that none can know unless I give. Call to Me. Come to Me, your Father. Receive My love, receive your answer and be filled with wonders which you now cannot imagine but you will know. I will bless you beyond full and your joy will overflow. I am yours beloved child of Mine. Always yours because you will always be Mine. I love you because I decided to. Call to Me and I will answer you!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withMark 12:28-31 – One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
Family and Friends, oh you who are called by His name and you who will come to be one who is called by His name, Jesus spoke the Truth to these people. They knew it was the truth. Nothing was more holy of a proclamation from God to His people than these verses. In fact Jesus is repeating the first part of what the Jews call the Shema. It is a central part of the verses they pray. Look at Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. 8 You shall also tie them as a sign to your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. 9 You shall also write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” This is what Jesus was quoting. For our purposes today, let’s concentrate on Vs 4-5 as that is what the Lord quoted from here in Mark.
We have, more than once, talked about the fact, not the human thought, but the fact that our love for God, His love for and in us and that love filling our hearts and changing everything about us, is the most important commandment God has given us. It is not only the greatest rule, a rule above all others, but one that is in all His rules. The love of God is what is behind us being able to joyfully live out any of God’s commandments and laws for our lives. It is behind having and living in God’s joy. This rule of law does not break any laws but fulfills them. Any of man’s laws that break this law is not of or from God but from Satan. A country or land may make evil laws out of ignorance but rest assured anything that goes against this law of God is from the devil himself. He knows how hide in bushes, and also amongst us, to watch his evil plans unfold. He’s been doing this since the Garden of Eden. Love is the rule that teaches and incorporates all the loveliness of God to us and in us. Love. God’s love. In us, that is the highest the best and the most enjoyable rule. Love.
Now let’s go back to what is the most important thing to learn and grow in God’s love. Jesus said to those listening to Him, and to all of us “Listen! God is one!” Those who refuse to know God, and in our day He must be known through the Son, cannot have God’s love and so cannot grow and be changed by the only true form of love, God’s love. We know that God is love but how can we know that if we don’t love and obey Him. Ah, says the proud, I have already figured out how to know that without God. But the proud are wrong, they cannot know His love unless they know Him. The Triune God must be known. His love is a contagion that infects one wholly, kills what one was to become something incredibly beyond they ever were or ever imagined they could be. We must submit to His hand, to have it touch us in order to change us. In a day that we believe superheroes come from spider bites, radiation or our atmosphere, does it not ever seem to you that these stories are borrowed from the greatest truth? We are changed by being touched, and submitting to the hand and plan of God. His Spirit inhabits us and changes us like a substance put into us might change us. Only what He does changes us completely and noticeably both immediately and gradually. And this truth did not come from comic book heroes, but if the creation of these fictional heroes are inspired they are likely inspired the Truth, and they borrow from it. But we don’t need superheroes, though they are fun. The One, the Mighty, the God and Loving Hero we all have is Jesus. And Jesus is one with the Father and one with the Holy Spirit. These three are one. So Israel and all the earth, God is one. First learn that. First learn who God is and what God is. Then His love will grow and change you. It has been happening to me for over forty years. To others much longer. We all testify the truth written here. Know God is one. Know He is love. Love Him with all that you are. Love others more than you love yourself. Then, oh then, we are changed, and so is the world around us, and that onto the whole world. And we are all connected, not like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon, but to the nth degree as the Lord God has ordained, as is His will, as it is what pleases Him. Praise God! Catch what changes for the good. Let God infect us with His Spirit. It is the best thing that could happen to anyone.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob withJohn 8:48-59 – The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a Samaritan, and You have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone follows My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you; but I do know Him, and I follow His word. 56 Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.
“The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a Samaritan, and You have a demon?” Now these were religious people, but not true knowers and followers of God. Don’t be surprised, there are still plenty of knowledgeable, experienced, honored teacher and preachers around but who do not know God, and many would be surprised to find out that they do not. (Matthew 7:21-23) When this kind of religious person is confronted and exposed, how will they react? It is likely that they will tout their degrees, talk of how many followers they have, and show you’re their riches that must be blessings from God for their loyalty to Him. They will attack your lowly un-pedigreed position and your lack of official authority while missing the authority that comes from on high. They will cast aspersions on you, whether publicly or whispered behind your back. Jesus called them what they were and they were insulted by their exposure, so they attacked back
“Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.” Jesus refuted their smear that He had a demon. He simply made the clear statement that He only says things that honor God and He said that these religionists reject Jesus for speaking truth that He has heard from God, they not only smear His family and Him but they, in rejecting the words of Jesus, defame God. They continue to heap sin upon sin upon themselves.
“50 But I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. 51 Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.” Jesus replies to them that He is not seeking His own glory, but the glory of the Father. Then He says that if anyone follows His Word, if they follow Him, the will never see death. These heated souls heat up to the point of explosion. First Jesus said He is not after His own glory and then He follows it by saying that He is the one who can keep them from dying. To these who not only didn’t follow Him but detested Him, this was logs thrown on the fire. Yet to those who understood that Jesus was speaking the Truth, and was in fact trying to help them to have their sins forgiven and their souls restored to God, His words were life. (John 6:68) All this was incredible, but yet is still happening every day in every land and among every people. It is almost certain it is happening to your neighbors. Jesus was very much being the peacemaker but they refused even though He was continuously performing miraculous signs that the Messiah would do. In fact right after this confrontation with them Jesus moves past them and performs yet another miracle. Family and Friends, since people have rejected Jesus in their physical presence, so shall their spiritual progeny today reject Jesus when today the Truth in presented to them. These with calloused hearts refuse to entertain and or believe the Truth of the Gospel. They refuse what is best to choose what is disgusting.
“The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone follows My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” Doesn’t it exhaust you how Jesus keeps trying to save their eternal souls but they swat away the truth like men push away the medicine that saves them? Their response is merely argument against what they had predisposed themselves not to believe. They see Jesus as making Himself higher than the father of their faith, Abraham. Jesus, who was higher than Abraham, and worshiped by Abraham because Jesus was God, was seen by Abraham. For example, many people think Melchizedek was a Christophany. Then certainly Abraham saw Jesus. Or Jesus was given revelation about the coming of Messiah and so Abraham saw Jesus through divine revelation. These Jewish authorities reject the Truth as so many people do today. Pray for the Jews, and for all the unbelievers in the world today.
“Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you; but I do know Him, and I follow His word.” Have you ever been in that awkward space where it is said, even in circles of confessing Christians, that it is okay to curse God if that is how you feel? They use the horrible reason that we are all only human after all. (Though believers have the Holy Spirit within and are much more than “only human.”) So if we do not go along with those who say such things then we are made out to be a more-holy-than-thou self-righteous person. Sometimes in our own small group study we are shy to admit our own faith. Jesus did not succumb to worrying what others thought of Him saying who He actually was. He boldly claimed that what He said was what His Father God had told them. If religionists didn’t believe Him, well that was them condemning themselves. For Jesus to not say who He was, would have made Him a liar which He was not. He never sinned. (Hebrews 4:15)
“Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” Jesus threw them a bone. He called Abraham their father. This was not a contraction as they were the physical descendants of Abraham. But what was not important was not their physical genealogy. Most important was to inherit Abraham’s humble spirit. It is the heart that God looks at. (1 Samuel 16:7)
“So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.” Since their hard hearts could not receive the Truth, their minds could not understand it. Jesus then reveals His divinity and what was their response, to try to kill Him.
Family and Friends, the Gospel is like a simple and beautiful garden home to live in peace with God. A place to live with God right now. To know Jesus right now. To sup with Him, to listen to Him and even to talk to Him. It is a place to dwell where His love is the very real surrounding of His love and grace for us. It is being loved by someone who knows absolutely everything about you. There is no better place than within the Truth of the Gospel. (Matthew 11:28-30) May it be so for all of us. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
by Bob with