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Prayer – Lesson 8: The Blind See
Heavenly Father, bless our teachers today as they lead their classes in another exploration of one of Christ's miracles. Help them to recognize how faith in you gives sight, but unbelief leads to blindess and despair. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Why is it easier to believe disease and difficulty is due to sin?
"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." (John 9:3)
In "Biblical Perspective" Gayle Woods writes:
Jesus opened their eyes to a thought which they never would have considered. There was no connection between infirmity and sin in this situation. The infirmity could not be blamed on the parents or the son. In spite of the bad situation, God would gain glory through their lives. God is often able to use us to the greatest extent when we are at the end of our resources. He takes that which is low, insignificant, and undesirable and uses it for His glory.
Discussion: Even today, many atttribute various diseases and calamities in life to people's sin. Why do we try to make this link?
Discussion: What if our link between the hardship people experience and their sin is inaccurate? What are the implications?
Source: Miracles of Jesus: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 47.
Was Jesus a Sinner?
In "Word Focus" William Sillings writes:
The clay (pelos) that Jesus made was made by putting spittle, or saliva (ptusma), on the ground and mixing the saliva with the dirt. The ancients held a high regard for the curative value of saliva. And while we may frown on the gauche nature of such an idea today, there is little doubt that even the saliva of Jesus had healing virtue.
But Jesus was going to get into trouble for this act of making clay of dirt and saliva. Why? It was the Sabbath (v. 14). The Jewish traditional law forbade kneading on the Sabbath, and mixing any liquid with a solid in order to form anything of a dough-like or clay-like consistency was considered kneading. What Jesus did here, then, was not only to heal a man on the Sabbath, but also, in the minds of the Pharisees, to desecrate the Sabbath by working.
Discussion: The Pharisees thought Jesus was a sinner. Why don't we?
Source: Miracles of Jesus: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 46.
The Lord Gives Sight
Read John 9:1-7
“And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing” (v. 7).
“Some assembly is required; instructions included.” You can imagine with me a new swing set. There are no fewer than fifty bolts, fifty nuts, fifty lock washers, two-inch pipes, braces, chains, and many parts which seem quite strange, and there is a set of instructions. Imagine dumping the entire contents of the box on the back patio and tossing aside the instruction sheet. Unless one has already assembled a swing set or is mechanically inclined, the likelihood of a pleasant experience and a desired result is close to nil. Following instructions is an excellent idea.
The blind man obediently followed Jesus’ instructions. He went. He washed away the mud. He saw. That was a rather simplistic set of requirements, and the man obeyed and was healed. Did every blind man who applied mud and washed in the pool receive his sight? No. It was not the walking and washing that healed the man. Christ healed the man in response to obedient faith.
Let us remember that the path to spiritual sight begins and continues by submission to Christ. (Lonnie Witt)
Come to Christ. Obey. See clearly.
This devotional is the Wednesday, January 20, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Lesson 8: The Blind See
Lesson 8 - January 24, 2016
Focus Text: John 9:1-17
Central Truth: Faith in Christ brings understanding to the spiritually blind.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to state at least three obligations that accompany receiving spiritual sight.
Lesson Outline:
- Preparation for the Miracle (John 9:1-5)
- Performance of the Miracle (John 9:6-7)
- Proclamation of the Miracle (John 9:8-34)
Prayer: The Nets Filled
Heavenly Father, we thank You for our many teachers and the students in their classes. Help us all to understand even more clearly through today's lesson our need to walk in daily fellowship with You in order to experience true success - not defined by this world, but by You - in life. Amen.