18 March • Saturday of the Third Week in Lent
John 9:1-17
1. As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
7. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
11. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
Meditation
Although Jesus left the temple because the Jews wanted to stone Him (John 8:59), He stopped at the gate outside the temple and ministered to a man with congenital blindness, begging for alms. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” It was a question the blind man had asked many times in his life, so he paid attention to Jesus’ reply, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him…” When there is suffering, it is not necessary to ask, “Who caused the suffering?” but “What can God do with it through me?”
While he was still pondering over what Jesus said, Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with His saliva, rubbed it on his eyes and said to him “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” He simply obeyed and groped his way to the pool of Siloam. He cupped his hands into the pool and splashed the cool water onto his eyes. As the water washed away the mud from his eyes, a bright piercing light entered his eyes—for the first time in his life he saw light! There are moments that we may seem to walk alone, but all we need to do is simply trust and obey what Jesus tells us.
Jesus told His disciples, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Jesus said in Matthew 5:14 that we are the light of the world. Therefore, as long as we are still in the world, we must seize every opportunity to do the work that Jesus sent us to do. Every day is a day lesser for us to do what God can do through us. So, do it today!
His neighbours were amazed, the Pharisees were angry, doubted and accused Jesus for not keeping the Sabbath. What was important to the man was, “One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see!” (v.25). No one can take away what God has done for you when you hold on to it!
Prayer
Lord Jesus, where there is suffering, help me not to ask who cause it, but what You can do with it through me for Your glory. Amen!
Action
Is there someone you know who is suffering from sickness, depression, physical disabilities, loss of income or loss of a loved one? Pray for the person, ask God to make you His hands, feet and voice to bring healing and encouragement to the person.
Rev Dr Chia Beng Hock
Senior Pastor
Bethel Assembly of God
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