John 9; Jesus Heals The Physically And Spiritually Blind

If John 9 had a theme it would be blindness, and how to heal from it. It starts out with Jesus healing a man who was physically blind. But it ends with Jesus showing people how they’re spiritually blind.

Jesus obviously heals the man, and then the religious leaders complain about him doing it. He then goes on to show them how they are worse off because they’re blind spiritually.

It just goes to show that some people can’t handle a good deed, and that’s messed up.

John 9″ Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. ² “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

³ “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. ⁴ We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.^[a] The night is coming, and then no one can work. ⁵ But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

⁶ Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. ⁷ He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

John 9:1-7

John 9: A Weird But Simple Action Brought Healing

In this chapter, we see Jesus do something really weird. Think about it, this is the guy who says he’s the way, and for some reason, he spits and makes a mud pie. Then he covers this guy’s eyes with mud.

Think of how much spit he had to let loose in order to cover this man’s eyes. It’s not like the man saw what he was doing, but people today would freak out about that. (especially post covid)

However, in the end, all the blind man had to do was go wash.

I think that’s a great metaphor for our own lives. Jesus started the work planning the way, and we’ve gotta do something as well. In most things in life, God’s already done the heavy lifting. When you’re praying and asking if God Is listening? Don’t forget to remember, he’s listening, and he’s got it all planned out.

That man was made whole and left with his sight, but that wasn’t the end of his problems. But in John 9 Jesus uses the confusion of the spiritual leaders and reveals their folley.

John 9: The Neighbors See The Healing

⁸ His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”

But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”

¹⁰ They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”

¹¹ He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”

¹² “Where is he now?” they asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied.

John 9:8-12

John 9: When Jesus Heals You, It’ll Transfrom The Lives Of Everyone Close To You.

When you receive healing from Jesus, your neighbors will be some of the first people to see the difference in you. After your family, they see you more often than anyone, and I think it’d be safe to say coworkers are probably on this list as well. Back then you worked a lot with your neighbors too.

However there is sometimes doubt when healing comes, some of the neighbors didn’t recognize him. and I think that comes from the belief that he’d never have his sight. I’m not bashing them, it happens all the time in this world. Somebody will lose their sight and they never get it back.

There was a time that I’d probably fall into that camp myself. However, now that I know who Jesus is. and I understand the price he paid for me, I’m singing a different tune.

I’d hope that I would recognize the man, and we’d both rejoice. Wouldn’t you want to be there when he discovers what things actually look like? What if you’ve never seen the color purple before? And all of a sudden you were able to see it?

This kinda reminds me of those videos that went around a few years ago about people who were colorblind and were able to finally see colors. Usually, it was through special glasses. Not once did somebody put those glasses on and not start crying.

I often wonder if that’s what heaven will be like.

John 9: The Church Leaders Get Involved, And They’re Not Happy

¹³ Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, ¹⁴ because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. ¹⁵ The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.

¹⁷ Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”

The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

John 9:13-17

I don’t think it matters if you’re talking about Pharisees, Priests, or Pastors. These roles are all filled by imperfect people who make mistakes. John 9 really shines a light on this problem.

And one of the major mistakes you’ll see these roles make is in the quest for more power. I’m not saying all or even most of them are that way. In fact, a lot of these people are great, they love Jesus, but unfortunately, they’re human, and humans make mistakes.

Sometimes they’re downright evil.

God Isn’t Evil Because His Leaders Do Bad:

I wanted to make sure I stated this. Many people in this world hate God because of something a church leader did to them or someone close to them.

Just because someone says they’re following God, it doesn’t mean that their actions are blessed by God. Some people are evil, and as Christians, we need to learn how to fight that.

I honestly worry that we’ve forgotten how to.

John 9: The Jewish Leadership Was Blind To God and His Plan

¹⁸ The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. ¹⁹ They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”

²⁰ His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, ²¹ but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. ²³ That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

²⁴ So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.”

²⁵ “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

John 9:18-25

John 9 Encounters With Jesus Are Usually Unplanned

When you have a real encounter with Jesus, it will transform your life. You can’t walk away from the presence of God, without a fundamental change to your life.

Whether it’s your thoughts, your actions, or even your physical being. Something has to change, and that is how powerful God is.

And I think he’s holding back.

The Jewish leaders only want power, and they’re blind to the healer that was in their midst.

I often wonder, “How blind am I, God?” Am I missing what Jesus has for me in my life? That’s a scary thought, and I hope to God that I’m not blind.

John 9: Pharisees Rationalize Their Blindness

²⁶ “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”

²⁷ “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

²⁸ Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”

³⁰ “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? ³¹ We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. ³² Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

³⁴ “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

John 9:26-34

John 9: Spiritual Blindness Is Worse Than Physical Blindness

³⁵ When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

³⁶ The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

³⁷ “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”

³⁸ “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

³⁹ Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”

⁴¹ “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

John 9:35-41

John 9: In Conclusion:

I often worry that I’m blind, and I wonder if Jesus is right next to me, and I don’t recognize him. Usually, I will snap out of this. And I do that by telling myself that if I’m worried about it, that can’t be true.

However, in life we get so self-focused, we lose track of our source, and we lose track of him. This is why it’s vital to pray and read your bible daily.

Jesus is the way, and if you follow him, you’ll need to consult with him while you’re traveling. If he’s the way, and you’ve lost your sight. It might be better to stop and refocus.

Let Me Know What You Think? Did I Get Anything Wrong? Is There Anything I Can Pray With You About?

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