John 9:1-17

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

John 9

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

¹As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

³"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. ⁴As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

⁶Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. ⁷"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

⁸His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" ⁹Some claimed that he was.
Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

¹⁰"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.

¹¹He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

¹²"Where is this man?" they asked him.
"I don't know," he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."
But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

¹⁷Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."
The man replied, "He is a prophet."

Close. Jesus continues to do miracles and teach. He and his disciples come upon a man blind from birth. The Disciples wonder whose sin made the man blind, his or his parents. This shows the ancient thoughts that God punished people by doing bad things to them. Jesus tells them neither; the man has been blind so that Jesus can heal him. Jesus proceeds to make some mud, puts it on the mans bad eyes and presto! he can see!

The man's neighbors did not recognize the former blind man. When he finally convinced them he was the man he told them of the miracle. The People wanted to meet this guy, but Jesus had slipped away. The trouble was just beginning. Jesus did this miracle on the Sabbath, again. I really think Jesus did some of these miracle on the Sabbath to make a point. It did upset the pharisees and they began to investigate.

Questions:

1. Why do we think God is punishing people when they have health issues?

2. Why didn't the neighbors recognize the man?

3. Why would Jesus continue to work miracles on the Sabbath? Does he still?

Prayer- Lord, Thank you for all the miracles you do, no matter when you do them Help us recognize. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.