It's early Monday morning here. I am trying to rest and recover from preaching 4 times yesterday. Our senior pastor was out, and I had the joy of filling in for him. I am spending two weeks in a passage in John- John 9. It's the story of a blind man, born blind, who Jesus healed. The part of it that amazes me is that Jesus tells us clearly in verse 3 that this man was born blind by the divine plan and purpose of God so that he would be there for Jesus to heal, and give prophetic evidence to the fact that he was indeed the Messiah. What an amazing insight for this man. If you know the law and the times of the first century this man thought that he was blind because of sin, but Jesus comes and reveals that this was part of God's plan. And then he heals him.
You and I are part of God's plan as well. Our lives, surrendered to him, are his masterpieces in process...he is working in our lives for his own glory. What a treat- to be a poster child for his love, grace and mercy. Sign me up!
The story of John 9 is a wonderful picture of a man growing in faith, and the illumination of seeing both light and the messiah. In verse 38 he meets Jesus for the first time with sight, and worships him. This is the proper response when you meet God in human flesh, but around Jesus were a host of "watchers" who did not bow the knee and worship. They were there, they saw him, but really didn't see him at all. They saw him with their eyes, but were completely blind to who this was.
The most notable line from this chapter is the blind man's own testimony. He said, "One thing I know, once I was blind, but now I see." I love that line. He didn't need to know much, he didn't have all the answers, but he knew one thing- when you see Jesus the one proper response is to worship him.
One day we will all get to do that. Paul writes these words in Phillippians and says,
Phi 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
Phi 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Phi 2:11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
If you are reading this you have knees, have you bowed them to the messiah yet? Have you worshipped him and invited him to be your savior and Lord? If not, I invite you to consider him. You one day WILL bow before him. Won't it be great to do it because you want to, not because you have to?
6 comments:
Hi Mike,
You did really well preaching. The video, the passages.....
Thanks.
Ray
thanks, Ray. I enjoyed it too. I have heard from others that God used the message to help them, and that's the blessing to me.
thanks you for your words.
You're preaching next week, too? Man, I'm glad I was in Holland when those assigments were given out!
I especially loved that God made this man's imperfect eyes for *that* moment in time, as proof of Messianic authority. I loved that the man was doing his own thing, begging for daily provisions from other people.....and Jesus found him! And I loved the other blind man, who knew to holler and ask for help *from Jesus* instead of just staying "by the way".
Lots of good meat for the soul. Thank you for feeding the flock. I'm looking forward to next week.
thanks Kathy, your comments are a real blessing.
Thanks. Sometimes i think I would be a better christian if i had time to study apologetics more...but then I remember that my faith does onhinge on my knowlege but on my experience. I was blind and now I see. I was a foll and now I am wise and it was not book learning that made me whole, it was Christ. Thanks for giving me a little reminder of that.
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