Getting Real with God

Read John 9:1-41

"this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. " John 9:3 

There is an old specsavers ad where a game of beach volleyball is being played. A man jumps up to spike the ball, only to smash a seagull with his hand instead. As the man celebrates innapropriately the message is clear – This man thinks he can see, but he cannot. He needs sight!

That is John 9 in a nutshell. While the healing of the blind man is the narrative focus of this chapter, the pharisees are the ones in Jesus’ sights (Let the reader, and pun aficionado, understand). The Pharisees think they are faithful, knowledgeable, that they hold the keys to life. In reality, because they don’t see who Jesus is, they are blind.

John 9 then is a test of our eyesight too. Can you see the beautiful truth – That while without Jesus you are blind, if you have accepted Jesus as Lord, you can see (vs 39). A miracle has happened to you. You have gone from darkness to light. In seeing Jesus clearly, you are healed from spiritual blindness.

There is yet other thing that gives comfort in this chapter – God uses brokenness for His glory and your good.

Jesus’ disciples see the blind and ask ‘Who sinned, his man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Verse 1. Jesus’ response is balm to anyone who is suffering. People don’t generally suffer as a punishment for their sin. Sometimes suffering is a natural consequence of sin, but suffering predominantly occurs because our world is horribly fallen.

In God’s greatness He uses even brokenness and frailty and suffering for good.

Verse 3 – ‘“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’ 

Nowhere is this more evident than on the cross. Where the greatest good imaginable came out of the worst suffering ever experienced. Even when we can’t see the purpose or point of suffering, or understand what God is doing, we can look to the cross and have confidence that if God brought good out of that, he can work through anything.

Mitch