Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: Calling the witness

John 9:13-34…

Immediately, when Jesus sets you free, the religious world puts you on trial. The secular crowd watches on. You are called to serve as a witness. This man who had been healed of his blindness was now being questioned by the Pharisees.  They knew he had been with Jesus. Can people tell that you have been; is it obvious something has changed?

Because this man was healed on the Sabbath, they began to express their opinions of Jesus rather than listen to the man who had been blind his whole life. Yet some did wonder how a so called sinner could do such signs.  The works of Jesus in your life will always cause division among those who think you have some sinister motive or who once knew you and refuse to believe in the power of God’s truth to change people.

The formerly blind man knew that a miracle had been wrought in his life and so he knew that the man who healed him was special. This man’s eyes are beginning to see even more clearly, while the eyes of his judges are becoming even more blinded by the pettiness of pride.  

The Pharisees go to question the man’s parents, but for fear they do not answer them directly. You can’t always expect friends and family to be able to fend off accusations against you. In your witness for Jesus, sometimes it is just you and Him.

They ask the man once again, and failing to shake his testimony, they began to abuse him. However, their scorn only strengthens his belief.  He tells them the truth is staring them right in the face, but that they will not acknowledge it.

Ironically, they do acknowledge it, because as they throw him out of the synagogue they admit this man had been born blind! You were born in utter sin…they don’t realize that they just validated the healing and Jesus! Such is the nature of spiritual blindness. 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

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