When the light shines

When The light Shines John 9

FOCUS VERSE John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

LESSON TEXT John 9:24–41

TRUTH ABOUT GOD God’s miracles reveal His glory.

TRUTH FOR MY LIFE I will submit my life for the glory of God.

King James Version Chapter 9

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 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.

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? 20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. 24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? 28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they ncast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

If someone asked me where should I start reading in the bible, I would say the book of John. There is nothing no more important than getting to know who Jesus is. But do you know him?

After I got back in church. I started to memorize John. I memorized the whole book verse by verse and chapter by chapter. However, I have not followed up on it so that memory had gone dormant. John had a purpose to his book and his writings. I know the last book is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ but that is the purpose of all his writings.

Miracles are an amazing display of God’s power. Involved in God instantly healed my daughter of Fibromyalgia, God instantly opened a locked door, God cleared my lungs from one x ray to the next. I have seen others including a back instantly healed. God can and continues to do miraculous things and there is no shortage of his power.

However, we are not the only generation and people that have experienced miracles. God chose the children of Israel as his own. These people have experienced Miracles over the centuries. Many are recorded in the bible and many are not.

During the time of Jesus, he was not the only person that performed miracles. There are miracles recorded from various humble dedicated Rabbis before during and after the lifetime of Jesus. There were some Rabbis (teachers)that had such a faith and relationship with God that they know were known for miracles.

Jesus the Jewish Theologian (Chapter 4: Miracles, Proclamation, and Healing Faith)

The Jewish worldview embraced the concept of miracles. God’s dominion is unlimited. In his book The Rabbinic Mind the esteemed Jewish scholar Max Kadushin observed, “Indeed, it is hardly an exaggeration to state the presence of Nissim [miracles] was, in a sense, the expected order of things.”

It was common enough that the Sanhedrin made a decision that law could not be changed based upon a miracle occuring.

A master rabbi, (professor maybe) was called a Rabban. Mary said rabboni My master rabbi.

So the story is told about a RABBAN going to a rabbi from the Mishnah

Again it happened when R. Chanina ben Dosa went to Rabban Johanan ben Zakhai to study Torah, the son of Rabban Johanan ben Zakhai became sick. He asked him, “Chanina, my son, pray for him that he may live.” He put his head between his knees, and prayed, and he lived. Rabban Johanan ben Zakhai said, “Even if ben Zakhai had squeezed his head between his knees all day long no attention would have been paid to him from heaven!” His wife said to him: “Is then Chanina greater than you?” He replied to her, “No! But he is like a servant before the king and I am like a prince before the king.”

Remember Gamaliel that taught Paul and told the Sanhedrin to leave the followers of Jesus alone?

Our rabbis have taught: Once it happened that Rabban Gamaliel’s son was sick, he sent two disciples to Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa that he might pray for him. When he saw them, he went to the upper room and prayed. When he came down, he said to them: “Go for the fever has departed from him.” They asked him, “Are you a prophet?” He replied to them, “I am no prophet, nor am I a prophet’s son, but this is how I am favored. If my prayer is fluent in my mouth, I know that he (the person who is ill) is favored. If not, I know that (the illness) is fatal.” They sat down, and noted the hour. When they came to Rabban Gamaliel, he said to them: “By the worship! You have neither taken from it nor added to it, but this is how it happened. It was at that hour that the fever left him and he asked us for water to drink.”

Brad H. Young, Jesus the Jewish Theologian (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 39.

Once they said to Choni the Circle Drawer, “Pray that rain may fall.” He answered, “Go out and bring in the Passover ovens that they be not softened [by the rain].” He prayed, but the rain did not fall. What did he do? He drew a circle and stood within it and said before God, “O Lord of the universe, your children have turned their faces to me, for that I am like a son of the house before you. I swear by your great name that I will not stir from here until you have mercy upon your children.” Rain began to fall drop by drop. He said, “I have not prayed for such rain, but for rain that will fill the cisterns, pits, and caverns.” It began to rain with violence. He said, “I have not prayed for such rain, but for rain of goodwill, blessing, and graciousness.” Then it rained in moderation.

Jesus the Jewish Theologian (The Jewish Background of Gospel Miracles)

(The head of the Sanhedrin)Simeon ben Shetah sent to him saying, “If you had not been Choni I would have pronounced a ban against you! But what shall I do to you?—You importunest God, and he performs your will; like a son who importunes his father and he performs his will; and of you the Scripture says, ‘Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her that bore thee rejoice’ ” (Prov 23:25).

So the miraculous was something that was understood among those that feared God. However there were a few miracles that they believed only God could cure.

Leprosy- Only God could cure as he was the one that gave. (MOSES) God was the only one recorded that had ever cured it.

deaf and mute spirit. (person couldnt tell the spirits name for it to be cast out.)

Born blind. those that had became blind at some point could be cured. But not the one that was born with it.

All healings recorded for Rabbis required them to pray first. Jesus just announced. PEACE BE STILL! What manner of man is this?

Enter John Chapter 9. Jesus and disciples have just exited the temple where he had announced this:

King James Version (Chapter 8)

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 9:1 KJV 1900

1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

So Jesus had just announced that He IS the existent one and came out to face a man that it was believed that ONLY God could cure.

We know the end of the story but the disciples and this man did not. They only knew that he spat on the ground and made a paste from the dust and RUBBED IT IN THE BLIND MANS EYES! Again we know the end of the story, but later it had to bring to mind

7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground

Then Jesus sent him to the pool of Siloam. Jesus didnt tell him that he would be healed. Jesus had just rubbed dust in his eyes and told him to wash it out.... in the pool of Siloam. Not water from the mikvahs that were very close, not some pool of water that was closer specifically the pool of siloam.

Thats a easy request but You see, the Pool is half a mile from the Temple Mount, down a very steep grade to the bottom of where the Kidron & Hinnom valleys meet. It is the lowest point in the city of jerusalem. In this half mile there is an elevation change of 377 ft in a half mile.

Jesus sent a blind man walking down a very steep hill with absolutely no promise of anything. He just said go to the pool of siloam. This is a scary hike for sighted people!

This blind man could have washed out his eyes anywhere. Where would I have went?

Not only the rugged walk but it was the wind down of the feast of tabernacle week. Jerusalem was packed! The pool of siloam was often the beginning of the trek to the temple mount. This was acceptable along with the mikvehs for ritual purifying before entering the temple mount(baptism)

There were a ton of people at the pool of siloam that saw this blind man from birth stumble down the steep grade with mud all over his eyes. He would have caused a stir as people saw him. They would have saw him feeling for the edge of the water and then washing his face in the water.

Then his excitement! I can see! did he leap, run, shout? I can see! I can see! Let me look at you!

Those that knew him would have spread the word quickly! Only God can do this miracle! How did it happen? Well, you see this man, jesus....

A man? man cannot heal anyone born blind. You say a man?This is impossible unless this man is God!

where is this man. This cold be Him! I don’t know!

So they took him to the most godly people in Jerusalem. The Pharisees. This could be GOD! Look at this! Is this the messiah? is this god? what is going on?

and they listened… We get to see the internal discussion.

One faction said Sanhedrin made a decision that law could not be changed based upon a miracle occuring. This violated accepted types of work allowed on the sabbath that were instituted to protect the Sabbath and keep it holy.

The other side was saying Look at the evidence! Only God can heal one born blind.

They said unto the blind man. What do you say about his man? He is a prophet.

Wait! some of them said. He may not have actually been born blind but lost his sight after birth. Lets check with his parents. Mom and dad, you say he was born blind. How is he seeing? Only God can heal one born blind.

Mom and dad say yes sirs! he was born blind. As for how, just ask him, we werent there.

So they call the ex-blind back in....and give him the Achan treatment as Joshua said to Achan

King James Version Chapter 7

My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me

We know this man is a sinner! (based upon rules that had been instituted to protect the statutes of God)

The ex-blind said I dont know about all of that. I know one thing. I know my experience with this man. My experience was that I was blind and now I see!

how did he do it? I have already told you. If I tell you again, will you be his disciples?

Then these very sincere, very holy people began to make fun of him. We follow Moses. God spoke to Moses! We dont know this man.

King James Version Chapter 9

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

The pharisees( the holy people) cast him out of the synagogue based upon their knowledge. They overlooked the experience right in front of them. The ex-blind was essentially dead to the community.

Jesus heard of it and came to him. This ex-blind had never seen Jesus. He had only experienced him. And Jesus said to him. Do you believe on the Son of God?

The blind said who is it?

Then was the implication. You know how it is said that only God can heal he that was born blind? you were born blind and you are looking at him that is talking to you.

The ex-blind fell to his knees and worshipped the king of kings. It didnt matter who was around. It didnt matter what was said. It didnt matter what anyone thought about him.

Because he had an experience! He had experienced the one that could open the eyes of one born blind. He had experienced God! He saw the light because of his experience.

Jesus said I am come so that those that cant see, can.. Those that have no hope, can… Those that cant, can

but I am also come to blind those that can see.... show that those that have it all ,dont.... to show those that have it all figured out, dont..

The pharisees that were with him said are we blind also? he replied because you say we see, you dont.

john Said in the introduction to his book that Jesus came unto his own and his own received him not. The Pharisees were the most devout portion of the jewish religion. They were wisest, most knowledgeable that the church had to offer. Many Pharisees followed Jesus but Many did not.

I wonder what would happen today if the ones that were supposed to be following Jesus actually did! If the ones that had all the knowledge about what should or should not be done actually KNEW him.

Knowing about God is a marvelous thing. Everyone should be made aware of a knowledge of God. Our world would be such a better place if everyone knew about God. However, the thing that is better than know about God is KNOWING HIM!

* 2 Timothy 1:12—For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. Notice he does not say “I know in whom I have believed.” Instead he says, “I know whom I have believed.” There is a big difference in knowing about Christ and knowing Him.

Daniel 11:32 “... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

It is the experience with him that makes the difference. In every life of God’s people, there has been a miracle of deliverance. There has been an experience. That experience should never attempt to be covered by mans knowledge. Only the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

The experience is what makes the difference. The man born blind experienced God and because of that experience he came to know Jesus and who he was.

The book of John comes to a definitive climax. Thomas upon experiencing Jesus Resurrection for himself falls to his knees and says My Lord and My God!

You see it is all about him. Our experiences point us to him. All of our knowledge should point to him. All of our prayers, fastings, and service should be about, for, and to him.

Jesus the Jewish Theologian Jesus the Healer

Faith begins with God. God is good. He is sovereign. Faith in God must never be confused with faith in faith.

We pray for more faith. We ask for more faith. But we have the experience. That same God that worked the miraculous experience in our life is the only one that can do. I may have had to stagger down a very steep slope and wash the mud off my face but it is GOD that did the miracle. I may have scars from the number of times that I fell but he is the one that did the healing.

Whatever road that we are asked to walk, it is still all about him. It points to him, it is for him, it is about him. We do not live for our own selves. If I live it is for his Glory. Any path that I am asked to walk is for his glory!

Miracles that come are from him. Miracles both come from a knowledge of him and to generate an experience in him. Whether in ourselves or others.

He is! He Can! he does!

Jesus is the one! He is My Lord and My God!