John 9:1-12 Act 9: Scene 1 (Trust and Obey)

Overlook of John Chapters 9 and 10
This passage of John's account of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ covers the so-called 9th and 10th chapters. Chapters 9 and 10 which we will call Act 9 is divided up into 7 scenes. Scene 1 goes from verse 1 to verse 12.
Scene 2: verses 13-23
Scene 3: verses 24-34
Scene 4: verses 35-41
Scene 5: Chapter 10, Verses 1-6
Scene 6: verses 7-18
Scene 7: verses 19-21
We will address each scene with subsequent blog posts.

Act 9: Scene 1 (John 9:1-12)
And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?" Ever been part of a group that is playing follow the leader? Now, mix that physical attention with a leader that is sharing imperative information. You and the group are hanging on every word, you focus on him only distracted by a quick glance down to assure your footing. Then, he quickly turns his head. The group then looks to whatever direction he is looking. Ah, the power of a leader. This is the scenario of our passage in John. Jesus is walking. The disciples are following. Jesus sees. The disciples then see. The disciples ask a question. Notice how the 'man blind from birth' did not say anything. No plea. No moaning. No groaning. No belligerence. No irreverence. No victimization. No requests. No verbalization of any kind. Jesus saw him. From this point follow the verb 'see'. The Greek word is εἶδεν originally from οἶδα meaning to perceive, consider, be aware, behold. This word also translates 'to know' in the New Testament. It is compared with the Greek words ὀπτάνομαι (to literally see or appear) and ὁράω (to see, perceive, attend to). Jesus saw the blind man before the blind man knew Jesus was near. The man had Jesus' attention before Jesus had the blind man's attention. Jesus approached the man. Now, the Question. The question of the age. Whose fault was it? Who sinned? The man or his parents? Up until this time some taught that bad things happened to good 'innocent' people. This perspective, which is known in the Old Testament, is about to be turned upside down. For Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Here we have option number 3 to the blind man's situation. Number 1 is that his parents sinned and he is reaping the physical results. This happens every day. For we are descendants of Adam. Number 2 is that the man himself sinned. It is true that you will reap what you sow. But, now, with the emphasis of Jesus' declaration is Number 3: 'in order that the works of God might be displayed in him.' The purpose of God's works displayed is more supremely important than any miraculous antidote. He is the 'light of the world.' But in this declaration Jesus does not use the ἐγὼ εἰμι phrase which brought Him into the sights of the Jewish religious elite. Jesus already spoke of His deity (ἐγὼ εἰμι) as it relates to the 'Light of the World' in John 8:12. He does not use When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). Notice that Jesus did and He spoke. The blind man made not request or gesture of need. And so he went away and washed, and came back seeing. I want you to understand that the benevolent action on Jesus part was not a result of the man's persistence or innovation. But, the man, when acted upon and spoken to, obeyed. He heard, went, obeyed and 'came back' with his sight. Gratitude will always carry the day. The man came back out of gratitude. Jesus bestowed on him and met a need that he was not even looking to have met and he was thankful.

• 1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
• Psalms 100: 4-5 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
• Revelation 11: 16-17 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.

The neighbors therefore, and those who previously saw him a beggar, were saying, "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?" Don't you just love neighbors? If you can trust them for one thing, it is this. They will be forever equipped of 'would-a's', 'should-a's' and 'could-a's.' They give all pretense of knowing your past. But, do they know you as Jesus does? They knew him as a 'beggar', one who 'asks repeatedly, ask for an addition, ask earnestly or begs.' Others were saying, "This is he, still others were saying, "No, but he is like him." Not all were convinced this was the man. He kept saying "I am the one." If Jesus has done a work in you, you will have those that don't understand and even say that you are not the man they knew. For those of us who are in the beloved, given a new name, transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His Dear Son, we are surely not who we were before. Interesting note here. The man who can now see resorts to the ἐγὼ εἰμι (I AM) declaration to accentuate his being. Therefore they were saying to him, "How then were your eyes opened?" Okay, now that we've determined that you are who you say you are, how did this happen? He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam, and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight." Very simple accurate account of his encounter with Jesus. Can we simply articulate our encounter(s) with Jesus? And they said to him, "Where is He?" Notice how they did not ask the 'who' questions as they did the healed man. They had heard of Jesus. They, quite simply, wanted to know where He was. Do you know Him well enough to inquire of His location? He said, "I do not know." He was blind then, but now he sees.

APPLICATION
Bad things happen to people. Bad things happen to GOOD people. Bad things happen to BAD people. All of life reflects our propensity to be responsible. Therein is the Christian life. When we sin, and we will for Jesus never said we wouldn't, we have the privilege and the power and the provision to confess and repent. Confession and repentance does not insure the righting of all that went wrong as a result of your sin. But it does insure that you are right with God in an unadulterated relationship. That is taking responsibility for our wrong actions. Do it. Be clean. However, what happens when BAD things happen to you when you have not sinned? Be sure that you have no sin to confess or repent of. Then rest and be expectant of the works of God to be revealed in your life.

Confession
Confession means to say the same as. It sounds like, 'I sinned.' Or, "I was wrong." Or, "I lied." Confession does NOT sound like, 'It is wrong." Or, 'I am sorry.' Or, 'Lying is wrong.' Or, ' I am sorry you are so sensitive.'

Repentance
Repentance means to turn away or to change direction. Christianity is about a life change, a continual life change. You can never say 'Been there, done that' with Christianity. Religion is about getting a quick fix. Christianity is about life change. If you sin, then stop doing it.

Be very careful in trusting in God's forgiveness apart from your lifestyle of confession and repentance as the Holy Spirit points out your sin to you.


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