3/23/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our reading from John chapter 9 is rather lengthy. I’d like to focus on the development of the “man born blind.” He is never given a name in the Scripture. When Jesus heals this man at first he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He has never seen before. He never saw the face of the person who healed him. He had a name and nothing else.
Because of their fear of the authorities, all this man’s friends and family rejected him. Some even denied that they knew who he was. As he was questioned more and more, he saw that Jesus’ work of changing his life was controversial. On the Sabbath day, he had been given rest from his troubles. It had been done by Jesus, who introduces himself to the man as the “Son of Man.”
As the formerly blind man is questioned more he gains a more positive view of Jesus and his grace. Truly this is the one he should follow. This is the healer sent from God.
What do we fear about following Jesus? Is it our own dignity? Social rejection? Cultural and political reprisals? These are not things to fear. We should rather fear the rejection of God, his displeasure at our sin, our failure to redeem ourselves from the sinful world and make reconciliation with God. Jesus is the one who has redeemed all who believe from the curse of sin, the spiritual blindness in which we walk. Best to believe on him.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our reading from John chapter 9 is rather lengthy. I’d like to focus on the development of the “man born blind.” He is never given a name in the Scripture. When Jesus heals this man at first he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He has never seen before. He never saw the face of the person who healed him. He had a name and nothing else.
Because of their fear of the authorities, all this man’s friends and family rejected him. Some even denied that they knew who he was. As he was questioned more and more, he saw that Jesus’ work of changing his life was controversial. On the Sabbath day, he had been given rest from his troubles. It had been done by Jesus, who introduces himself to the man as the “Son of Man.”
As the formerly blind man is questioned more he gains a more positive view of Jesus and his grace. Truly this is the one he should follow. This is the healer sent from God.
What do we fear about following Jesus? Is it our own dignity? Social rejection? Cultural and political reprisals? These are not things to fear. We should rather fear the rejection of God, his displeasure at our sin, our failure to redeem ourselves from the sinful world and make reconciliation with God. Jesus is the one who has redeemed all who believe from the curse of sin, the spiritual blindness in which we walk. Best to believe on him.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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